JakeRobb

On Saturday, before all of this crappy rain started, I had some spare time and decided to finally take 15 minutes and install the strut tower brace I got for free last year and have had laying around all this time.

Everything went fine, except I dropped one of the passenger side shock tower flange nuts down next to the engine. *clink*

It never hit the ground. It's not stuck between the k-member and the steering rack. I rooted around with my telescoping magnet on a stick for quite a while, and even lifted the car up (after securing the bolt with a replacement nut I picked up at the hardware store) and felt around under there.

I removed one of the other nuts and repeatedly (20x) dropped it from the vicinity where the first one fell. Every time, it either fell to the ground or got stock between the k-member and the steering rack.

To make sure I wasn't just being dumb/blind, I had two other people look around for it.

So, my question... where in the heck did it go? There must be some nook or cranny in there somewhere that I simply didn't notice... some place where that nut is now caught. Ideas?

While I was under there, I noticed that my front right tire has an enormous gash on the inner sidewall, so I pulled the car back into the garage and it has been sitting there since then. So, it is definitely still in there...

jhthornley

it is IN cylinder #3...

seriously tho, I've dropped nuts or small bolts (alternator comes to mind) and NEVER found 'em. I just hope that when they fall out they don't puncture something etc... radiator cap once too, now that I recall... (found it when I put new front bumper cover on 2+ yrs later)

silentsprintero

Could it have fallen down into the front lower control arm where the hole is for the ball joint? Maybe perched between the coil spring and shock?

Butterfingers

JakeRobb

I think you've misinterpreted which bolt I'm talking about. This is on the top side of the shock tower, in the engine bay -- not in the wheel well.

The nut fell out of my impact socket -- not out of my fingers. I don't know if that makes me any less of a butterfingers.

blacknight

All cars are bad when you drop a bolt, screw, ect in the engine bay or suspension area's but these cars are the worse. I just recently lost a pcv valve.

niteninja

I lost a socket and a few bolts. Give it some time, I was recently working on a friends car and we found an original header bolt close to the K-member.