I dropped the smaller washer from the cam gear down the front timing cover (don't ask how :stupid: ) and I'm resigned to taking the front of the engine off to get it. A few questions:

1. Do I have to worry about it falling further into the oil pan?

2. Do I have to loosen/remove the head?

3. If the answer to 2. is yes, do I have to change the head gasket?

Thanks,

YOu might like to try fishing around with a magnet first, you never now, you might just be lucky.

Otherwise, it's off with the timing cover, if you still haven't found it then it's the oil pan.

By this time you will be kicking yourself and calling yourself un-repeatable names, but just hang in there.

But do you need to remove the head.......drum roll please....No.

Unless it got stuck on something on the way down like the chain or sprockets, I'd say it's in the pan. I too would try fishing for it first.

Like Zedrally said, you don't need to remove the head, but if you ever do remove the head for whatever reason you will always need to replace the head gasket.

Finally had some time last night to work on this. I picked up a magnet on the end of a telescoping shaft (like an old FM radio antenna) at the local ACE hardware and after a few minutes of fishing, the washer was on the magnet. When I finally pulled the washer out the top, that was the greatest relief I can remember in a long time!

Still can't believe I was dumb enough to drop it in the first place - only hope this is the last dumb thing I'll do with the Z - knowing it won't be:stupid:

That's good to hear. :classic:

Dont feel stooped. I backed into my Z a couple weeks back and broke the left tail light lense:stupid: