Help Please (dropped a socket in the engine bay)

bad-head-day · 11th July 2009, 16:22

Please help with where to look for a spark plug socket dropped down the back of the engine (V6).

I had just tightened the middle spark plug at the back of the engine bay & somehow I dropped the spark plug socket. It hit a couple of things on the way down, then rolled forward & back before coming to rest. I've had a look in the undertray seeing as there's a fixing missing on the drivers side I could lie down & see most of the tray.

Is the next step to remove the drivers side front wheel & wheelarch liner to have a good look? I really did think it would be in the middle of the undertray but it's not.

I've moved the car & driven it off the drive & back on in the opposite orientation to see if the socket might roll out of a hiding place but it didn't.

What a nightmare

At least the pollen filter went in (smears more savlon on arms...)

James.uk · 11th July 2009, 17:43

Don't worry about it, car engines eat tools. Just get another one for next time.

.

Mike · 11th July 2009, 18:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by bad-head-day

Is the next step to remove the drivers side front wheel & wheelarch liner to have a good look?

Yes, though with any look you'll just need to remove the wheel
hth

bad-head-day · 11th July 2009, 18:34

Ok, thanks. I left it today because I was a bit fed up & it was supposed to rain 1/4" but it turns out I could have had another few hours looking for the socket & tomorrow will be a washout. Lying down in the rain & saying some fruity words - nasty sunday.

chris75 · 11th July 2009, 18:40

I think I'd rather take the undertray off than the wheel arch liner , having done both !!! THen you can get a good look up . This does of course assume you are able to raise the car safely ?

bad-head-day · 11th July 2009, 18:50

The thing is Chris I already have one corner of the undertray detached & can bang it around a bit to see if anything moves & listen for the socket rolling around - but it doesn't. I wonder if there is anywhere else that things can land on, more heat shielding or something like that. I'll have a good go tomorrow as it's a great socket set & if I don't find the socket I'm bound to lose it on the drive to work Monday morning.

p.s. my socket set is the yamoto one that won this product test: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product...cket_sets.html

black olive · 11th July 2009, 21:01

wheel, and bottom of the arch liner.

I was miffed a while ago when I discovered I had lost a rubber cover off the back of the inner headlight.

Ive been waxoyling black olive today, and removing the nearside wheelarch liner, there it was sat on the engine undertray

chris75 · 12th July 2009, 10:36

[QUOTE=bad-head-day;354419]. I wonder if there is anywhere else that things can land on, more heat shielding or something like that. QUOTE]

Yes , there is a jungle of places to catch a socket - exhaust manifolds , steering box, heat shields , transmission , wiring harnesses , hoses etc. That is why I am thinking with the undertray off you can look upwards and probably spot the little badger !

bad-head-day · 12th July 2009, 14:55

Thanks for that Chris. I did get the one wheel of today & had a look in & waggled the magnetic pick-up tool in all the nooks I could see & a few crannies too. I had to call my dad who drove over with another socket set to finish the job off.

I think the socket's lost now and all I can think to do is drive round looking in the rear view mirror for shiny things bouncing out the back as I drive along

I can get a replacement socket from here for £13 delivered: http://www.cromwell.co.uk/YMT5825670K which on the face of it is expensive but it will complete my set again which was a gift.

At least the spark plugs are in now (and the back ones are a bit fiddly) and the pollen filter was swapped too

Simon W · 12th July 2009, 17:26

You might be looking in the wrong place.

I did exactly the same thing whilst changing the middle spark plug. The socket didn't go as far down as the engine tray - it was wedged in the pipes below the rear cylinder head.

I couldn't see it to start with but eventually spotted it by shining a powerful torch down between the bulkhead and the rear cylinder head (the torch caught a glint off the chrome). I just managed to grab it with a magnetic pickup lowered from the top of the engine.

Shine torch where red arrows are. If the pickup isn't long enough to reach, gaffer tape it to a stick to elongate.

11th July 2009, 16:22	#1
bad-head-day Loves to post Citroen C4 Loeb Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Staffordshire Posts: 372 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Help Please (dropped a socket in the engine bay) Please help with where to look for a spark plug socket dropped down the back of the engine (V6). I had just tightened the middle spark plug at the back of the engine bay & somehow I dropped the spark plug socket. It hit a couple of things on the way down, then rolled forward & back before coming to rest. I've had a look in the undertray seeing as there's a fixing missing on the drivers side I could lie down & see most of the tray. Is the next step to remove the drivers side front wheel & wheelarch liner to have a good look? I really did think it would be in the middle of the undertray but it's not. I've moved the car & driven it off the drive & back on in the opposite orientation to see if the socket might roll out of a hiding place but it didn't. What a nightmare At least the pollen filter went in (smears more savlon on arms...)

11th July 2009, 18:40	#5
chris75 same car since 2005 2001 Rover 75 2.0 v6 Connoisseur Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ellesmere Port , Cheshire Posts: 3,811 Thanks: 379 Thanked 549 Times in 466 Posts	I think I'd rather take the undertray off than the wheel arch liner , having done both !!! THen you can get a good look up . This does of course assume you are able to raise the car safely ? __________________ Who said it was simples ?

11th July 2009, 21:01	#7
black olive I really should get out more....... 260 SE vin 214 ( last mark 1 260 ) Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lancashire Posts: 2,009 Thanks: 1 Thanked 8 Times in 4 Posts	wheel, and bottom of the arch liner. I was miffed a while ago when I discovered I had lost a rubber cover off the back of the inner headlight. Ive been waxoyling black olive today, and removing the nearside wheelarch liner, there it was sat on the engine undertray __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

12th July 2009, 10:36	#8
chris75 same car since 2005 2001 Rover 75 2.0 v6 Connoisseur Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ellesmere Port , Cheshire Posts: 3,811 Thanks: 379 Thanked 549 Times in 466 Posts	[QUOTE=bad-head-day;354419]. I wonder if there is anywhere else that things can land on, more heat shielding or something like that. QUOTE] Yes , there is a jungle of places to catch a socket - exhaust manifolds , steering box, heat shields , transmission , wiring harnesses , hoses etc. That is why I am thinking with the undertray off you can look upwards and probably spot the little badger ! __________________ Who said it was simples ?

12th July 2009, 17:26	#10
Simon W This is my second home Rover 75 2.0 Litre Club Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: S Posts: 3,280 Thanks: 38 Thanked 50 Times in 47 Posts	You might be looking in the wrong place. I did exactly the same thing whilst changing the middle spark plug. The socket didn't go as far down as the engine tray - it was wedged in the pipes below the rear cylinder head. I couldn't see it to start with but eventually spotted it by shining a powerful torch down between the bulkhead and the rear cylinder head (the torch caught a glint off the chrome). I just managed to grab it with a magnetic pickup lowered from the top of the engine. Shine torch where red arrows are. If the pickup isn't long enough to reach, gaffer tape it to a stick to elongate. Last edited by Simon W; 12th July 2009 at 17:34..

11th July 2009, 17:43	#2
James.uk Passed Away 2002 Pale Blue. Rover 75 CDTi Connoisseur auto. 170K miles Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Near the M67. Posts: 14,509 Thanks: 199 Thanked 585 Times in 397 Posts	Don't worry about it, car engines eat tools. Just get another one for next time. .

11th July 2009, 18:34	#4
bad-head-day Loves to post Citroen C4 Loeb Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Staffordshire Posts: 372 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Ok, thanks. I left it today because I was a bit fed up & it was supposed to rain 1/4" but it turns out I could have had another few hours looking for the socket & tomorrow will be a washout. Lying down in the rain & saying some fruity words - nasty sunday.

11th July 2009, 18:50	#6
bad-head-day Loves to post Citroen C4 Loeb Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Staffordshire Posts: 372 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The thing is Chris I already have one corner of the undertray detached & can bang it around a bit to see if anything moves & listen for the socket rolling around - but it doesn't. I wonder if there is anywhere else that things can land on, more heat shielding or something like that. I'll have a good go tomorrow as it's a great socket set & if I don't find the socket I'm bound to lose it on the drive to work Monday morning. p.s. my socket set is the yamoto one that won this product test: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product...cket_sets.html

12th July 2009, 14:55	#9
bad-head-day Loves to post Citroen C4 Loeb Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Staffordshire Posts: 372 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for that Chris. I did get the one wheel of today & had a look in & waggled the magnetic pick-up tool in all the nooks I could see & a few crannies too. I had to call my dad who drove over with another socket set to finish the job off. I think the socket's lost now and all I can think to do is drive round looking in the rear view mirror for shiny things bouncing out the back as I drive along I can get a replacement socket from here for £13 delivered: http://www.cromwell.co.uk/YMT5825670K which on the face of it is expensive but it will complete my set again which was a gift. At least the spark plugs are in now (and the back ones are a bit fiddly) and the pollen filter was swapped too