Post by
TheGoodDR »
https://forums.nicoclub.com/thegooddr-u56593.html
Thu May 08, 2008 8:16 pm
STORY TIME!!
So first, where the washers came from.
I had glued all those washers together in a stack to use as a hasty spacer for my MAF sensor so it wouldn't rub on my belts. I was cleaning my MAF yesterday so I had the washers sitting on top of my valve cover. At some point I bumped them with my elbow and they dropped into the engine bay and I searched for nearly a half hour in (what I thought) would be the only area they could have fallen into. Turns out I was wrong. They had somehow traveled only 6 inches down but nearly 8 inches sideways. Right into my disconnected charge pipe. Even looking at my MAF and charge pipes after the fact I can't understand how they got over so far, hence why I didn't even think of checking in the pipes.
Second, the noise.
Afetr driving nearly an hour after doing this work the washers were far from my mind. I pull into the my GF's place of work to pick her up and as soon as it hit's idle it starts making clacking noises. I say WTF and shut her down. Having no tools I left it there for the night. next day I pack my tools and head out to fix it. I check the plugs first and one of them has no gap. Mashed flat. Break out the see-snake and the magnet. Broken and flattened metal sitting on top of my number four piston.
Third, the solution.
So I fished six of them out through the spark plug hole with the magnet but to my dismay three of them were still uncrushed. Therefore not able to fit through the spark plug hole. "Oh well, the damage has been done" I say. I put the plugs back and fire it up for about 20 seconds until the noise changes. Pull the plug and behold two of the three left are now squashed enough to be pulled out through the hole. Repeat process. After I pulled the remains of the last one out and put everything back together she runs like a top.
Fourth, the aftermath.
There is none really. It starts fine, idles fine, runs fine and I can't feel or hear that anything suffered more than some scratches on the top of the piston. I plan to pull the head this weekend and inspect it more thoroughly but so far everything seems normal.
Like I said, I must be the dumbest and luckiest man alive. That or the FJ is one of the toughest old engines out there and I'm just dumb. Either way I'm relieved. I thought it was something serious like a spun bearing, not something minor like sucking 9 plated washers into my engine.