Lost the magnet tip in the lower unit

[Tnjed]

The mid-level fill hole plug (screw with magnet tip) in my lower unit was stripped. I wanted it out so I drilled it and then the magnet tip fell into the lower unit.. I got the screw out of course. Now what? I just put the thing back on. Will the little magnet tip get crushed up by the gears in the lower? Will it ruin my gears? Is it worth pulling the outdrive back off and breaking it down to try and find it?

FWIW, the outdrive is about 1990 Cobra 4.3.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Tnjed]

I fixed my problem. Pulled the outdrive off the boat. Removed the lower from the upper. Used a magnetic extension wand to fish the little piece out of the bottom of the lower unit. I couldn't actually see it. It was buried in oil goop down at the bottom of the shift rod. It may not have caused a problem, but I felt it was better to remove than lose sleep over it.

Would have been much better to weld a nut onto the stripped screw head than drill it out like I did.

Hope this helps someone else in the future.