I was changing my CPS yesterday and the bolt slipped into no man's land, no where to be found. I looked for over an hour, even rocked and rolled the car at the end to see if I could shake it loose, and can't find it. So now I have 2 questions.

1) Is it safe to try and start the engine?

and

2) Where can I get a replacement bolt?

There's a piece on the bottom of the engine that bolts to the bottom of the block and the bellhousing, the two bottom bolts on the bellhousing and four bolts into the block. I guess it's a sort of inspection cover. If you remove it you probably won't be able to pull the bolt out through there (but try it), but with a helper and a flexible magnet, you might be able to see the bolt and guide the magnet through the crank sensor hole to the bolt and retrieve it.

The bolt hopefully is down in that aluminum bracket/ bell housing cover described here.

If it isn't I would remove that cover and gently turn the engine to see if it appears. May be wedged into the tone ring holes that is the target for the crank sensor.

That is a risk, and a pain in doing this job.

The bolt is an M6 thread, 20mm I think. Try one through the tab on the new CPS and look at thread length. No more than 1/2 inch (13mm) or so.

Similar screws are used all over the car. You could steal one out of the firewall ground wires, or another bracket- most of the bolts with 10mm heads will be the right thread, though the fender bolts are like a sheetmetal screw and would not work.

Good luck with it.

--Rob
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~ 92 244 M47 modified ~ 89 244GLT Turbo Conversion ~ 90 745T Auto ~ And a VW Bus~

Just remembered a case years ago of dropping this bolt... I didn't lose it down the hole but thought I did.

Found it sitting on top of the trans, up against one of the casting lumps. You might be so lucky. Access is poor and visibility is worse, so reach into the grime and feel around on top. :)

--Rob
--
~ 92 244 M47 modified ~ 89 244GLT Turbo Conversion ~ 90 745T Auto ~ And a VW Bus~