I need to talk to an experienced 6-71 mechanic.

JohnVickrey · October 01, 2015, 06:14:16 PM

Let's say a person who shall remain nameless has dropped a 3/8 X 1 fine thread socket head bolt down the accessory drive after removing the Generator drive.

Is there room for the bolt to hide in there for some period of time and suddenly get picked up by the gears and destroy same. Or will it be a catastrophic start up?

Nameless person anxiously awaiting your response.

lostagain · October 01, 2015, 06:42:07 PM

Can you see it down there? With a camera, or small mirror? Can you fish it out with a magnet? or a wire? I think you should get it out before running the engine.

JC

eagle19952 · October 01, 2015, 08:47:32 PM

here's what i would do... rotate the motor by hand 10 times...if it makes 10 revolutions.... i would pray, drop the oil pan and hope like heck i found the bolt...

azdieselman · October 01, 2015, 10:56:02 PM

I would support Eagles' method. Turn it by hand until you retrieve it.

It'll be ugly if it's running while searching for a way out!

If you need a reason for a repower, Fire it up!

JohnVickrey · October 02, 2015, 03:38:57 AM

Here's my story up to this point. I have started the engine and run it for several minutes a couple of times, even moved the bus, but I have not driven it on the road. I don't think there is room for the bolt to drop all the way through and into the pan. Looks like it would have landed on the Crank gear and immediate destruction would have occurred on startup. There are 6 bolts on the generator drive and 4 are required for the pulley drive I installed. I used 4 of the bolts and I have one left. I can't find the missing bolt either on the ground or on top of the transmission. Seems to me like I have dodged a bullet unless its hiding in there somewhere just waiting for me to get on I75 in downtown Atlanta.

I just can't believe I dropped the bolt in there, but I can't account for all the bolts and I may start running down the road screaming and waving my arms.

Scott & Heather · October 02, 2015, 07:28:50 AM

Ouch. I see a few sleepless nights in your future.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

TomC · October 02, 2015, 07:42:04 AM

Well-you wanted to pull that engine and take it apart anyway, didn't you? Good Luck, TomC

luvrbus · October 02, 2015, 07:49:32 AM

You can pull the cam gear and use a strong magnet if it's in there you can retrieve it,but I doubt it is there they come to surface in a hurry when you start the engine not very pretty when they do

Oonrahnjay · October 02, 2015, 07:58:14 AM

Quote from: luvrbus on October 02, 2015, 07:49:32 AM... they come to surface in a hurry when you start the engine not very pretty when they do

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, too.

bigred · October 02, 2015, 09:39:06 AM

Whew!! I can see more teeth flying than in a Georgia street fight!!!

chessie4905 · October 02, 2015, 09:53:18 AM

That happened to our 4104 many years ago.Luckily, patient work with a magnet on a flexible shaft retrieved it. If it happened today, I would buy one of those optical scopes like Harbor Freight sells to look down there til I could see it to retrieve it. If you leave it in there, very likely it will dislodge in future and cause a catastrophic (read expensive) engine malfunction. Gears strip on cam causing valves to hit pistons also. No brainer...retrieve it or pull trans and flywheel hsg.AND it won't fail at a convenient time, if there even is one. At least you can examine condition of clutch disc, flywheel, pressure plate, rear crank seal, and renew hsg. cover.

luvrbus · October 02, 2015, 10:20:58 AM

He has started it and ran the engine only place it can lodge is on the gears,the rear plate is smooth there are no cavities for it to hide.I think he got lucky myself it's in the oil pan with the rest of extra bolts and nuts

eagle19952 · October 02, 2015, 12:36:05 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on October 02, 2015, 10:20:58 AM
He has started it and ran the engine only place it can lodge is on the gears,the rear plate is smooth there are no cavities for it to hide.I think he got lucky myself it's in the oil pan with the rest of extra bolts and nuts

i would look...started and ran are two different things

how much/long did it run ?

chessie4905 · October 02, 2015, 01:54:34 PM

Then drop the pan first. If you find a bolt in there....is it the one you dropped or one from somewhere else in past? That pan gasket needs replacing anyway and you can clean and repaint. At least this way you'll start getting to know your engine.

JohnVickrey · October 03, 2015, 05:07:42 PM

OK, nameless person has purchased a device from Harbor freight with a camera and a probe. Soon as the rain lets up I'm gonna LOOK down the hole.

I can't stand the suspense each time I start it. Yes, sleepless nights until I can verify it is not sitting there waiting to explode. My right brain says I didn't drop it down the hole, my left brain says "are you sure"?. Both sides need to be in agreement.

Thanks for all the replies. Hope to see you all at the Arcadia Rally.