Piece of oil cap gasket fell in fill hole.

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Vehicle: 1983 Ford Fairmont, 3.3, 6 cylinder.

I went to top off the oil, and a gasket that is on the bottom of the cap broke in two. One half fell in the fill hole. I was able to fish most of it out. It was quite brittle, and some appears to have 'gone in'. In the photo below, the amount that went in probably isn't that much greater than the small piece on the right (could be a little more, or less. And, there are also a few really small pieces that broke off when I was fishing the rest out).

One can break this fairly easily by hand, but of course once the pieces are small enough, they're hard/coarse. I am not sure what this is made of. It seems like a gasket that is meant to be replaced?

So, given that some went in, should I worry? Or, am I all good.

Also, does the cap really need such a thing?

Thanks for any advice. (Quarter for comparison.)

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Have you started the car since that bit fell in? If not, I'd pop the valve/rocker cover and get it out. I've never had a car with an oil cap gasket. You can try without one and check for leaks I suppose.
 
Originally Posted By: NStuart
It will be waiting for you to remove it next time the valve cover is removed


I wasn't planning to do that anytime soon, unless it's really needed.
 
Yes, it needs it, another oil fill cap will be needed (or a gasket if there is one available). If the chunk was small enough to make it down a drainback hole, it might find its' way into the sump and the oil pickup. Any chance of using a cheap borescope to look inside the valve cover and find it?
 
Originally Posted By: KL31
Have you started the car since that bit fell in? If not, I'd pop the valve/rocker cover and get it out. I've never had a car with an oil cap gasket. You can try without one and check for leaks I suppose.


Yes, I drove it home from WalMart (where this happened). No oil came out. The crankcase has positive pressure right? So the gasket would conceivably be to prevent that happening?
 
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Yes, it needs it, another oil fill cap will be needed (or a gasket if there is one available). If the chunk was small enough to make it down a drainback hole, it might find its' way into the sump and the oil pickup. Any chance of using a cheap borescope to look inside the valve cover and find it?


The way the fill hole is constructed doesn't show any of the internals. It's an angled piece of metal to make the oil flow in. That's really all one can see. I wouldn't be able to get something around that. I know in some cars you take the cap off and can see quite a bit.
 
I always worry about this with the airtight aluminum seals and remove them fully before pouring.
But I also pour first into a second container....one of those big metal oilcans with the long trigger release spout.
 
The older Ford engines had those gaskets. They are needed so dirty air will not get sucked into the engine. PCV valve.
 
Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
I always worry about this with the airtight aluminum seals and remove them fully before pouring.
But I also pour first into a second container....one of those big metal oilcans with the long trigger release spout.


I did this many years ago on a 1990 t-bird with a 3.8. Car went over 200k miles. I guess it wasnt an issue.
 
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Also, does the cap really need such a thing?


You got 34 years out of that one. Treat her to a new cap, she has earned it.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
That'll get sucked into the oil pickup screen. When the oil pressure drops down to near zero, you'll know why.


So you're saying it will block oil flow?
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
The older Ford engines had those gaskets. They are needed so dirty air will not get sucked into the engine. PCV valve.


The way this particular cap is set up is the cap itself has a rubber hose going directly to the intake. It seems positive pressure is being vented out through the cap itself.

So, would the gasket be there to ensure the gases vent through the hose rather than just out to the atmosphere? How would anything be sucked in? Forgive me if I am misunderstanding, just would like to know how it works.

I do intend to replace the gasket if I can find one.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: OceanRuns
So you're saying it will block oil flow?


If it sticks to the screen it will.


The screen is small enough that something half the size of a dime will block it?
 
On an 83 ford 6 cyl the oil pickup screen is probably 15 or 20 square inches. That small piece of gasket won't block enough to be noticeable to oil flow.
 
Originally Posted By: OceanRuns
The screen is small enough that something half the size of a dime will block it?


I didn't say block it; I said near zero. I left myself a way out.
grin.gif
 
Originally Posted By: old1
On an 83 ford 6 cyl the oil pickup screen is probably 15 or 20 square inches. That small piece of gasket won't block enough to be noticeable to oil flow.


If this happened to you would you do anything? Or, just drive and not worry.
 
On an 83 ford 6 cyl the oil pickup screen is probably 15 or 20 square inches. That small piece of gasket won't block enough to be noticeable to oil flow.
 
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