Hi, I’m writing from Italy and while quarantined due to covid-19 I’m replacing the Intake Manifold gasket on my ‘98 LT Blazer 4.6 Vortec.
While taking off the deteriorated gasket a one inch piece fell and disappeared into

This is where gasket piece fell
a hole as per the enclosed picture!
should I worry about it? Is there anything I can do before placing the new gasket and close the engine?
thank you!

 

Have you tried a vacuum cleaner with a small nozzle? Maybe blow it out with compressed air? If the intake valve is open and it didn't go all the way in, you might even be able to blow compressed air in the spark plug hole.

If it's only plastic or paper, it may just go through the engine and be ok, but that would not be ideal.

 

The 96+ SCFI engine LIM gasket is made of a nylon carrier with a rubber overmolded seal. It really comes down to what fell in. The rubber probably wouldn't be all that harmful, but it is somewhat unlikely that the rubber would fall apart like that. The nylon carrier is typically what deteriorates and would be much more likely to fall apart. It also would be of sufficient hardness to cause some problems if it found its way into the wrong spot at the wrong time.

 

Yes, check to see the intake valve is closed, If it is try to suck it out. You don't want any part of the gasket carrier in there.

 

As you wrote it’s a piece of deteriorated nylon that fell while pulling the old gasket. I’ll try a vacuum cleaner with a small nozzle. Thank you all for now!

 

The fragments were successfully sucked off! The nylon was so deteriorated that one could easily crumble it with the fingers. Anyway I’ll sleep more relaxed tonight.
Thank you for your tips and stay safe!

Sucked nylon

Crumbled nylon

 

Fortunatamente in molti casi finisce proprio cosi. Restano attorno la valvola d'aspirazione.
Saluti dalla Svizzera.

 

Saluti dall’Italia.

 

Ciao ti scrivo nuovamente o un altro problema. Non riesco più a trovare il fermo in metallo che blocca i due tubi benzina.
Su Rockauto potrei acquistare il pezzo completo ma a me serve solo il fermo come da foto allegata
Hai un suggerimento su come potrei rimediare.
Grazie mille
saluti

 

I would not trust anything other than the correct part. If those pipes come out under pressure, it would be a severe fire hazard.