Long story short, you get what you pay for. I was taking off the head on my 86 300SDL and I had to use a new set of long allen head sockets (harbor freight) to remove the two bolts that are right next to the cam sprocket. The first one came out fine, but when I was pulling out the 2nd, the allen bit came loose from the socket and fell down into the timing chain's hole. The bolt fell down there too.

Any one have any idea what might be the best way to fish this out? Is there any possibility I'll find the bolt and extension/bit in the oil pan?

I would say go fishing with a magnet but that's not easy with all the ferrous metal in the way. There's isn't a straight shot to the pan which can work for or against you.

Sixto
87 300D

If you can see them you might be able to use one of those tools which manualy grabs stuff with little wire fingers.
A magnet is also not a good idea as it will magnatize some of the parts it come in contact with causing small steel particles to stic to them.
If your engine has the separate little steel oil pan maybe you can drain the oil and see if they went all the way to the bottom.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Thanks, good ideas! I'll pick up one of those grabber tools tonight and give it a go.

Your going to have to drain the oil, remove trhe pan and use a magnet retriever or what ever else you can to get both of these parts. Next time, get a ggod set of tools, not this Harbor Freight Chinese garbage! But now you know that. A good set of tools will pay for themselves is speeded up productivity and time savings.

Take the time and do it right!

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I have also read somewhere I believe it was when you work on the timing chain they said to pack some rags in the space around the chain and sprocket to keep stuff from falling in. It guess it applies to other jobs on the cylinder head also.
I looked in my Mitchell manual on the engine your car has and they showed an extension on the side of your oil pan that comes off but not a small pan down below. If you cannot fish the parts out from the top you may have to hand crank the engine and see if you can get them to fall to the bottom.
Also does the engine have a separate timing cover or is it cast into the bolck like the 617 type engines?

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Yes, there is a separate cover. I will definitely be taking that off in hopes of finding my most hated chinese tool.

I hate those little allen heads i allways shove terry cloths in the oil gallery before i remove or install those bolts.

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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
George Carlin (Wonder where he is now..)

1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.

Shame on me. When reinstalling my head, I lost one of the forward hex-cap bolts into the timing chain area. Twice. Recovered it once with a magnet, the second time it went too deep. I just crossed my fingers and turned the ignition.

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Vehicles:
2002 SLK 230
Gone but not forgotten:
1983 300D
1981 El Camino 'OILBRNR' - 6.2L diesel
OM617 powered '86 F150
1984 BMW 524td
2001 VW Beetle TDI
1994 Sunurban 4x4 6.5L diesel

lucky dog, could have gotten into the timing chain and screwed things up or even worse, it could have gotten between the teeth on the oil pump chain/gears.

__________________
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
George Carlin (Wonder where he is now..)

1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.

Having suffered a broken cam chain from debris falling into the chain I would

NEVER

try this. Whatever it took I would find the bolt and get it out. I would take off the oil pan and look from below if it could not be found from above.

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

t walgamuth I absolutely correct! You're removing the head, right? Compared to this, removing the pan is just a walk in the park.

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Don't Chrome them; polish them

Yup, the head is completely out. See pics here.
I got a wire grabber tool and a nice long magnet. Tomorrow I'll have a chance to fish em out.

Small steel particles are likely less harmfull than LARGE metal objects, like bolts and sockets.

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1991 GMC Sonoma Ext Cab w/Isuzu diesel (converted March Mar 2003) - sold
1994 S10 Ext Cab w/Isuzu diesel (converted Mar 2008)
1998 Toyota Sienna XLE
B6100HST Kubota CUT DIESEL

1994 S10 with Isuzu diesel and 5spd
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...S15/SigPic.jpg

I could not see anything at all in the hole. I grabbed blindly a couple of times with the wire grabber tool and then tried magnet. On the 3rd try, I came up with the allen bit with the bolt still attached!!

Next, installing the new head!