Dropped link pin spring in the case!

[DevilEYEaM]

I was putting the pistons and cylinders back together this afternoon and my pliers slipped so I dropped the spring clip down into the case.

I have a magnet and I've been trying to catch it but its a tight squeeze and the magnet can't go very far down into the case.
What is my best option or is there somewhere I can get to without cracking the case open?

[Scrapdog2grand]

How far down is it? if its under the crank, take a right side cover off there should be a couple holes you may be better able to get it out of. if its down futher in the pump screen area, there is a left side crankcase plug that you may be able to get from.

[DevilEYEaM]

I can't see it with a flashlight or I could get it with the extend-o-magnet and there isn't much oil in the case so what little there is is really sticky so I don't know if its stuck on the side of something.

[DevilEYEaM]

I keep reading alot of recommendations (for other bikes) to turn the engine upside down and rattle it around in the hopes of the thing dropping out.

And also alot of "just hope it makes its way to the bottom of the case and settles".

Is it a good idea to turn the engine over or will the ring just find more stuff to get caught on?
Or does anyone really think that the ring will settle in the case and not be a problem?

[John Hopkins]

the good thing about magnetism is that it transfers..so any chunk of metal such as a long rod will become magnetised to reach into tight places..Dont turn the engine over..you could drop the sump plug and pour kerosine down where you dropped the clip, this may show the clip or wash it down to the sump and out the drain hole...kerosine will not harm your engine, in fact in the old days we used it as an engine flush and I still do if the oil is thick with sediment...

so strong flashlight, kerosine in a houshold spray cleaner bottle, spray where you dropped the clip and see if you can uncover it. Then a strong magnet and a long steel rod and fish around..you could get lucky..

when you try this again a piece of rag stuffed in the hole will make it easy to recover dropped items..

I use an inspection camera for tight places..

John.

[Scrapdog2grand]

as long as it goes down into the area the pump screen sits your good.
but if its in the upper section under the crank there is the potential to cause a problem.

[h13man]

They make "magnetic" tape. You might be able to use it to retrieve it.

[DevilEYEaM]

Ok I got the clip out. I was trying to avoid disassembling anything I didn't have to so as not to be making backwards progress.
Well I ended up going ahead and taking the front cylinder back off and when I looked in the case I could just barely see the end of something that didn't quite look right so I snaked my magnet down into the case and pulled out the clip no problem.

So now I have the motor together and almost ready to put back in the frame.

Thanks for the tips everyone. And when I was putting the engine together I DID put rags in all the openings.