So I was getting ready to put back on my carburetor and I had one of the bolts and it got lodged into the runner that leads to the middle left hole in the engine block. I tried all I could but it fell in. After removing the Intake Manifold, still don't see it and my magnet stick has not been working. Any suggestions???

 

The nut fell all the way inside the engine?
Possibly one of those flexible magnet sticks might work.

 

also a cheap borescope from amazon can help

 

the only thing Ive managed to fit was a flexible claw grabber holding a magnet but even that I couldn't get it out. I rented a horoscope from AutoZone and I couldn't even find it in there but I know it is there because when I rotate the engine it stops at a certain point. not really sure what I am able to do other than pulling the engine out and completely tearing it down.

 

Take the exhaust manifold off. If rotating the engine and it stops, good chance it's in the rotor housing now.

 

Recently had the same issue. I was able to blast high pressure air into an intake port which popped it out almost immediately. I did not need to use an extended nozzle to get behind the nut, it just rattled itself out. If you can, rotate the engine until the rotor face lines up with the edge of the port.

My situation was particularly awful, as the internals were coated in tacky assembly lube. Magnet was absolutely useless as it stuck to everything except the nut.


Best,
Alex

 

Shop vac? Strongest one you can find. Tape off all the holes but two. Leave one open, and duct tape the nozzle of the shop vac to the other hole nice and air tight. Shake and rotate the emgine whilst running the vac and with a bit of luck the bolt will work its way to a place where the vac sucks it out. Also helps to use an old womens stocking between the vac nozzle and the vac hose as a filter to catch the bolt.

Addendum. Just been thinking this through. Prob a dumb idea that would not work. For this to work you would need a route for air to enter the housing in order to allow the vac to suck and create a through flow. With a built engine I think the chamber you would be trying to suck the bolt out of would be sealed so no go. I would still give it a try just out of desperation.

Or…. Tape the nozzle of the vac to a piece of flexible hose and stick the hose in the hole the bolt went in through? Maybe there is a chance it will find and grab the bolt.

 

Not a bad idea!

Don't forget that there is an intake port on both sides of the rotor so you would get some crossflow.

I wouldn't recommend blindly rotating the engine to the point the nut binds, though. Just stick your finger in and rotate until the rotor is flush with the port. Don't overdo it or you may end up with one less fingertip. Haha

 

Just a thought. If it got into the rotor housing, I assume it had to be on the intake part of the "stroke". I then assume it would then be stopping at the compression part of the "stroke" when the nut refuses to compress. If you reverse the engine rotation you should be able to bring the nut back to where it originally went in (near the intake ports).

Not sure how big the autozone boroscope head is, but the one recommended above has a small diameter head that fits all the way into the rotor housing through the intake ports. I got a good view with one of those and was able to identify warped apex seals.

Good luck.

Carl

 

I did that once on my FD. I used a shop vac to suck it out. Duct Taped up the other intake ports. Worked like a charm - for me at least
I wind up doing this whenever re-assembling just in case.

 

Man, the wonders of modern technology. I remember when a boroscope was an expensive-as-heck specialty tool that wouldn't necessarily be brought up in a thread like this. Now it's "grab your smartphone and head for Amazon, you can see inside your engine for under a hundred bucks, go find that bolt!"

I love living in the future!

Jon