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As the title says this is a shameful rather embarrassing story but I share it because it may help someone else. I was working on finding top dead center on the rear cylinder of my 2023 ultra limited. I was using a plastic straw cut down to about 6 inches in length to see when the piston was at the top of the compression stroke. I left the straw in the cylinder and went around to the other side of the bike to check the lifters. I grabbed the rear wheel and gave it a little back and forth wiggle to look at the position of the lifters. I watched the lifters and then went ahead and rotated the engine a couple revolutions. Then I heard this cracking noise. Immediately I new the straw was in the cylinder. I took off the gas tank and removed the other spark plug. I was able to stick a pin light in that spark plug hole and in made plenty of light in the cylinder. I then went around to the other side and could look down into the spark plug hole and I could see the straw. I was able to stick a piece of wire into the end of the straw and guide it back into the spark plug hole as I rotated the engine. You can see the picture of the straw it must have got into one of the valves because it is pinched. Like I said shameful and embarrassing but it ended well. I consider myself very lucky. Maybe this will help someone else not make the same mistake.
Last edited by dontdropit; Jun 5, 2026 at 03:07 PM.
Imagine the sound of a pencil snapping off. Yes I **** myself, had a panic attack and proceeded to make a one day job a two day job.
Was my son in laws bike. Yes hes still my son in law and yes he brings it up every year on the anniversary of when I did it.
Things happen - But, it's cool when it's a fixable screw up. No harm, no foul.
You need to add this one to the running list of mess ups we have going in the general section - I think I'm leading the most mess up's; I can use some help to even it out.
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Shameful story with a happy ending
