I finally got around to fiddling with the mustang today (98 GT) and while trying to take off the egr valve, my wrench socket fell down the square hole thats open on either side of the intake manifold.

I stuck a little cable camera down there and can see the socket and a whole bunch of what looks like dirty grease. Is there any way to get the socket out of there? I tried a little magnet attachment for my cable camera but it seemed to be too weak and made the socket fall further towards the middle. Is my only choice otherwise to take off the whole intake manifold? Why are there those square holes in the first place?

 

I'm not sure what square holes are on the manifold. Is the socket sitting on top of the engine, in the 'valley' between the cylinder heads, underneath the intake manifold? You could possibly try to get a stronger magnet and attach it to either that camera tool you're using or some long string (wrap string around magnet like a present) and drop it in there. Or depending on how deep it is and how long of a tool you have, maybe try needle nose pliers.

 

one of them magnetic extenders can help...
Nothing as frustrating as a tool falling into a crevice never to be seen again...

 

Yup that sounds like exactly where it is, in fact valley would be a pretty good description and it's right in the middle deepest spot. Guess I'll have to either find a stronger small magnet I could maneuver down there or else everything is coming off. Can't live without that 10mm lol. And have no idea what would happen if I left it rattling around between there. This small project appears to be turning into something much bigger...

 

I have one but can't find the darn thing (go figure). Maybe I'll pick up a bunch from the 99 cent store so I can bend them and wedge them down at the angle I need.

 

That is definitely aggravating! May take some effort to retrieve the MIA tool!

 

If it is under the manifold in the block "valley" and you can't get to it, best thing to do is go buy a replacement and move on with your life. It won't harm anything there.

 

So there's no chance of it coming out from there and wedging itself into something critical? I have one or two other 10mm sockets (though now my labelled set will be incomplete) so I'm good in that regard. It's more a concern about safety/mechanical reliability. Otherwise I'll wait until I convert the car to PI or supercharge many years down the road. I just can't afford any additional hardware at the moment that would be involved with removing the manifold.

 

Can't get it with a grabber tool?

 

Forgot about those. Based on how hard it was to maneuver the cameta, might be hard to maneuver that tool but heck, might as well pick up one of those and give it a shot. Thanks for the reminder that those exist.