So it was time to clean my throttle body. Pulled the engine cover, took out all the screens in the throttle body so I could really do a good job. Got out the cleaner, installed the 4" straw and as I was leaning over to get to the TB...... OOOOPPSS, hit the spray button, off shot the 4" straw like an arrow out of a cross bow and went right into the TB. Now that TB is deep and bends about 80 degrees into the engine. Looked down into the TB and all I could see was the tip of the straw. Yep, that baby was in there and I had no room for error if I was going to get it out. At this time I was looking for the dog as I couldn't kick myself hard enough and was thinking maybe I would feel better.....well you get the point. How the heck was I going to get that #%&*&% thing out of there?? Then it hit me, take your BQ tongs and grab the end carefully and slip it on out. Got the tongs, slowly slid them down the TB, slowly grabbed the tip of the straw.....TWANG the straw slips out and the tongs snap shut and the straw shoots into the engine. Oh no!!! You can't even see any of the straw and just by the force I know it went in at least an inch or two. Now I'm really beating myself up thinking maybe a bicycle is more my speed and I did not want to pull off that TB...... At this point I took a break, thought about having 6-7 beers to take the edge off. Decided better, had a coke and started thinking about how to solve the problem instead of feeling sorry for myself. Thought about it for about 10 minutes, then it hit me...... Got out the shop vac, stuck the nozzel into the TB hit the switch and presto that straw was sucked right up and into the vacuum. Problem solved! When there's a will there's a way.
So my question to you is what were the unique ways you got something done. Like that screw that dropped into an impossible place. Let's here your stories and your solutions...

 

I have a pair of medical 'pick-ups' that are about 12" long that fit into all kinds of those small places. They have textured tips like needle nose and those little teeth in back that lock them shut when you grab something. VERY handy tool to have.

 

Great story Dougs. I've had many situations like that ....a great feeling when you resolve one!! Congrats!!

 

droped a socket into a hole on the engine, tried the magnet no long enough and was too small a hole the magnet was sticking to every thing on the way down,,, i got a long dowel ,,(1/4 wood dowel from home depot) put two sided tape on the end of the dowel, sent it into the socket got it out. jim

 

I was replacing my peanut bulb in the top corner of the headlight and somehow managed to drop it right into the lens!!
I figured a quick headlight removal and shake out the bulb, but I was severely wrong!! Open up my laptop and seach headlight removal and the first line in the post instantly causes my stress level to increase 10 fold!
First line read "This is by no means a simple task"!!

So I tried to take a coat hanger with double sided tape and fish it out......took 45 mins and couldn't get it. So last resport I took some thick gauge speaker wire and wrapped in duct tape backwards with the sticky side out and managed to snake the wire in and drop it right on top of the bulb and managed to fish it out on my last attempt!

What a nightmare though.

 

Not too make fun (well too much).....but this is right up there with "in the last place I looked"

As if any one would keep looking for something after they found it or in this case... keep fishing....

J/K
Keep the stories comin'

 

This is more of a confession than an awesome save... I have dropped more nuts or bolts into the bowels of my engine bay than I ever want to admit or even think about. I have nightmares...

 

mrobinso; I know what you mean. But rest assured as anyone who has worked on a car has had some horror stories. It's one of the ways we learn and what to avoid next time. It's very refreshing to see posts that make fun of ones self. There are so many people that won't because of their egoes.... Seems to me that you have to be able to laugh at yourself before you can laugh at someone else.