Check the places where the head studs are. 13 mm socket is too big to fit through a 14mm spark plug hole. If it were my car, I would ... drop the engine to find it.

I once dropped my oil temp sensor down below the pulley. It took a while before I could even see it, much less retrieve it. I used one of those long, flexible claw grabbers. You can buy one of those magnetic, flexible lights to search for it. It will probably make some rattling when you drive. Sure would hate to see what happens if you hit a bump and it somehow contacts the fan.

Where could it go? It's either hiding under some of the stuff on the top of the motor sitting in a low spot on top of the air shroud, or it might have fallen down one of the spark plug holes (i assume the spark plugs were still in place), or sitting on top of the cooling tin on the side of the engine next to the valve covers, or it could have possibly made it's way to the low spot under the crank pulley. You'd be amazed at the stuff I fould in that low spot the first time I worked on my engine :(

The only possible danger I can see is if it made it's way into the cooling fan or got caught up in the belt, but highly unlikely.

Try this one: I replaced my spark plugs (first time) last weekend. The last friggin plug I hear kindof a "snap" when I was about finishing tightning it. I thought, hmmm, that's weird. I recheck tightness, it's good. Well, I spend like 15 minutes trying to get the damn plug wire on the friggin plug to no avail...it just wont snap on! Finally, I pull the plug. OMG, the top ceramic part is broken. Worst part is, where? It's a small part...small enuf to fit in the plug hole. Look for over an hour, no dice. I put a magnet all the way into the head through the plug hole...still nothing. I give up and go to put another plug into her. I find the top of the broken plug stuck in the socket. he he he, now I really feel like a fool :)

Just thought I'd share ;)

We're all human, anyone who has NOT had this kind of stuff happen to them has NEVER touched a wrench!

was this a 1/4" or 3/8" drive socket? 1/4 drive is what I use when I work inside the engine compartment on the valve covers. SOCKETS THOSE SIZE FIT EVERYWHERE ... especially down the plug holes. This sounds to me like if you really want to find your socket, you're going to have to take apart the top of your motor. Sorry dude, I feel your pain.

I dropped a couple of screws and nuts in the mess of vac hoses for a cis system before taking the motor apart. Never found them until i took the motor apart, and when discovering where they'd gone i understood why it was that i couldn't find them.

the likelihood of a tool disappearing during a project is directly proportional to the number of times you will need it, and directly related to how favorite a tool it is, buy spares.

.....How true this is. Must be a psalm from the DIY Bible.

I bought a 1/4"-13mm swivel just for removing the HE bolts. Somehow it fell on the floor and got kicked into some crevice, lost forever.

Thanks for the reminder that I'll need to go buy another for the install;)

Sorry to hear about your troubles Sonic.....Keep poking around with that magnet on a stick.