dropped a bolt

[rocker231986]

ok guys i broke the cardnal rule of intake off work i didn't cover all the holes. i was doing the timing chain tensioners today and i was putting the back cylider head ine back together and i dropped a bolt down this 1/2 inch hole in the bottom of the cylinder head and i heard a metal on metal ping when it hit im assuming the oil pan.....or does this hole go somewhere else?

But i tried pulling the pan while the motor is in the car......one is this possible and two do you guys have any suggestions on how to pull the pan......these cars can be frustrating sometimes but i hope it is worth it in the end.....plz help me guys i wanna be driving the car again by the weekend

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

Dont worry, your not the first to do such a thing

yes, the pan can come off the motor without pulling the motor.

All you have to do is remove the y-pipe and starter. Then the pan can be removed. It is a tight fit, but it comes in and out just fine.

 

[Ishodu]

Yes the pan can be removed with engine in car, try a search on rod bearing change or something like that. There is quite a few threads with instructions. The bolt is prolly sitting on top of the baffle plate in the oil pan.

 

[Ferendon]

MAKE SURE AND GET ALL THE BOLTS/NUTS!!! There's a nut snuck around between the flywheel and pan, that's not very obvious... I almost didn't see it. After you get them all undone, find the tabs on the edge of the pan. On the block, there's some notches that line up with the tabs. Use a screwdriver to break the pan loose. DON'T WIGGLE IT. You want to brink it straight down, so you don't mess up the plate inside the pan, or the pick up tube. Then you'll need a pan gasket, and possibly, a pick-up tube gasket. If you have to take the pick up tube off, very carefully, torque the nuts back down on it. They're measured in inch pounds, but a calibrated wrist should be able to do it just fine. Basically, torque it to what your thumb and 2 forefingers can give hold the HEAD of a 1/4" drive ratchet. Don't put any force at all.

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

I'm all for trying easy stuff first....like a magnet going down the hole and fishing around for 10 minutes before you spend another 4 hours removing the pan...why 4 hours? cause while you are there, you will do your rod bearings for another 50 bucks.

 

[jelloslug]

Don't bother. The chanced of that bolt getting somewhere where it could cause some damage are minuscule. Those returns are designed to funnel oil (or the stray fastener) directly to the bottom of the pan. I drove around with a cam bearing bolt in my oil pan for quiet a while.

 

[Off Road SHO]

What he said.

Tom

 

[shomesomesho]

This happened to me recently. The bolt got lodged under the windage tray and wasn't going nowhere, but I wound up pulling the pan a) just to see for myself, b) for my own peace of mind, and of course c) to remove that dang bolt.