Odd question

I just put my 3100 back together from a head gasket job. Here's the weird thing: I have 1 leftover bolt. It's unique, it's brass/bronze colored. It was in the bag with my alternator stuff (bracket(s), bolts, nuts). I have NO clue where it's supposed to go. There are no empty bolt holes anywhere in the region (again, I put everything associated with the alternator together). I'm hoping it was just in the bag before I put the alternator stuff with it. I know, it's a weird question - where does the bolt go? But if anybody who's torn a 3100 down a few times knows where the only brass colored bolt is supposed to go let me know.

Thanks!

Is it brass, or is it steel with, if i remember correctly, a zinc finish? size? length?

I wouldnt think there would be any "true" brass bolts under the hood at all.

Is it brass, or is it steel with, if i remember correctly, a zinc finish? size? length?

I wouldnt think there would be any "true" brass bolts under the hood at all.

I dont remember any zinc colored bolts at all on a 3100. You took the alternator bracket off right? There are 3 on the side, and 3 under the alternator on the back if I remember right, but they are all steel bolts. (I think)

I feel dumb. I figured it out. I couldn't see very well, and there's actually a 4th bolt that goes into the alternator bracket, on the rear side (of head) that's hard to see. Had to remove the alternator to "discover" it.

figured as much, at least it was easy to find and not a missed intake manifold bolt or something.

I had worked in a big auto shop that did just about any repair imagineable. We had this one young kid that was going to automotive school and he thought he was great, he was just awful as a auto mechanic.

To knock him down a peg or two, the service manager gave him a difficult water pump job to do. This car had brackets every where. The customer was in no rush (good thing as the kid spent 3 days on it) and dropped the car off.

Most intelligent people will put the hardware in an arrangement where they will be able to identify what goes where for reassembly. I used to poke bolts through cardboard and put the nuts and washers with it, maybe scribble a few notes on it as well, use the waterpump as a template and trace it.

This kid dropped all the hardware into the pan of antifreeze below the car, we did mention sorting and cleaning it and taking notes, etc. But he was too proud (or too dumb) for that.

When he went to lunch that day, someone (not me) added a LOT more nuts and bolts to the pan under the car. They were all used, dirty and blended in well with the correct hardware. There was enough things to install 2 or 3 water pumps.

The rest of the day we watched him do the reassembly and eventually he hit that brick wall where he realized he has NO idea of what went where and suddenly realized he had been had. Man was he pissed off, kicked the bucket of hardware and it went all over.

At that point the service manager took him off the job and put an experienced guy in to fix the job up. It was very funny but I hope he learned something from it.

Bob

Sounds a lot like a guy at school with me. His answer to everything seems to be a big hammer or impact wrench. It wouldnt kill him to sort things, but somehow he never does, I always end up being shit on when he cant figure anything out, and the customer needs the car back after class shop time.

I feel dumb. I figured it out. I couldn't see very well, and there's actually a 4th bolt that goes into the alternator bracket, on the rear side (of head) that's hard to see. Had to remove the alternator to "discover" it.
haha! I had that SAME problem with teh same odd color bolt !!

Glad to hear I'm not alone! I'm also glad to know that I'm smart enough to know that I don't know everything, which is why I use this forum!!