Distributor Issues (lost bolt)
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,005
Likes: 0
From: Ridgecrest CA
Distributor Issues (lost bolt)
I ran into a snag today and thought someone might have some
advice for me. I was getting ready to put the distributor back on and
dropped the hold down bolt. It is not under the car, and I cannot
find it in the transmission tunnel, so I am afraid that it might have
dropped down the distributor hole in the intake, as I had the distributor up when the bolt dropped.
Any recommendations before I pull the whole thing back off to check? The only idea that I had was to get one of those magnets on a stick and fish around in the V-cavity for it, but I could not find one here in town, so I might have to make one, if I can't dome upwith anything better.
Unless I can find the bolt to prove it is not in the engine, I am afraid to mess with anything. If it fell straight through, would it end up in the oil pan? Would it be worth smacking the oil pan a few times to see if it rattles?
advice for me. I was getting ready to put the distributor back on and
dropped the hold down bolt. It is not under the car, and I cannot
find it in the transmission tunnel, so I am afraid that it might have
dropped down the distributor hole in the intake, as I had the distributor up when the bolt dropped.
Any recommendations before I pull the whole thing back off to check? The only idea that I had was to get one of those magnets on a stick and fish around in the V-cavity for it, but I could not find one here in town, so I might have to make one, if I can't dome upwith anything better.
Unless I can find the bolt to prove it is not in the engine, I am afraid to mess with anything. If it fell straight through, would it end up in the oil pan? Would it be worth smacking the oil pan a few times to see if it rattles?
Just another Corvette guy
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,518
Likes: 3,865
From: Palm Springs, CA.
Jason,
You're not the first guy to do that, and you won't be the last.
The bolt probably did not go all the way to the pan. If it fell in the dist. hole, it probably bounced and is sitting in the lifter valley.
I would go to NAPA and buy one of their cheap round extension mirrors and magnet (Like $7) The mirrors come with a small 7/8 inch head. Poke the mirror in the hole and light it with your Mag Lite and you should be able to see if it's there. If it is, use the magnet, even if you have to bend it to get it where you need to be. Worst case you'll have to pull the intake. You could also try a bent coat hanger in there and fish around if you don't have the mirror/magnet.
Good luck Bro'
Greg
You're not the first guy to do that, and you won't be the last.
The bolt probably did not go all the way to the pan. If it fell in the dist. hole, it probably bounced and is sitting in the lifter valley.
I would go to NAPA and buy one of their cheap round extension mirrors and magnet (Like $7) The mirrors come with a small 7/8 inch head. Poke the mirror in the hole and light it with your Mag Lite and you should be able to see if it's there. If it is, use the magnet, even if you have to bend it to get it where you need to be. Worst case you'll have to pull the intake. You could also try a bent coat hanger in there and fish around if you don't have the mirror/magnet.
Good luck Bro'
Greg
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,005
Likes: 0
From: Ridgecrest CA
Have to check napa. I didn't think to look there for a magnet stick. Looking through the intake hole, I couldn't tell if the bolt could fall past the oil pump shaft or not.
