please help?!? my dad has a 98 blazer 4.3 and the map sensor nipple broke off and fell into the plastic intake plenum(?). my question is whether since it is such a small piece of relatively soft plastic, should i leave it? i dont wamt to screw up the engine, but i dont want to pull the plenum if i dont have to.. if i do, is removing the plenum a pain? or do y'all think i can maybe get to it if i pull the throttle body? we dont have much money, and autozone wants $20 for the plenum gasket, so if i can avoid removing it that would be cool. i searched the forums, and i cant believe im the only one this has happened to. thanks in advance for your help

 

did you get it out?

 

despite the overwhelming response from forum members, no. however, i spoke with a service writer at the local chevy dealership and he seriously doubted the piece would even make it into the combustion chamber. and if it did, he said since its just plastic it would probably break up and melt. i started the truck and so far so good

 

Good luck with it, however the alternative is a new engine if it doesn't break up. Maybe just a valve job, but I wouldn't let it go.

 

I wouldn't let it go either. If the forum would let me post more than 50 characters, I'd explain further.

 

sorry it took so long to post an update, but about a month ago, it fell into either the number 4 or 6 cylinder. it sounded like it had a rod knock from...until i revved it up. the noise went awa. so, figuring i had to break up the plastic, i held it at 3k or 4k rpms for about 5 or 10 min. problems fixed. ran great. it was due for a tune up and some other routine maintenance, so i did all that. interesting part was the collar around the electrode from that cylinder was missing a little piece. must have blown out with the plastic. like i said, its been about a month, and the truck is running fantastic. if anyone has the same problem, id just let the plastic go. pulling a head is a pain, and here is definitive proof nothing happened by leaving. im not willing to pay for your engine if it blows, but this is my opinion.