Recovery from cat theft with almost no tools

In the light of day this looks better than what I thought I saw.

I do not yet fit under the car - will find some wood to safely add under ramps. I need to measure the OD/ID. Still lacking needed ratchet extensions. Having the flange and stub removed and in hand would clarify the challenge. It does look like my concern about contact area might be unfounded.

Tried to find diameters online. Still looking for them.

 

New twist. Last night surveillance camera showed more apparent theft.

Have yet to determine what was taken. However. Now car is dead.

Small battery intact, connected, and grounded.

Nothing obviously removed under the hood.

I am puzzled.

Poor pictures seem to show something palm-sized or smaller removed from under car.

Need to verify small battery voltage.

Radio key has no effect. No lights anywhere.

Hmmm.

 

I may have caused some confusion here. Sorry about that. Imagine an alley exiting onto a street and you are turning right. You park right there on the street. Very early in the morning, the cat is stolen. You start the Prius, everything is normal, except for the roar. You back into the alley - because it seems safer to work away from traffic. You drive onto plastic ramps, with the passenger side very close to a tall wall. The thieves return and steal something small from beneath the car. At least this is a best guess from the surveillance snapshots. Now all the lights are dead. As though there was no small battery. But there is. And it is connected. The car is trapped on the ramps.

I have managed to remove the ramps. To head off any complaints of people who live nearby.

Now I must determine what has caused the change from running to dead.

In a perfect world, in the end, I prevent future theft with a cat shield. Right now I just want to see the Prius light up so I can then proceed with investing more money into the car. The mechanical condition was very good before the thefts. That is sadly now in doubt.

I admit to being baffled because I have yet to find anything missing other than the cat.

 

In a movie that would be satisfying. In real life, in my opinion, the risk is further vandalism. The thieves decide to leave you reminders of their displeasure. Broken windows, some dents, key scrapes. That sort of thing. Just to remind you who has the upper hand. To remind you they have power that they are unafraid to wield.

Thankfully, thieves roughing up a car because things did not go the way they hoped is not widespread AFAIK.

 

I do enjoy scrounging, Tombukt. How could I have overlooked that? Thanks, T.

Piecing something together will be much easier with material to choose from.

It might be challenging to beat the metal pickers to it. We shall see.

 

I am imagining driving my car after discovering a dead person under it. I am wondering how often that would enter your mind after the event. Would you avoid telling your children, your wife, or your girlfriend - if you could manage to shield them from the knowledge? Or would you tell the kids hoping it is a lesson they will learn from? I lean toward keeping it under my hat. The fewer who know, the better.

 

Minor progress. Whatever they stole on the second pass *might* have drained the 12v battery. Charged it very slowly, 1.5 amp max. Sits at 12.25v in 50-degree room with nothing connected after 18 hours. No load test yet. Would like to see higher resting voltage.

Battery seems very new. Have receipt from previous owner with no serial number on receipt. Date code never set on battery sticker. This replacement battery came from 2004-09 Toyota Prius Hybrid Auto Repair | Hybrid Battery Repair At least that is what the receipt says. It does not have a drain hose. Looks like AGM. Hmmm.

Car now starts. MFD shows good number of blue bars. Will use Torque to investigate further.

Disconnected 12v battery to prevent more drain.

Can now return to the main challenge.

 

Finally came across a YouTube video which almost gives a clear accounting of the pipe sizes involved.