Dropped a bolt into an inconvenient location

While changing out my VTT solonoids to fix a CEL/limp issue (which seems to have solve the problem) I went and did an oopsie.

I dropped the bolt that holds one of those solonoids in- and it fell down. I THOUGHT it dropped into the well between the left and right heads, and looking in there I see what looks like an abandoned mouse nest... but no bolt.
So I said screw it and found a usable bolt from my bolt bins and moved on with my day.

Wrapping up the job and putting it back together, I spotted the sucker- it was on top of the belt, with the threads behind the fan clutch pulley!
But human hands can't reach down there, so I started with a magnet on a stick, to no avail... moved on to all manner of tools.
A half hour later, I have it between my fingers, going... going.... ah damn it slipped.

But it didn't fall out and under the truck, no- it fell INSIDE the BACK of the FAN CLUTCH PULLY.

Test drive went fine, and I couldn't even hear it- I figured it fell out.
But no. Stopped to fill the tank and when I started her back up I immediately hear that bolt dancing around inside there.
Drove it home- over 2k RPM it sticks to the side and the noise goes away... stop at a light and rattaa-atttaaatattaat-ta-t-taaat-aaa horrible sound


My worry of course is that it's going to bind up and break something back there, or the pully itself.
Only thing I can think to do is PULL the pully off, which is not a job I want to do this close to winter.
So I guess I'm looking for input- can it be safely ignored until it either falls out on its own or I can get it out next year, or is this a serious problem that needs to be addressed immediately?
What clown made these pulleys solid on one face... what a pain in the bum.

 

Turn the truck upside down and shake it

 

It would drive me nuts—did you try one of the parts grabbers (4 spring wires that extend out to grab things)? Seems like a bit of patience, one of those $5 tools and you could get it out of there.

 

Get one of those fancy magnets on an extendable stick. Those are the bomb.

 

He tried that

 

Ah damn I missed that part. NVM then throw the whole truck out.

 

I know you've tried the magnet on a stick approach already, but is there no way you can still use this by bending the arm or something? Can you see the bolt or touch it? I'm just trying to see any way a magnet can work here before dismantling anything.

 

The fan and pulley are only held on by 4 nuts.
Loosen the nuts and remove fan. Then remove the belt from the fan pulley.
Take out the “dropped bolt”
And then bolt the fan and pulley back on.

If you really care, you can torque the 4 nuts to 16 ft/lb.
But that’s too much trouble, and I am not fishing a torque wrench down in there.

 

It's totaled. Part it out.

 

Pull the fan and clutch assembly off, problem solved.

 

Those four bolts will take the stupid thing apart?
Brilliant! I assumed those would just ruin my day more so I avoided touching them until posting here.

I can do that in the AM, then.

Got a short video for anyone interested, but it has a naughty word in it.
https://youtu.be/mEgDBm03CrM

 

Just never drive under 2K RPM.

 

This

 

but then how does one... stop?

it's a manual, I've only got so many feet, and there ARE red lights.

 

Ditto on this: I have had one for years that is also articulated at the magnet end so you can point it in the direction you want: sometimes even around a corner as the magnet section is about a half-finger length. The magnet is strong enough to hold onto a spark plug. It has rescued many things for me over time, even some I couldn't actually see.

 

I own a few of them- and the grabby things with the little arms.
neither is getting behind this pulley-
I don't think I could have managed to get the bolt behind the pulley without the use of the magnet on a stick, it was very helpful in getting the bolt moved into a situation where it could actually fit through that tight clearance.

The backside of this.
I finally looked up a parts diagram and that other guy is right- it should pop right off with four bolts.

 

That is a Roach Clip dude.

 

A 10.5 inch roach clip? You rolling burrito blunts over there or something?

 

Wrap a neodymium magnet up in some safety wire and use that to fish it out. Gotten me out of a pickle or 3