Chain ramp bolt gone walkabout...
 

My wife called yesterday afternoon to let me know that there was a large pool of oil under my '72. Thinking I had somehow broken an oil hose fitting or such, I was surprised to see that the location was somewhere on the rear center of the motor. There was no longer any leaking, so I was wiping the motor down to see if I could locate the source when I saw...

A hole...

With threads...

and no bolt.

Good thing I work close to home.

I took me a few to realize that it is one of the lower, driver side chain ramp bolts.

Question - I know that I have to remove the chain cover to make sure that the ramp is properly engaged on the bolt once I get a new one, but is it possible to do this with the motor in the car? Has anyone done this before? Has anyone even heard of this happening before??

Thanks!

I would think you can do it in the car no problem. I am not sure you need to remove the cover either. One of the two bolts makes a much more secure latch with the ramp then the other. I suspect if it was able to back out, it is not this one. If it is the other one the bolt should simply thread in no problem. Of course the ramp may have cracked where it snaps on to the bolt in whick case you will need to do a little more disassembly......

Keep us posted an maybe post a pic if you can of the area..

Cheers

i do belive the cover will come off in the car i also belive that you should be able to just put a bolt back into the hole with out removing the cover. I would think that if the bolt came out whiele driveing and the ramp fell you would have heard or noticed a change. i would agree with catca that you are most likely able to just put a bolt back in and motor on

Better at least check inside the hole with a probe to feel if the ramp is in place and the hole in the ramp is intact. A soft wire should help you feel your way around in there. Maybe you can see something with a light and a dental mirror, but I doubt it. You'd have to have better eyes than mine......

you could always try using a bore scope to see into the hole