Yep....I spent a few hours this week looking for the tri-sided nut for my air-cleaner lid. Put it on my bench on Sunday while cutting a new stud. Went to grab it again and it was gone.
Drove about 45 minutes south and back to buy a new one.
Pro tip - put a nyloc nut on the stud at the bottom and tighten that to the carb/TBI unit..... that way if it rattles loose, the nut stays with the rod and shouldn't fall into a cylinder. I heard about a Mustang guy who fell foul of that.....ending up tearing half his engine down to find a loose nut in one cylinder.
