lost bolt in engine
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New User
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Kansas
lost bolt in engine
Ok lets not wonder why or how? I have a 63 truck with 223 engine. I had the fuel pump removed and was checking it. In the process of puting it back on I dropped one of the bolts through the side of the block.
Can I remove the oil pan to retrieve it or do I have a bigger tear down job?
Can I remove the oil pan to retrieve it or do I have a bigger tear down job?
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,014
Likes: 91
From: Concord, CA
Oh, is that familiar. Back in 1974 I had the engine in my Cougar rebuilt. As I was putting it back together the last thing was the distributor and I dropped the hold down bolt in the opening. I was SOOOOOOOOO pissed that I took a baseball bat and started pounding the intake while my helpers ran for their lives. The I heard a plink. The bolt fell into the empty pan? How lucky was that given that there was a windage tray around the crank. Fast forward to 2008 when I took the pan off to clean up and repaint. Lo and behold, right next to the drain plug, is the hold down bolt...
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
Not familiar with the 223 block design but usually start with least labor intensive approach. Might try taking a magnet, I have the type thats shaped like an eraser on the end of a flex cable and see if able to snake thru opening bolt originally dropped thru. Had simular incident and was able to snake magnet thru the drain plug and move around until lucked out and able to fish the bolt out. Then there's pulling the pan 
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Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
As noted I would first try and see if possible to extract from opening it fell thru. Thread mentioned fuel pump bolt so may be too large to extract thru drain plug, however, since the oil pan plug has to be removed in any event, I would use the other bolt to determine, it may be an exercise in futility but would only take 5 min's to determine, if not, then proceed to remove the pan. The magnet is not that strong, and on a fairly stiff, but flexible cable, it may dance around in the bottom of the pan but it only needs to make contact with the bolt.
It's funny u mentioned it, must admit, have another cheap HF magnet on flex cable with the light on the end, a light which is absolutely useless, however, the magnet is soooo strong just getting it out of the tool box can be humorous, comes in handy when working on the engine to pick up tools that drop to the ground.
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New User
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Kansas
Thanks for the help everyone. I dropped the pan this morning and there was the bolt. Kind of blessing in disguise... I had a lot of sludge in the bottom of the pan. Pan was easy to pull off and put back on and it only cost $10 for the pan gasket. Cleaned the in side of the pan got it al back together and took it for a spin around the block. 
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RIKIL
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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Oct 25, 2012 07:09 PM
