[aremmell]

I was doing some work under the hood and dropped a magnetized Torx T30 bit into the depths of my engine bay. I am 99% sure I heard it ding when it hit the bottom panel underneath, but:

All I have here is a low-profile floor jack and 2 jack stands. I do not want to start the car just in case the tool is stuck somewhere that will jam something up.

I am considering trying to access the front jack pad position from the front of the vehicle if the jack will reach:



I would chock the rear wheels and get it as high as felt comfortable doing from that position, then hope the damn thing just rolls out of the engine bay, or put jack stands on both sides and then get under there and go to work...

What would you do?

[blackops23]

I would try using a long flexible magnet tool. I dropped the metal paper thin baffle disc that goes in the turbo inlet when installing my eventuri intakes. It took some fishing around, but magnet picked it after blindly fishing around. Similar to this.

[forcefed]

Take one of the wheels off and take the wheel liners off and try to reach for it with a magnetic pickup tool.

[SwankPeRFection]

Jack it up, put it on stands and take the panels off under the engine to get it. FYI, you can just pull the parking brake to keep the back wheels locked, but that’s your call on that or chocks.

In the end, it depends on where you dropped it up to as to where it went.

[BIGW0RM]

Ive done that so many times now. Magnet on a stick and GO FISH! You'll find it.

[BryanCO]

If I had the time, I would pull the panel to find it. Else just drive it and buy a new T30.

[aremmell]

Originally Posted by BIGW0RM

Ive done that so many times now. Magnet on a stick and GO FISH! You'll find it.

For reals? Do you have a link to an example magnetic tool that is like the one you used?

[SwankPeRFection]

Originally Posted by BryanCO

If I had the time, I would pull the panel to find it. Else just drive it and buy a new T30.

Could have been worse. It could have been the 10mm. 😂 Maybe you’re going to start a new trend with the T30.

[aremmell]

Originally Posted by forcefed

Take one of the wheels off and take the wheel liners off and try to reach for it with a magnetic pickup tool.

That would be way easier than going through the bottom, wouldn't it. You, sir, may be a genius.

I just need suggestions for magnetic 'find the sh** you dropped' tools.

[forcefed]

Originally Posted by aremmell

That would be way easier than going through the bottom, wouldn't it. You, sir, may be a genius.

I just need suggestions for magnetic 'find the sh** you dropped' tools.

You can also take the oil plug cover off and try a magnetic pickup tool from there too, plenty of flexible ones on amazon.

[aremmell]

Originally Posted by forcefed

You can also take the oil plug cover off and try a magnetic pickup tool from there too, plenty of flexible ones on amazon.

Don't suppose you have the AIR documentation for that particular cover or know someone who does?

[forcefed]

That's just the plastic cover that you take off for an oil change, just twist and it pops off.

[aremmell]

Originally Posted by forcefed

That's just the plastic cover that you take off for an oil change, just twist and it pops off.

Ohh, all right. I was thinking it was a panel on the bottom of the car. Now I remember.

[CC M3C X]

Originally Posted by aremmell

Ohh, all right. I was thinking it was a panel on the bottom of the car. Now I remember.

I have had success with the magnet tool as well. 👍🏼
Just saw that you were here in Idaho. Up north or down south? I’m up north.

[Higgs Boson]

when that happens I trade the car in on one with no bits in the bay.

[Ximian]

If you're going to use any magnetic tools to poke around the bottom of the engine bay from the top, disconnect the battery. The battery charging post is the mostly likely item to make some sparks, but better not to find out what else can do it.

[BIGW0RM]

Originally Posted by aremmell

For reals? Do you have a link to an example magnetic tool that is like the one you used?

Yea dude. Ive dropped my intake clips many times now and had to hunt them down with something like this.


https://www.amazon.com/NoCry-Extenda...zcF9hdGY&psc=1

[aremmell]

Got the bastard. I went with removing the passenger side wheel, and actually it was within view from there using a bright light. Getting it out was a different story but I won in the end.

Thanks for the input fellas.

[aremmell]

Originally Posted by CC M3C X

I have had success with the magnet tool as well. 👍🏼
Just saw that you were here in Idaho. Up north or down south? I’m up north.

Down south, but spend some time in C'dA here and there. Otherwise, McCall is as northern as I usually get.

[aremmell]

OP Update:

I just had a very scary incident. The car was on two jack stands using polyurethane jack adapters for BMW, plus a low-profile floor jack as an emergency backup barely sitting beneath the front jack point indicated in the OP. Rear tires were chocked (one on both sides, one just the rear), in park, parking brake engaged.

I was done doing what I had the car in the air for, so I jacked it up a couple inches and slid the jack stands out, then began to slowly let pressure out of the jack to lower the car...

To my dismay, as I lowered the jack as I have done countless times, the jack and the car started rolling toward me. I had to think fast because I was imagining what could happen if the car slipped off the jack while still in the air: nothing good! I decided to just fully open the jack valve as quickly as I could and it made a terrible sound (that jack is probably kaput and no longer trustworthy) but as far as I can tell, it stayed in contact with the jack point on the bottom of the car all the way down (the jack point is surrounded by either solid aluminum or very thin plastic sheets).

There is now a hole in my drywall because I had to flatten the handle quickly too as to not damage the bumper as the car came down quickly... but I guess that beats paying for a new bumper.

Anyway, I needed to post this, both as a form of release, and to warn everybody that the jack point indicated in the OP is likely designed for emergency use only, and that it is not a stable point from which to lift the car much higher than needed for say, changing wheels out. Definitely do not lift the car several feet in the air to get jack stands under the jack pads behind the front wheels!!!

Now comfort me and tell me everything's gonna be all right...

[SwankPeRFection]

I think your car’s trying to tell you something. Considering you dropped a bit in the engine bay and then spent two days getting it out and then had this issue….

[aremmell]

Originally Posted by SwankPeRFection

I think your car’s trying to tell you something. Considering you dropped a bit in the engine bay and then spent two days getting it out and then had this issue….

That it just wants to be a plain boy?