How screwed am I?
#1
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When I was putting my 968 away for the winter, the 1/2 inch wrench I use for the negative battery terminal ran away.
Or more precisely, I placed it on the "flat" plastic piece right next to the battery, toward the front. Well it slipped under the fender lip.
I have put it out of my mind until now. If I remove the black plastic engine surround should I be able to get at it? Could it slip down the wheel well liner?
Can I just drive it any hope that it works its way out? Only a $5 wrench? Still a few months away, just trying to get prepared for the inevitable.
-Yogii
AKA 968 Novice
PS My garage space is very cramped and dark.
Or more precisely, I placed it on the "flat" plastic piece right next to the battery, toward the front. Well it slipped under the fender lip.
I have put it out of my mind until now. If I remove the black plastic engine surround should I be able to get at it? Could it slip down the wheel well liner?
Can I just drive it any hope that it works its way out? Only a $5 wrench? Still a few months away, just trying to get prepared for the inevitable.
-Yogii
AKA 968 Novice
PS My garage space is very cramped and dark.
#2
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Not sure precisely where you mean as my battery is in the rear boot. But, if it's fallen down enough can you access or fumble around for it from underneath - if you remove the engine undertray?
#3
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Are you thinking the wrong car? The 968 definitely has the battery in the front.
From BaT:
From BaT:
- 94 968: https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/1994-Porsche-968-RS820596-108-33276-scaled.jpeg?fit=2048%2C1366
- 938 968: https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/16253224102571b8f9754c2d1b68IMG_5577-scaled.jpg?fit=2048%2C1536
- 92 968 (peek-a-boo at upper left): https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content...it=2048%2C1365
- My 92 968 (also peek-a-boo upper left; horror stories there and here): https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content...it=2048%2C1367
Last edited by Retro; 02-19-2022 at 05:25 PM. Reason: Direct image links
#4
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The last picture of your 968 is the best one. Seems that the plastic engine cover is one piece. I'm afraid I have to remove the whole thing? Hope it does not crack...
-Yogii
-Yogii
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Spokayman (02-23-2022)
#6
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I don't have the rear engine cover (and the front one is in my basement ...) but if I were you I'd pull the cover and fish out the wrench. Shouldn't be too difficult, and avoids the small but non-zero chance that it gets caught in the front hub / brake area and does something nasty. Of course it'll probably just fall out harmlessly onto the belly pan - in fact in might already be there, so maybe jack the car up and pull the pan?
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#9
Racer
#11
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Can you fish a bendy magnet thing down where it fell and see if you can pick it up?
I'm having some trouble visualizing how it could get into the wheel well. I second the vote for looking on top of the belly pan. There are not too many moving parts near the back of the engine but I don't think that you want it rattling around, and you certainly don't want it rattling around near the front of the engine, that seems like a recipe for disaster.
There's a lot of aluminum in the engine bay; hopefully a good magnet can help you fish it out selectively.
Good luck
I'm having some trouble visualizing how it could get into the wheel well. I second the vote for looking on top of the belly pan. There are not too many moving parts near the back of the engine but I don't think that you want it rattling around, and you certainly don't want it rattling around near the front of the engine, that seems like a recipe for disaster.
There's a lot of aluminum in the engine bay; hopefully a good magnet can help you fish it out selectively.
Good luck
#13
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Well I did get a 40inch long bend thing with both a magnet and claw at the end.
Once, I got set-up, I could see the wrench. Took 3 tries to fish it out. Out of the 40 inches, I needed about 6 of them!![Stick Out Tongue](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif)
Took all of 5 minutes.
I wish all worries were so easily solved.
-Yogii
AKA 968 Novice
Once, I got set-up, I could see the wrench. Took 3 tries to fish it out. Out of the 40 inches, I needed about 6 of them!
![Stick Out Tongue](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif)
Took all of 5 minutes.
I wish all worries were so easily solved.
-Yogii
AKA 968 Novice
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JimmyB (04-25-2022)