Dropped O-Ring in Intake Manifold...can I start engine?

[Silverado]

I accidently dropped the long rubber o-ring that seals my MAP sensor into my intake manifold. I have already spent over 6 hours in an attempt to find and remove it. No luck.

Can I start my engine with no damage? (engine is a Chevy 383 stroker, basically a small block 350)It is a very small rubber grommet which acted as a gasket for my MAP sensor. I am getting married on Sat. and have to have this vehicle!

If I do start it, what possible damage may occur (its just made of a thin rubber, almost a tuff silicone, and it is rust in color) I put everything back together and am ready to start it back up, but want to get a go-ahead from someone with more knowledge first.

 

[cryptokid]

i dont see any harm. it is too big to get pinched between the cylinder and piston. if it gets pinched between a valve and the head it will cause youre valve to heat up and the rubber will just burn away.

rubber probably is not a good thing for an o2 sensor or cat but i doubt it will do any real harm.

i have done worse though. after a little intake manifold work i started my engine up and wondered why it ran like crap. it turns out that i forgot to take the rag out of the intake manifold. my engine digested a cloth rag and spit it out the exhaust. it was half burned away.

my uncle dropped a brass carburettor jet down an intake manifold before. no harm was done to that engine, although that incident was a miracle if there is such a thing.

 

[brianl703]

Maybe you can use a shop vac to suck it out of the intake manifold? If you dropped it down the MAP sensor hole, then just open the throttle body and put the hose on the MAP sensor hole.

 

[Jim Spahr]

Can you borrow one of those mini cameras that is on a stalk? That way you can locate it and then with a wire pick it up.

 

[Russ]

quote:

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Originally posted by brianl703:
Maybe you can use a shop vac to suck it out of the intake manifold? If you dropped it down the MAP sensor hole, then just open the throttle body and put the hose on the MAP sensor hole.

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Sounds like a great idea. I'd try that first.

 

[Schmoe]

I'm with crypto....if the gasket stays in the intake before the valves, the gas will eventually break it down. Worse comes to worse, it will get in your engine and the heat will also break it down. But at next OCI, I'd pull the plugs and make sure that the rubber didn't foul up the plugs.

 

[Silverado]

I ended up pulling the ignition and cranking it over with the starter, then starting it. It shot the piece (in a few pieces) straight out the exhaust pipe and runs fine.