Mercury 225 efi - bolts found inside intake plenum

[crankin4bass]

I removed my intake etc... to change my reed valves when I discovered 2 bolts laying in the bottom next to the injector waiting to get sucked into the engine. I am glad that I found them but am puzzled on how they got there and where they came from. The are 6mm bolts with 8mm heads both stainless. One has a large flange and the other a small one and both have some paint left on them which tells me they came from the outside of the engine and got sucked in through the throttle plates. They loook like the same bolts that are used to hold the intake on. I searched all over the engine and don't see any missing bolts anywhere. I have been hearing a rattle in the engine for awhile at certain rpms which would be explained by the bolts that I found being moved around by airflow. I am wondering if anyone has an explanation for this dilema.
Thanks, Shannon

 

[j_martin]

Re: Mercury 225 efi - bolts found inside intake plenum

sabotage.

 

[will941s]

Re: Mercury 225 efi - bolts found inside intake plenum

Unless there is a HUGE amount of air running through the flame arrestor, enough to suck bolts from the outside of the box.....someone wanted you off the water. Imagine thier face when you just kept on going. Hopefully this is'nt the case and it's something that can be explained. If you can't explain it, then you have some investigating to do....either way plese keep us posted. This is a interesting one.