Dropped/lost tool in engine bay

[JYPhoto]

Hi all. I dropped a mini ratchet in the engine bay while fitting a leisure battery feed to the main battery. I could see it just under the light cluster and knocked it further down when I tried to grab it. It seemed to fall down a bit more. Any tips on retrieving it! Will I need to take the light out? I was hoping the wiring would just be a simple job!

 

[denz1968]

Magnet on a stick??

 

[JYPhoto]

Yeah thought about the magnet but I’m not entirely sure where it ended up. It’s not straight vertically down.

Just reading about removing the light and see I may need to take the number off.

 

[.50]

I would get underneath the engine and have a feel around in the area it fell.

 

[paddy26]

Have you a pic to show where you dropped it?
Could it have fallen down to the bottom of the bumper? Maybe pop off the fog light access cover in the wheel arch trim to access it?

 

[JYPhoto]

Yeah I had the wheel arch cover off but didn’t look any further. I’ll look for the access cover. And will take some pics. I just watched the THQ headlight video and it looked like there could be a void behind the light. Hopefully I could get in there from below. Magnet and string might work. Cool thing is I do t have a tool for taking off all the screws now!

 

[JYPhoto]

Thanks for the tips. I’ll report back tomorrow.

 

[Ayjay]

Maybe an obvious question but Is there a engine undertray fitted?

 

[JYPhoto]

Maybe an obvious question but Is there a engine undertray fitted?

Yeah, might the tool drop on to it when driving?

 

[Ayjay]

@JYPhoto. Exactly what I was thinking - it might even have worked itself way down already.

 

[DXX]

You’re fairly safe on the battery side, however on the belt side I’d be making sure I found it before starting the engine.
Always worth putting an old sheet around the area you‘re working on, makes life simple

 

[DXX]

 

[JYPhoto]

Here’s a picture. Battery marked with blue line, headlight marked in green. The tool fell down the gap marked in red.

 

[DXX]

You might find it (5-10% I reckon) if you pull back the front of the wheel arch liner.

 

[paddy26]

pop off the fog light access cover in the wheel arch trim

 

[DXX]

I’m surprised that nobody has suggested dropping another one to watch where it goes.

 

[JYPhoto]

Had the wheel arch trim off and it wasn’t on the engine tray. I now know how to do that though! Watching bumper removal videos again!

 

[Mike23864]

Had the wheel arch trim off and it wasn’t on the engine tray. I now know how to do that though! Watching bumper removal videos again!

I’ve got a small, cheap boroscope that I’ve found very useful in that situation

 

[Pete C]

As it doesn't appear to be near moving parts, I would be tempted to drive it a very short distance with the undertray off. Accelerate hard and brake hard a couple of times.

Pete

 

[Nige_g]

Accelerate hard and brake hard a couple of times.

If you live anywhere near me, I'll lend you the wife to take it out for a drive. She'd dislodge it.