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Missing Bolt - Intake Replacement

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    #1

    Missing Bolt - Intake Replacement

    1998 Mercury Grand Marquis

    So I was changing my intake manifold because there was a massive crack around the thermostat housing. After finally getting that last damn bolt loose from under the crash bracket (crash bracket was actually cut in half) and we were sliding it forward. Got it out and were counting how many bolts we had and somewhere between the sliding it out and setting it on the bench we lost that last bolt.

    My immediate fear is that it fell into one of the open port heads. We stuck a magnetic rod down all of them, and put a shop vac to them, but nothing came out. A search of the ground and various nooks and crannies in the engine bay hasnt revealed it.

    Basically my question is could one of them actually get past the rods around the bend and into the chamber. They aren't tiny (10mm 4inch-ish). I don't have a boroscope so I cant confirm there isn't anything deep down. I dont want to reassemble it, turn it over and kill it dead.

    I have a shop vac, compressed air, various grabbers, and am probably being paranoid but better safe than sorry.
    Tags: None
    #2
    Did your bolt count take into account the long bolt for the crash bracket? I've seen someone forget about that one before.

    2000 Grand Marquis LS HPP, a hand-me-down in 2008 with 128,000 km; 175,000 km as of July 2014
    mods: air filter box 'tuba', headlight relay harness, J-mod (around 186,350 km), 70mm throttle body, KYB Gas-A-Just shocks, aluminum driveshaft, ARA3 PCM

    Comment

      #3
      Originally posted by IPreferDIY View Post
      Did your bolt count take into account the long bolt for the crash bracket? I've seen someone forget about that one before.
      Yup, I have a cardboard box with holes we were sticking them into and labeling. Have 8 out of 9.

      Comment

        #4
        Harbor Frieght sells inspection cameras right cheap. May be good insurance. I can't see the bolt going past a valve without it running but if it's down there it needs to come out before starting.
        1990 Country Squire - weekend cruiser, next project
        1988 Crown Vic LTD Wagon - waiting in the wings

        GMN Box Panther History
        Box Panther Horsepower and Torque Ratings
        Box Panther Production Numbers

        Comment

          #5
          Originally posted by Tiggie View Post
          Harbor Frieght sells inspection cameras right cheap. May be good insurance. I can't see the bolt going past a valve without it running but if it's down there it needs to come out before starting.
          Yeah -.- and we can pretty much see the tops of the valves and they are clear. I couldnt see it making a turn and getting past the rod.

          If is what is killing me. I guess I'll jack it up tomorrow and crawl around on the gravel with a magnet before I start panicking. There are just so many crannies in the engine bay and while getting that wiring harness off the backside of the manifold I wasn't watching it.

          Comment

            #6
            For the record N606500 are the COP bolts and N808130-S309 are the intake manifold bolts.

            Comment

              #7
              10mm bolt shank, or head (6mm shank)? Either way a 4" long bolt with 10mm any part of it is extremely unlikely to be able to go past the valves. Even if it could, it would lock up the respective piston when it's on its way to TDC - put a ratchet on the harmonic balancer and rotate the engine over by hand a few times, that should calm your fears. Use a small ratchet that the engine can stop if it meets any resistance at all, 3/8"-drive with regular-length handle should be suffucient. Obviously do first verify there's nothing in the runners above the valves, but considering the size of bolts we're talking about I'd say that if you can see the tops of the valves you'd also be able to see any such bolt if it were hanging out in there.
              The ones who accomplish true greatness, are the foolish who keep pressing onward.
              The ones who accomplish nothing, are the wise who know when to quit.

              Comment

                #8
                Ill try that. I am inexperienced with engine things so I just don't have a spatial picture of the sizes of all these openings. The harmonic balancer is the bottom middle pulley?

                It's an M8x1.25x56 flange bolt, the flange is about 14mm diameter, (about 2 3/4" long) , it's a weird bolt, spent about 3 hours going through my random bolts trying to find something similar.
                Last edited by ZRH; 11-24-2016, 05:03 AM.

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                  #9
                  Yeah, I'd say there ain't not a snowball's chance in hell that a 14mm (9/16")flange will slip past the valve, as IIRC the valves open less than 1/2" (12.7mm) to begin with. And at over 2" length the bolt will not have an easy time taking the turn around the valve either.

                  Yes harmonic balance is the bottom middle pulley. Don't recall what socket you gotta use on it tho, but it's probably something metric.
                  The ones who accomplish true greatness, are the foolish who keep pressing onward.
                  The ones who accomplish nothing, are the wise who know when to quit.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Yeah intake valve heads are 44mm and they only open 12mm (per service manual).

                    Well I feel better, just have to find that damn bolt now.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Resolution: lit the driveway on fire to melt snow. Found bolt. Mostly reassembled now.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        I find that lighting things on fire usually provides a resolution, even if it wasn't the one you initially had in mind.
                        86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                        5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                        91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                        1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                        Originally posted by phayzer5
                        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                          I find that lighting things on fire usually provides a resolution, even if it wasn't the one you initially had in mind.
                          The ones who accomplish true greatness, are the foolish who keep pressing onward.
                          The ones who accomplish nothing, are the wise who know when to quit.

                          Comment

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