What does this nut belong to?

[Baker83]

I recently had service done on my 2014 Passat TDI Sel. Service performed was replacement of camshaft seals, sprockets bolts, camshaft pulley bolts, timing belt, tensioner, rollers, water pump, coolant, and valve cover gasket. This additional service was performed after my 100,000 mile service and found that there was an oil leak which needed attention, so I took care of it. Now that all service is done...I have found a random nut laying on the bottom engine cover (shown in pictures). Does anyone know what this nut belongs with? I did some research and it looks like the one used in the timing belt assembly but unsure. Is this something I need to worry about? Thank you for your help.

Picture of where I found nut

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• Baker83
• Oct 2, 2020

AE22483F-F099-4EE9-B852-BCA99DD788B8.jpeg

• Baker83
• Oct 2, 2020

Picture of found nut

D6EB1810-CDB1-4905-9F34-9ABE395363AC.jpeg

• Baker83
• Oct 2, 2020

Picture of nuts in the timing belt assembly from a service video. You can see these look very similar but think the one I found is much smaller than these

07468806-EB38-4537-9118-6F8F907F88F0.jpeg

• Baker83
• Oct 4, 2020

 

[Nuje]

You're just talking about the little (looks like 10mm) nut here, right?

In which case...I don't think it's anything to worry about. The 10mm nuts like that typically just hold a plastic something to another something. Mechanic probably dropped it, couldn't see it or get to it easily, so reached into the nut-bin and pulled out a replacement.

 

[arniewallace]

Its either off the fuel filter mounting points or off the mounts for the metal coolant pipe, running to the EGR cooler.

 

[Baker83]

You're just talking about the little (looks like 10mm) nut here, right?

In which case...I don't think it's anything to worry about. The 10mm nuts like that typically just hold a plastic something to another something. Mechanic probably dropped it, couldn't see it or get to it easily, so reached into the nut-bin and pulled out a replacement.

Thank you! You would expect better from a certified tech at one of the top VW dealerships here in North Scottsdale AZ.

 

[Baker83]

Its either off the fuel filter mounting points or off the mounts for the metal coolant pipe, running to the EGR cooler.

Thank you! Is this something to worry about and bring up to the dealer who performed the work?

 

[Baker83]

@arniewallace @Nuje Thank you again for the suggestions, this really helps. It does seem to look very similar to the nuts used in the timing belt assembly which is my biggest concern.

07468806-EB38-4537-9118-6F8F907F88F0.jpeg

• Baker83
• Oct 4, 2020

 

[Scubanero]

I am pretty sure those are bolts. The recess in the centre is for XZN bit drivers. It is easy to check: take the engine cover off and undo two spring clips to get the upper cover off the timing belt.

 

[arniewallace]

Not off anything to do with the timing belt assembly or its fixings as it looks too small, like an m6 (10mm spanner fits it). The timing uses m8 as the smallest, it has 2 nuts and the rest are bolts. The nuts are used on the tensioner and the idler before the tensioner. It looks like an m6 nut to me. Hope this helps.

 

[gtrosema]

water pump fan bolt?

 

[afarfalla]

nut behind the wheel

 

[Baker83]

Thank you everyone!! This has been resolved. I took it back to the mechanic and they said it was most likely an extra one that fell into the bay and could have been from the fuel injectors. Since I didn’t have fuel spewing everywhere it seemed to be in fact just an extra one that fell. They double checked their work and the fuel injectors and all was good.