Go to pep boys and buy one of those retractable antena looking things with a magnet at the end, great for getting those dropped nuts, bolts, and tools.

Or just get an old antena an stick a magnet on it.

 

I've used straightened hangar with a wad of masking tape on the end. Picks up anything... some dropped items are not metal.

 

Did I not just suggest this in the previous posting?

 

last time we got to digging in my car, we found a socket that i dropped the first 2 weeks i owned the car and couldnt find. It was wedged by the fan for over a year lol

 

I've dropped two 10 mm sockets and couldn't find either. About 6 months later, I found 1 laying in my drive way. It must have fallen when I backed out of the garage. I never found the other.

 

+1

 

I was working on my dads GSX and dropped a screw down into the belts. I couldn't find it for like 15 minutes. It was right under a pully and would have got sucked right in, heh.

Just today at work, I got a peice of tape stuck on the belt. I didn't know it until I drove the car out and hear "tick tick tick tick tick!" Didn't hurt anything, heh.

 

when i drop my tools or nut down the engine bay. i just pound on the undertray to see where it is. and if is down there, i just grab a stick and poke them out. lol i have to take it out of i won't be comfortable driving it.

 

+1 that things a life saver!

 

+1 for the retractable magnet.
another thing i use to find the thing i dropped is an inspection mirror. lets you look in places you can really see.

i seem to drop atleast 1 thing every time i work on my car. the only thing i havent found was my buddies socket

 

I know this is an old post but just wanted to ask if anyone has had the problem I'm having currently. I was putting on the fp race manifold I just got and went to put on the passenger side 14mm manifold washer and it fell straight down by the ac compressor bracket yet I'm looking all around, placed a magnet all through it, poked around with a solid piece of wire and still nothing. Has anyone had this issue and found the washer or nut? I've already pulled the manifold and turbo back off. I'm about to pull the wheel and turn the motor by hand. Just paranoid about putting everything together with a missing washer down there.

 

So turned the motor by hand and pulled the timing cover can't see anything and motor turns by hand just fine. If anyone has any ideas lmk. I've checked starter cover, center member, all around compressor bracket, compressor, and power steering. I'm about to start pulling more off.

 

@siccgsx

Sounds to me like youve done your due dilengence by removing the mani & turbo & making sure it didnt fall down into that. Totally understand about loosing a metal part & cant find it

Are you using a proper magnet probe on a telescoping rod?

 

I found the rubber in the engine end motor mount cracked. To replace it I had to pull the timing cover. To pull the timing cover I had to remove the water pump pulley. While putting everything back together I came up one bolt short for the water pump pulley. No big deal, I had a spare junk drawer bolt.

After driving some the engine started making a loud screeching noise. The sound seemed to be coming from the water pump. I pulled the pulley and inside was the missing bolt.

 

missing bolts dropped into the cam belt cover is a bad thing.
need to find those for sure.

bolts always disappear in and around the steering rack. if you drop a washer or small bolt back there... those suckers are gone.

ive dropped a few subframes before and there are always a few washers, nuts... and various other things on them.