Working on the valve adjustment and I lost one of the nuts that hold on the valve cover, it fell from the front left corner into the lower engine compartment. I've used an led light on a flexible stick and searched everywhere in the engine that can unreasonably be seen, with no luck. It's not under the car, I checked.

I've been cranking the engine by hand, and not had any problems with the nut interfering with the fan, belts or much of anything else.

How much should I worry about this, and have the car taken to a mechanic to take apart to find the nut in question (not the one with the wrench)?

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1982 300TD 300,??? miles, daily driver turned donor
1982 300TD, 184,000 miles, daily driver

As long as you find a nut to replace the one you lost on the valve cover I wouldn't worry about it....

I've had this happen a few times in my life. It can be very frustrating. If I can't find it, I eventually resort to bouncing the car wildly in hopes that will dislodge the hidden item. If that doesn't work, a few frontward and back maneuvers using all available acceleration and braking forces. Sometimes that will cause the part to drop in the driveway.

Eventually (after some Hypnotherapy) I'm able to let it go and get on with living my life with relative normality.

A couple years ago, I had to replace the power steering rack on my Lexus, and found a long lost wrench socket wedged between a power steering line and the steel cross-member the steering rack is attached too. It had been there for several years at that point.

May the Nut Gods be with you!

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1979 240D, 4spd manual, Power Sunroof, manual windows, 147k miles, Pastel gray/Black MB Tex.
1991 300D 2.5 - Smokes like it's on Crack!

Here's hipeing board wisdom is right!

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1982 300TD 300,??? miles, daily driver turned donor
1982 300TD, 184,000 miles, daily driver