Be careful with those little bolts!!!
02-17-08, 02:35 AM
#1
Be careful with those little bolts!!!
So, I was trying to finish up my car around 2-3AM. Well, I got most everything finished and buttoned up. It just so happened that I didn't put the timing belt cover back on yet and something bad happened. A loose bolt got knocked into the timing belt cover! After the loud and numerous obscenities I gave up on the car for the night. So basically tomorrow I get to do the whole timing belt job all over again lol. Yes, that includes removing the timing belt, crank pulley, and all the plastic covers.
Soo, moral of the story guys. Be careful when you have that timing belt cover open! lol
Soo, moral of the story guys. Be careful when you have that timing belt cover open! lol
02-17-08, 05:52 AM
#2
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So, I was trying to finish up my car around 2-3AM. Well, I got most everything finished and buttoned up. It just so happened that I didn't put the timing belt cover back on yet and something bad happened. A loose bolt got knocked into the timing belt cover! After the loud and numerous obscenities I gave up on the car for the night. So basically tomorrow I get to do the whole timing belt job all over again lol. Yes, that includes removing the timing belt, crank pulley, and all the plastic covers.
Soo, moral of the story guys. Be careful when you have that timing belt cover open! lol
Soo, moral of the story guys. Be careful when you have that timing belt cover open! lol
02-17-08, 08:39 AM
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I keep one on hand at all times when working on my car! It was well worth the $20 for it that I paid! It has saved my A$$ many times! GL with finding it and hopefully you won't have to pull everything off!
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02-17-08, 12:37 PM
#11
Jeff, you should be able to get it with the magnet. IF you cant get it with the magnet get under the car and just remove the very bottom bolts on the cover down by the crank pulley. If you remove them you can usually gently pry the cover open enough for the screw to fall out. Hope that saves you some time.
02-17-08, 12:48 PM
#12
Yeah I COULD of gotten it with a magnet. If I could find mine lol. But I was a bit impatitent since I had been working on the car for 5 hrs straight. I tried to use a stick with strong double sided tape to get the screw out. I ended up knocking it to the very bottom of the cover lol. Keep in mind I dropped it on the left side of the engine where there is still a little ledge in there for the screw to fall onto. On the right side of the engine, the gap just goes all the way to the bottom of the cover.
Doesn't matter now because I gotta pull everything off AGAIN lol. Good thing I can do a timing belt job in about an hour
Doesn't matter now because I gotta pull everything off AGAIN lol. Good thing I can do a timing belt job in about an hour
02-17-08, 02:29 PM
#14
That happened to me back in 2005. I had 90,275 miles on my car and was doing an oil change. I knew the timing belt was due, but wanted to see how bad the belt was. I removed the driver's side timng belt cover and looked inside.
There was normal belt material inside the cover, so I know I needed to do it. The engine was hot because of the fresh oil change. As I was putting the cover on the hot engine, I dropped one bolt. I heard it fall and thought it was on the ground., all the while HOPING it wasn't in the engine. With a sinking feeling, I looked around on the ground and could not find it. Since I was outside, I thought the bolt went to a place I couldn't see it, and STARTED the engine to move the car. BIG MISTAKE. Immediately, I heard a loud screech, and the smell of burnt rubber.
I shut down QUICKLY, and took the timing cover off again. The belt had a huge tear all the way around it, but was still attached to the grooves. I parked the car, got all my timing belt parts, and came back the next day. I couldn't sleep that night, wondering if I had ruined the valves. It did run until I turned off the key, but it doesn't take long to ruin things inside of this engine.
Once I got it apart, I found the bolt at the very bottom of the crankshaft gear. It was wedged between the belt and the lower gear, and was tearing off the belt as it went by. The bolt was all chewed up, and there was a groove across the teeth gear all the way around. I had to replace that gear. That took 3 more days to get the gear.
LUCKILY, the teeth had not skipped on the old belt. I replaced everything and held my breath as I turned the engine over. I was VERY FORTUNATE that it started and ran correctly.
Knowing what I know now, I should have assumed the bolt was inside the engine and took it apart without starting the engine. I was just so mad at myself for taking apart the timing belt cover during the oil change. I could have waited until I had the parts and done it right the first time. What a DUMMY! The car WAS running.
The only saving grace was the fact that at least this way I got the belt changed close to the 90,000 mile mark.
I have a brother in law who is pressing his luck. He has close to 100,000 miles on his belt on a 99 LS400. He swears he'll change it SOMEDAY. I know we have some "wiggle room", but why take it to the limit? He was 10,000 mles over the first time he had the belt done, and he is pushing that this time as well.
GOD truly does take care of babies and FOOLS, but even HE gets tired of IDIOTS. If he doesn't change it soon he will be sorry. I can only sigh and shake my head.
There was normal belt material inside the cover, so I know I needed to do it. The engine was hot because of the fresh oil change. As I was putting the cover on the hot engine, I dropped one bolt. I heard it fall and thought it was on the ground., all the while HOPING it wasn't in the engine. With a sinking feeling, I looked around on the ground and could not find it. Since I was outside, I thought the bolt went to a place I couldn't see it, and STARTED the engine to move the car. BIG MISTAKE. Immediately, I heard a loud screech, and the smell of burnt rubber.
I shut down QUICKLY, and took the timing cover off again. The belt had a huge tear all the way around it, but was still attached to the grooves. I parked the car, got all my timing belt parts, and came back the next day. I couldn't sleep that night, wondering if I had ruined the valves. It did run until I turned off the key, but it doesn't take long to ruin things inside of this engine.
Once I got it apart, I found the bolt at the very bottom of the crankshaft gear. It was wedged between the belt and the lower gear, and was tearing off the belt as it went by. The bolt was all chewed up, and there was a groove across the teeth gear all the way around. I had to replace that gear. That took 3 more days to get the gear.
LUCKILY, the teeth had not skipped on the old belt. I replaced everything and held my breath as I turned the engine over. I was VERY FORTUNATE that it started and ran correctly.
Knowing what I know now, I should have assumed the bolt was inside the engine and took it apart without starting the engine. I was just so mad at myself for taking apart the timing belt cover during the oil change. I could have waited until I had the parts and done it right the first time. What a DUMMY! The car WAS running.
The only saving grace was the fact that at least this way I got the belt changed close to the 90,000 mile mark.
I have a brother in law who is pressing his luck. He has close to 100,000 miles on his belt on a 99 LS400. He swears he'll change it SOMEDAY. I know we have some "wiggle room", but why take it to the limit? He was 10,000 mles over the first time he had the belt done, and he is pushing that this time as well.
GOD truly does take care of babies and FOOLS, but even HE gets tired of IDIOTS. If he doesn't change it soon he will be sorry. I can only sigh and shake my head.
Last edited by gserep1; 02-17-08 at 02:44 PM.
