gearbox oil level plug fell inside gearbox

Hi all, has anyone else had this problem, the old filler/level plug on my r380 gearbox was knackered the torx drive was chewed up inside, managed to remove it and went to fit the new filler/level plug but the new one screwed in so far it fell inside the gearbox . can anyone tell me if i can retrieve it through the drain plug or is it a gearbox out job. any help would be much appreciated

should be able to with a suitable magnet

If you didn't turn it in as far you wouldn't have this problem :doh: most probably a gearbox split

yep sounds simple shouldn't have wound it in so far but there again I thought there would have been a stop of some sort, you can't wind a diff plug in to far?

Things you wish you hadn't done......................You have my sympathy

magnet on a flexible stick,will be tricky getting it back the way it came though

dyte said:

magnet on a flexible stick,will be tricky getting it back the way it came though

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think the plan is through the drain plug

jamesmartin said:

think the plan is through the drain plug

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would make far more sense lol

I accidentally dropped a detent ball bearing into a series box full of new oil once, a magnetic pick up tool come to the rescue, although I was sweating for a minute or 2 !

well 2 hours,a bit of welding rod with a bit of speaker magnet taped to the end and a lot of swearing later job done. yes the oil filler/level plug will fit through the drain plug

Well saved sir!

Jammy git! If that had happened to me I'd of ended up taking the gearbox out via the sunroof knowing my luck.

Amazing!
I assume the drain hole is larger than fill/level hole for the plug to be removed in this way.

you taped a magnet to a rod... oh how that could have ended badly..imagine tape not holding and magnet getting stuck in there too..

but well done..2 hours though wow

richie15 said:

well 2 hours,a bit of welding rod with a bit of speaker magnet taped to the end and a lot of swearing later job done. yes the oil filler/level plug will fit through the drain plug

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Almost quicker to take the gearbox out