This is going to sound pretty vague, but I'm wondering if anyone can recognize where this bolt may have fallen off of.

My son and daughter, drove slowly over a speed bump. The roof was down so they were able to hear a metallic noise hit the pavement. They stopped, and found this bolt on the road just behind them. It was still warm.

The bolt is not covered with oil, and there are no puddles of fluid under the car.

{in case you're wondering, they really were driving slowly, as the speed bump is at a stop sign, so they would have been going about 5 mph.}

I'm going to try and lift the car tomorrow, but I'm not sure if my jack will fit under it. (I've never lifted it before.)

Any insight, guesses, or advice would be greatly appreciated.

* It's an '06 S Convertible (built Aug '06).

 

My guess is a subframe bolt or a bolt that holds an underbody brace to the car. Not sure if the convertible has under braces

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Thanks, v10climber.

I should have also mentioned that a couple of weeks ago, I had the rear brake pads and sensors replaced. About a month ago, I had the front left CV boot, the serpentine belt, right engine mount, coolant reservoir, spark plugs, air filter, and oil all replaced.


My wife is asking if it's drivable as she needs it for Christmas groceries tomorrow.

 

Don't rule out that the bolt may not be from your MINI.

A very similar thing happened to me once - drove over a bump I shouldn't have and got out afterwards and noticed a broken plastic part that I was sure came from my MINI. Took the plastic piece to the dealer, searched all the parts diagrams, and we all concluded it was from a different car.

That bolt does look like a subframe or similar bolt (can't say for sure which one, been a while since I lowered the subframe!), but at the same time, I would think it would be more likely to just shear off than come out in tact like that based on your rendition of the story. It looks like someone just unscrewed it. My theory, if it is from your car, is that maybe it was loose or even has been out the entire time since those repairs, and the speed bump just jostled it to the ground.

Make your own call as to safety, but I would say if you don't notice any vibrations that weren't there before, you should be fine for that grocery run.

 

From the size of the thing, I at least, would thing it was holding something important. I would suggest getting it on a lift, or at the least, jack stands and having a look underneath. Don't go rooting around under the car with it just on a jack though.
Then again, like the above post says, maybe they dropped a bolt during maintenance and couldn't find it to get to it and just replaced it. It could have shaken loose while driving. Considering the time of year and the recent weather it would have to have fallen from somewhere on the car that is generating heat since it was warm when they picked it up.

 

That bolt is used on a few things in your MINI.. Check your brake calipers..also the same bolt is used in the cv joint closest to the hub.. It bolts the hub to your car..very likely they removed it if you recently had a cv joint replaced.. Its very likely to have come off the front of your car near your brake caliper..If it was warm that's where I would start to look.. Once you start looking under your car you will see how many places that type of bolt is used.. good luck!

 

I recently had a member here work on my pulleys and I know the supercharger was removed and put back on. I'm not sure what else he did but out of pure luck I went underneath the car to check on a coolant leak and as I looked up I noticed that one of these bolts was not in all the way. It was hard to reach but it could be seen from underneath (if you remove the plastic shield). I took a picture.. I'll check to see if I still have it.

 

Too of picture. It was facing toward engine.

 

OP what size socket fits the bolt? 17mm?

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With the grease staining it looks like the bolt is/was actively used.

Like someone else said, it was probably MIA from a previous service. They couldn't find it and put a new one in.

 

Wow! Thanks for all the great responses.

I like the thought that it's not my bolt.

* A 17mm socket would turn it, but it's a loose fit, and a 16mm is too small. A 5/8 fits it perfectly. Does MINI use 5/8 bolts?
* I drove it around the block and didn't hear anything unusual.

However, it's seems too coincidental that I recently had rear brakes done, and a CV boot replaced, the kids heard the noise AND it was still warm. My son couldn't recall if it felt like he drove over it as it happened when he was going over the speed bump.

How does one use a floor jack on the side jack point, and then put a jack stand at the same location? I don't have a 2x4 to use the 'Blimey' method.

If I can't get it lifted, I'll contact the shop that did the work and run it by them. They're closed for Christmas.

Thanks for all the input and concern on this.

 

I'd suggest that, not being familiar with lifting and putting your MINI up on jackstands, you pass on trying it. Why risk ruining Christmas? In all probability, it's a subframe or crush tube bolt and there is sufficient redundancy to reduce the possibility of a calamity as long as you don't decide to go drifting! If you have a local service station in the area that would allow you to put it on their lift, that would be the safest and easiest way to do a check until you can take it back to the shop after Christmas.

 

If it is not 16 mm or 17mm, and 5/8 is perfect, I would say it is not mini. Mini will be all metric. That would make it likely to be something picked up as highway debris that fell back out. Checking on a lift is a good idea to be safe.

 

Yup, MINI is all metric.

 

Good point, NC TrackRat. I'll leave the lifting for the mechanic (this time. :-)

I feel much better about the Metric vs SAE bolt size, and that it does not belong to the MINI. I'll take it to the shop after Christmas (about 30 min away).

Thank you all for the insight, advice, and especially the peace of mind. I'll post what they tell me in two days.

Merry Christmas, all.

 

Yup, great advice. Just enjoy Christmas and let it go for a few days!

If you want to get it up on jack stands in the future, check out this article on the various ways to get it up:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti..._Your_MINI.htm

Merry Christmas!

 

Only exception to this that I know of is the oil pan plug, which is 1/2", not 13mm.

 

I would not be comfortable making assumptions about SAE vs. Metric based on head size alone. Go to a Home Depot hardware section and you will find boards with various 'test' nuts and bolts. Base your conclusion on thread configuration, not head size.

 

Interesting - I've always just used a 13mm. I'm due for an oil change - I'll have to try the 1/2" when I get to it.

 

13mm is .511 inches so could probably use either. I've always used metric on the mini. Haven't yet encountered a standard size bolt and I've had a fair amount of the front end apart

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How warm was the bolt? Here in Colorado, finding a warm bolt in the road in December might tell you something. In Orlando on a sunny day, it might mean nothing at all. So ARorlando, what was the weather like on the day in question?

 

Many people have rounded off their oil pan bolts trying to get a very tight one off
with a 12 point 13 mm socket. The 1/2 " is a snug fit.

 

The 1/2" box end wrench is the best fit. Pics and drain plug here.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...rain-plug.html


Checked on a couple common bolts, did not see anything close to that design, but would get the thread size measured and the head to be sure its metric. Also getting the MINI up on a lift and going through all the areas that were serviced last as a double check. Also check if there is any aftermarket ( non factory) items on you MINI, some use standard size hardware that does not directly bolt to the body. Good luck and have a great new year.




Rear Bolt for the carrier. #3 looks like this.


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/07119904141/ES14500/



And used on the front carrier to bolt in the wheel bearing.

Thanks

 

Uhhhh...... so, don't be too mad at me...

First:
The bolt is from my MINI. It was from the engine mount that had been replaced about a month ago (see attached). The mechanic was unsure of why it would have loosened, but I am to keep an eye on it and see if it begins to loosen, again. In my inexperience, I could have scanned the engine, and would not have seen where it had come from.

Kudos to my kids for having the where-with-all to hear it drop, go back and get it, and tell me about it.

Second:
I am very embarrassed that I gave some false information. As many of you have already deduced, that bolt was, in fact, a 16 mm. I could not believe this when the mechanic told me that. Upon closer review of my sockets, it turns out that I do not even own a 16 mm socket. My set goes from 17 mm to 15 mm. I grabbed the next socket in line, and in the poor lighting and my quick look, I saw the '5' as a '6' and just made the assumption that it was a 16 mm socket. I apologize for that.

You were all great to take the time and effort to help me, and I didn't make it easy by having the wrong information. Thank you for that. If karma is anything, my punishment is that after inspection of the underside, we found a leaky strut, and now I have to find $500 to replace the front struts.

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and all the best in 2014.

Thank you.

 

Good thing you have it double checked. Part number for that bolt is 07119906199 . That could have been a older design bolt. The newest design does not have that extended pieces before the threads start at the bottom.



#4 in the picture on the newer design engine mount.



Thanks