I was installing my new intake manifold and as i was trying to put the distrubutor back in I accedentally knocked the distributor hold-down bolt down the hole the distributor does into.

I tried to get it out with a small magnet and string, but somehow i managed to knock the bolt even further down. Now I can't See it!!!! And the magnet got stuck too.. broke off the end of the string.

Any ideas on how i can get the bolt out with as little hassle as possible?? If I drain the oil will it come out? What about the oil filter??

Where does that hole go??

PLease please please!!! HELP!

I have an '85 Trans-Am 305. 4bbl

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'85 Trans Am 305
(My new baby)
-K&N filter

'86 Camaro
2.8 MPFI
(for sale) -> needs new engine

 

Man, I did almost the same thing while changing the intake on my car this weekend, except I dropped the bolt down the distributor hole in the engine sitting on the floor. The intake was already off, and the oil pump rod held it up long enough for me to fish it out with a magnetic "fumble fingers" tool. And, I could stand over it and see straight down to get it out.

You really should have a fumble fingers tool in your tool box, but that's water under the bridge. If you can no longer see the bolt, odds are it is sitting on the bottom of the oil pan. It will not come out the drain plug (it's too large for that), and oil goes through the pump before getting to the filter (not a line-of-sight path).

If the bolt is on the bottom of the pan, it will likely stay there for years without causing any problems. The magnet is more questionable, only because it won't drop harmlessly to the bottom of the pan and might become attracted to something else. I seriously doubt you will be able to fish either one out at this point.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the only way these things are coming out is likely an engine dissassembly. Dropping the oil pan is minimum.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R4. 2.93 limited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, ZZ3 intake, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LG4 w/'87 LB9 block, ZZ3 cam, ported World 305 heads, Hooker headers & y-pipe, 3" Catco cat & 3" cat-back).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. '66 396, 9.7 CR forged TRWs, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, GK 270 cam, Magnum rockers, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders & 3" Warlocks, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, MegaShifter, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Idles smooth @ 600 RPM in D. Best 15.02/95.06 @ 5800' Bandimere (corrected 13.93/102.4 @ sea level).

 

Jeez!!!


I gotta get me one of those tools.

The magnet isn't too far down, i'm pretty sure i can see it. I might be able to get it out with another magnet.


But your sure the bolt will be fine?? That's good to know.

I just didn't want to hear that it would be sitting on the cam or something and when i fire up my car i'm going to hear a really bad noise.


But thank you for replying.. Especially in so much detail and so quickly, i really appreciate it.

 

ya, well tell us what happends, or how everything turns out. this is something i will want to know about.

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88' GTA 350 MODS---> air foil, K&N, Shift Kit, 180* therm, TB bypass

 

Just to be safe you might want to get a decent sized magnet and put it on the bottom of your oilpan. As the bolt slides around it hopefully will become attracted to where you put the magnet. Then if you're really ambitious you might enlarge the oil drain hole (using a larger bolt in the future) and "slide" the distributor bolt out of the larger hole with the magnet. I'm not sure if the magnet would interfere with any engine harmonics though, since I've read a lot of racers take pains to eliminate harmful magnetics in their engines. Good luck man.

 

That happened to me before. I knew it went to the bottom and I left it and never had a problem with it. I'd try to get the magnet out though. Although if it's stuck to the side of the block it'll probably just stay there.

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2000 NHRA Edition T/A
Pewter Metallic
A4 3.23 Gear w/GSC's
Whisper lid, MAF Ends, Ram Air Kit, Exhaust C/O
Best 60ft:1.94
1/8th:8.381@86.03
1/4:12.963@108.44

1989 IROC-Z 5.7
Auto w/3.24 gears

 

Man, I must be the **** one here...but if you can't verify that's it's in the pan, then I'd pull the pan and go fishing.

 

Yeh just get the garden hose out and stick it in the hole tere and turn it on. It will fill up with water and the bolt will float to the top, and you just let it fill to it over flows. This will also clean out all the nasty inside there too I'm sure. Then let it sit over night to dry off. And I'm sure your good to go.

LMAO, Do not try this seriously!

 

Choice is yours. A few hours of work to yank the pan vs the cost of a new motor when the bolt causes problems. I know what Id choose and yes Ive done it .

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Mark Lock
- 86 IROC-Z - SuperRammed 383/T56
- -= IROC Online =- - The site dedicated to the IROC-Z

 

Good news. I blew my 305 up and upon teardown found a bolt and nut on the bottom of the oil pan. Harmlessly sitting at the bottom. Bad news. If the bolt ISN'T at the bottom, you run the risk of jamming it up on the bottom end or something. That would sound the death horn for your motor. If you're risky, pull the magnet and cross your fingers(try the magnet at the bottom of the pan for a few to attract the bolt). If you're smart, pull the pan and fish it out. The bad part is the pan on an F-body can be a pain. I sure hope you pull the pan, gives you the opportunity to check the rod/main bearings and maybe throw in a new pump in your pressure's low.

 

IF you're not going to pull the pan, at least try to turn the motor over several times by hand. If something's going to jam up, you want it to happen with the least amount of force turning the crank!

 

it's your choice..

spend 4 hours to do the job right or spend $1500 and countless hours doing it later, your choice..

shortcuts only end up causing more problems later..

Remember this: "Do it right, or do it twice."

Good luck man,
Colin

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