Dropped socket in engine !

[CW20038TypeR]

Ok yesterday I was installing an intake then I dropped the socket into the engine bay.

I heard it go all the way down so I tapped on the bottom cover and heard metal clanking or bouncing against the under panel. I’m assuming that’s my socket.

I took the car for a drive and now the sound is gone. My question is, can the socket fall out through the back towards the front pipe section if I drove hard enough ?

I’m hoping it fell out and back and not lodged somewhere vital.

Thanks if anyone is familiar with the underbody panels

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[zcEF]

Oh yeah its definitely gone. I've lost a couple this way as well. Not as bad as my 9th gen Si when I was tightening the strut bolts after installing some lowering springs. They were behind a rubber cover and hard to get at, underneath the windshield cowel, and just as I was tightening the last nut, I hit my hand and dropped the 14mm wrench. That thing slid back and forth along the firewall for years every time I turned a corner. You're good!

 

[fatherpain]

I think the socket likely is still there somewhere lodged in the plastic under panel. Should be able to retrieve it next time the car is raised and can pull some of the panels to find it.

Might get lucky and can get it through the oil pan access tray.

 

[CW20038TypeR]

Hmmm I don’t have a jack otherwise I put it up and take off the panel.

I just want to know if it’s possible the socket rolled towards back of car and off the underbody panels vs being lodged

Not knowing kills lol

 

[RS27]

Probably still lodged in the back of the under shield. Same happened to me I dropped the left front corner and reached in to grab it. It’s pretty sealed down there.

 

[CanadianFK8]

Oh man, I just did this 2 days ago while installing my intake. Luckily I was able to find it with a flashlight down in the lower rad support and grab it with a socket extension, it landed just perfectly. I was not looking forward to pulling the lower panels if I didn't have to. If I couldn't find it I would have lost major sleep. Lol I hate that. If you could see it/hear it on the lower panels your good. It will either fall out or you'll find it if you ever pull them / oil change.

 

[MadMage]

Hey, at least you were not working on a nuclear missile at the time; https://interestingengineering.com/...h-triggers-explosion-of-armed-nuclear-missile

 

[davemarco]

I lost an 8mm socket once a few years back while installing a PRL intercooler on my old Si. When I went to return it back to stock in 2019 so I could trade it in, I popped the bumper off and found it somehow wedged directly under the intercooler itself. It was completely rusted through.

 

[REBELXSi]

That title... oof lol

I thought your socket was IN THE ENGINE. You're fine, man. It's either lost on the road somewhere or stuck somewhere in the under tray area.

 

[shadow]

I took off my battery hold down and the smaller J-bolt fell somewhere. I spent 15 minutes looking and fishing for it with a magnetic pick up tool. Finally, I figured it wasn't there. Next place to search was the fender. It would either slide forward or backward. I found it behind the fog light.

 

[RBrackett]

happened to me this past weekend. So long 12mm!

 

[suhhh]

Happened to me 2 days ago, RIP 10mm you will be missed

 

[brownman]

oh man i understood INSIDE the engine! i was super flustered in what the process for extraction was going to look like.

 

[Byron Sexton]

you will never see it again

 

[late camaro]

If you have a strong enough magnet, you can place the magnet below the pan and socket, and drag it to a hole, or edge. You will hear it lose the magnet if you move it too fast.

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