What broke, and where'd this bolt come from? - LotusTalk

Noizemaker · 10-19-2009, 09:43 PM

Found a polished m10x25mm stainless cap allen head bolt in the trunk today. Dead ringer for the battery hold down bolt. No idea what it came from, but it's definately from nothing else I own. Anything in the trunk held down by a 25mm long cap head that looks like the battery hold down bolt that I should be worried about right about now?

halp!

MyFutureSelfnMe · 10-20-2009, 01:18 AM

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard this question I could buy a lifetime of hookers and stop trying to impress women. Put it in a bag marked "stuff". Refer to my sig.

Noizemaker · 10-20-2009, 01:26 AM

Hahaha. It wouldn't worry me so much had i not cleaned the trunk out a few months ago, and taken the carpet/pad out at that time and not seen this.

I am increasingly convinced that for better or for worse they only assemble cars at Lotus between 10pm and 3am though in that magic time between getting to work from the pub and when they fall asleep.

Love my car though, wouldn't have it any other way.

Flash G · 10-20-2009, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyFutureSelfnMe

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard this question I could buy a lifetime of hookers and stop trying to impress women. Put it in a bag marked "stuff". Refer to my sig.

Too true.

.

xtn · 10-20-2009, 05:11 AM

If it looks like a battery hold down bolt, and it's in the same place a battery hold down bolt would be, my guess is...

apk919 · 10-20-2009, 06:42 AM

Do the threads or the head look like they've ever been used? Lotus likes to throw in a few spares, free of charge. Sometimes it takes a while for them to work their way to a visible location.

jesterbot · 10-20-2009, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noizemaker

Found a polished m10x25mm stainless cap allen head bolt in the trunk today. Dead ringer for the battery hold down bolt. No idea what it came from, but it's definately from nothing else I own. Anything in the trunk held down by a 25mm long cap head that looks like the battery hold down bolt that I should be worried about right about now?

halp!

That's a clue. You bought it yourself. Lotus would never spring for stainless bolts!

Noizemaker · 10-20-2009, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtn

If it looks like a battery hold down bolt, and it's in the same place a battery hold down bolt would be, my guess is...

...that you know I checked the battery hold down bolt and it was there?

Might have worked it's way down I guess, but the trunk looks pretty sealed.

The bolt looks like it's been used at least once, but the threads don't look distorted or covered in tool marks.

MyFutureSelfnMe · 10-20-2009, 04:16 PM

They used it to clamp down your battery, then realized they needed to pull the battery for some reason and during the process it fell into the corner of your trunk under the foam pad. Since it's Lotus, they did what anyone would do in a rush to punch out and hit the pub, they pulled another bolt out of the bin. Case closed.

Noizemaker · 10-20-2009, 08:32 PM

That's about all I can figure, but i've already had the foam pad out of the trunk before.

As long as it's not a bolt that holds the clam to the car, i think i'll survive.

xtn · 10-21-2009, 08:13 AM

Hey if you don't eventually find extra parts then the assembly people did something wrong on the line.

xtn

MyFutureSelfnMe · 10-21-2009, 03:36 PM

The only freebie I got was a random spring from the area above the pedals. I feel jipped. Not sure where it came from, I guess I might find out when I'm flying through traffic and I can't get the go pedal off the floor.

Lancia · 10-21-2009, 05:18 PM

This thread just gave me an idea.
Next time a neighbor annoys me, I'll just start leaving odd hardware under their car until they go crazy.

Simba · 10-21-2009, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noizemaker

As long as it's not a bolt that holds the clam to the car, i think i'll survive.

They use duct tape for that. Special racing duct tape.

carbuff · 10-21-2009, 06:07 PM

Last summer I found two "factory" bolts lost in the nose of my 21 year old Esprit.

Can't believe I was carrying all that weight around all this time!

MyFutureSelfnMe · 10-21-2009, 10:49 PM

If the combined weight of those two bolts is one ounce, that's like carrying around 479 pounds for one day!

TimMullen · 10-22-2009, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lancia

This thread just gave me an idea.
Next time a neighbor annoys me, I'll just start leaving odd hardware under their car until they go crazy.

I've told this story before...

Way back in the "good ol' days"...

I helped my buddy finish putting to together his nice big V8 and installed it in the car. While doing the clean up, we found a connecting rod bolt on the work bench. We knew that we hadn't left one out, but we had to check. After pulling out the engine (again) and removing the oil pan, we discovered that all the con rod bolts were properly in place.

Then of course, we had to put it back together, and reinstall it.

Someone thought it was a funny joke to throw the bolt on the bench. We never did find out who did it (and if we had, he might not have lived

).

mrcarcrazy · 10-22-2009, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simba

They use duct tape for that. Special racing duct tape.

I was going to say Bubblegum.

10-19-2009, 09:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
Noizemaker General Freakin' Lee. :( Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bellevue WA Posts: 329	What broke, and where'd this bolt come from? Found a polished m10x25mm stainless cap allen head bolt in the trunk today. Dead ringer for the battery hold down bolt. No idea what it came from, but it's definately from nothing else I own. Anything in the trunk held down by a 25mm long cap head that looks like the battery hold down bolt that I should be worried about right about now? halp! __________________ -Matt 05 Chrome Orange. Touring, LSS wheels, The Blue Sector111 radiator of doom, Dieselgeek 1/4 turn kit, 1/4din Oil Temp gauge, Starshield, LETSLA, HKS exhaust etc etc etc. 99 Neon ACR. Broken. 2.4l, T3/T4, T850 swap, SRT seats, etc etc etc.

10-20-2009, 01:18 AM	#2 (permalink)
MyFutureSelfnMe Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 1,205	If I had a dollar for every time I've heard this question I could buy a lifetime of hookers and stop trying to impress women. Put it in a bag marked "stuff". Refer to my sig. __________________ Originally Posted by dead_ed I love my elise but there's no hiding that it was assembled by drunks.

10-20-2009, 01:26 AM	#3 (permalink)
Noizemaker General Freakin' Lee. :( Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bellevue WA Posts: 329	Hahaha. It wouldn't worry me so much had i not cleaned the trunk out a few months ago, and taken the carpet/pad out at that time and not seen this. I am increasingly convinced that for better or for worse they only assemble cars at Lotus between 10pm and 3am though in that magic time between getting to work from the pub and when they fall asleep. Love my car though, wouldn't have it any other way. __________________ -Matt 05 Chrome Orange. Touring, LSS wheels, The Blue Sector111 radiator of doom, Dieselgeek 1/4 turn kit, 1/4din Oil Temp gauge, Starshield, LETSLA, HKS exhaust etc etc etc. 99 Neon ACR. Broken. 2.4l, T3/T4, T850 swap, SRT seats, etc etc etc.

10-20-2009, 05:11 AM	#5 (permalink)
xtn McLareghini Bugatterrari Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 6,845	If it looks like a battery hold down bolt, and it's in the same place a battery hold down bolt would be, my guess is... __________________ 2006 McLareghini Bugatterrari, Storm Titanium... <mods> installed: air horn, Scroth 4-point ASM harnesses, Sector111 halon extinguisher and mounting bracket, Von Hep exhaust and rear panel delete, Pagid brake pads, red Volks CE28n wheels, Toyo RA-1 tires, Nitron SA coilovers, Sector111 (WorksBell) quick-disconnect steering wheel kit. awaiting installation: Scroth "pull-up" lap belts, Sector111 RTD Brace, Tony's heater bypass mod, and dropped steering rack mounting plates. </mods>

10-20-2009, 06:42 AM	#6 (permalink)
apk919 User Restricted By ΑDMIΝ Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Limbo Posts: 6,281 Images: 20	Do the threads or the head look like they've ever been used? Lotus likes to throw in a few spares, free of charge. Sometimes it takes a while for them to work their way to a visible location. __________________ * 2009 Lotus Challenge Series Rookie Of The Year * (Thanks Jim, Tom, Jack, Rob & Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch!) My videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/apk919

10-20-2009, 04:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
MyFutureSelfnMe Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 1,205	They used it to clamp down your battery, then realized they needed to pull the battery for some reason and during the process it fell into the corner of your trunk under the foam pad. Since it's Lotus, they did what anyone would do in a rush to punch out and hit the pub, they pulled another bolt out of the bin. Case closed. __________________ Originally Posted by dead_ed I love my elise but there's no hiding that it was assembled by drunks.

10-20-2009, 08:32 PM	#10 (permalink)
Noizemaker General Freakin' Lee. :( Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bellevue WA Posts: 329	That's about all I can figure, but i've already had the foam pad out of the trunk before. As long as it's not a bolt that holds the clam to the car, i think i'll survive. __________________ -Matt 05 Chrome Orange. Touring, LSS wheels, The Blue Sector111 radiator of doom, Dieselgeek 1/4 turn kit, 1/4din Oil Temp gauge, Starshield, LETSLA, HKS exhaust etc etc etc. 99 Neon ACR. Broken. 2.4l, T3/T4, T850 swap, SRT seats, etc etc etc.

10-21-2009, 08:13 AM	#11 (permalink)
xtn McLareghini Bugatterrari Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 6,845	Hey if you don't eventually find extra parts then the assembly people did something wrong on the line. xtn __________________ 2006 McLareghini Bugatterrari, Storm Titanium... <mods> installed: air horn, Scroth 4-point ASM harnesses, Sector111 halon extinguisher and mounting bracket, Von Hep exhaust and rear panel delete, Pagid brake pads, red Volks CE28n wheels, Toyo RA-1 tires, Nitron SA coilovers, Sector111 (WorksBell) quick-disconnect steering wheel kit. awaiting installation: Scroth "pull-up" lap belts, Sector111 RTD Brace, Tony's heater bypass mod, and dropped steering rack mounting plates. </mods>

10-21-2009, 03:36 PM	#12 (permalink)
MyFutureSelfnMe Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 1,205	The only freebie I got was a random spring from the area above the pedals. I feel jipped. Not sure where it came from, I guess I might find out when I'm flying through traffic and I can't get the go pedal off the floor. __________________ Originally Posted by dead_ed I love my elise but there's no hiding that it was assembled by drunks.

10-21-2009, 05:18 PM	#13 (permalink)
Lancia Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,543	This thread just gave me an idea. Next time a neighbor annoys me, I'll just start leaving odd hardware under their car until they go crazy.

10-21-2009, 06:07 PM	#15 (permalink)
carbuff The Man from L.E.O. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: North NJ Posts: 426	Last summer I found two "factory" bolts lost in the nose of my 21 year old Esprit. Can't believe I was carrying all that weight around all this time! __________________ Atwell Haines '88 Esprit Succasunna, NJ USA Lotus Enthusiast's Organization, NJ/NYC Area www.LotusEnthusiasts.Org

10-21-2009, 10:49 PM	#16 (permalink)
MyFutureSelfnMe Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 1,205	If the combined weight of those two bolts is one ounce, that's like carrying around 479 pounds for one day! __________________ Originally Posted by dead_ed I love my elise but there's no hiding that it was assembled by drunks.

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