Epic F**K up, Now what?

[Bustanut joker]

It was in the pan via the opening under the clutch.

As far as it being a helluva a shot, I think you'd be surprised by how big that opening is. It would easily swallow every bolt I removed during the job and would've taken the whole 8mm easily as well. So, learn from my mistake and plug up those holes right away.

Something I haven't yet mentioned is that, in the end, I was lucky the wrench DID fall in because while I was fishing for the wrench last night, I retrieved a metal dowel pin for the clutch cover that I hadn't even realized was missing. :bigeyedsmiley: I still don't know if the wrench caught it on the way down and knocked it in or if it fell in when I was removing the cover.

Do NOT do this job with the bike on the side stand. I thought it would just make things easier but in reality it just guaranteed that anything loose would slide right into the motor.

BTW, another big thanks to Allrider. It's possible that I might have found it myself with the new magnet tool but based on my frame of mind (I think I aged 5 years in 12 hours) before he contacted me, probably not. I even offered him my new inspection camera in gratitude and he graciously declined. What a prince!! :Lkingsmiley:

In nuclear power plants they have a complete program called FMEA - Foreign Materials Exclusion Area. In reality, it means "Don't drop shit into the internals!" They are heart-beat serious about it, each worker is examined for any kind of loose crap that could fall in - pens, loose screws, clips, etc. All wrenches are tethered.

A lesson for all of us.

So happy you found it, amigo!

Now, trust me...

* Take a deep breath *

* Find some Makers Mark *

* Enjoy your new found friends and celebrate! *

Ya know.. I was always curious about the safety wire on yer ballz..

I rest easier now..

 

[gixxerjasen]

Also, I see the wedding ring. What exactly did your better half have to say about what you did? Or did you start THAT conversation off with the "No judging" rule and how well did that work out?

 

[superfuzz]

I read this thread from start to finish. I think I held my breath from the time you said what happened right up until I saw this picture.

That is a photograph of victory sir!

Put that thing in a frame and mount on your garage wall to serve as a reminder that F*** ups are never far away!

Nope, pound a nail in the wall and hang it up as a reminder. Then you can always pull it down when you are stupid enough to use it again.

This might be the bigger part of the story. Had that gone unnoticed you'da had real trouble. Looks like nothing happens by accident. That wrench may just have gone in there to save you some bigger, more expensive headaches a little further down the road. This part gave me a chill.

I'm certain he'd have noticed it when putting the clutch cover back on.

However, I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when Allrider pulled out that dowel.

Allrider: What the heck? Did you know you were missing this?

Superfuzz: I....uh....um...wha...*looks at pile of parts and clutch cover*....um....shit....uh....

Actually, I pulled out the dowel last night when I first started fishing for the wrench. I pulled out the magnet after not finding the wrench and noticed the dowel on there. "WTF?" I said, knowing it looked familiar. I realized what it was and thought, "holy shit, I didn't even know it was gone." I woulda been screwed because if I hadn't accidentally pulled it out, I wouldn't have missed it until reassembly time. I don't know if it would have occurred to me that it could have fallen in. I probably would have thought it had just been misplaced among all the tools, fasteners, etc.

And the missus took the news way better than I did. I think she saw how freaked out I was and just let it go. She just said, "Okay, it happened. You can't be the first one to have ever done that. What do you need to do now?" When I told her there was a chance that it had to go to the shop for a potentially VERY expensive wrench retrieval she just said, "Well, if that's what you have to do...Otherwise it'll just sit in the garage, right?" I'm a lucky dude, some wives would've freaked out regarding the potential cost.

BTW, I called the dealer today and they didn't have an opening until 6/13. The service writer seemed pretty confident they could get it out in a couple of hours. I asked him if anyone had ever called in with a similar issue and he replied, "Uh, no. this is a first."

 

[wfooshee]

I just thought I'd point out....

The idea of using a cut-short wrench is to avoid removing the clutch cover. The shortened wrench has enough swing to get 60 degrees of rotation in one shot, even with the cover in place, where a full-length wrench can't.

Unless.... you remove the clutch cover and give the full-length wrench more room to work. That's what I did.

I'm wondering if a full-length wrench would have made it into the innards where that one got to. I'm quite certain a cut-down wrench would not have gone through an intact clutch cover, though......

Now that it's over in a happy way, I thought I'd just add to the epic-ness of the fuck-up. It's what I do.

 

[Bustanut joker]

Oh yeah Pulling the clutch cover. :dribble: .......

Just another place for the fking cat to piss..

Thanks Walt. :lol:

Go ta bed.

 

[superfuzz]

I just thought I'd point out....

The idea of using a cut-short wrench is to avoid removing the clutch cover. The shortened wrench has enough swing to get 60 degrees of rotation in one shot, even with the cover in place, where a full-length wrench can't.

Unless.... you remove the clutch cover and give the full-length wrench more room to work. That's what I did.

I'm wondering if a full-length wrench would have made it into the innards where that one got to. I'm quite certain a cut-down wrench would not have gone through an intact clutch cover, though......

Now that it's over in a happy way, I thought I'd just add to the epic-ness of the fuck-up. It's what I do.

To add more to the fuck-up, the reason the whole thing was FUBAR to begin with was that my 8mm wrench was a 6 point instead of a 12. If I'd had a 12 then I wouldn't have had to cut it and probably wouldn't have lost the grip to begin with. Oh well.

 

[Bustanut joker]

I just thought I'd point out....

The idea of using a cut-short wrench is to avoid removing the clutch cover. The shortened wrench has enough swing to get 60 degrees of rotation in one shot, even with the cover in place, where a full-length wrench can't.

Unless.... you remove the clutch cover and give the full-length wrench more room to work. That's what I did.

I'm wondering if a full-length wrench would have made it into the innards where that one got to. I'm quite certain a cut-down wrench would not have gone through an intact clutch cover, though......

Now that it's over in a happy way, I thought I'd just add to the epic-ness of the fuck-up. It's what I do.

To add more to the fuck-up, the reason the whole thing was FUBAR to begin with was that my 8mm wrench was a 6 point instead of a 12. If I'd had a 12 then I wouldn't have had to cut it and probably wouldn't have lost the grip to begin with. Oh well.

Well.. All's well that ends well, so......

Swing on down to La Pine sept 15th. I'll buy ya some candy.

 

[gixxerjasen]

That's good of your wife. I'd have certainly have gotten the from my wife.

Can I point out the silver lining here? You can now take your two wrench halves to Sears and say it broke and get a new one. Craftsman rocks! :lol:

 

[Bugnatr]

Wow what a thread, and you got it!

Clean living, eh?

 

[superfuzz]

* Take a deep breath *

* Find some Makers Mark *

* Enjoy your new found friends and celebrate! *

Here's to you guys, especially Gordon (Allrider)

That's good of your wife. I'd have certainly have gotten the from my wife.

Can I point out the silver lining here? You can now take your two wrench halves to Sears and say it broke and get a new one. Craftsman rocks! :lol:

I dunno, I think the prodigal wrench is going to be a new keyring as a constant reminder not to be a dipshit

 

[gixxerjasen]

I'd need a bigger reminder.

 

[bucky]

Every now and then a guy has to be reminded when we are so damn stupid when we make such seemingly insignificant errors in judgment (not thinking ahead of covering all the areas that something could fall into), and just plow ahead anyway. This was one of those times. Especially the first hour or two after you tried to retrieve the offending wrench and couldn't. Thoughts streak thru your mind. How much is this going to cost me? What will the wife say? Maybe if I just pretend it didn' fall in there, I can pretend all will be ok? That absolute feeling of all hope being lost.

Sort of reminds me of the time I dropped a spark plug adaptor that in the old days you used to put over the #1 plug to hook the timing light onto to check your timing advance fell off and into the front cross member of my 68 olds 455. And crawled under the car in the dead of winter outside and got my hand stuck in the front cross member trying to retrieve the part. Until my wife went and got the neighbor to jack up the car, grease up my arm half way to the elbow and pull my arm out, it was pure hell. Probably pure irrational thought, but for a while there, I thought my number was up. I still remember it as if it were yesterday, not 40 years ago.

Afterwards, a stiff shot for both of us (cheap brandy, not that expensive makers mark) and a few laughs and all was better. THAT, probably was how you felt when the offending half wrench made its grand re-appearance. Bottoms up!

 

[azitlies]

Hey! A Happy Ending to This Story! Awesome!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Congrats on the fishing expedition 'fuzz!

Glad it worked out in the end!!

--G

 

[Patriot]

Don't give up on the magnet tools until you have tried several different ones. magnetic pickup tools I like D, E and F.

If you don't find it by this evening I'll come over to give a hand. I've got all those magnets and more. Don't ask me why...

if I envision walking in his shoes, I'd personally not be emotionally able to deal anymore

I'd call in help and a volunteer, emotionally distance soul who certainly would increase the chances of success 100%...

BTDT...I've been the guy on the receiving end (thanx Jeff when my CCT failed) and am happy to contribute effort to help someone elses unfortune

this forum rocks

Mike

 

[7xray]

Fantastic! Thanks for bringing us along on the ride.

7X

 

[HotRodZilla]

Dayum SF...I was pulling for you, thinking of all the stupid shit I've done and lucked out of. I kept waiting for the "Holy crap, I found it! Post." Glad it came sooner than later and didn't cost a bunch of money.

 

[Andyfjr]

Late post didn't read last page, all's well.

Personally, before stripping down to the sump, I would drain the oil and hire a endoscope camera and see if you can see the socket in the sump. Then is you can use a magnet and endoscope together to retrieve it?

If you need to remove sump as other said, headers off, no need to remove radiator, drain and tilt forward on upper mounts.

Good luck

Andy

 

[majicmaker]

Ok! I'll go ahead and say this one more time. This is the Best F@#King Forum EVER!! :clapping: :yahoo:

 

[RadioHowie]

The wrench is out, the Maker's mark is ingested...now go thank the wife for her great attitude...and bang her 'til she bleeds!!!