Tell us your "stupid move" story!

[CHILI]

Just read "burnin' oil"s "master mechanic quiz" thread and it got me thinkin about some of the stupid things I've done. Granted, it's usually when we're tired, but I think we should post some. It will give us a laugh and help us realize we're not the only ones who do some dumb stuff. I'll start.

After putting my engine and tranny back in, I hooked everything up. I was very paranoid! I started the car and immediately checked all the electrical. No smoke! Checked temps and oil pressure, etc. After letting it idle for a few minutes, I looked under the car to see if there were any oil leaks. WOW! , I didn't tighten the hose clamp after the fuel pump! Fuel was draining out of the bottom of my car and there was a huge puddle on my driveway! I immediate shut it off, of course. Man, was I lucky.

[Paul Valcourt]

While changing the drivers side flapper box I put heat to the rusted nuts with a propane torch. After the box was changed the car would not start and it was pumping gas onto the floor from the hole I melted in the fuel line. I was Lucky the car did not burn up.

[Schrup]

Wow that would be today. I didn't take my car off the jack stands the same as I put it up, was in a hurry to get it out & drive.
My car slipped off the jack & one of the rear jack stands slipped out when I dropped the car. Luckily there was enough room in the fender well for the jack stand & I didn't damage anything.
I won't make that bonehead move again.

[obrut]

Here's mine (non-mechanical): Day 2 of a 5 day tarmac rally (closed public roads no speed limits), going downhill in the rain at about 130kmh, reach down to pull heater on to demist windscreen and pull handbrake fill on instead...big trees both sides of the road...managed to release it just before next bend. Didn't tell my navigator until after the stage - he could not see the funny side...

Ryan

[joehahn]

washed car once and was rarin' to go thereafter. fired her up and it looked/sounded as if a chicken was being slaughtered in the engine bay. i had laid a towel in the engine compartment just under the grill to prevent too much water from entering the area. tip = remove towel from engine compartment before starting engine.

joe 68 L

[WJG2]

A quick tip: Do not drop wrench so that it touches both battery terminals at same time. I'll spare you the gory detail$$$$$.

[joehahn]

perhaps we should switch the title of the string to "obvious tips" (and i'd like to hear about the wrench and battery)

[targa911S]

Hooking up a dwell meter to my 70S. Took out the coil and the CD box in one shot. DUH! I don't mind learning from my mistakes, I just wish I would make cheaper mistakes!

[targa911S]

OK OK here's another one. I was shaking a can of spray paint in the garage one day when I accidently just nicked the can body on the edge of my vice. Well it punctured the can and sprayed me, my glasses, and my car ..black. When I took off my glasses I looked like Al Jolson! Thankfully it was enamel so I was able to "wash" the car and myself off with mineral spirits. I don't think my wife and I have ever laughed as hard as we did after it was all over.

[cegerer]

Never attempt to take a quick drive to the parts store without installing the steering wheel hold-down nut. I had the steering wheel off of my 69 SS396 Chevelle for some reason and needed parts. Slipped the wheel back on the spline and figured I'd be good for the short drive to the store. Forgot the nut was off when I left the store and pulled into traffic as the wheel came off into my hands and the car went straight ahead into traffic .......

-- signed, anonymous

[joehahn]

...just laughed out loud at both of those!

another tip i thought of is 9 time out of 10 you should remove the jackstand that you placed as a "safety" under the car prior to driving off your ramps. not that i would know...i'm just saying...

[1982911sc]

I bet many have done this...checking my oil after an evening drive, it is already way dark, the garage is lit but nearly enough. Check oil seems fine, replace dipstick, never see dipstick again, I missed the hole - as they say!

[Argo]

My story from an oil change disaster thread:

1st oil change: tank outflow rate exceeds pan inflow rate - minor spill. No problem, had put used shower curtain liner under pan, caught excess oil, minimal clean-up. Feel marginally clever for thinking of putting down liner first.

2nd oil change: no pan overflows, minor drippage when filter changed. Feeling more clever.

3rd oil change: read all oil threads, learned all oil change tricks. No spillage, no drippage. Not one drop. Not even with filter change. The perfect oil change. Feeling real clever. Back out of garage for nice beautiful afternoon drive with fresh oil. Forget extra brand new unopened 5 quart Mobil 1 container left behind car. Drive over container. Resulting explosive discharge of oil soaks engine, trans, wheels, brakes, underside of rear half of car, garage floor, driveway, front lawn. Spend 2 hour spreading large bag of kitty litter under watchful, puzzled eyes of gallery of small neighborhood children.

Owner humbled. Car and driveway truly rustproof.

Argo
88 Targa

[pwd72s]

Okay..I've done the "pouring in new oil while forgetting to replace a drainplug" bit...hasn't everybody???

[Adam]

I'd driven the car all around the neighborhood to warm up the oil before an oil-change. Put it straight on the hoist, and started draining the oil, only to drop the sump plug into the container.

It's a natural, instictive reaction to just reach into that nice, hot oil (wrist deep) and grab it.

Ouch!

[Sonic dB]

Some of you may remember the 4th of July weekend and my 13mm socket dropping which ended up burning out a plug and wire.

Bad news was my car was out of commission for 5 days while waiting for parts. Good news was that I replaced the existing **** plug wires for much BETTER plug wires, switched to copper Bosch plugs + got the valves adjusted too.... as a result it runs much better than ever.

[1fastredsc]

One time i went to crank the car to get oil pressure not realizing it was in gear. Let's just say that my dad who was standing in front was pale for about 30 mins or so (no he didn't get hit, just scared *****less since there was a wall behind him too).

[ChrisBennet]

This wasn't amusing at the time but now it seems that way..

Years ago I was putting my 911 motor in for the first time. It's like 4 am and I have an autocross in the morning. I got the motor bolted in and then I noticed that I hadn't attached the little strap that holds some wires on the front (flywheel end) of the motor. I can just squeeze my head into the left rear wheel well over the top of tire (car is on jack stands) and reach the strap. Once in there, I fasten the strap no problem. Trouble is, now I can't get my head out of the wheel well. My ears are acting like barbs. It took me a few minutes to get out of that one...

-Chris

[Tyson Schmidt]

I've got a really recent one. My Service Manager and I were staying after hours to put my newly rebuilt engine in my '72. Got the engine finished, (trans still in car) and mated the engine to the trans. As I climb under the car to turn the clutch arm to engage the fork into the release bearing, I realize that I didn't put the release bearing onto the pressure plate!

We looked at each other, looked over at the 12 empty Pacifico beer bottles on the bench, and said: "This is why you don't drink while working on your car." I still don't remember why the hell I even took the release bearing off the pressure plate.

Yeah, I'm laying off the beer during projects like this in the future.

[HawgRyder]

Have done the oil in with drain plug out....race engine...14 quarts on the ground.
Also....rolled out from under the car to get a tool...and while out...the car fell off the jack stands....wheels were off....cross member hit the ground....sat in the corner and sweated for an hour...very close call!!
Humbled by my own stupidity...Bob