My battery died yesterday in Lincoln, 135 miles from home and I had to call the RAC out to me and it took them 5 and half hours to come out and give me a jump start so I was eventually on my way home at 21.30, but that's just the background to my problems.

Today I purchased a nice new battery with a 4 year warranty on it and while fitting the new battery into its cradle I managed to knock my socket set ratchet handle off the heater grill and it slid down the back of the engine, between the bulkhead and the engine but its completely vanished from view. I have looked all around the engine bay and its nowhere to be seen. I have rigged lights up in all sorts of locations trying to spot it, used inspection mirrors, and also a flexible headed inspection mini cam with a LCD screen and still failed to find it.

I have jacked the car up at the front, removed the N/S front wheel, pulled the N/S corner of the under engine shield down shone torches in there, had a good search with the inspection camera and you guessed it nothing to be seen.

The car drives OK and no strange sounds are heard, although I did drive the car of a kerb with a bit of jerk to try and shake it loose and I did hear a very faint rubbing sound which disappeared as soon as I turned the wheels on full lock. Since then no amount of violent braking, dropping of kerbs and going over speed bumps etc and I cannot get it rattle, clonk, scrape or make any noise at all?

Is there anywhere hidden from view where this ratchet could have gotten into at all? I'm worried that it might become dislodged and do some serious damage.

Anyone got any ideas at all?

Wait for daylight, jack the car up at the front, both sides, slide underneath and remove the engine undertray completely.

 

Laying on your back, looking up with the bonnet open will give you the best view.

Blimey, I've dropped a few nuts and bolts in my time that were never recovered, but a ratchet handle!!

 

No idea where it could be, and with all that metal a strong magnet might not do much. 

 

5 1/2 hours wait is crazy, would have been quicker to order a set of jump leads online with Amazon prime! 

 

Sorry I'm no help! I do carry a decent set of leads and a tow rope. You never know.

3 hours ago, silver1011 said:

Wait for daylight, jack the car up at the front, both sides, slide underneath and remove the engine undertray completely.

 

Laying on your back, looking up with the bonnet open will give you the best view.

I can’t do that sadly, I don’t have the jacks and axel stands or the flexibility in my body anymore being as I’m a OAP these days. Years ago I would have that done automatically but 40 years of company cars meant I didn’t need the gear any more so it’s gone. As I needed to be in Duxford on Friday at around 10am and I couldn’t get.a garage to fit a battery today (Thursday) I decided to break out what few tools I kept and do it myself. I have to run it to my garage first thing in the morning and see if they could do the tray for me.

Try one of those magnet on a flexible shaft. Mine is about16 inches long. The engine and gearbox are aluminium and it is only the very end that has the magnet so it should not deviate trying to stick to the body to much, that is what I have found. It may not lift it up (weight) but it might move it to be more accessible.

Good luck.

On 19/09/2019 at 21:52, VRS_White_Hatch said:

Blimey, I've dropped a few nuts and bolts in my time that were never recovered, but a ratchet handle!!

 

No idea where it could be, and with all that metal a strong magnet might not do much. 

 

5 1/2 hours wait is crazy, would have been quicker to order a set of jump leads online with Amazon prime! 

 

Sorry I'm no help! I do carry a decent set of leads and a tow rope. You never know.

Ok then, I have now got myself a set of jump leads in case this ever happens again, god forbid.

On 20/09/2019 at 09:00, Danny 57 said:

Try one of those magnet on a flexible shaft. Mine is about16 inches long. The engine and gearbox are aluminium and it is only the very end that has the magnet so it should not deviate trying to stick to the body to much, that is what I have found. It may not lift it up (weight) but it might move it to be more accessible.

Good luck.

I've got one of those already and tried unsuccessfully to locate the ratchet.