Dan V

Replacing my ruptured engine air duct today, and made a discovery down in the bowels of ye olde engine bay...

Earlier this month the car had been at a specialist to do a "routine wear item replacement" job.

ryano

From the compressor mount? Those things are easy to lose

Magdaddy

ummm, looks like the "dog" that engaged the kick start on my 74 era Suzuki TM125 motocrosser. Yea it was a race bike, but the old metal chips floating around in the tranny wasn't a good thing ya know...

So, exactly what the hell is it?

If it's an important enough piece, you can probably check that "specialist" OFF your list.

Kinda just like the well reccomended body shop I just had do work on my car. Guess he only does the real quality work for himself, and very wealthy clients. Unfortunately, I am neither of the above.

IXLR8

Looks like it and most probably is.

Quite possible, but then I wouldn't be starting the engine till I found it. One of the many reasons I do my own wrenching.

FisterD

Yes, that's what mirrors and magnets are for.

ryano

True. I'm could see this happening from a diy job... But a shop not retrieving it is shocking.

BobbyT

AC compressor mounting bolt nut, should be four total, one on the bottom of each bolt. Easy to see if one is missing.

Dan V

Yep, you lads got it, as always. Found 3 A/C compressor bolts left loose after v-belt change. One nut fell off, 2 others were on the way down. Naturally I reinstalled the one I retrieved with magnet on a stick, and tightened them all snug. I had driven 800 miles like this. Was out on a road trip when found some cracks in alt belt and found the nearest German car specialist to replace it ASAP. This was the first time in over 4 years that any work has been done on my car that wasn't DIY.

tommyg

...need one of those if anyone has a spare.

DanL993

Yep. I heard that little sucker drop down when I was replacing my fuel filter (don't ask!!). Took me 45 minutes and three tries to find and retreive it and it was right there at the bottom lodged near the fan belts--dangerous!!

You were lucky.

IXLR8

Quite the opposite; I would think most owners are far more picky than shops and have the luxury of taking their time when working on their cars.

We have enough chats at work during breaks. The stories I hear from co-workers taking their cars to shops...I can only be thankful that I do not have to.

IXLR8

Just use a nut and fender washer for now. I believe its a M10.

Its not like that square one fits in a slot to stop it from rotating.

tommyg

Thanks Alex.

pcarhombre

Alex, I thought that nut did, in fact fit into a slot to keep from revolving. I least I recall the rear one on the right rear did. Am I incorrect?

MarkD

square nuts are there for a reason and a fender washer will not fit.

oh, and yeah, shops suck

seriously though, sorry they screwed up Dan. That could have ended much worse