I am fitting a new exhaust to my 2017 Sportster ’48’, in the process of removing the nuts which connect the stock exhaust to the engine I dropped one of the nuts and it appears to have dropped down a hole at the rear of the engine case, which has a further drain hole at the bottom. Firstly it looks like I cant access this to retrieve the nut, so would it cause any damage if it was left in there to rattle its way free in the future, or is there a way of getting to it? I have attached a couple of pics.

 

nut is not going to hurt anything down there.

it will eventually fall out of there.

nut = NUT 5/16-24 FLANGE

add a "Telescoping Magnetic Pickup Tool" to your shopping list... this will not be the last time this sorta thing happens

 

Many thanks for that, was panicking, can relax now and replace it, I'll give the magnet trick a go to see if I can get it out.

 

If the magnetic pickup doesn't work, try using a wire coat hanger. Cut the hanger and bend the end so that It'll hook through the nut and you can pull it out.

 

Look around on the garage floor too. Sometimes they fall down there then fall out and roll a bit. I spent an hour looking for an exhaust nut in the engine and it was laying over by the garage door. Pissed me off.

 

It's a bit like losing a sweet down the back of the sofa cushion - it'll be there for you some time later! I recently took the starter off my Glide and found several items hiding underneath it. Something for you to look forward to as the years roll by.....

 

omg i do that all the time. drop a nut and spend forever thinking you dropped it somewhere bad, and it's just out of view on the floor.

 

Don't you hate it when that happens. LOL

 

Did the same exact thing when I was putting on my V&H short shots. I swore it went down in that hole and I fished around in there for an hour till I saw it under the stater behind one of the cables.