Is it a problem if I dropped a screw into the oil reservoir?

I changed my oil today and after draining everything, I was cleaning up the area around the garage... I had a few small screws in my hand when I checked the oil after filling it back up and I think one of the screws might have fallen out of my hand and down the hole where you fill the engine back up with oil. Will the screw go down into the pan... I need to know if I should change the oil again and just save the oil and put it back in the engine...Is it a problem if I dropped a screw into the oil reservoir?
Most likely the screw is either under the valve cover or in the pan. The oil pickup tube has a screen that would block a screw unless it is extremely tiny. I don't think it would come out if you drained the oil. You have to decide how much concern this is going to cause you. I doubt it will do anything at all as i have seen large nuts left in an oil pan with no effect.Is it a problem if I dropped a screw into the oil reservoir?
?????


The oil had screws in it, or you found screws after cleaning spilled oil?


Look, If you found a screw in the oil that you drained there is a problem.


Automotive engineers do not waste screws by putting extras into the design.





If it was from your sweeping the shop floor then your guess is as good as anybody's.





You think you might have dropped a screw into the motor as you were filling it?


Um yeah, you better get it out before driving the engine.





You better take a look at your practices and do an intelligence test too.


Why would you have a handful of contaminants in your fist as you were putting oil into an engine?


Oh, I think you must be joking.


Anyway if you drop a scew in there it will likely just sit in a depresiom om the castimg and not block anything.


Or it could block a vital oil return passage and cause your car to simply erupt as a flaming fireball the next time you start it.
Hope you did not start it!





I would get one of those long handled things with a magnet, and try to fish it out. Oil passages are pretty small, and that screw can get hung up and cause major damage. You may even want to pull off your valve covers and look for it.
Please get that screw out hope it is not stainless steel which is non magnetic. Do not run the engine until your sure it is out. there are many things a hard metal object can damage. What kind of car year make and model how many miles? some push rod engines a small object might not damage until it gets wedged in the wrong place. Almost never will the screw make it into the oil pan. You have to get it out no matter how you do it.
is the only way pull off the cover and find the screw before driving it any where one screw will rerally mess things up if it get into something