Oops! Dropped something in engine.
 

So I was preparing my 8 for winter storage, when removing the battery came up next on the checklist. As I unscrewed the battery clamps, one of the hooks fell through into a hole beside the battery box. I didn't know these pieces weren't held by something at the bottom, but I thought maybe I can find it after I remove the battery, but that was not the case. I probably spent about 2 hours looking for that damn piece (not sure what it's called but it's 1 of the 2 long screws with a hook on one end that holds the clamp in place). Has this happened to anyone? Is there a way to remove the battery tray? I can't seem to pry it off after removing that one screw that holds it in place. I'm sure it's right below the tray. I'm just very paranoid that the screw will eventually get sucked into a fan, belt, etc. and cause damage to the engine. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks.

If you bounce the under tray around it is probably sitting on it down below...otherwise look carefully in the bottom of the radiator fan housing...it might have fallen there....it is not a good place to leave it cause it will likely block the fan

First take off the battery cover. Remove the battery. There is an intermediate shroud that the cover snaps onto. This needs to come off of the bottom tray. Then you will see the 2 bolts on the left near the ecu cover and the one on the bottom of the tray that you already removed. They are all 10mm bolts. Once they are all removed, you can take off the bottom tray and you will most likely see the battery hold down bolt in the rad fan shroud.

Have you tried a magnet?

Would removing the bolts on the left require removing the coolant hose?

Gah, one time after work, I forgot what I was doing, but a screw fell down. Took me hours to fish it out, I ended up having to jack the side of the car up pretty high so I could get a better vantage point.

Yea, I've tried that too but to no avail. Did you just do a reach-around aimlessly from underneath until you felt it, or were you actually able to see it? I used everything in my arsenal--jacked up each side, stuck my arm in elbow-deep, used mirrors, but nothing.

No, you don't have to remove the coolant hose to get to them. Just take off that middle piece of the battery box and you will see the other 2 bolts. Once those 2 are off plus the one that is on the bottom of the tray, you can get it out and get a good look down there.

Take this phrase out of context and you've got quite a funny question..
I second the magnet on a stick approach. You can get them for like a dollar at some places. If you dropped the long metal part, I've almost done it myself, then a long metal pointer with a magnet on the end wouuld likely go i nall the same places... good luck!

LOL. I didn't even notice that. :Eyecrazy:

I will try both the magnet and Juice's approach. Thanks!

I bought a pretty cool telescoping magnet from Autozone that has an LED in the tip of it... very useful