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Title: Ooops! Dropped it.... Post by sector-9 on Jun 28th, 2008, 9:41pm One of the exhaust manifold bolts, down the front pipe! I don't really want to remove the front pipe from the cat as that'll mean a lot more work, new gasket and bolts for the cat, etc. :( Is there a way I can extract the bolt? ??? I did think of a magnet on a stick type thing, but being as the front pipe is metal I think that'd make it difficult to guide the magnet round the bend to where the bolt is probably lurking. I've tried bending a piece of wire to a hook shape and fishing that down the pipe, but it's not doing much - or at least not getting the bolt far enough forward to be seen or reached. I need to get the exhaust manifold all bolted up and the engine running by tomorrow night so if I don't get it out it'll just have to stay there and I'll find a replacement bolt! I assume apart from an annoying rattle, it won't cause any damage, or at least not for a while? :-/ The reason I took the manifold is because the car failed it's MOT on Friday with an exhaust leak. Taking the gasket off I can see where it was leaking from; the outlet from #1 cylinder because both studs have snapped off. I managed to extract one of the studs and find a replacement bolt (the one I've dropped down the exhaust!), but the other has snapped below the face of the cylinder head. I tried drilling it out today but there is a non-removable dipstick tube in front so I couldn't get a standard drill in there, and I'm not about to remove the head again. >:( If I can fish out the bolt, or find a suitable replacement, I'll just coat both sides of a new gasket with exhaust paste and try that. With no paste and two studs broken on the same port it wasn't very noticeable so I think/hope it will hold long enough to get through the re-test next week... Darren |
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Title: Re: Ooops! Dropped it.... Post by gozz on Jun 28th, 2008, 9:53pm A strong little magnet secured to a piece of thin welding rod.Poke it down the pipe and listen for the click as the magnet attracts the bolt. |
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Title: Re: Ooops! Dropped it.... Post by Scorpio_Mike on Jun 28th, 2008, 10:24pm Get one of those gadgets which look like a car aerial with a magnet on the end - you often see garage mechanics with them in their top pockets. They fold down to the length of a biro but extend to about 18 ~ 24 inches. Don't know what the proper name is but pretty sure you can find them in any motor accessory shop or Halfords or maybe on fleabay ??? I bought one years ago and find it very useful. |
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Title: Re: Ooops! Dropped it.... Post by mr._floppy on Jun 29th, 2008, 8:30pm The magnet idea is good but it will have to be insulated so that it does'nt stick to the inside of the downpipe, but leave enough magnet area un-insulated to attract the bolt. I wonder what ripe language was used when that bolt clunked down the exhaust pipe ? :o Good Luck. |
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Title: Re: Ooops! Dropped it.... Post by joe-satch on Jun 29th, 2008, 8:46pm how about a strong magnet on the outside of the exhaust pipe..and move the magnet up the pipe towards the manifold end and with luck the bolt will follow the magnet so you cant get it?. :)..worth a try :). |
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Title: Re: Ooops! Dropped it.... Post by scruffygyt on Jun 29th, 2008, 8:55pm ive used bluetack on the end of a welding rod in the past to get at dropped nuts and bolts |
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Title: Re: Ooops! Dropped it.... Post by Baz on Jul 3rd, 2008, 9:20am Tip the car upside down and give it a shake.... that'll work ;D |
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Title: Re: Ooops! Dropped it.... Post by sector-9 on Jul 4th, 2008, 10:29pm [] Much as I was tempted to go with Baz's suggestion ::), I did manage to recover the bolt. Apparently my dad had one of those flexible things with a claw at one end that opens and grabs whatever's in front of it when you press the button at the other end. Even better news, after plastering exhaust cement all over the new gasket and manifold, followed by fitting a bolt to #1 cylinder port, it's now passed it's MOT for another year! :) The insecure CV boots were, believe it or not, actually more work (and certainly more mess) to rectify - obviously they were universal boots but the joints needed specific ones, so even with crimp type clips, they could still be pulled off the joint. Still, creative use of several small cable ties ;), plus the crimp clips mean that they won't be coming off in a hurry... Darren |
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Title: Re: Ooops! Dropped it.... Post by peteHull on Jul 5th, 2008, 11:16am on 07/04/08 at 22:29:28, sector-9 wrote:
Just shows how handy dads can be.... ;) Glad you sorted it, a good story and a good outcome... :) Pete |
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