Funniest/most unusual/worst place you've ever found a 10mm or 1/2" socket

[narly1]

It's the Friday before a long weekend up here in Canada so I thought I would start a bit of a fun thread to kick things off.

Like the title says what is the funniest/most unusual/worst place you've ever found a 10mm or 1/2" socket?

Bonus points for pictures!

[Sdonnel]

It wasn't a 10mm socket, rather a 1/4" drive 5/16" socket. My son just purchased a 1993 RX-7 to resurrect. When we found that the battery had been relocated to the storage cubby behind the passengers seat, we thought "No big deal" When we pulled the battery and started removing the tray, we found that the socket noted above was being used as a spacer to hold the battery level. Even had a sheet metal screw right through the middle and snugly tightened in the floor pan. I'm going to venture a guess and say you found one inside the engine (I really hope that isn't the case).

Scott

[narly1]

No not me personally and I'm going to try and keep it that way, LOL

I saw a picture this morning on another forum I follow of one wedged in a thermostat which is what inspired my thread.

I've found the odd "launched and not recovered" circlip/snap ring as used in motorcycle wrist pins and transmissions long after the repair was done.

Thankfully in a dark corner on the floor LOL.

[Rdone585]

Ok, I've got an inside the engine story... Was helping a friend with his figure 8 car. His young son had "helped" him earlier in the day. He noticed the 5/16" socket missing from his wrench. It's lives on a 1/4" drive screwdriver wrench that ratchets. It's always on there, used specifically for removing hose clamps. He asked his son what happened to it. His son simply pointed to a spark plug hole. After much to-do it was retrieved with a magnet. It just barely fit through the spark plug hole. Needless to say a bore scope camera was used to check all of the other cylinders for the possibility of foreign objects. Just missed what could have been a really bad situation.

[wallace18]

I found a 10MM 1/4" drive socket in a 944 Turbo bell housing when doing a clutch job years ago.

[thebicman]

Dropped a 1/2" ratchet wrench while working on a public pool heater. Years later was sent on a call to replace said boiler. Sure enough my wrench was right where I dropped it. Still use it to this day.

[Scottmillhouse]

10 mm deep well found on top of oil pan baffle when disassembling my son's blow up turbo Eclipse engine. By previous owner's receipts long block replaced under warranty when new for non-disclosed reasons, probable too lean under turbo boost. Figured lost during warranty work and found about 100,000 miles later. It had some marks but figured it was from the broken rod and crankcase pieces when the engine let loose and was not the cause. Cause was too much boost and a lead foot.

[cob427sc]

Found a 1/2" socket attached to the pressure plate bolt on a Ford Flathead. The engine/tranny had not been apart in over 30 years and 60,000+ miles of driving. Did have to whack it with a hammer to get it off the bolt.

[first time builder]

The strangest place I found a 10MM was in my tool box in between the 9 and 11, now how strange is that !

[v1-vr]

Early 70's turning wrenches at a shop and in comes Mark Spitz in his new v12 front engine Ferrair for an A/C problem. Said he just came from dealer that had to remove his 6 2barrel webers
They had dropped a small socket while adjusting the carbs

[Old Timer]

As a teenager, I worked on cars for spending money.
I lost my 1/2-9/16" wrench but did not know where.
A year or so later a car came back for more work, and
I found my wrench on the clutch adjustment, just where I left it!

[narly1]

1/2-9/16" wrench

Do they even make those anymore?

I remember my Dad having tons of them in his tool collection, both box and open end versions.....and I'm 59!