So I'm doing some work on my fd, replace turbos, go non seq, and a lot of other stuff. Anyway I taped the lim shut, but decided for some reason to remove the tape and accidentally dropped a nut in the lim(I know, it's retarded) but now I can't get the #@$&* nut out. I tried one of those magnet things but that didn't work. So my question is, short of removing the lim, how can I get the thing out and how big of a chance is there that the stupid nut dropped in the housing and how can I get it of out there(if it's in there). Thanks for the input guys!

 

Try duct taping a magnet on a curved coat hanger. If that doesn't work you will have to pull the LIM. Once that is done you should be able to remove the nut with no problem.

I always dread dropping anything when working in the engine bay. I once dropped a nut, and could find it. I found it about 2 years later. It was wedged inside the fan shroud.

 

You can also put a shop vac over the port and see if you can suck it out. That works fairly well.

Dale

 

did the same thing a while back. I have this awsome magnet thing that is attached to a rod that's very flexible. I got it out right away. hell if you can't find one let me know ill ship mine over to you.

 

Might be a stupid question for you but what type of metal was the nut? If it was stainless or aluminum it may not be magnetic and therefore retrieving it that way won't work. If that is the case id try something sticky.

If you know for a fact it is magnetic, I'd get a small donut magnet and tie a string around it. you may be able to get it further down in with a string as opposed to something rigid.

 

turn the car up-side-down and give it a shake...
be carefull not to damage the plastic fuel atomizers if you fiddle about in there with a wire.

 

+1 for flexible magnet. They have them at auto parts stores

 

Since you are going to be taking off the turbos why not just remove the LIM. It only takes about 15 mins. Good reason to change the gasket as well.


John

 

just remove the LIM and you should find it the intake ports should catch it before it can go into the motor, i once lost a 10 gear wrench in my car found it 6 weeks later lol.

 

+1

Tape off the other intake ports leaving only the one in which you place the strong shop vac. Do that for each of the 4 holes.

Thought I did that once but the nut was buried in the rats nest... Stressful day that was...

 

Yeah the nut is magnetic, I checked

I hate removing stuff if I don't have to

I tried the flexible magnet thing but couldn't get it. So I'll try the shop vac idea, my buddy has one so he'll just have to drag his *** over here in the weekend.

Thanks for all the advice guys, I'll let you know how it turns out!

 

Okay, I tried the shop vac and couldn't get. So I removed the LIM and still no nut.....which leads me to believe that the damn thing dropped into one of the housings. Does anybody have an idea how I can get it out of the housing? I've tried very carefully turning the engine by hand but still can't get it because it is nigh impossible to turn it. So what do you guys think?

 

take off exhaust manifold. put apex seal just below exhaust port. fish out through exhaust port with magnet.

 

Did you try the string and magnet? It may fall down into same place that the nut did.

 

let me be the one and ask,

are you sure the bolt fell into the Lim, it could not have fell in. or when you removed the LIM, if fell out and is now on the floor.

Its always better to check twice around the area, then assume and do the hard thing.