Thanks for all the time and thought put into this DragBikeMike.  It’s futile.  It’s not coming back out the plug hole.  I said it was about 1/4” diameter, but it’s probably closer to 5/16”.  I haven’t even measured the remaining dowel rod for accuracy due to extreme disgust.  It barely fit in the hole.  The camera is telling me it’s a bit longer than the 3/8-1/2” that I initially thought.  Hard to tell and get perspective in the cylinder with the camera.

Even if I could get the grabber with thin jaws on it, I’m not very confident I could get it through the hole.

Vacuum ain’t gunna work.

Right now, I’m inclined to try to soften it with some carb cleaner in the cylinder.  Then with no gas or spark, hit the starter button 2-3 seconds at a time and see what happens to the little bastard.

When the piston is TDC, how wide is the gap from the top of the piston to the head/valves (compression gap)? Wondering if it will be tight enough to munch it, or if the dowel would have to magically find vertical and get munched that way.  I’m beyond frustrated!

SurvivingPhilly,

Forceps or this grabber tool with thin grabbers won't fit and also allow room to get it thru the hole.  Chop Stix ain't gunna work either.  Plus chop stix are just more wood that would probably decide to break off in there too.

I've read the technical posts here and Clymer's manual.  I'm not mechanically up to the job of a top end "tear" down.  And this bike isn't worth the cost of taking it to a shop.  Even if I did decide to take it to a shop, I don't know a mechanic I trust to know the nuances of this bike.  They'd probably f-it up worse and charge me a small fortune for the F-job!  I read some thread on this site that a Suzuki dealership mechanic couldn't even install the dreaded plug cap correctly.  And I want to trust them with a complete top end job???  Screw that...

The happy button is your path to happiness...

or, sadness if the valves are open!!  

• I'm (sort of) joking!!  
• I assume that little piece of wood will be no match for the piston and rod, but that piston isn't a hammer and wasn't designed to smash things.  Plus, you know what happens when you assume.
• I brought up white liquor because I assume if the wood were punky or soft, it would have a better chance of being smashed to bits.
• I wouldn't try anything this DUMB without some testing with the remaining dowel rod.    
• How hard is the dowel?  What effect will carb cleaner have on it?  You want to know these things before hitting that button.
• You can safely fix this by removing the head or possibly some of the other suggested methods.  It could be a very expensive repair if you damage any of the components inside the engine.

But, it might be possible to make the wood softer.  I'm not recommending this, you should probably just pop the head off (or get some termites).

But a cracked piston or bent rod will ruin your day in a hurry!!  

The fact that our resident experts haven't commented on this possibility makes me think it is a bad idea.  haha

Why don't you at least try jacking the valves open like I suggested?  With the piston up very close to TDC I bet you could actually get a look see at that chunk of christmas tree (specially if you removed the intake manifold).  It doesn't cost anything and its an easy job to jack the valves open.  Nothin to lose as long as you don't rotate the engine with the valves jacked open.

A 5/16" dowel should be about .312" diameter.  I think you could get the intake valve open at least .340".  It's close, but seems like it would be worth a try as long as you don't rotate the engine with the valves jacked open.

If you spray the wood with starter fluid, turn it into a brittle piece of charcoal by then burning it, break it up by mashing a chopstick around through the spark plug hole, remove the intake and header, and have a friend put  hands over those openings providing some suction, you might be able to get the ashes/ tiny charcoal bits out with a shop vac. This is my real suggestion -- although I did just get back from the bar  .

Paul, I'm not suggesting you try and remove the broken piece through the spark plug hole.  That hole is way too small.  But the intake port is quite large, and each intake valve is 33mm in diameter.  When the intake valves are fully open you can look right into the combustion chamber and cylinder.  Especially if the intake manifold is removed.

I suggested you position the piston very close to TDC, then jack open the intake valve.  I believe you should be able to get that valve open at least 8.5mm, maybe even more.  I suggested the left-hand intake since your bike will be on the side stand.  With the valve jacked open, I think there is a good chance you will be able to see the wood piece through the intake port and open valve.

If you then jack open the right-hand exhaust valve, it should permit good cross flow through the cylinder if you suck through the intake port with a good, powerful cannister vacuum.  If the spark plug is removed and the exhaust valve is open, you might be able to get enough airflow across the top of the piston to drag the little wooden chunk out through the open intake valve.  I never suggested that you try and get it out through the spark plug hole.

You might even find that the process works better if you plug the spark plug hole and jack open both exhaust valves.  You will have to play around with it.  It might also turn out that access is better through the exhaust side, or that it's easier to see into the cylinder through the exhaust since it exits off the right-hand side of the cylinder head.  

When the valves are open you can see into the cylinder and combustion chamber pretty good, certainly better than through the spark plug hole.  I think it's worth a try.

I also don't think you should be worried about removing the cylinder head.  Best way to learn is just do it.  It's not like you have to rush.  Take your time, ask plenty questions, post lots of pics, and feel great when you are all finished and have a good engine.  If you break it, no big deal.  As I recall, you picked the scooter up for almost nothing.  The knowledge & skill you gain will be worth the money you spend.

Thanks guys.  And you’re right Mike, I should give my skills a shot at removing the head and exploring given I don’t have much money at stake.  I will try working through the intake (larger valves).  My thought is that the valve stem will cut the valve opening diameter in roughly half.  Thereby not allowing enough room to get it out.  I knew you meant trying to get it out the valve opening and not thru the plug hole.

Floating it has some merit, but whatever way I try, the little sucker has to be grabbed lengthwise to extract it thru whatever opening might work.

Learning to do a top end tear down and reassembly may be on my bucket list.  Also gives me a good opportunity to swap the cam chain tensioner and plug cap.

Obviously lighter fluid and fire is a bad joking idea.  My luck would be that the lighter fluid would seep past the rings into the crankcase and then I’d have a big ass fire and explosion!  RUD - rapid unplanned disassembly!