Topic: I did something stupid to my new 3.4 while preparing it for swap. PLZ HELP!

[3.4Runner]

2001  3.4L from Tacoma


Had engine on stand flipped over, oil pan removed so as to switch the pickup tubes.
Well, instead of flipping it back over and putting the nuts on so they would not fall into the internals of the engine I chose to try the, "Live and learn method" intead.
So we flipped the engine over hoping it would just fall right out. We listened for any noise of it clanking around but heard nothing, and no nut on the shop floor.
Next, we spent about 2 hours with magnets and flashlights trying to locate it with no luck.

Any suggestions on what I should try next? Hopefully some ideas before tearing down the whole thing..? Maybe flush quarts of oil through it and hope to hear it fall to the pan?

Im open for any suggestions.

[junya92toy]

Take it apart and get them out.

[HDcruiser]

X2..  why take the risk.

[3.4Runner [OP]]

X2..  why take the risk.

I know I was hoping for a simple method for locating and removal.. if at all!?

[gtoyonrocks]

That really stinks man.. I'm sorry to hear that. I have a trans in a two wheel drive truck, the bearing for the speedo pick up fell into it so now I have to take the trans out and split the cases on it, SUCKS....

[3.4Runner [OP]]

That really stinks man.. I'm sorry to hear that. I have a trans in a two wheel drive truck, the bearing for the speedo pick up fell into it so now I have to take the trans out and split the cases on it, SUCKS....

Now I dont feel SO bad. Thats a bummer too.

[axled89]

   live and learn.    sorry to hear man.

[Jimmy Fraze]

I have often had the luxury of actually watching the bolt-nut-lockwasher ( the worst, OMG ) fall out of my butterfingers, so I knew which area to look in.
In "Most" cases though you will find the offending hardware gently resting on the underside
of one of the pistons.
unless you have the spectacular luck of scoring a direct hit on one of the cylinder head oil drain passages
or the oil pick up passage itself...........
try some compressed air.
use a long steel tipped tube on your blower to blow it out of hiding...........
hold your hand over the area you are looking so you dont blow it into another one,lol

I have a "wand" I modified for my air blower using 24" of small dia. brake tubing stock. I
use it for blowing air back through A/C condensers and radiators when cleaning, I put a small length of
rubber hose on the very end to prevent scratching anything ( especially delicate rad-fins). you could try it.
I have had a lot of success saving face this way  
otherwise disassembly may be the only other choice to preserve your sanity.

[3.4Runner [OP]]

I have often had the luxury of actually watching the bolt-nut-lockwasher ( the worst, OMG ) fall out of my butterfingers, so I knew which area to look in.
In "Most" cases though you will find the offending hardware gently resting on the underside
of one of the pistons.
unless you have the spectacular luck of scoring a direct hit on one of the cylinder head oil drain passages
or the oil pick up passage itself...........
try some compressed air.
use a long steel tipped tube on your blower to blow it out of hiding...........
hold your hand over the area you are looking so you dont blow it into another one,lol

I have a "wand" I modified for my air blower using 24" of small dia. brake tubing stock. I
use it for blowing air back through A/C condensers and radiators when cleaning, I put a small length of
rubber hose on the very end to prevent scratching anything ( especially delicate rad-fins). you could try it.
I have had a lot of success saving face this way 
otherwise disassembly may be the only other choice to preserve your sanity.

Thanks, any and all info is appreciated.
I still havnt had the time to get out to the shop. but will be tomorrow if luck is on my side.

[peacesells]

Dont feel bad, I did the same thing on a $7,000 ford 347 turbo motor. I had to hang it from the engine hoist at a 45 degree angle and fish around with a magnet on a stick, ended up being in one of the pistons...

[Pat]

a couple weeks ago when I built my latest set of duals for my 83 I was getting ready to pour the gear oil in the top of the tcases after bolting them in.. I pulled the blue shop towels out of the shifter holes, moved the shfter boot that was laying there and it flung one of the screws right down the shifter hole for the back t case..  One in a million shot..  could not see the screw from up above..  Figured I would have to pull the case and turn it upside down to get it out so I did,  still nothing..  Had to pull it completely  down to nothing to get out the screw.. it was wedged in behind a gear never even saw it till I pulled the reduction housing completely off..  I was steaming!!!  lol   Crap happens thats for sure.. No fun tearing a perfectly good motor apart either

[BUDDERS]

Back when we were doing the V06 campaigns at the dealer,  One of my teamates built up a 3.0 and dropped it in and got everything all hooked up, forgetting to bolt up the flexplate - Funny, but sucked for him cause now he had to drop the trans to bolt it in.  Good thing he was a fast dude because we would have got on his case.  Sometimes fast isn't always a good thing.

[Jimmy Fraze]

LOL, Aaaah the glories of wrenching !!  
dont worry, even if it went into one of the oil drain passages, just take the rocker cover(s) off,  if it went all the way down, thats where it ends up...........it cant get into the cylinders from the crankcase so dont fret.

worst case: its inside the oil pick-up passage, you can try sticking a small "pocket screwdriver" magnet into the end of a length of small diameter vacuum hose and push the hose around into the passage and hope you hear a nice satisfying "Click".

PS: if you rotated the crankshaft and the nut was under the wristpin it may get pinched and embedd into the underside of the piston crown, be careful.