How to find the washer

[GonzoB]

Imagine that you've just taken the tank off your '07 Breva to do some work on the bike.

Imagine then you have to remove the left mirror.

Now imagine dropping the 10mm washer from under the mirror stalk onto the top of the left cylinder. It makes a tinkling noise as it SOUNDS like it is dropping between the fins somewhere towards the base of the cylinder.

You can't see it because the airbox and frame tubes are in the way.

You can't be sure where it is, but you know it's not on the garage floor.

After you've tried looking in there with a tiny camera, fishing for it with a magnet, and blasting the fins with compressed air, what's next?

SWMBO said, "why not leave it there?"

Suggestions please....

Gonzo

[Gliderjohn]

Pick the bike up upside down and shake.
GliderJohn

[oldbike54]

 Giant paint shaker ?

 Dusty

[pete mcgee]

Ah the infamous garage blackhole.....every workshop has one, if you find yours can i have my sock back.
Have you looked under the airbox or at the bottom of the V between the cylinders? Also have another look around on the floor, steel on alloy = bounce.
Another trick you might try needs 2 to 3 people is lean the bike as far over to the other as possible and try the compressed air again.
Or find 5 islanders and turn it over and shake............so rry.

[Guzzistajohn]

It'll be in the last place you look 

[fotoguzzi]

Do you think it will cause some catastrophe if you just forget it's even there? Just get a new washer for the mirror and ride.

[80CX100]

I've got a few of those black holes in my garage

Compressed air & magnets are good bets; I've sometimes lucked out probing into every thin black hole I can reach with a really thin long screw driver or dental pick style tools, fwiw

Get the best smallest brightest light down into the dark holes that you can, seeing what I'm doing is a challenge.

I've sometimes gone in looking for one thing, and found something completely different, ie washer/nut, now that's a head scratcher lol 

Good luck

Kelly

[Huzo]

Wait ‘till you do the next oil pressure switch.
You’ll be able to get it once the  airbox is off

[Perazzimx14]

I'd forget about it and move on with my life.

[malik]

Wait ‘till you do the next oil pressure switch.
You’ll be able to get it once the  airbox is off

If that Breva's a 750, the airbox doesn't need to come out if you've another pair of hands helping from the other side. Doesn't find the washer, tho'.

[antmanbee]

Just remove the airbox. It is easy. Here is how I did it.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Just remove the airbox. It is easy. Here is how I did it.

Where *is* that like button? 

[John A]

Ah the infamous garage blackhole.....every workshop has one, if you find yours can i have my sock back.

The other day a die from a cable&wire stripper departed the tool and found its way into the black hole.  It has been eluding me for four days and I’m thinking I will throw the rest of the tool into the back of a toolbox where I won’t remember it when and if the die shows it’s cowardly face. I heard it hit what I thought was an open drawer but that doesn’t seem to be the case.  I understand the need to find that washer, it’s not that it cannot be replaced, it’s not knowing if it’s somewhere that it could cause some unknown catastrophic damage.  In your case it might be better to forget about it but I’m guessing it’s in the pocket that the lower frame rail forms where it starts to curve aft.

[Tom H]

I have one of those black holes as well. If I find it, I'll grab that sock while I'm in there.

Have you tried one of those small mirrors on a stick with a flash light? Put the mirror where you want to look and point the light into the mirror, it lights up where your trying to look.

Could it be on your front rim?

Good luck!
Tom

[Lannis]

..... it’s not knowing if it’s somewhere that it could cause some unknown catastrophic damage. 

If it had fallen into the cylinder or down a cam chain tunnel I could understand that concern, but I don't think there's any place that a washer could get to on the OUTside of an engine that could fall into the potential catastrophe category ... known or unknown!   

Lannis

[Muzz]

Just remove the airbox. It is easy. Here is how I did it.

I LOVE it!!~!!  Classic.

I was reinserting the rear wheel after rep[lacing the battery shield that had obviously stopped a large goolie, and I had my little pile of those infernal rubber cush blocks.  On installing them I found suddenly I was one short.  I had placed them in that little pile when I started, there were none missing when I started, I did not shift the pile or molest it in any way, yet suddenly one is missing. I gutted the place.  It still resides in the black hole.  I had to order a new one.  Blinkin Gremlins.

[Daleroso]

Experienced and tried all the above including spiraling out fm dropped location, placing left cheek (of face) on the floor to scan then right cheek (again fm face). Haven't lost a thing since my wife 1st asked if she could help. Pride aside I conceded. She found it under 5 minutes. Since then after a reasonable search I ask her & without fail she finds it. Uncanny. She claims it's the uterus.

[Kiwi Dave]

If that Breva's a 750, the airbox doesn't need to come out if you've another pair of hands helping from the other side.

No need on the Breva 1100 either.  Just remove the LH header pipe.

[SIR REAL ED]

Experienced and tried all the above including spiraling out fm dropped location, placing left cheek (of face) on the floor to scan then right cheek (again fm face). Haven't lost a thing since my wife 1st asked if she could help. Pride aside I conceded. She found it under 5 minutes. Since then after a reasonable search I ask her & without fail she finds it. Uncanny. She claims it's the uterus.

Buy her a beer for me.  One of the other benefits of marrying a woman, is you never have to remember anything.  Since they never forget, you can just ask em.

Always best to start out the request with "Hey honey, have I told you how much I love you lately?  I can't seem to remember (or find)....."

[SIR REAL ED]

Just remove the airbox. It is easy. Here is how I did it.

IMO, highly skilled craftsman, who only shows pictures of their finished craft, rather than video's of them precisely practicing their skill sets so others can benefit from their experience, are a bunch of selfish SOB's!   

[Motormike]

As I've gotten older, my dexterity isn't what it used to be.  Now when I drop a small washer or screw, I don't even spend more that a few moments looking for it.  I just bite the bullet, go online and order a couple thousand extra of them so when I fumble it the next time it doesn't even slow me down!

[nc43bsa]

When I order small parts I always order 3 or 4 more than I need, just in case a couple go MIA.

After all, what's a few bucks, compared to a couple of hours spent looking for the only f@&king one you have?

[normzone]

Where *is* that like button? 

Yeah, I saved that image as justremovetheairbox itseasy.jpg

[GonzoB]

Well, I never found the washer. I assume it's going to rattle around in there (or wherever it is) forever.

Thanks for all your interesting suggestions.

No, I didn't find any socks.

Gonzo

[hzbloke]

It seems that metal washers can perform miracles that even graduates of the Uri Geller Institute of Advanced Spoon Bending would have trouble replicating. My 'missing' swing arm washer thread is another example of the phenomenon.

Be happy in the knowledge that your are carrying a spare with you everywhere you go.

[gearman]

I lost  a 5 mm allen wrench .After looking all around and in the bike....nothing. My floor is smooth painted.I get the broom and sweep a ten foot circle. Nothing. I gave up and bought a not so good one.Weeks later I am using my lathe and sitting on top of it is the missing wrench.I do this all the time.

[Kiwi Dave]

I lost  a 5 mm allen wrench .After looking all around and in the bike....nothing. My floor is smooth painted.I get the broom and sweep a ten foot circle. Nothing. I gave up and bought a not so good one.Weeks later I am using my lathe and sitting on top of it is the missing wrench.I do this all the time.

Yep, it's called old age.  I do this all the time.  I'll be able to hide my own Easter eggs soon!

[pete mcgee]

Well, I never found the washer. I assume it's going to rattle around in there (or wherever it is) forever.

Thanks for all your interesting suggestions.

No, I didn't find any socks.

Gonzo

Bugger.........

[Wayne Orwig]

Years ago I was replacing the clutch on a friend's EV. I found a HUGE numbers of nuts and washers between the motor and frame. At the lower front motor mount. On BOTH sides. He was like, "oh, that is where those went".

 

[Chuck in Indiana]

I wouldn't spend much time looking for a washer that fell on the outside of a motorcycle. It'll either lay somewhere harmlessly or bounce out and fall on the road.
However..
I spent over a week looking for a 9/16" combination wrench that I couldn't find at the end of the day when working on an airplane.