cj247 Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Just changing the flywheel sensor on a K series in preparation for Hethel track day tomorrow & fumbled & dropped the bolt! I can't see it through the window in the gearbox bell housing but I can't find it either.Loathed to start the engine in case the bolt damages the flywheel etc but don't have time or equipment to take the engine & gearbox out before tomorrow either. Has any one in the Cheltenham area got a long flexible magnetic probe?Any other suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Get yourself down to halfords....I’d go in via the clutch arm.https://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/hand-tools/laser-magnet-claw-tool?cm_mmc=Google+PLA-_-Tools-_-Hand+Tools-_-121916&istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istItemId=mrimrw&istBid=tztx&_$ja=tsid:94971%7Ccid:865695754%7Cagid:42483195983%7Ctid:aud-297219197929:pla-331463653118%7Ccrid:203186066553%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:15281105147616741285%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:1o1%7Cmt:%7Cloc:1006529&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIts-w2ZbO3AIVCLDtCh0AqgdYEAQYASABEgK-lfD_BwE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted August 2, 2018 Member Share Posted August 2, 2018 Screwfix, Cheltenham. Tool Station, Cheltenham.You can check stock online.JonathanPS: NB Club discount at Halfords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj247 Posted August 2, 2018 Author Share Posted August 2, 2018 Just off to Toolstation now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prangerman Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 What an idiot! I'm glad I have never done anything so stupid. (Thanks to John at Redline a few years ago for sorting my fumble. He sorted it in minutes wit a magnet and hand turning the innards. I didn't feel like an complete ****** at all.) Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Easy to do .... another favourite is the metal hoop under the clutch arm cover gaiter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Yep. The clutch gaiter clip was the one I dropped in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 So how was the fishing trip?I do love a good suspense story!I had to do a similar thing with a metal rod and gaffa tape to prove (or otherwise) my clutch had let go. It had - fragments of friction material retrieved!Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Probably a bit late now, but a smart phone endoscope would allow you to take a peak inside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Well,I dropped (and recovered) the M6 bolt for the cam belt tensioner the other day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj247 Posted August 4, 2018 Author Share Posted August 4, 2018 Purchased an assortment of grabbers, magnets on sticks etc but the fishing trip was unproductive. Took plugs out & turned engine over with car in gear by pushing it but still could not find anything so with trepidation I fitted the new sensor & started the car. Everything was fine with no sound of tortured bolt against fly wheel.Since I was now 4 hours late leaving for Norfolk I decided to risk it & the car ran perfectly the whole journey. One last fish through the clutch arm aperture the next day before starting the Hethel track day still failed to produce the missing bolt. Track day & 200 mile journey home completed with no incident so I can only assume that either the bolt didn't fall in the gearbox bell housing, it's lodged somewhere inaccessible inside, or it's got stuck externally on the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj247 Posted August 4, 2018 Author Share Posted August 4, 2018 Good suggestion, however, most of the good ones seem to be for Android. Any suggestions for iPhone or Mac? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted August 5, 2018 Share Posted August 5, 2018 Yes:Get rid of the iFart and get an Android. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth Posted August 5, 2018 Share Posted August 5, 2018 bought this - uses wifi and is not bad - obviously not up there with expensive versions - but good enough to see the carbon build up in my ports etc and look for a stray bolt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj247 Posted August 5, 2018 Author Share Posted August 5, 2018 Thanks. I went for something similar from Amazon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted August 5, 2018 Share Posted August 5, 2018 When I was building up my engine I dropped one of the nuts that goes on the head studs for the inlet manifold. I couldn't find it anywhere I was absolutely paranoid that it had slipped down the back of the manifold and gone down one of the inlet ports. I got one of those Android endoscope cameras and spent ages feeding down every hole I could find. Managed to feed it in through the IACV hole, round the runners and right down to the inlet valves. Managed to have a really good look around and it did the job well but couldn't see anything that looked like a nut. There weren't any horrible noises when I fired it up so it must have dropped down somewhere harmless but I never did find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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