I dropped a bolt down the distributor hole

[krisnowicki]

WTF.... It slipped I am going to use a magnet and try to retrive. I am mistaken I heard it hit the oil pan would iot make it that far down?... If so Can I leave or change my oil and pull it out?,... I AM SO MAD this is a 350 chevy ... 97'

 

[Dakota47]

Re: I dropped a bolt down the distributor hole

Bummer, use a telescopic antenna magnet, you may get lucky.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: I dropped a bolt down the distributor hole

If its in the pan you will never see it again. At the same time it wont hurt anything being in there. But if it didn't make it......

 

[Robj]

Re: I dropped a bolt down the distributor hole

I would make sure it is removed before I started it up. Even if it is in the pan. That way you know that you are safe.

Have a great day,

Rob.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: I dropped a bolt down the distributor hole

Well lets see.. a loose screw is in a oil pan with a crank tossing around at 4500 rpm...might not get in the way of anything (pump is screened),,but just a jostle, and its punched right out the pan, loss off oil..
..find it.. (bummer..we have all dropped something in a motor at one time or another..)
Get a small telescoping magnet and do the shaft hole, and in the drain plug...good luck..

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: I dropped a bolt down the distributor hole

Just a couple ideas for ya, I've been there too.
Rig up a marker light bulb on some small electronic wire with a 3' lead, you can light up the inside of your engine pretty good.
If it was the dist. hold down bolt it just mighnt fit out the oil drain hole in the pan. Use a magnet on the bottom of the pan to drag it into position.
If all else fails just drop the pan and reach in and snag it.

 

[mkast]

Re: I dropped a bolt down the distributor hole

Long story short.
Valve spring shim, wound up in the oil pan, (how did it get out of the cylinder head, through the oil drain hole, shim was 75% whole?)
Found it in the rotors of the oil pump, after the rotors froze up, shearing the distributor gear and knocking off a couple of teeth on the cam gear.
Shim worked it's way through the pump pickup screen, up the pickup tube. I've been told, it was in the pan when the engine was assembled, not so, the engine was assembled by me. The engine used a flat tappet cam, constant valve adjustments even with polylocks, found the valve spring the shim came from on tear down.
So, you can believe posters saying, "You'll PROBABLY be okay."
I've learned, drop the pan, remove the bolt, never worry about it again.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: I dropped a bolt down the distributor hole

Bummer, you will need to retrieve it......​

 

[lime4x4]

Re: I dropped a bolt down the distributor hole

That size bolt won't fit thru the oil drain in the pan (head to big). Second i've been working on chevy engines for close to 20 years now and the chances of that bolt making it's way down to the oil pan are slim and none and slim left town...lol.. If it's a 97 then it probably uses roller lifters and it's probably laying on top of the metal sheild that holds the lifter guide plates in position. find the bolt before starting the engine.

 

[MikDee]

Re: I dropped a bolt down the distributor hole

That size bolt won't fit thru the oil drain in the pan (head to big). Second i've been working on chevy engines for close to 20 years now and the chances of that bolt making it's way down to the oil pan are slim and none and slim left town...lol.. If it's a 97 then it probably uses roller lifters and it's probably laying on top of the metal sheild that holds the lifter guide plates in position. find the bolt before starting the engine.

Now, this makes a lot of sense! maybe the first, & last item you'll hafta remove is just the intake manifold? just don't drop any more bolts down there,,, like I might do

 

[krisnowicki]

Re: I dropped a bolt down the distributor hole

well I heard it hit the bottom of the oil pan... IT was a 1/2 inch bolt ... I used a manget and got nothing.... I turned the engine over with no plugs in and it tunrs fine....??? this sucks so much... Maybe it didnt go in the hole and fell behind the engine.. and hit the bell housing? dont know I am so frsutrated

 

[roozterdvx]

Re: I dropped a bolt down the distributor hole

If it went down the distibutor hole, then it could have gone down past the cam and into the oil pan. Personally, I wouldn't leave it in there.
I don't think you'll get it out the same way it went in, (Murphy's law), but you can try to drag it around in the pan with a strong magnet from the outside. Get it to the distributor hole the look down in there with a light. If you can see it, you may have a chance to retrieve it.
I had a similar situation which a drag race engine, and I stuck a speaker magnet on the oil pan to keep the bolt from moving around until I did a tear down, but I didn't leave it there for long.
Good luck.