Well here ya go, I got the bright idea to put new connecting rods bolts in, and adjust clearance. So I decided #4 looked to be the hardest so start there first, (engine in car) took cap off pushed bolt up got a little stuck grabbed little punch to help it, and now bolt is in bottom of oil pan. Please someone tell me I don't have to pull engine to retreive bolt?? Mag doesn't work either so it mioght be a good thing but would rsather not.

Believe it or not, I did this exact same thing a couple of years ago. #4 rod bolt was stuck so I put a screwdriver on it and gave it a whack with my hand. The bolt flew up out of the rod but never came down???? Spent an hour looking for it - all over the garage floor, around the inside of the pan. Finally figured it was down inside the transmission. I pulled the hogs head off and was lucky that it was sitting right between the mag coil and the side of the pan - with the cotter pin end pointing straight up. I was able to use a coat hanger with a L bend on the end to hook the cotter pin hole and pull it out.

Beware, that these things can turn into major projects. After getting out the bolt I decided it was not much more to pull the engine and fix the clutch so I had a real neutral. While the engine was out I figured I should straighten the bent front cross member, so I pulled out the front axle. Of course, the front end was all worn out so I had to fix that while it was out. The tie rod was worn out, as well as the drag link, pitman arm, the bushing in the steering bracket and the gears in the steering column. Never thought the simple task of changing the oil would take 6 months and wind up with the steering column disassembled!

Good Luck,
Dave S.

Dave: It sounds like 'Save the paint and throw another car under it'

I have heard of this trick, but don't know how it would work in your case. You drain the oil and then take a strong magnet and try to work the bolt to be above the drain hole. Then take a piece of wire and push it up through the drain hole and hook around the bolt. Pull it up through the inspection cover on the transmission. I have never tried this method, but have heard of it being used.

One problem with the above method is that if you still have the magnets on the flywheel, they will attract the bolt and it could get caught between the magnets and coils and damage the coils, however since your mag does not work, you would not be using the coils anyway.

I once lost a band nut and took off the hogs head and the nut was stuck to the magnets on the flywheel and I was able to rotate the flywheel to the point I could remove the nut.

Your bolt is going to be in the hardest to reach place in the engine between the magneto ring and the crankcase. Anyway, it is worth a try to see if you can get it out. You will have to remove the hogs head anyway if you pull the engine to get to it.
Norm

I would first try one of those magnets on a flexible shaft and see if you can grab it that way. If it doesn't work at least you will have a magnet for picking up small metal parts you drop in hard to reach places.

Jay,

Basically your right - except I now have to repaint it!

Dave S.

Once lost a band nut and it went to where band nuts always go....tried for hours and an 8 year old skinny kid with long arms walked by....hey kid want 10 bucks?

He writhed at the thought of getting his arm slicked up, so I told him I'd clean him so even his mom would not know, and I threw in a soda-pop.

Amazingly...he got it! Arm snaked around that tiniest of areas up at the front of the hogs head... Whew.....and didn't even have to pull the hogshead!

Just a thought!

George, good idea!!!! I have a 7 year old grand daughter and a 6 year old grand son, I'll have to rembember that! I had forgotten that I used to do the same kind of things for the 'old guys' when Iwas a kid. Not only can that be very helpful, but just might get a kid interested in that old T if he can help. Good way to get them started. Dave

Thanks for the replies, I will try everything I can, and slowly remove items to retreive bolt

If it has a starter take it out and there is more room and its closer to the bottom.just another thought.
Rick

Sounds as if there might be a market for a tool that can address this all too common problem of things getting dropped into the pan. Has anyone ever taken a piece of thin flexible, but rigid, 3/4" wide x 3' long, non ferrous strapping material such as plastic or stainless steel and attached a stong thin, flexible magnet to one side? Seems like, with the hogshead off (or on if you are adventurous, talented and lucky), this could be worked around the coil ring to reach the bottom of the pan and up the other side and with both hands on each end of the strap, fish around back and forth and snag any errant metal object that might be down there in the bottom of the pan under the coil ring. Or... you might also be able to use this type of strapping to pull the nut back toward the existing magnets on the flywheel and pick it up with the magnets and bring it up to the top as a friend slowly turns the crank as you try and flick the nut back toward the magnets and watch and feel as the magnets slowly appear one by one. Jim

Years ago I had dropped a bolt (may have been a nut) into an unaccessable part of an exhaust and did not want to take the system apart. I had no magnet available. A friend and neighboring mechanic came by and suggested a solution. He took a coat hanger and wrapped it many times around a screwdriver. Touched each end of the screwdriver to + and - leads of a battery (many sparks). The wire was magnatized and attracted the bold (or nut). Probably lost the magnetic field in a short time but it worked. All from the '60's so memory is missing some details.

Karl

If you need some help give me a call
David

well here's an update, I retreived bolt but not until hogdhead removal. that was a bugar bear being my first time. Found bolt between field coil and pan. now the question is how can I unstop inside oil line and which liniings should I install cotton or kevlar, it's got cotton on now

Since you have the hogs head off, you will find a funnel between the magnets and the coil rings, just below the upper coil rings. Usually any band material is caught in this funnel and easily removed. If it is clear, pour a little oil down in the funnel and it should run out the front under the timing gear. If it does run out, the line is clear. If it doesn't run out you will need to try to blow it out with a plastic or rubber tube and compressed air, or run a wire as far as you can like unclogging a drain.

When you go to install the bolts in #4 rod, put a rag between the crankcase and the mag ring, to catch anything you might drop. Then remember to remove any or all rags you have put there before you put on the inspection plate. At this time it would be a good idea to finish the bearing work before you replace the hogs head, and also check the band linings. This would be a good time to reline them if they need it. I like Kevlar myself.
Norm

An old speedometer cable works well for clearing out the oil line if you have one handy. They also work well for retrieving nuts and bolts from the crankcase if you secure a strong magnet to them as they flex enough to get to those hard to reach places.

Karl,
If the hogshead is off take a rag and crank it around with the flywheel. This worked for me and my dad. It could help swipe the bolt or nut up.
Hope this helps ya.

Joe R.