Topped up my windscreen washer fluid last night and put the bottle top on the engine cover, which as the engine was running at the time to demist the windscreen, said bottle top proceeded to vibrate off its perch and into the engine bay!:thumbdwn:

HMMMPH! Stupid me!

After 30 mins of attempts of retrieve it with various implements (at one point it looked like I was performing heart surgery with giant chopsticks), it has fallen right at the bottom of the engine bay. The Furby, unlike my old Ford Ka has an undertray, so it the lid can't be cajoled though to the bottom and out onto the floor, unliek in the Ka.

Any bright ideas on how to get it out (its just to the right of centre as you look into the engine bay)? Can post some pics up here later.

just take the undertray off dude! few torx nuts holding it on! only takes a few minutes to whip it off!

Got your lighter back then, did you?

If it's not fouling anything (ISTR Jason jammed his gear linkages when he lost his headlight cluster cover in a similar manner), then I'd be inclined just to leave it - it'll fall out eventually. In the meantime, find another lid, or put the bottle somewhere it won't fall over, and is out of harm's way!

Airbox and suspension turrets are the thingy-holders of choice for me when under the bonnet!

just take the undertray off dude! few torx nuts holding it on! only takes a few minutes to whip it off!

Yeah, if you happen to have a scissor jack and some axle stands handy...

haha dont we all??

I can't count how many untold things have fallen foul of that. Fortunately most were small enough to go through, there is however one nut that for some reason refuses to become dislodged from its now final resting point.

Find the steepist hill you can and drive up it. the cap will fall out and then roll to the bottom of the hill, go to bottom of hill and pick cap up.............Sorted..............Hope this helps..................If you drive down the hill it will save you a walk!!

What about those drain arms. It's a long thin rod that has a retractable claw - great for getting things out of the engine bay

A lighter and now a bottle top? Am I missing something about the value of these things? Should I pass this information on to my pension fund trustees as worthwhile investment vehicles? They certainly seem to be attracting an awful lot of time and effort in their attempted retrieval!

Seriously, is the bottle top worth all the hassle? Have a go by all means, but don't lose any sleep over it. I've dropped screws, bolts, zip-ties, bits of wire and socket heads into the engine bay of my and SWMBO's cars, and if they've not come out straightaway with my telescopic magnetty thing, then I've just left them as a present for the mechanic who does my next oil change. Like I said before, if it's not fouling anything and you don't have anything to hand to get it out, I wouldn't go to the expense of going out and buying some tool or other to retrieve a plastic bottle top. Just find another top!

Let me tell you about the time I placed a spark plug on the scuttle panel of an old Fiat Uno only to hear it rattle its way down the blower intake into the bowels of th dash...

...there is however one nut that for some reason refuses to become dislodged from its now final resting point.

The driver by any chance? :P

Yeah, if you happen to have a scissor jack and some axle stands handy...

Dont need those to take the undertray off ? Quick and easy, just drive two wheels onto pavement if you need the extra room, if not, just crawl under the car on the flat, in gear & with handbrake on, and do it. I could do this with the Eibachs on, if it is stock suspension you have another inch and a bit more room, and it is pretty easy

or just give the tray a couple of thumps from underneath and the top will jump out

Thats a classic.

Used to drop tools, sockets, caps in engine bays all the time when i used to work at VW.

Whip off the under tray and have to retreve it.

Luckly i dont run an undertray on my Fabia any more so if i do drop things they usually work their way onto the deck.

In my case the tray 'removed itself' by it ripping from the plastic supports (240k+, my fault as I didnt double check). I repaired it on the vRS with cable ties so I remembered