Evening fellow F-chatters, I have an interesting game to play, a game that does have a purpose - helping me to identify the bit that has just fallen off my 348. I was putting my car into the garage an hour ago, and thought I heard a bit of a clunk. Fearing I had hit something in the garage that I had failed to move out of the way, I moved back onto the drive and got out of the car. Greeting me on the floor was what you see in the photos below. There was a small patch of clear, odourless fluid on the floor (water?), but there are no on-going leaks, and the patch of water certainly isn't large enough to be anything cooling related. Can anyone help identify the bit? It was a bit late (and dark) to open the engine cover and start poking around, so some seasoned advice would be very welcome. Following on from my busted windscreen, I could use some good (ie, this won't be expensive) news!!! Thanks in advance for your help (oh, and apologies for photo quality, they were taken on phone as digi camera is at the orrifice). Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I'd say that looks like the saddle from somebody's trolly jack! P'raps some muppet jaked it up in the wrong place - or it got embedded in some underbody sealant & left behind when the jack was removed & has only just now decided to let go! Suggest you have a look around underneath & see if you can see tell-tale marks on the underside of the car. I'd imagine the fluid was water that got trapped between the jack saddle & the underbody. rgds I.
Iain I think you might well be on the right track thats why its so rusty looking I really hope thats all it is RAY360M
I'd say judging by the 4th picture that it is a flying saucer! 'Contact E.T.' Anto. Seriously i have a trolley jack with exactly the same shape saddle, must have been there a while though. 'May the force be with you S11eps'
I feel a mixture of relief and stupidity!!! Relief that repair bills of ££K's are no longer flashing before my eyes, and stupid because I can't even identify a lump of trolley jack!!! I'm blaming it on the shock and outright fear of hearing things fall from the F-car whilst I was just putting it into the garage! I'm just glad that all you seasoned guys can take one look and tell me what it is - I'm obviously conversing with the people in the know!! Phew!! Thanks for all your help, it really is very much appreciated
FWIW I would take a good look underneath and find out where it had been embedded. There could be some hidden damage that, unrepaired, could get worse over time and end up being more costly to sort. Sorry, I hate to be the doom and gloom boy... Ric.
I will definitely be getting it up on the ramp at the weekend to have a good look around. It has only been on a trolley jack once since I have owned it (september last year) when the wheel had to come off to change the batt. It spent several weeks at Rosso Corsa having loads of work done (service, clutch, release bearing, electrics, trim etc) but I can't imagine them doing under-car based work on trolley jacks? By the look of it I think it's an old part, or has been there for some time. Fingers crossed there's no damage. Either way, its worrying and a bit confusing - I'm just glad it fell of the car at 1mph backing into the garage, and not at high speed on the open road where it could have hit another road user/pedestrian.
Assuming they use two post lifts rather than drive on ramps: I'm not sure about the 348 but they'd have to use a jack to lift 308's & 328s up just to get the lift arms underneath the car in order to lift it! As others have said I'd have a good look round to see where it might have been embedded & see what damage might have been done. As you said, good thing it didn't drop off at speed. rgds Iain
Perhaps that piece was actually jammed up into one of the drain hoses, and when it fell off, the accumulated water just gushed out? There are a few drain hoses right near the jack points, if I remember correctly.
