Was changing oil on my 12HP Yanmar with a bulb siphon, when Murphys law hit. A 4" piece of clear 1/4" or less plastic tube came off the the bulb & fell into the crankcase. Impossible to fish it out, so my ? Will this harm the engine or will it eventually melt, tear up, etc., hate to drop the pan. any ideas apprecitaed.
Diesel Question as Murphys law kicked in!
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What's worse than dropping the pan?
There's a crankshaft in there and other moving parts. You have already established that's Murphey's Law is in effect here. I don't see any alternative unless of course you want to find out what sucks even worse than removing the pan.
There's a crankshaft in there and other moving parts. You have already established that's Murphey's Law is in effect here. I don't see any alternative unless of course you want to find out what sucks even worse than removing the pan.
I concur with Bob,
You will need to get this out of the oil pan. no other way I can think of other then to drop the oil pan. Sorry but like the old Fram oil filter commercial says "Pay me now or Pay me Later". It will melt, tear up and do all the thinks you think it will along with clog the oil passages and the oil pump, oil filter etc etc. You know the answer now you just got to accept it. Sorry don't mean to be bearer of bad news.....:cry:
You will need to get this out of the oil pan. no other way I can think of other then to drop the oil pan. Sorry but like the old Fram oil filter commercial says "Pay me now or Pay me Later". It will melt, tear up and do all the thinks you think it will along with clog the oil passages and the oil pump, oil filter etc etc. You know the answer now you just got to accept it. Sorry don't mean to be bearer of bad news.....:cry:
Ysm 12?
The side case is not that bad to take off. Getting the pullies off is the hardest part. The plastic tube will probably not get into the crank case whole, if you dropped it through the oil fill on the front of the engine ie. opposite the output shaft. However the governor is in that side case on the engine, you could end up with a runaway that throws a rod. If you pull the injector you may be able to see the tube you dropped. I would get a dental mirror and give it a shot though.
If you leave it in, it will probably get ground up and end up stuck to the pickup tube. I personally could not sleep with that in there.
The side case is not that bad to take off. Getting the pullies off is the hardest part. The plastic tube will probably not get into the crank case whole, if you dropped it through the oil fill on the front of the engine ie. opposite the output shaft. However the governor is in that side case on the engine, you could end up with a runaway that throws a rod. If you pull the injector you may be able to see the tube you dropped. I would get a dental mirror and give it a shot though.
If you leave it in, it will probably get ground up and end up stuck to the pickup tube. I personally could not sleep with that in there.
Ysm12
If you have a YSM12 and you dropped the tube in the front oil fill hole(the one closest to the pullies and belts) take the oil cap off, take the cooling pipe off the head to gain better access, take the injector out. Then use a dental mirror through the oil fill hole and a bright light through that hole. Then lay down on the floor and look through the injector hole and use a pair of tweezers through that hole(long tweezers 8"-10"). I think you can get it. With the injector out there is alot more room and it will be lying on the bottom of the front case. The case doesn't go all the way into the crank case, just a small hole at the bottom.
You can try using the tweezers through the oil fill hole also, that may be better. By the way to take the injector out you need to take out the rack limiting screw on the front on the engine, it has a nut and an acorn nut on it, it's right by the injector.
IF you dropped it in the back oil fill hole, where the clutch housing is, I would try shining a bright light in the hole and hand turn the output shaft SLOWLY and see if the tube rolls around to anywhere you can see it. IF it's in the back case you are probably screwed and will have to disassemble the bell housing to get to it. The engine will definitely have to be pulled in that case.
If you have a YSM12 and you dropped the tube in the front oil fill hole(the one closest to the pullies and belts) take the oil cap off, take the cooling pipe off the head to gain better access, take the injector out. Then use a dental mirror through the oil fill hole and a bright light through that hole. Then lay down on the floor and look through the injector hole and use a pair of tweezers through that hole(long tweezers 8"-10"). I think you can get it. With the injector out there is alot more room and it will be lying on the bottom of the front case. The case doesn't go all the way into the crank case, just a small hole at the bottom.
You can try using the tweezers through the oil fill hole also, that may be better. By the way to take the injector out you need to take out the rack limiting screw on the front on the engine, it has a nut and an acorn nut on it, it's right by the injector.
IF you dropped it in the back oil fill hole, where the clutch housing is, I would try shining a bright light in the hole and hand turn the output shaft SLOWLY and see if the tube rolls around to anywhere you can see it. IF it's in the back case you are probably screwed and will have to disassemble the bell housing to get to it. The engine will definitely have to be pulled in that case.
Where did you insert the tubing?
It seems that some of us are assuming that you put it in the dipstick and some are thinking that is was in the fill cap. I would think that if you were trying to remove all of the oil you must have been trying to reach the bottom of the pan and the dipstick tube is the direct route to that location.
Let's all hope that RAD is right and it got stuck in the dipstick tube. That may not be that bad. It seems like all (3) of the boats that I have owned with inboard deisels have room enough to drop the pan without a major hassle.
By the way, when you get it out, run down to the chandlery of your choice and pick up an Oil Boy brand extractor. It will make your oil changes nearly effortless.
http://www.reckoningmarine.com/cart/tempo-oil-boy-fluid-extractor-p-16875.html
It seems that some of us are assuming that you put it in the dipstick and some are thinking that is was in the fill cap. I would think that if you were trying to remove all of the oil you must have been trying to reach the bottom of the pan and the dipstick tube is the direct route to that location.
Let's all hope that RAD is right and it got stuck in the dipstick tube. That may not be that bad. It seems like all (3) of the boats that I have owned with inboard deisels have room enough to drop the pan without a major hassle.
By the way, when you get it out, run down to the chandlery of your choice and pick up an Oil Boy brand extractor. It will make your oil changes nearly effortless.
http://www.reckoningmarine.com/cart/tempo-oil-boy-fluid-extractor-p-16875.html
Not being familiar with your motor and the lenght of the dip stick tube
Assuming you lost the tube in the oil dip stick tube. Here's hoping the plastic tube was long enough to hit the bottom of the pan and stay in the dip stick tube itself, but down low. Maybe if you remove the dip stick tube, the plastic tube will be standing there waiting for you to grab it. Just a thought. Hopefully it'll be that easy. Most dip stick tubes are just pressed in and will pull out with a good grip down low(so you don't collapse it) and some twisting and pulling. Good luck.
I'm with Rad on this one.
Keep it up,
Ctskip
Assuming you lost the tube in the oil dip stick tube. Here's hoping the plastic tube was long enough to hit the bottom of the pan and stay in the dip stick tube itself, but down low. Maybe if you remove the dip stick tube, the plastic tube will be standing there waiting for you to grab it. Just a thought. Hopefully it'll be that easy. Most dip stick tubes are just pressed in and will pull out with a good grip down low(so you don't collapse it) and some twisting and pulling. Good luck.
I'm with Rad on this one.
Keep it up,
Ctskip
Another thought...
If the tube dropped all the way to the bottom of the oil pan, it's not likely to be a problem for any rotating parts as they normally are above the top level of a full oil sump. Even when run hard, the oil temp probably doesn't get above 240 or 250 degrees at its worst, which I suspect is still well below the melting point of the plastic used to make the tube. Soften it, yes; melt it, no.
Hence, the wild and crazy idea of leaving it alone unless you can fit one of those three-fingered "grabber" devices through the dipstick hole to try to fish it out.
Also, do get one of the Oil Boy oil change units!
If the tube dropped all the way to the bottom of the oil pan, it's not likely to be a problem for any rotating parts as they normally are above the top level of a full oil sump. Even when run hard, the oil temp probably doesn't get above 240 or 250 degrees at its worst, which I suspect is still well below the melting point of the plastic used to make the tube. Soften it, yes; melt it, no.
Hence, the wild and crazy idea of leaving it alone unless you can fit one of those three-fingered "grabber" devices through the dipstick hole to try to fish it out.
Also, do get one of the Oil Boy oil change units!
Tube in the pan
I would have to agree with Dan. If the tube is in the pan and it were mine it would stay in the pan. The pickup on oil pumps have a screen just for events like this. Ray T
I would have to agree with Dan. If the tube is in the pan and it were mine it would stay in the pan. The pickup on oil pumps have a screen just for events like this. Ray T
Re: Tube in the pan
Oil extractor can also be found by a different name of "Moeller Oil Changer".
These are great units. Warm up your oil, pump up the vaccum and you are done in about 10 mins. The tubes are stiffer plastic than most of the units on the market. When you imerse the tube in the warm/hot oil it does not bend and curl up like the vinyl hose does.
Oil extractor can also be found by a different name of "Moeller Oil Changer".
These are great units. Warm up your oil, pump up the vaccum and you are done in about 10 mins. The tubes are stiffer plastic than most of the units on the market. When you imerse the tube in the warm/hot oil it does not bend and curl up like the vinyl hose does.
YSM
If he has a YSM 12, there is no pan. It's built like a horizontal lawnmower engine except the output shaft to the crank goes out horizontal to the rear. There also is no dipstick tube. It is just an 1/8" hole in the cast aluminium front cover. It would take a very small tube to get down there, but possible.
I went to my boat today and had the injector out, it would be very difficult to fish something out of there. Also the tube will not ever get into the crank case, it is in a seperate compartment so to speak. This engine is like a 1940s design.
If he has a YSM 12, there is no pan. It's built like a horizontal lawnmower engine except the output shaft to the crank goes out horizontal to the rear. There also is no dipstick tube. It is just an 1/8" hole in the cast aluminium front cover. It would take a very small tube to get down there, but possible.
I went to my boat today and had the injector out, it would be very difficult to fish something out of there. Also the tube will not ever get into the crank case, it is in a seperate compartment so to speak. This engine is like a 1940s design.
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