Dang it, this is so embarrassing... while re-installing the intake manifold on my 300SDL I accidently dropped the L-shaped allen wrench between the IP and the engine block (on driver's side) and I can't find it to save my life. I searched for about 1 hr, took a break for dinner then went out again and searched for another hour or so... nothing. I've pushed the car back and looked on the ground, from underneath and looked really hard from above with a strong light - can't find it. It's maddening...

Question is - given the general area would it be safe to just leave it there - wherever the heck it landed?! I would have to remove the entire intake manifold again to to get good access to that area from above - unlikely to happen.

__________________
1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

flexible magnet might do the trick

__________________
1984 300TD "MAX" 303K+ still going...
fast '70 Chevelle 200k+
home built Shovelhead chopper

As long as you are positive it is not inside the engine. In all probability there will be no issue.
You are not the first person to drop a nut or something and not find it. Unfortunatly if an engine is open it has to be found if there is even a slight chance it may have fallen in. This at least is not your case from what I can tell.
The usual hiding spots from me are either on the a frames or subframe under the engine on some cars.

If the SDL has a belly pan, the Allen wrench will eventually rattle down and land on it. If not, it'll be on the road somewhere. If it sticks where it is, it will be there next time you pull the manifold.

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Hopefully there's no throttle linkage between the block and IP that the wrench can jam on, if it is indeed still there.

__________________
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

There are some linkages there, I'd double check that, and that it isn't shorting against a glow plug. If not, leave it

-J

__________________
1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

I can see a new thread in a few days "Strange rattling sound coming from behind the IP !!

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

I just had this happen to me about 2 weeks ago.

If you can get your hand in it is most likely between the starter and the block.

__________________
86 300SDL. 250,xxx on #14 Head. One eye always on temp gauge.. Cruising towards 300K

I dropped a glow plug down there once. I use a super strong magnet mounted to a copper wire and fish around. SOmetimes things get all the way under the engine on the front cross member and stick there.

I used to be a Service Tech for a printing press mfg. and we would tie a string to our tools when we were working on a critical area - yea I know, could said something before you dropped the wrench.

When the inevitable happened and we didn't use a string, a mirror and flash light went a long way. Dropping a nut or bolt on a $2 million machine means you find it before it moves.

Just make sure nothing that can be damaged or affected is ok, then don't worry about it.

I've dropped tools down there before.
Almost always do it when replacing glow plugs.

It shouldn't hurt anything down there. Usually I find them by feeling around. I almost never find one by seeing it first.

Danny

__________________
1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

(\__/)
(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination

you see that aluminium piece that your diesel thermastat is bolted too? (the engine mount)

inbetween the pass side of the IP and the block

where the mount bolts to the block

there is a retangle "tray" that seems to catch 10 and 12mm sockets when doing glowplugs

I'll check that area thoroughly once more with the flashlight and then a strong magnet... hopefully it's in there. I'll also check the linkages once more.

Thx for the suggestions - next time I will tie a string to the tool - why didn't I think of it before..

__________________
1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

I also have dropped tools in that cavern. Last time was a combo wrench for the glow plug nuts. Drove a few miles and turned right. Heard the wrench bounce off car and street. Lucky I had the windows open.

__________________
1984 MB 300SD Turbo

I don't know how many projects there have been that were going way too smoothly. And then an important tool / hardware gets dropped somewhere in the engine bay. I have 3-4 different magnet tools of varying strength and sizes. But I have spent an hour+ on numerous occasions fishing.

__________________
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...-RESIZED-1.jpg
1991 300E - 212K and rising fast...