Found this in the bellgousing

[Chaoticus]

While we were working on the car my mate noticed something through the drain holes of the bell housing. Got it out with a magnet.

Undamaged threads, clean ends, not torn off.
Is something coming apart or did someone just drop it in there?

 

[LRD90tdi]

I'm no expert, but as it is quite a specialist stud (ie it is not common 13mm nut, of which garages have lying about in magnetic trays etc) I would of thought it was still meant to be holding two items together.

What size is the dia?

Someone that knows them better could confirm if these are used to connect the block to the bell housing..?

Tom

 

[the_wolf]

Looks like a bellhousing stud.

 

[Chaoticus]

Don't have it around at the moment... Think it was an M8, 4-5cm length...

 

[discomania]

Looks like a bellhousing stud.

That's exactly what it is, how it ended up IN the bell-housing I don't know (someone removed it and put it down to "fit later" and forgot), refit it where it looks like it should go.

 

[NeilB]

If something is coming apart where is the nut?

 

[Chaoticus]

Good question about the nut. Perhaps fell out already. Can get my hands on an endoscopic camera next week to look around...

 

[discomania]

Good question about the nut. Perhaps fell out already. Can get my hands on an endoscopic camera next week to look around...

The stud goes into the back of the engine, the stud comes through into the gearbox bell-housing where the nut would go, if the nut fell off it would be roadside. The nut didn't fall off in there that's for sure.

The stud also didn't fall off in there unless you have a torn hole where it was threaded in, which you would see, it's come out when the box has last been out, someone has sat it down to refit later thinking that by leaving it there no one could possibly forget, they forgot and it's sat at the bottom of the bell-housing for that last however many miles.

 

[Chaoticus]

So in all probability someone lost the bolt in there. If I'm thinking straight it would be a good idea to check that the gearbox housing is attached with the right number of bolts...
There is probably no way to do this without tearing everything apart, is there?

 

[discomania]

So in all probability someone lost the bolt in there. If I'm thinking straight it would be a good idea to check that the gearbox housing is attached with the right number of bolts...
There is probably no way to do this without tearing everything apart, is there?

If one or more is missing (some don't line up sometimes don't worry), put a bolt carefully in and tighten it down, make sure it's not too long, if it bottoms out use a shorter bolt, I have only 6/7 studs and the rest are bolts.

 

[Turboman]

So in all probability someone lost the bolt in there. If I'm thinking straight it would be a good idea to check that the gearbox housing is attached with the right number of bolts...
There is probably no way to do this without tearing everything apart, is there?

As far as I can remember you can see them all from the outside.
They may all be in there, could be the one you found was replaced cos they coudnt find it. As Discomania says, just screw in bolts if there are any missing, no need to dismantle bellhousing at all.

 

[Chaoticus]

Thanks, will do as soon I've finished with this coffee.

 

[Chaoticus]

Looks like someone replaced all the studs with bolts. Looked reasonably complete from below, so probably I don't have to worry any more. Will have to check the manuals next week to be sure.

 

[trax]

Looks like someone replaced all the studs with bolts. Looked reasonably complete from below, so probably I don't have to worry any more. Will have to check the manuals next week to be sure.

you'll find the bottom ones are only bolts. if you find a missing stud, stick it back on by using two nuts, so one locks against the other and turns the stud in. have a google.