Pilot bearing knocked out my engine plug

[90zr1blknred]

Help I have a 90 zr1 I was replacing the pilot bearing on and I knocked out the engine plug behind it. Any tips on how deep to set my new plug since I don't have a reference now. And tips or tricks to set it right. Thanks everyone.

[Ccmano]

The search feature for this forum is your friend. It’s what makes the big difference between a forum like this and Facebook. The later being very difficult to search.
The following thread should help. Good luck and don’t worry, this stuff happens to all of us.
H

http://www.zr1.net/forum/showthread....ght=Crankshaft

[90zr1blknred]

Thank you so much

[tf95ZR1]

By "I knocked out the engine plug behind it" do you mean
pushed the rear engine seal into the engine? Can that happen?
That would be no bueno.

[90zr1blknred]

Yes I popped the plug into the motor and need to install a new plug after I tear the entire clutch and flywheel out again. Ugh.

[Paul Workman]

Originally Posted by tf95ZR1

By "I knocked out the engine plug behind it" do you mean
pushed the rear engine seal into the engine? Can that happen?
That would be no bueno.

Yeah...pushing it through...is different than pulling it out. It happens sometimes. But, I don't recall what (perhaps it was Marc H) may have said about it. Is it a "biggie"?? IDK either.

I'll camp on this one....

[90zr1blknred]

No big deal. It drops into the oil pan and you put in a new one. I’m told it will be ok if I set the new one correctly. More worried about not screwing that up and what the best depth is to put it back in since I have no reference as to where it was originally. Ugh

[lbszr]

Originally Posted by 90zr1blknred

No big deal. It drops into the oil pan and you put in a new one. I’m told it will be ok if I set the new one correctly. More worried about not screwing that up and what the best depth is to put it back in since I have no reference as to where it was originally. Ugh

Would this be the miniture looking freeze plug pressed in the crank?

[90zr1blknred]

It’s defiantly a miniature freeze plug. It’s behind the pilot bearing. Holds 12 quarts of oil in. Most frustrating mistake I ever made. Put it all back together to find out I punched it in by accident.

[lbszr]

Originally Posted by 90zr1blknred

It’s defiantly a miniature freeze plug. It’s behind the pilot bearing. Holds 12 quarts of oil in. Most frustrating mistake I ever made. Put it all back together to find out I punched it in by accident.

Were you able to locate it?
If it is pushed into the crank, it may restrict or block oil pressure to passages for main or rod bearing. Going off memory, which it's been 10 + years I had it apart, but I don't think it is possible for it to make it to the pan if pushed in. I hope you found it, or I'm wrong, because it could be hard to get out of the crank. But worse if a bearing starves for oil.