I was replacing the valve cover gasket on my MCS last night and as I was putting one of the bracket back for the intercooler, one of the bolts slipped out of my hand and felt down below. I tried looking for it but couldn't find it. I ended up just putting the bracket back on w/ the remaining 2 bolts. I like to go to a hardware store sometimes this week to find a replacement for this missing bolt. Does anyone happen to know the size of this bolt. It's #5 in the diagram below.



thanks

 

Hey Tonester, According the Bentley service manual, that is the Intercooler bracket mounting bolt, M6 - tighten to 9Nm (7ft-lbs) PM me if you'd like a photo or reference....in the book, the bolt #1 looks like what you are in search of......

 

hi hockeyman:
I have the bentley manual also. It doesn't say what the length of the bolt is though.

 

After sending the PM, I thought.....hmmm how much could 4 various sized M6 bolts cost at LHS. Go buy 1, 1.5, 1.75, 2" bolts for $3

(I am still looking tho)

 

yea. i will be stopping by my local home depot tonight. I think the size is closer to 1" and/or shorter.

 

according to the realoem page below, it's an M6x20 bolt, so 20 mm long.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...91&hg=11&fg=40

 

This site kicks @$$!!

 

I very highly recommend that you do NOT just go to a hardware store to get your bolts. Those bolts are usually of the lowest or lower grade and depending upon the application, could fail. If you look at the remaining bolts, there should be a code on the head of the bolt that tells you the grade of the bolt. Replace it with nothing less. This can be done at a quality hardware and fastener distributor. But almost never at your typical hardware store like OSH, Home Depot, or Lowes. Better yet, get it from your dealer so the car is still "all" Mini. A lower grade bolt from a hardware store risks premature failure and maybe even much, much more expense trying to extract its remains from the hole it was screwed into.

 

Hey Tonester--- I dropped the same bolt when replacing the VCG. I just went with the two remaining bolts to hold the bracket. There is no pressure or movement on it. As for the bolt, go to any hardware store to get one ---

 

Darn good point.

 

Oh yeah and
05Hex bolt with washerM6X20-Z15
07/200707119901685$0.53

 

I was going to retrieve the bolt from the bottom this weekend but my wife called me this morning while she was driving to work when she heard a sound of a bolt bouncing around under the bonnet and then went away. I guess it fell out. damn!