I have the weirdest SHO

[MyFirstSHO]

Many of you may have seen my posts about my SHO and how it has these "unique" problems.

I just read a post about tranny removal and the 2 oil pan-to-tranny bolts.

One day, about 2 months ago, while looking for the source of my minor oil leak (doesn't leak enough to add oil) I saw these 2 bolts (oil pan-to-transaxle bolts). As I lay there staring at them (for no apparent reason), I notice the one bolt closest to the front bumper, isn't quite seated against the oil pan (yea my face was that close to the oil pan). So I put my fingers on it and sure enough the bolt spins freely, with alot of grittyness. The bolt will not tighten, nor will it loosen. It will just spin both ways, and I tryed to pull it out to no avail, it just moves maybe 1/16th of an inch. I then left it alone, I do not know if i can get it out because I did not really try hard. The other rear oil pan to tranny bolt is in perfect shape nice and tight. Both bolts look identical.

How could this have happened? If it was "stripped" or snapped off while loosening or tightening the bolt head would have been long gone with the rest of the bolt left in the tranny. I'm starting the lean toward "this was done while driving, not direct human contact like with a wrench" (Driving is indirect human contact )

Just for sh!ts and giggles, my clutch is astonishingly mint. No slipage, grinding, pedal is not heavy, grabs maybe 2 inches off the floor. So now im leaning toward, "hmm do i have the stock clutch, or was it replaced?"

Any ideas?

I guess thats what I get for buying a $400 SHO slap

<small>[ January 04, 2004, 09:00 AM: Message edited by: MyFirstSHO ]</small>

 

[SolidState]

can you get the tip of a screw driver under the head of the bolt?

if so, try putting pressure against it and loosening it...might grab some threads and back out...

 

[MyFirstSHO]

Yes, there is enough space to wedge a tip of a flathead in there. I tryed pulling and loosening it with my fingers but that didnt work.

I'll be doing my temp. gauge sender and an oil change in a couple of days, I'll try to get it out then.

As for the oil leak, it looks like it is coming from my starter, therefore it probably is just from taking the oil filter off and not wiping down the starter afterword. It then travels down to the oil pan and looks like a leak.