Two sockets lost in plenum - is it harmful to anything?

[dcdyd]

Yesterday I was trying to get the 3rd bolt off which locks the actuator for the a/c plenum. The space is very tight in there and I used a mini racket driver with 8mm socket. IN the process, I lost two 8mm sockets which falls into the back of the plenum. After I took the actuator off, I can't find the sockets. I believe that these two have gone to the bottom of the plenum which I can't reach by hand without opening the bottom of the plenum.

My question is if I just leave it there, would it be harmful to anything like blowing motor, moving parts or electric circuits etc?

THanks!

 

[jman]

Yesterday I was trying to get the 3rd bolt off which locks the actuator for the a/c plenum. The space is very tight in there and I used a mini racket driver with 8mm socket. IN the process, I lost two 8mm sockets which falls into the back of the plenum. After I took the actuator off, I can't find the sockets. I believe that these two have gone to the bottom of the plenum which I can't reach by hand without opening the bottom of the plenum.

My question is if I just leave it there, would it be harmful to anything like blowing motor, moving parts or electric circuits etc?

THanks!

If you have sockets in the intake plenum... it's very bad to leave them there, its a big risk that they will travel to an intake valve after that... well lets say it wouldn't be good. Maybe you can get a flex magnet and fish it down there and try to get them back that way. http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com/...rcycle+tools&gclid=COL--8_J9K8CFSIHRQod_HKLYQ

 

[dcdyd]

Is the a/c plenum connected to intake plenum? This is the plenum with the heater core inside.

 

[snoranger]

Is the a/c plenum connected to intake plenum? This is the plenum with the heater core inside.

Not even close.

Did the sockets fall inside or did they fall behind?

 

[dcdyd]

It fall inside.

 

[99SportX]

Assuming they didn't fall inside the air passages....since you said they were lost prior to removing the actuator...

It should be fine. Maybe they will bounce out onto the floor someday, or maybe they will stay back there forever. You could try getting a magnet on a flexible wand and fish it around back there just to see if anything sticks. I wouldn't worry about them causing trouble though.

Personally, I am picky enough that I would tear the dash out if I had to, just to get my sockets back.

Edit: DOH! above post makes this one void. If they are inside, get them out because they could possibly get in the way of the moving door inside the housing. Then you would be changing an actuator again...

 

[dcdyd]

I thought that also. The blend door could get impacted by it. I will get a magnetic tool trying to pick those out. There is a gap behind the actuator towards the left wall of the plenum and the width is about half to three quarter inch. I believe the sockets fall into that gap into the plenum housing. There is no other where the sockets can go behind the actuator before it was taken off.

Below picture shows the rough position of the gap. The picture was taken after the actuator was removed.

 

[99SportX]

To me, it looks like that is not inside the hvac box. It looks like it is between the firewall and the box. There shouldn't be a large opening in the box except where you want the air to go out such as the vents.

 

[dcdyd]

That was not a vent for sure. because it opens to nowhere. It could be just as you say a gap vetween the firewall and the hvac box. I will get a magnetic pick-up tool and try to get the sockets out.

 

[dcdyd]

I ordered a Flexible Magnetc Pickup Tool and got the two sockets out. The sockets were sitting at the bottom of a trench behind the plenum. Apprently that trench doesn't lead to anywhere. Thanks everyone who helped me here.