What's the stupidest thing you have done working on a car?
02-17-2007, 03:24 PM
#81
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mis read the torque wrench and overtightened and broke 2 timing gear bolts off in the cam.
another time i tightened the damper pulley on my 87 chevy caprice, but mustve forgotten to tighten the 3 bolts to the crank pulley and it came off one day, but luckilly i was pulling into a bank and not doing 55mph. doh!
another time i tightened the damper pulley on my 87 chevy caprice, but mustve forgotten to tighten the 3 bolts to the crank pulley and it came off one day, but luckilly i was pulling into a bank and not doing 55mph. doh!
02-18-2007, 07:31 AM
#82
This involves my old 1977 Firebird Espirit.
I was driving the car around after it had sat for about 2 years, before that it drove from the police auction once. It had sat for 2 years before that too.
So I get to the gas station and fill 'er up with gas. The car won't start.
I walk over to my parents store (which is next to the gas station) leaving the Firebird at the gas station, the owner didn't mind if it sat a bit. BTW I had to push it into the parking spot.
Well I get back to the car and it starts up.
Drive it around some more and I park it to "check the engine out."
Well turns out there was a mystery leak in the radiator or something like that and it drained all of the coolant out. I refill it, it drains almost instantly, like pooring it onto the ground.
Well I drive it home, 20 miles. No coolant.
I park it to let it sit for awhile.
A bit later... I decided to use up the last of the 4 year old gas (the gas was in 2 year, so I turned it on. The car sat there idling for what seemed like forever. I had no idea how it ran.
Apparently BEFORE I let it sit there the head gaskets blew and the tranny had a REALLY bad leak, like it was pissing everywhere. It died if it did anything other than idle.
The car idled like that for 2 hours... I mean it sounded bad... I shan't ever forget the horrible sounds of that dying animal. Sometimes it still haunts my dreams.
Needless to say I ran a car around town for about 40 miles total with no coolant in it. Then I let it sit for two hours until it ran out of gas with no coolant and an engine who's seals "rotted" away years before. I didn't even bother to check the oil levels...
I was driving the car around after it had sat for about 2 years, before that it drove from the police auction once. It had sat for 2 years before that too.
So I get to the gas station and fill 'er up with gas. The car won't start.
I walk over to my parents store (which is next to the gas station) leaving the Firebird at the gas station, the owner didn't mind if it sat a bit. BTW I had to push it into the parking spot.
Well I get back to the car and it starts up.
Drive it around some more and I park it to "check the engine out."
Well turns out there was a mystery leak in the radiator or something like that and it drained all of the coolant out. I refill it, it drains almost instantly, like pooring it onto the ground.
Well I drive it home, 20 miles. No coolant.
I park it to let it sit for awhile.
A bit later... I decided to use up the last of the 4 year old gas (the gas was in 2 year, so I turned it on. The car sat there idling for what seemed like forever. I had no idea how it ran.
Apparently BEFORE I let it sit there the head gaskets blew and the tranny had a REALLY bad leak, like it was pissing everywhere. It died if it did anything other than idle.
The car idled like that for 2 hours... I mean it sounded bad... I shan't ever forget the horrible sounds of that dying animal. Sometimes it still haunts my dreams.
Needless to say I ran a car around town for about 40 miles total with no coolant in it. Then I let it sit for two hours until it ran out of gas with no coolant and an engine who's seals "rotted" away years before. I didn't even bother to check the oil levels...
03-28-2007, 11:16 AM
#83
Last Friday, I left work thinking I'll finally work on the wobbly hub and change the bearing. ( I was hoping the bearing was the only prob). I did the whole routine on the curb, got it on stands, removed wheel, diff cover, pulled the axle out. When I got to pulling the bearing (W/ tools I got from Autozone) I realized I had the wrong puller 
, and had to wait till next day to swap pullers . Next day I get to it. End up with about 3 trips to Azone and finally get it all done. Fill the rear end fluid and start driving around. I drove to work (20mi each way) twice. I checked the diff gastket for any leaks and it was really clean. I was cleaning my car and I was about to throw out a bag when I felt something heavy in it. It was the bearing seal that I had forgotten to put in 
Had to do the whole job all over again yesterday.
The first thing I thought of when I say the seal was this post. I finally made it
, and had to wait till next day to swap pullers . Next day I get to it. End up with about 3 trips to Azone and finally get it all done. Fill the rear end fluid and start driving around. I drove to work (20mi each way) twice. I checked the diff gastket for any leaks and it was really clean. I was cleaning my car and I was about to throw out a bag when I felt something heavy in it. It was the bearing seal that I had forgotten to put in Had to do the whole job all over again yesterday. The first thing I thought of when I say the seal was this post. I finally made it
03-28-2007, 04:31 PM
#84
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I jacked my firebird up and tried to get a jackstand under it, however I didn't have the car high enough. So I started jacking it up more, but it started to get unstable, so I decided to find another place to jack from.
Without thinking I let the car down, and I heard a crunch...
I had left the jackstand barely under the car. It made a 7 inch crack up my fender right behind the wheel well.
Without thinking I let the car down, and I heard a crunch...
I had left the jackstand barely under the car. It made a 7 inch crack up my fender right behind the wheel well.
03-28-2007, 08:17 PM
#85
where to start... i have had dozens of busted knuckles and dropped tools on my battery terminals but here is a few good stories for you folks... 
back in highschool i was for some reason swapping a pair of 318 dodge motors between two cars... i think one was a factory 4 barrel and i wanted that in the other car or something like that... and got everything bolted up and plugged in and all the fluids filled and started it up and it ran good for about 30 seconds or so and then it wouldnt start... come to find out i forgot to replace the oil filter during the swap (the car was outside in grass so i didnt see the oil on the ground) and the no oil pressure safety switch kept the car from starting.
the following year a good friend and i were washing his GF's brand new Grand Am GT for her on a nice sunny day. while wiping the car off for the chick (who sat in the car listening to the radio... Grrr) my friend told me that the chrome wheels were fake covers put over the aluminum wheel and since i didnt really believe him i reached around the spoke of the wheel to fee lfor myself... at that instance the B**** took her foot off the brake and unknown to me she had the car in drive the whole time we were wiping it down for her. the wheel suddenly turned quick and smashed the **** out of my fingers between the wheel spoke and the brake caliper... nearly cutting my fingers off
a couple years ago my dad noticed that the wheel on my winter beater was a little crooked looking, i told him it was fine and i had been driving it to work everyday like that for weeks but he insisted we look at it closer. turns out the salty winter roads had rusted the strut so bad it was about ready to break and since this car was a BEATER i was just going to weld the strut mount back together so i told my dad i would weld it over at my mom's BF's place (about a 40 minute drive) he laughed and shook his head... needless to say i didnt even make it out of the driveway and the wheel fell right off the car
shortly after buying my newer daily driver (00 Z24 cavalier 2-dr) i decided to check the oil one day since i had a few free minutes before work. it was a very windy day out so using my brain i parked with the car facing right into the wind so that a gust wouldnt rip my door off as i got out of the car... good idea right? well i proceeded to lift the hood and put the prop rod in place and i pulled the dipstick and all looked good so i was bending over the front end of the car to put the dipstick back in and sure enough along comes a big wind gust that lifted the hood up causing the prop rod to fall down and the hood bashed me in the back of the head and knocked me down quickly and i managed to hit my face on the car as the hood once again slammed down on my back
the next day i had hood struts on the way in the mail...
a few months ago i was replacing a bad wheel bearing on a civic SI for my friend and after 4 trips to the auto store trying to get the right part (dumbasses) i was in a hurry to get it done and when i had the job all wrapped up i took the car for a drive and realized i had put the bearing on the wrong side of the car
and i now had to do it all over again... took off a wheel bearing and put on a new one 5 times in all that day...
i was swapping in a tubular K-frame in the T/A a couple months ago and i was all pissed off for some reason, the new motor mounts not lining up easily i believe, and i was trying to tighten a bolt with a heavy duty 1/2 inch ratchet. as i pulled like a mule on the ratchet it slipped off the nut and bashed myself right between the eyes so hard i fell over and moaned in pain wondering if i had just killed myself...
i was changing oil on my trans am last fall i was laying on my back and removing the oil filter and some how managed to whack my funny bone in my elbow and made my arm flinch and whack the fairly hot exhaust pipe and i yanked my arm back as the oil filter spun off quickly and plopped into the pan full of used motor oil which conveniently splashed right into my eye!
... couldnt see right for hours
yea i am a dumbass, i know
back in highschool i was for some reason swapping a pair of 318 dodge motors between two cars... i think one was a factory 4 barrel and i wanted that in the other car or something like that... and got everything bolted up and plugged in and all the fluids filled and started it up and it ran good for about 30 seconds or so and then it wouldnt start... come to find out i forgot to replace the oil filter during the swap (the car was outside in grass so i didnt see the oil on the ground) and the no oil pressure safety switch kept the car from starting.
the following year a good friend and i were washing his GF's brand new Grand Am GT for her on a nice sunny day. while wiping the car off for the chick (who sat in the car listening to the radio... Grrr) my friend told me that the chrome wheels were fake covers put over the aluminum wheel and since i didnt really believe him i reached around the spoke of the wheel to fee lfor myself... at that instance the B**** took her foot off the brake and unknown to me she had the car in drive the whole time we were wiping it down for her. the wheel suddenly turned quick and smashed the **** out of my fingers between the wheel spoke and the brake caliper... nearly cutting my fingers off
a couple years ago my dad noticed that the wheel on my winter beater was a little crooked looking, i told him it was fine and i had been driving it to work everyday like that for weeks but he insisted we look at it closer. turns out the salty winter roads had rusted the strut so bad it was about ready to break and since this car was a BEATER i was just going to weld the strut mount back together so i told my dad i would weld it over at my mom's BF's place (about a 40 minute drive) he laughed and shook his head... needless to say i didnt even make it out of the driveway and the wheel fell right off the car
shortly after buying my newer daily driver (00 Z24 cavalier 2-dr) i decided to check the oil one day since i had a few free minutes before work. it was a very windy day out so using my brain i parked with the car facing right into the wind so that a gust wouldnt rip my door off as i got out of the car... good idea right? well i proceeded to lift the hood and put the prop rod in place and i pulled the dipstick and all looked good so i was bending over the front end of the car to put the dipstick back in and sure enough along comes a big wind gust that lifted the hood up causing the prop rod to fall down and the hood bashed me in the back of the head and knocked me down quickly and i managed to hit my face on the car as the hood once again slammed down on my back
the next day i had hood struts on the way in the mail... a few months ago i was replacing a bad wheel bearing on a civic SI for my friend and after 4 trips to the auto store trying to get the right part (dumbasses) i was in a hurry to get it done and when i had the job all wrapped up i took the car for a drive and realized i had put the bearing on the wrong side of the car
and i now had to do it all over again... took off a wheel bearing and put on a new one 5 times in all that day...i was swapping in a tubular K-frame in the T/A a couple months ago and i was all pissed off for some reason, the new motor mounts not lining up easily i believe, and i was trying to tighten a bolt with a heavy duty 1/2 inch ratchet. as i pulled like a mule on the ratchet it slipped off the nut and bashed myself right between the eyes so hard i fell over and moaned in pain wondering if i had just killed myself...
i was changing oil on my trans am last fall i was laying on my back and removing the oil filter and some how managed to whack my funny bone in my elbow and made my arm flinch and whack the fairly hot exhaust pipe and i yanked my arm back as the oil filter spun off quickly and plopped into the pan full of used motor oil which conveniently splashed right into my eye!
... couldnt see right for hours yea i am a dumbass, i know
03-28-2007, 08:35 PM
#86
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when i built the 383 for my camaro i forgot to put the oil gally plugs in the block, i had the whole engine assembled and in the car ready to go and just happened to read through a ls1 book i had and noticed something about the plugs. Anyways i had to pull the front of the engine back apart and remove the trans and everything else on the back side of the engine to install them. It sucked but I could have had worse problems if i had started the car without them.
03-29-2007, 01:22 AM
#87
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I'll throw up a SUPER dumb one from a LONG time ago...
I was just learning how to change oil and... uh well.. Lowered the car after i drained the oil and changed the filter. After talking to someone for a few minutes, I didnt really pay full attention to where I was at... I got in the car STARTED it, and backed it up a couple feet so the door could open and check the lights while i was inside..... I realized after about 10-15 seconds I drained the oil, and DIDN'T fill it yet!!!!!!!!!!
Nothing happened thank god, but VERY dumb... Its nice to have people to talk to while working on stuff, but damn... Pay attention !!
I was just learning how to change oil and... uh well.. Lowered the car after i drained the oil and changed the filter. After talking to someone for a few minutes, I didnt really pay full attention to where I was at... I got in the car STARTED it, and backed it up a couple feet so the door could open and check the lights while i was inside..... I realized after about 10-15 seconds I drained the oil, and DIDN'T fill it yet!!!!!!!!!!
Nothing happened thank god, but VERY dumb... Its nice to have people to talk to while working on stuff, but damn... Pay attention !!
03-29-2007, 01:54 AM
#88
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This one is kind of stupid so my friend calls me because he locked his keys in his Eclipse. The window was slightly down and he had left the car running. So three of us get a coat hanger and try wrapping it around the handle to open the door. After about 20 minutes of trying were all pissed. A girl walks by and ask if she can help. We look at her like come on lady don't you think we got this. She goes well why don't you just push the window button with the hanger We were all dumbfounded!
We were all dumbfounded! 
03-30-2007, 08:14 PM
#90
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i was pulling the front subframe off my 68 rs/ss, not thinking, removed the last bolt before repositioning the jackstands. all of a suden PAIN. find myself pinned to the driveway, hand under ratchet, ratchet attached to bolt, bolt cockeyed in bolt hole, subframe and car on top of it all. had to have a friend "lift the car" to get my hand out, no broken bones, but as a sheet metal mechanic at the marine corps air station it made it hard to buck rivits with a damn near broken hand... good times
03-30-2007, 09:55 PM
#91
I once forgot the fuel pump rod on my 88 monte SS. Put a new motor in tried starting it got nothing. Poured alittle gas in the carb and she ran long enough to burn that gas then died. Took me like a week to realize that I had forgot the fuel pump rod. I later found the old pump rod still logged in the old block.
