Oil Pan leaking springs?!

[KelseyM]

Hello everyone, I changed the oil in my 2A this past weekend, when I was letting all the oil drain out I heard a small splash in the bucket. I didnt think much of it at first however when I went to pour the old oil into the containers I noticed that a spring was sitting in the bottom of the pan! It looks like a lifter spring but I cant imagine how it would make it all the way down there. Has this happened to anyone before or any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[SafeAirOne]

Hmm. I think you're going to have to be more descriptive or post a pic. I can't imagine an entire valve spring being in your oil sump, let alone fitting through the oil drain hole.

[Andrew IIA]

Photo please, with something in it for scale.

[KelseyM]

I am going to take a picture of the spring next to the oil pan washer, will post asap...

[xsbowes]

Oil pump relief valve spring?

Prt # 11

[martindktm]

Something from the timing chain?

[SafeAirOne]

Oil pump relief valve spring?

I was kind of thinking along those lines except that his description was of a valve spring, which is enormous. I'd think he'd be getting a low oil pressure indication at everything but the highest revs also.

[I Leak Oil]

Something from the timing chain?

Without a picture that would be my guess too. The tensioner spring for the timing chain.

[KelseyM]

Here is a picture of the spring that I found and the oil plug washer...I know it looks like it may not fit through but there was nothing in the pan before I drained the oil.

Also I had to move the truck out of the garage and my oil pressure was a at about 45, I heard a little knocking off the motor however it did not seem to much out of the ordinary, it was a cold start as well...

[I Leak Oil]

Wow! That actually came out of the drain plug hole? Bet you couldn't do that again! Hmmmm...You've got 45lbs of pressure so it's probably not the oil pump. It looks to heavy a wire to have come from the timing chain but you describe a "knock".....that could be a timing issue. You may want to think about pulling the front cover to check it out. For piece of mind if nothing else. It that process you can pull off the pan to double check the pump as well.

Or maybe someone is just messn' with Sasquatch on you and put an errant spring in you oil filler tube.

[SalemRover]

Any chance you are getting fooled? Are you sure that came out of the engine? What are the chances that it sat on a flat area around the distributor, engine mount(etc.) and you were just unlucky enough to dislodge it while changing the oil? Seeing the spring it is hard to imagine the force of draining oil dragging that thing out the drain hole.

[jac04]

Here is a picture of the timing chain tensioner spring. I agree that the wire diameter on yours looks too large to be this spring:

[KelseyM]

Salem Rover: I agree with you that the chances of it coming out of the drain plug are very slim, and the fact that it does not look like it could even fit through the drain plug. It may of been just a spring that fell from somewhere.

I am going to pull the valve cover off and the oil pan and see what is up even just for piece of mind (as stated by I leak oil)

Jac04: Yes it does look to big to be that spring, I tried to compress it with my hand and it wasn't really happening.

I will post in a week or two (I cant work on the car for about that long due to this whole adult hood responsibility thing) and let you guys know what I come up with!

Thanks for everyones input it is greatly appreciated.