Okay, so my second thread is even more embarrassing than my first...

I removed my VANOS solenoid to clean it. A new one is ordered but I won't be able to pick it up prior to next Friday so I was hoping a cleaning might make the car a little more drivable until then...

Anyway, I get it off without incident. However, upon reinstallation I dropped the bolt and it fell into... well somewhere. I am not sure where!

So, two questions: What is the size of the VANOS bolt and where could the original have gotten to? I am afraid to run the car until I know where it is - the alternator is sitting right there and if the bolt got inside, I don't want to think about it.

Thoughts, tips or help would be appreciated. Ridicule, while well deserved, will make me sad :(

 

Did you try bouncing car up and down to listen for rattle?

 

I did. I just walked 5 miles to the parts store to get a magnet. I had one but someone in the house has been in my tools

 

Okay, I can not find the bolt. No amount of searching and colorful sentence enhancers is going to do the trick... I have used the magnet to search around everything from the top, put the car on jack stands and went in from the bottom, nothing. I am still concerned it is in a bad place, but I think it fell along the heat shield and oil pan and I can't get a thing in there. So I am thinking about just getting a new bolt and going for it - but I am still concerned the bolt is somewhere else it is going to cause big problems...

In case anyone else needs this information, the bolt is a 10mm bolt, M6x16.

See:http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_3992

 

I feel your pain! What's under there that might cause a problem with an errant bolt? If it makes you feel better you can always remove the heat shield and have a look. Thru the years I've lost many bolts into never-never land but they never seemed to cause any problems down the road.

 

hi Scubus, did you ever find the lost bolt in the mini cooper? The same thing just happened to me. Im also worried to drive it. Please let me know the update, thanks a lot.

 

That vanos solenoid is in the rear of the head and the alternator is in the front of the car under the tensioner.

 

My 2013 mini cooper S has two solenoids. One in the rear and one in the front right on top of the alternator.

 

Did you check out the fender liner or maybe hiding in the bumper cover.

 

Wow zombie post brought back from the dead