Help: Dropped gold wedding band in a/c vent on dash...

I'd be interested in what area the ring has settled in, I remember pulling the glove box and section 3 from the diagram above while replacing the FSR. Perhaps it will end up near that section as its easy to access.

Originally Posted by tcphoto

I'd be interested in what area the ring has settled in, I remember pulling the glove box and section 3 from the diagram above while replacing the FSR. Perhaps it will end up near that section as its easy to access.

We've been talking on the phone. He's gonna go for a drive, but for right now he thinks it's still in the upper left side of the dash vents which is good news in a way.

Thanks to the help from Teddy7 I was able to remove the far left driver side A/C vent. Unfortunately I still can't see the ring.

So I will take the car for a drive to isolate where it is....

Keep you posted....

Originally Posted by atwnsw

You guys are very funny. Seriously I appreciate the humor.

Ummm... how does one 'seriously' appreciate humor...? Isn't that self-contradictory..? Kinda like an oxymoron..?

Also OP, when you're busy taking half your dash apart, I made you a list of some popular PM/DIY.. Final stage resistor, control unit cooling fan over by left side of the dash, possible OEM Nav retrofit..?, Aux-in retrofit and I'll think of a few more..

All ducts will lead to the blower housing, which sits behind the ac and radio controls.

If it is not on top of the dash but under the windshield vent, then it may have fell into the blower housing.

I would take a flexible hose, smaller in diameter than the vent, attach it to an industrial vacuum cleaner and try to grab it

Buy this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/24-inch...ool-94162.html

And this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ZWFOEQ

Good luck!

Does Part # 15 which is the vent on top of the left dashboard pop out?

If so, can somebody explain how to remove this part?

Originally Posted by atwnsw

Does Part # 15 which is the vent on top of the left dashboard pop out?

If so, can somebody explain how to remove this part?

Sorry, I couldn't find one for the e46, that diagram represent a old 7 series I believe, but the system is very similar. Our vent is the dash and underneath it is the vent lower half which may be holding your ring, (picture provide in the 1st page).

Kinda makes you wanna do a mesh screen mod if you remove the dash.

So what if. And this sounds kinda nuts. But what if you covered all the vents really well with tape or something except for one. Then you got a relatively powerful vacuum, like a shop vac, and sucked in one vent by making a sort of "tunnel" out of tape? Would it be possible to suck the ring to the vent grille?

Originally Posted by Zell

So what if. And this sounds kinda nuts. But what if you covered all the vents really well with tape or something except for one. Then you got a relatively powerful vacuum, like a shop vac, and sucked in one vent by making a sort of "tunnel" out of tape? Would it be possible to suck the ring to the vent grille?

I was thinking the same thing! No dash disassembly required.

This

Ah...stick a small hose in from the rt. side and push over to the left...when it's in a corner you can get to...tweezers or that 'grabby thing on a stick'. Use that hose as a probe. You actually may not want it all the way in the corner. If it was me and I had to make a small snip in some plastic piece to save me from removing the dash, I think I would.

honestly best thing to do is somehow get a nice crack and get yourself a new windshield. dude who replaced mine once told me i'd be shocked at what he found in those vents sometimes, including a diamond engagement ring some dude was going to give to his soon to be wife, who broke up with him after finding out that he lost the ring. And a foxwoods wampum points car that had like 20,000 points on there.. they will definitely be able to get it out if you get the windshield replaced.

Originally Posted by trizzuth

honestly best thing to do is somehow get a nice crack and get yourself a new windshield. dude who replaced mine once told me i'd be shocked at what he found in those vents sometimes, including a diamond engagement ring some dude was going to give to his soon to be wife, who broke up with him after finding out that he lost the ring. And a foxwoods wampum points car that had like 20,000 points on there.. they will definitely be able to get it out if you get the windshield replaced.

please don't do this^

Tonight I was planning on borrowing a digital scope/probe to see if I can locate the ring through the vents....Unsure if a probe can fit into the vents ...

http://www.pimfg.com/product-detail/camera-snake-1

Measure the depth of the vent with something like a paper clip and then find something like tweezers/hemostats with an appropriate curve, or bend them yourself. You should be able to feel the ring if it's there. And if you could get it with a broken windshield, I suspect you could find a way to get it without breaking it.

Just don't push towards the center and the housing.

I tried the scope and had no success for a few reasons.

1) The scope was thin enough but the tip (not flexible) is about 3 inches long and separation/width of the comb/vent on the front of the dashboard is about 1-2 inches so I can't bend it inside the groove.

2) The location underneath the comb/vent where the ring is resting is angled about 15-20 degrees towards the back of the car. It appears that there is a lip on the dashboard and the ring is under the lip. Still not sure how to access it...

I did use the probe/scope inside the far left vents and didn't see anything.

It is still rolling inside the car and right now it is approx directly in front of the steering wheel.

Keep the ideas coming.

I can take photos if necessary.....