Difficult situation in auto repair needs ideas

[jonaq]

We were working on the van yesterday changing spark plugs. the air filter was in the way so I went to remove it and a small socket fell into the open spark plug hole into the cylinder. We went out and bought a small spring loaded magnet to fish it out, but it kept picking it up from the side and falling off once it hit the hole (too long to fit that direction). I went in side to look for a different magnet and Ray tried. Well he managed to drop the magnetic tip in the cylinder as well ! I put the new magnet in and pulled the socket out first try! Now we have to try and get the magnet tip out. It id stuck to the cylinder wall up high. (we have a camera probe that can see it) As you can see by my sketch it is a real tough spot and no room to move. The spark plugs on this motor are completely recessed in the head so the hole for the plug is at the bottom of a 1" diameter tube about 5" deep! We have thought about building a strong electro magnet and sticking it in the hole and drawing it off the wall, but not sure how to do that. might try a shop vac, but don't have very high hopes of that working. I thought that maybe you guys might have an idea .It is about a 10 hour job to take this apart to retrieve it!
thanks
John

 

[Naty1]

One thing to consider is to turn the engine over by hand to move the piston higher and maybe make the parts more accessible.

Consider putting a sticky substance on the end of a dowel and see if you can poke the parts and get them to stick...you should try a test outside the cylinder first to see if you
can get similar tools to stick and be lifted...

Another possibility is to attach a vacuum hose to a thin pice of flex tubing...may a few feet of clear vinyl tubing...small enough to get thru the spark plug hole...'suck it out'.

good luck.