Ideas on removal of insert from cylinder

[moparman70]

A friend bought my old FJ 1200 1986 that I unfortunately dropped in one of the cylinders the little brass insert that was part of the coil wire. ( the part inside the coil wire that attaches to the top of the spark plug. 

We have a bore scope and we can see it -- we also are able to grab it with some flexible wire pinchers but the unable to retrieve it with the pinch grabbers due to the overall width of the grabbers once they hold the brass insert.  So basically can pull it through the hole.

Looking for some other created ideas on how to remove -- without a tear down of course.  Is there anything out there like sticky string that is durable enough not to break as well? 

any other ideas?

thanks for thinking of ideas in advance.

[Billy Bananahead]

Can you get some plastic or rubber tubing and get one end to fit over the brass insert and if that can't trap it in the bore of the tube then maybe suck on the other end of the tube to get the insert up into the tubing. 

[86FJNJ]

new territory for me but can you remove the exhaust, manually turn the engine until that exhaust valve is fully open and then blow compressed air into the spark plug hole and hopefully the piece shoots out the exhaust port? Maybe also put a shop vac on the exhaust port to add some suction while pushing in compressed air into the spark plug hole?

[RPM - Robert]

Maybe try some 3m double sided tape on a semi flexible rod to get down in there and just stick it on there.

[RPM - Robert]

new territory for me but can you remove the exhaust, manually turn the engine until that exhaust valve is fully open and then blow compressed air into the spark plug hole and hopefully the piece shoots out the exhaust port? Maybe also put a shop vac on the exhaust port to add some suction while pushing in compressed air into the spark plug hole?

I think the brass insert is too large for it to come out of the valve. If I recall they are about the size of a main jet and unless you got some monster cams in there I don't believe they would have enough lift to get it to open far enough.

[MarioR]

new territory for me but can you remove the exhaust, manually turn the engine until that exhaust valve is fully open and then blow compressed air into the spark plug hole and hopefully the piece shoots out the exhaust port? Maybe also put a shop vac on the exhaust port to add some suction while pushing in compressed air into the spark plug hole?

Exactly. Intake or exhaust port are bigger so easier to blow it out.

[RPM - Robert]

It's actually about twice as tall as a main jet. So I don't think there's a snowballs chance it comes out of the either intake or exhaust valve.

Make sure you have all the pieces when you put it back together as well.

[T Legg]

You could try taping a larger mcdonalds size plastic straw to the hose of your shop vac and insert it through the sparkplug hole.
 I don't know whether those are still legal and available in California .

[Bones]

Can you rotate it so the piston is top dead and the valves are closed and try and suck it out with a powerful vacuum cleaner.

[86FJNJ]

I might be getting crazy here but since stuff weighs less under water I wonder if sucking it out with a vacuum doesn't work what if you get the cylinder to TDC and fill it with water and then try to suck it out along with the water, it might have a better chance of coming out with the movement of the water and being slightly lighter when in water.

If that doesn't fail turn the FJ upside down and shake the engine until it comes out the spark plug hole.

[red]

MoparMan,
 I vote for the vacuum cleaner, with a flexible thinwall tube at the business end.  The tube should be the largest that fits into the spark plug hole.  If you can borrow a Rainbow vacuum, I know of no better machine for suction power + airflow. You will need both.

[Pat Conlon]

My thought was similar to Robert's....something sticky

I love that JB Weld epoxy putty. Sticky stuff.

Spray some brake cleaner down there, get any oil or dirt off the insert.

Get a straw, roll some JB Weld putty in a small cylinder and stuff it in the straw, leave a round ball at the end...(the goal is when the putty dries, it does not pull out of the straw)

Working quick,  within 3 minutes of activating the putty, put the straw in and smush it good on the insert. Try and get the end of the insert, not the middle, so you can get it out the sparkplug hole....then don't touch it for 24 hours....let the putty dry.

Once dry....you should be able to pull it up.

Change your oil. It was contaminated from the brake cleaner spray.

Be aware that JB Weld putty is some strong shit....if you stick it to your piston crown, you will probably be able to pull that piston out through the sparkplug hole...   

[Millietant]

Why not try some chewing gum, or blue-tak/white-tak oon the end of a piece of thin round wooden dowel, down through the spark plug hole?

[Flynt]

Look for a set of "Mechanics Fingers"...  I know Craftsman makes them, that's the set I have.  It's a flexible metal tube with 4 "claws" that open up when you press the other end's "plunger" type actuator...  stick it down hole, open claws and grab the piece by releasing the plunger, then pull it out.

Here's one on eBay for $7.50...  https://www.ebay.com/itm/167509574109

Frank