Why is it that yer can drop a spanner, actually anything at all
down the back of yer motor and if by magic, disappears before
it hits the floor?
Yesterday I dropped 3" bolt down the back and it just disappeared.
I didn't have another one so I had to retrieve it.
So I jacked it up and guess what I found? Besides plenty of leaves..
One small extension bar- been there for a week.
One wing nut - been there for 9 months.
Numerous nuts and washers.
A carby gasket- been there for.... forever?
Still to be found... throttle spring.
But when I retrieved the 3" bolt, I noticed it was sitting on the
uni joint AND against the gearbox!
A disaster waiting to happen.
Imagine what could have happened if I just drove away??!!
So what have you found at the back of your motor? Any horror stories?

I find that i can drop a 13mm spanner and it will only hit the concrete floor. Then i can drop a miniscule little washer/bolt and it will get stuck at every available part.

The bit that holds the throttle cable on.

Do you think I could find that anywhere?

Turned up a couple of weeks later.

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1970 Mini Deluxe - 1275, Weber, Clive 346 cam, MS 4-pot slotted discs, Megajolt ignition Now with new improved Mambas... almost on the road
1966 Van with Traveller rear seat conversion
2008 Prado GXL
All in various states of repair...

I once lost a hose clamp, and then a few days later I noticed a flash in my rear view mirror as I went around a corner - my hose clamp!!

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Haven't had this problem since installing a extractors and happens less if you have no mechanical fuel pump or tappet chest covers. Anything falls through just drops to the ground.

That said I have lost the occasional spring washer but it ends up resting on the subframe horizontal "lip" part

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

you obviously don't spend enough time doing things at the back of your engine.... my long screwdriver comes in very handy when trying to flick 1/2" spanners off the top of the gearbox remote

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

oil is about all i've got escaping down the back of the engine..

Are you finding it on your garage floor or does
it magically disappear?

I have that escaping down the front and sides too!

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found the local service stations led torch light thingy , had to be 7 inches long and an inch wide. apparently he couldn't find it either.

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PrOuDlY aSkInG qUeStIoNs FoR uR aMuEsMeNt

Nar I do my fair share of tinkering, but I have the right tools for the job such as one of these:

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

Early on when fixing minis, I relied on the "shakedown run" to literally shake the spanners out of the back of the engine bay. They would bounce between the body and the bitumen to let me know that they had finally fallen out

I can spot all the usual hiding holes these days, and have the necessary prodders to get them out

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

So if I dropped the "torpedo" back there.......then she'll magically disapear?
(torpedo=mother in law. You can see her comin, and there aint f#ck all you can do about it!)

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Chuck Norris is the only person alive who can kick you in the back of the face!!
mooo, I'm a pig!

I'm afraid they all eventually fall out
Even mother in laws

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

I found an extra fuse box cover in good condition hiding down the back from a previous owner. The car wasnt missing one either haha.