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Re: <Misc> bolt dropped into engine

>Yes, sad but true. After adjusting the valves, while tightening
>the valve cover gasket, one of the valve cover studs twisted off
>(yes I was using a torque wrench). Anyway, the broken stud came
>out of the head OK, but slippery fingers (yours truly) dropped
>the broken stud, which then proceeded to drop into a hole (oil
>return hole?) and down into the engine.
>
>My question is: will it go into the pan? I drained the oil, but
>no stud. Will I be able to fetch the bolt when/if I take off the
>oil pan? What if I run the engine (hypothetical question)?

I wouldn't want to run the engine with a loose hard part floating
around.  Sears sells a tiny little light on the end of a long flex
shaft.  With that you could probe down into the hole and see if it 
is a straight shot with the bolt laying at the bottom.  A magnet
probably won't work since the magnet will magnetize the bolt and
cause it to stick almost as hard to the pan or some other metal
item (that plus it's weight will beat your magnet) but there is a
long flexible gadget with four little fingers also available at
Sears (really -- NO AFFILIATION, just that they're everywhere) that
might fit down and snag it.
In the future, you might want to lay a rag across those openings
but remember to _remove_ the rag (I know you're out there |-) ).

- -- 
Pat Donahue
Vienna, VA
'91 /////
'72 MGB