I recently changed the engine air filter on my 2022 C8 HTC. The change was uneventful until the point where I was reinstalling the cover over the air filter compartment, which is held in place by 6 GM specialized bolts. Despite taking every precaution, such as placing a towel beneath the compartment, I dropped 1 of the bolts during the cover install and unbelievably it found it’s way past the towel and dropped into the abyss below the engine. I’ve used a snake camera to try to locate the bolt, a magnetic retrieving tool, and eventually removed the lower shear plate to see if it was there, all to no avail. The bolt is typical GM unique with very high pitched threads. No comparable bolt was available at ACE hardware, Home Depot or O’Reilly’s automotive. The bolt is unavailable through GM parts without buying the entire air filter compartment. Has anyone else experienced this problem of obtaining the same or similar bolt, and what was it?

 

Fughettaboutit.

 

Try a wrecking yard, perhaps they have a damaged part that you can get for cheap.

 

You dont need it!

 

Is it one of those that looks like a wood screw with a 7mm head. and a washer? Or the same thread with a Torx head.
I have seen them (7mm hex head) at AutoZone on a rack with all kinds of screws and bolts.

It's amazing that GM does not sell something like that since they use many of them on each car.
Keep looking, hardware store no, Home D no. Automotive stores will likely have that.

 

Go to the parts counter at a dealership. It is likely available separately but you have to know how to find it in the system.

 

…been there! When installing my NPP exhaust on my non-NPP C8, I dropped an exhaust flange bolt…spent an hour trying to find it…ended up going under the car to start unbolting panels when I heard it and was able to retrieve it before I got too far in the disassembly…

…oh, dropped my coolant tank cap down there once too! That took a while to find! That abyss is truly daunting!

 

I must admit about 3 1/2 years ago I decided to not only put in a Blue Attack air filter but also add insulation under the trunk I dropped a bolt and a pop up down and never found either but I found replacements at Advance Auto near me. Yes the insulation does lower the trunk temp but it still gets warm in there but about 15 to 20 degrees cooler. The problem I had was with all those star drive screws. Why they uses such a small star drive which is easy to strip , which I did one and I couldn't get it out so the next time I change the filter I'll have to cut that out.

 

No news is good news

 

Well, I finally gave in and said “No Mas”. For those that are interested, I was unable to find that bolt, after spending more time looking than any reasonable person should invest. It’s a Hex 8mm bolt with very extreme pitch (distance between the threads), and more extreme pitch than you would see on a sheet metal screw. Nothing comparable was available at any auto parts stores I went to, and why GM selected such a bolt is beyond me, Additionally, two different parts departments at Chevrolet dealerships both verified that the only way to obtain that bolt was to purchase the entire engine air filter airbox. Both dealerships were extremely helpful and spent a significant amount of time on a single bolt, which would be a low revenue return, and could not believe the bolt could not be purchased separately. Long story short, I reinstalled the airbox cover with 5 bolts instead of the 6. I’ll go with that until I can obtain a bolt at either a salvage yard or until GM makes them available as single items, which would make sense since the bottom 3 bolts can be easily dropped during disassembly/reassembly (I can verify that!). If there is a “good” side to this story it is that I took off that bottom shear plate panel and was able to take a good look at everything. Everything looked good with no leaks. Thanks to everyone that responded with suggestions and ideas. I really appreciate it!