iceburg501 Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 (edited) Looking for help recovering a plastic hook object I dropped into the intake tract from the Seafoam Throttle body spray. I dropped into the airflow sensor hole (thats connected to the intake manifold). I removed my airflow sensor and sprayed a throttle body cleaner into the intake tracts, in the process the plastic 'hook guide' that is designed to bend the spray cleaner straw came lose and fell inside the airflow sensor hole. Didn't turn the engine on after the object fell inside, please give this noob instructions and the fastest way to recover the object from the intake tract. Pix for your reference: (vehicle: 2016 WRX) https://imgur.com/a/pr1AIKq Thx in advance. I feel like an idiot that messed up something so simple. Edited July 15, 2018 by iceburg501 Vehicle details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 (edited) First off - shame for spraying Seafoam into a 2016. That's completely unnecessary snake oil. Won't accomplish anything but make your wallet lighter. Second - I think you're looking at pulling it WAY apart to retrieve that guy. Only possible chance is a grabber tool or chewing gum though that little hole - assuming you can see it with a flashlight, etc. https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-70399-Lighted-Mechanical/dp/B002RHP7TS/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1531620532&sr=1-3 If that doesn't work you are most likely looking at an intake pull. Good time to upgrade charge pipes, intercooler, etc. GD Edited July 15, 2018 by GeneralDisorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceburg501 Posted July 15, 2018 Author Share Posted July 15, 2018 (edited) The Subaru dealer recommended a $400 Throttle body service which prompted this DIY project. I will wait till the morning to see if I can eye ball the object and then try the gadget you recommended. If not where I can get instructions (bare minimum) to get the intake manifold removed to get to the fallen object. Hoping their is a way to only remove the top portion of the manifold without completely removing the entire thing. Edited July 15, 2018 by iceburg501 reword Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 That hole does not lead to the throttle body, and the throttle body doesn't require cleaning. That's a wallet flushing technique used by the dealer. It is not a recommended maintenance procedure from Subaru nor is it at all useful unless the throttle body is exhibiting abnormal behavior such as slow response, idle hunting, etc. No such procedure is outlined by the service manual. There is a Subaru of America snake oil sold by the dealers that is an upper engine cleaner but it's designed to clean the intake valves not the throttle body. Part number SA459..... You can download the service manual and go through the procedure but it's pretty straightforward - disconnect everything and pull the manifold. You want to pull the whole thing do not attempt to pull only the top off. GD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golucky66 Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 Pretty sure your next step if you can't see it is to remove the intake manifold to get it out of either the intake or the heads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceburg501 Posted July 15, 2018 Author Share Posted July 15, 2018 (edited) Please point me to instructions on how to remove the intake manifold, since I haven't started the engine its most likely in the manifolds. I assume driving the car to a mechanic will cause damage to the engine with a 2 inch plastic part inside the intake manifolds. I searched the web and youtube and cant find something just for this piece. Regarding the snake oil Seafoam spray, I was spraying it and starting the engine and the exhaust was white which supposedly meant dirt was coming off the throttle body. Simply parroting the marketing materials here but saw the white smoke out the exhaust pipe, thought the stuff was working. Learned my lesson, want the quickest way out of this mess. Edited July 15, 2018 by iceburg501 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyman03 Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 Unfortunately, removing the intake isnt going to be a "quick" way and considering the tube is relatively solid, its possible it didnt make it all the way down to the valves. Silly question though. You said Intake sensor, do you mean MAF? isnt that down by the air filter? My assumption is you pulled the airflow hose off the throttle body and sprayed in there openly? So, first things first you need to see how far it went down there. Like i said, the tube is relatively solid so its likely that it got stuck on the way down. How "mechanically inclined" are you? It is relatively strait-forward. Just make sure you remember how you pulled everything off to put it back on. If you dont want to pull it apart, you could get one of those snake cameras to see which cylinder it went towards or went down into the heads. -Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceburg501 Posted July 15, 2018 Author Share Posted July 15, 2018 (edited) This YouTube video illustrates what I was trying to do on my WRX: https://youtu.be/m7Xt_bsmvqg The pix here illustrate the hole I dropped the object into: https://imgur.com/a/pr1AIKq Assuming I described the issue using the correct terminology, are any of these instructions relevant to the removing the intake manifold? https://www.i-club.com/forums/engine-power-ej25t-sti-2006-wrx-90/need-help-intake-manifold-removal-270683/ http://ken-gilbert.com/wrx/STi_Manual/02. ENGINE SECTION (STi)/01. FUEL INJECTION (FUEL SYSTEMS)/03. Intake Manifold.pdf Edited July 15, 2018 by iceburg501 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyman03 Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 Ah, I miss-read the object that fell in. Well, you can either go the snake camera idea with the little fingers suggestion or, yeah go ahead and pull the intake off. It is pretty strait forward. 2 bolts on each pipe to each cylinders. pull off ans set aside hoses/wires you find. Just try not to drop anything else in there. LOL! If you dont find it in there then its down in one of the head ports but you should be able to shine a flashlight down there to see if its pre-valve. if not, then you are in for a reeeeal treat -Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 The white smoke is just the Seafoam itself burning. You can do the same thing with a trickle of water. It's not necessary in either case. Keep the snake oil away from your engine. That little plastic bit.... well I would try to retrieve it, but if it comes down to it having gone down an intake port and through an open valve then I would just fire the engine. That bit of plastic isn't going to amount to beans inside the combustion chamber. It would be smashed, melted, and blown out the exhaust with zero damage to the engine. Now the turbine wheel is another story. But it is unlikely to do much at that point being very likely vapor or just soft melted goo. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montana tom Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 (edited) Get all the air filter piping out of your way. There is only 8 bolts holding down the intake manifold. A handfull of electrical connectors (they only snap in to one place you can't mess it up. If you have one, the EGR pipe should come off. two 3/8" water lines going to the throttle body. Not like an old chevy ... no water transfers from the intake manifold to the head, uses a separate water manifold underneath the intake manifold. So no water needs to be drained from the engine. (two 3/8 lines may need a clamp IF they leak much) The air conditioning compressor will give you a few finger pinches but the manifold will clear and lift rite off. Oh the power steering pump may need to be unbolted from the block and laid off the side of the fender. May not on your year.... on the earlier ones they had lines bolted to the top of the manifold. Some things like the fuel lines may be able to stay connected and just roll the manifold upside down to look inside. This job looks daunting when you open the hood, its not . Take photos , count how many electrical connectors you disconnect and make sure to reconnect the same amount. Your other option like GD said if..... it makes it down in the cylinder its gone... poof . danger is if it hangs up before the valves and disrupts the fuel flow to one or more cylinders. Your car will run like crap and you will be pulling an intake. Good luck it won't be that bad (EDIT) Just looked at the "instructions" you posted.... those things would confuse me. Don't over think it worrying about it just dig in and do it Edited July 15, 2018 by montana tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 Here in Australia we had a guy use dealer supplied cleaner , so intent on trying it as soon as he got it used it in the street. Stalled the engine never to start again due to dealer stuff not being snake oil, dissolved carbons and gunk, then because could not be burnt off got stick up valves/guides Poor thing was towed home, stripped and parted out. This was by an intelligent and thorough guy who could possibly have taught engineering given his abilities. You would kick yourself if you took anyone's advice contrary to finding it before start up. Are you sure it went in and not lost below outside engine intake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 I would buy another just to tinker with burning thing you lost Maybe drop same down a rental car intake :evil: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_freddo Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 Jono, that fella either didn't read and follow the instructions properly or didn't keep the revs up or didn't realise the consequences of not doing it right. Even then, pull heads, unblock valves, new HGs and off you go again. It didn't need to be parted. Anyway, all the best with sorting this issue. It's a bit of a shat-your-dacks situation :/ Cheers Bennie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 rotate crank to open intake on cyl 1, take out spark plug, attach compressor hose, blow the plastic backwards out the the way it went in? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceburg501 Posted July 15, 2018 Author Share Posted July 15, 2018 I will try to use this opportunity to get hands-off with the engine and might lead to making small upgrades myself. The support from your responses has me creating the following game plan to remove the intake manifold. Wanted to verify my plan to ensure I dont overlook a critical step. Photos with comments on the parts I believe need to be removed: https://imgur.com/a/fDSyZXI Feedback appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montana tom Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 Those are the correct 8 bolts for manifold hold down. After you remove the intercooler I think you will find a few more things to disconnect. take photos of each step, if you don't need them later DELETE But if you need them now you'll be glad to have them. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_freddo Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 There will be coolant and vacuum lines to disconnect too. Mark/note these well. Cheers Bennie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsehockey Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Have you got a shop vac? I’d be tempted to try that approach before disassembling anything. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montana tom Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Ya know , between Tex's idea of a spark plug removed and an air line and horsehockeys shop vac you might get lucky. Clean empty shop vac so you know if it gets it. Worth a try ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 (edited) I'd def. try horsehockey's idea like this; pull the 4 plugs, rig a way to keep the vacuum hose in place and rotate the crank pulley around with a wrench - that should present a chance for air to flow backwards thru each intake runner in case that part got down that far. Edited July 16, 2018 by 1 Lucky Texan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 On 7/16/2018 at 12:33 AM, el_freddo said: Jono, that fella either didn't read and follow the instructions properly or didn't keep the revs up or didn't realise the consequences of not doing it right. Even then, pull heads, unblock valves, new HGs and off you go again. It didn't need to be parted. Anyway, all the best with sorting this issue. It's a bit of a shat-your-dacks situation :/ Cheers Bennie That was Discopotato03 ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_freddo Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 5 hours ago, jono said: That was Discopotato03 ! I know who it was - I wasn't going to name names! Ruined a very tidy car that he figured was worth more in parts than complete. We both know how that ended. He should've just EJ turbo'd it and been done with it. End hijack... any luck with this bit of plastic? Or is it a weekend job?? (It's the weekend now over here :p ) Cheers Bennie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyman03 Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 So, did you get it out? -Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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