MM951

OK, while replacing the rear speed/ref sensor (D) the bolt slipped from my fingers..make a single "ting" and I cannot find it anywhere. I pushed the car out of the garage, no where on the ground.. Felt around everywhere with a magnet and 1000w of light. Felt inside clutch housing (with magnet) but can't feel the bolt in there on the passenger side I can bring the magnet alot further down then on the driver side.

How likely do you guys think it is the bolt went into the clutch housing and if it did would it fall to the bottom or would it stay on top?? Would it fall to the starter area?? Has anyone else ever dropped this bolt and found it someone other then the clutch housing? It seems like there are a few places where **** just falls to in these cars... Is there room for the bolt to fall to the bottom and be able to be fished out of the starter hole??

Why didnt porsche be like EEEEEEEEEEEEEVERY OTHER car manufac. and put a rubber cover over the hole in the clutch housing??


thanks
mike

btw: this car has a brand new clutch ... taking it apart would suck bad to say the least

special tool

You could probably get it with magnet if you go in the starter housing.

Rock

Starter hole is your friend. I had **** drop down there, and it all showed up in the starter hole like a birthday present!

MM951

man a post from 2003. Doesn't sound promising...

is the ref sensor bolt small enough where it would fall to the bottom of the clutch housing? I'm not certain.. I dont know how much space is between the clutch and the clutch housing...

My plan is to take the starter off, fish around for it down there. If its not at the bottom... would turing the engine over by hand (hoping it would fall to the bottom where the starter hole is) be a bad idea?

I hope its no big deal but doing all that work for this stupid f'in bolt and no other reason.. I think would be enough to end my 944 addiction

thanks st, rock

genikz

man that sucks! I'm sorry to hear about your woes, but I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that does crap like that

KuHL 951

Mike do you remember my post from way back?...my bolt was lodged between the flywheel and block. I hope yours is better news.

Rock

I dropped all kinds of crap down there when I did my sensors.

The bracket was lodged on there, so I had to break it off and a whole party of aluminum went down there. Big *** peices too, they all came out the starter hole. Wahoo!

Legoland951

My cousin has the exact same problem with his 951 where the bell housing ground nut fell into the hole. He can't get it out even after buying a special wire magnet. My recommendation is to crank it over by hand and feel for the bolt lodging inside the bell housing but if nothing stops the flywheel from turning and nothing ends at the starter hole, you may be ok because there is just not that many places a bolt that size can sit inside the bellhousing.

KuHL 951

I guess I just got a bad bounce of the bolt. Luckily I was in the middle of a clutch job and removing the PP and FW 'again' was still not that difficult...if the trans is in I retract all my comments.

sbyrne

A recent (this summer) article in "Excellence" referenced this situation. The author recommends covering the hole(s) with duct tape before starting the work. There is a rubber cover available from Paragon for the clutch inspection hole.

MM951

OK, finally got some time to work on the car... Removed starter felt around with a magnet could not find anything. Turned the motor over heard nothing felt nothing... turned it over a good 5-7 times.. felt around with a magnet afte rI turned it over.. nothing. Would it be at the bottom and obvious if it were in there? Granted.. my magnet is ****ty (NAPA brand..) but when "friends" always steal the good ones I buy..

KuHL 951

Older post but remember where mine fell...I hope your luck is better!

MM951

Ah don't scare me!!! I really think I'll just yank the motor if all else fails..


what I don't get is that I dont hear anything and the engine spins fine..

KuHL 951

Mine didn't scrape or make noise either. Mine had landed on one of the casting webs that create a void at the back of the block above the crank. That's what kept it from coming out the bottom, not enough clearance. The voids back there are actually pretty deep and the back of the FW is smooth. If it did fall into one of those voids I doubt that it would ever get wedged or do any damage but don't quote me on that.

billthe3

That sucks. I hate when I do that with stuff - I've never done anything to that extent. My best is that the dash/console in my camry has eaten at least 5 screws now because they're a real pita to get in place to mount the radio hu brackets. I have no clue if they somehow fell out of the car or are still in there...


If I ever do work to this extent on the car I'll make sure to just cover up any holes beforehand.