You should be able to drain the oil and bang on the bottom of the pan to see if it made it all the way down. If it was, I would think you should be able to fish it out with some creative thinking. I'd be scared to death to leave it in there.

BTW, this is why you plug holes or lay a towel in the lifter valley when you are working on the engine.

 

Thanks for all the input guys! It's not that I am afraid of an 1-2 hour job which I know is actually going to be more since I dont have an engine hoist etc but I am way more concerned about all the other potential problems I could be running into and/or creating which I just dont have time for. I agree, I need to make sure it is where I think it is. Thanks Shoebox for the advice of banging on the pan, I will definitely try that and then see if I can fish it out maybe. Does anyone have a picture of what the oil pump looks like? I mean what would I be seeing if the pan was removed that way when I feel around in there I know what I am hitting and what I need to move around. You know I agree about the towel and I didnt see it in any of the write ups about doing the intake seal replacement, all they have shown is plugs in the intake runners, and honestly the whole was small enough and "concealed" enough that I just did not see it all.

 

The oil pump is easily recognized by just looking for the pick up. It connects to the pump. You don't need an engine hoist to remove the pan. You can unbolt the K member and back the bolts almost all the way out and let it rest on the bolts. This should give you enough room to remove the pan.

 

So I am still not sure where the oil level would be in a stock oil pan that is about a quart low? I see some spot weld marks on the outside of the pan, is that where the baffle plate is welded in? If so is that underneath the oil and probably where its laying on top of?

 

Looking at this picture

http://shbox.com/ci/oil_pan_bolts.jpg

is that baffle plate above or below the oil level sensor?

 

Looking at this picture

http://shbox.com/ci/oil_pan_bolts.jpg

is that baffle plate above or below the oil level sensor?

 

A couple of pics for reference:

http://shbox.com/1/oil_pan_baffle.jpg

http://shbox.com/1/oil_pump.jpg

 

You the man! Thanks!! That is exactly what I was looking for! On a 1 quart low oil level where about would the oil level be in that first picture?

 

Apparently on my oil pan that baffle plate extends further towards the back of the engine because if I feel straight up from the oil level sensor bung I hit what feels like it and it continues on towards the front.

 

I am trying to figure out how these two pictures fit together. I see the baffle that is spot welded in the oil pan and then there appears to be a baffle plate that is bolted to the block that is with the oil pump. Are they both in there? or is it one or the other depending on the model(?) If they are both in there, which one is above the other?