Lost Bolt !

K

Kevin

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Richmond, VA

• Apr 19, 2010

• #1

HELP!

I just finished replacing the rear main seal in the XJ. While putting the oil plan back in place, I dropped one of the small bolts and it bounced off my hand into the opening where the starter mounts.

Attemps to retrieve with a telescoping magnet were unsucessfull.

Any ideas? Previous experience? Or am I the only idiot capable of doing this?

Thanks,

95 XJ with AX-15 manual tranny.

 

kastein

NAXJA Member

NAXJA Member

Location

Rainy side of Washington

• Apr 19, 2010

• #2

Try cranking the motor with a breaker bar on the harmonic balancer. Remove the inspection plate at the bottom of the bellhousing. Do NOT start the engine or crank it with the starter!

 

joe_peters

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Grants Pass, OryGun

• Apr 19, 2010

• #3

x2, Kastein is right on top of this one.

Pull the spark plugs and that will make it easier to turn over.

 

kastein

NAXJA Member

NAXJA Member

Location

Rainy side of Washington

• Apr 19, 2010

• #4

would have posted this above... but I couldn't find it then!

This is why you shouldn't crank it over with the starter, only by hand: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=244890064&postcount=4

 

K

Kevin

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Richmond, VA

• Apr 19, 2010

• #5

Been reading some other posts. Is the inspection plate the sheet metal that sits vertcally between the tranny and oil pan? This was the shiney silver part (after I got all the grease and fiklth off of it while cleaning the oil pan). I have the same bolt interference problem and saw some recommendations from 5-90 (i think it was 5-90) that seem reasonable but then later posts say that won't work and I'll have to drop the tranny.

 

kastein

NAXJA Member

NAXJA Member

Location

Rainy side of Washington

• Apr 19, 2010

• #6

Yep. That's the one. It's made of aluminum, so it's probably the only non rusty thing on your Jeep aside from the fuel pressure line

You'll have to remove some of the bolts, others you can simply loosen 3-5 turns and then slide the plate out.

If you remove it, then put a sheetmetal drip pan on wood blocks under the bellhousing, you will hear the bolt land when you get it to fall out.

 

K

Kevin

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Richmond, VA

• Apr 20, 2010

• #7

Sounds good.

Thanks for the input.

 

Jeff in VA

<---respect

Location

Richmond, VA

• Apr 20, 2010

• #8

It's not so simple to remove the inspection plate on an AX15......it attaches not only with the three sheetmetal screws, but also the four bellhousing bolts. I'd recommend pulling the bottom screw and prying the plate back far enough to feel around inside the bell for the bolt, then bending it back into place. Here's a couple pics to show you the whole plate and how it's sandwiched between the block and the bell.

Jeff

 

K

Kevin

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Richmond, VA

• Apr 23, 2010

• #9

Got the bolt out !!!!!

(and promptly stuffed a rag in the starter hole in the inspection plate!).

I had tried some various magnets, etc with no luck. Then I removed the bolts at the bottom of the inspection plate and pried it open as much as possible. I was then able to get a finger in there and luckily, the bolt was close enough to pull out.

Thanks to all for their help.