anybody ever had this trouble??? I put the key in the 12o'clock position & just started easing the pump backwards & before it ever even got close to coming all the way out, I heard the key drop down!!!!!!! I knew I needed to be careful, but dang, this thing fell out before I ever got close to being able to see it, what should I do now????? pull the timing cover & fish it out, or at least make sure it fell all the way to the oil pan & still isn't riding around in the gears anywhere????? I really didn't need this headache right now, but I don't want to have to fix another busted timing case like I did on my 12-v, so I guess the next step is pulling the cover!!!!! oh well, could be worse I guess??????? thanks for any replies, Dusty

 

NO big deal just pull the front cover and pick it up.

 

try a magnet first!!!!!! I almost pulled my front cover and a friend ended up fishing it out with a flexible magnet retrieval tool

 

where did you run the magnet down??? the one I have won't fit between the pump gear & the cover, & it's only about 1/2" wide????? may buy something smaller tomorrow before pulling the cover, thanks, Dusty

 

ok next ??? went back out & checked a little closer & the key was stuck in the gear, so.......................what could I have heard???????? I'm gonna look around on the ground & make sure I didn't knock anything off that could have fallen down between the radiator & motor, I just assumed that what I heard was the key, but I don't think this little thing could have made the noise I heard if it had fallen down????? any ideas, I know nothing could have fallen through the back side of the case, & I still have the gear puller on so it's highly unlikely that anything got in through the front side????? hope I was just a little paranoid (sp.????) about the thing falling, thanks again, Dusty

 

It might be a little late but I super glued my key in.