Please tell me I'm not the only to make this mistake?

[Cuda Cody]

Man, I feel so dumb.  Put an engine on the run stand and fire it up without the oil pressure sending unit in place.  Before it could even run for 2 seconds it had oil shooting across the shop.     The wall 6' feet away was hit (would have shot about 15' if the wall wasn't there.  I got hit on my arm as I had my hand on the key and din't even have time to flinch.  Boy oh boy do I feel so dumb.       Ruined 3 rolls of sand paper too.  At lest I know this engine makes oil pressure super fast!

Anyone else ever do something like that?

[Marc70challenger]

First motor I built (with a mentor ) we just got running .... playing with timing .... now it's smoothing out ... snappy response .... then starts to sound horrible like a misfire and I hear this clicking noise down by the headers ... oh - plug wire came off the plug - no problem - I'll just reach down and push it back on

Last thing I saw before a hard lesson was burnt into memory was my buddy waving his arm, yelling 'NO"

Best to shut motor off before messing with plug wires near the plugs.

[RUNCHARGER]

Ha, ha no: However I did rig up a deal in hydraulics class that made a mess of a students shirt once.

[rebelyell]

 

I haven't done anything like that with motors, but you should see the rest of my life. 

[Roadman]

Close, went to fill a motor with 5 qts. of oil after setting for a long while. Thank GOD I pulled the dip stick to find it was already full.   

[cudabob496]

many a motor has been started with no oil in it!

[GoodysGotaCuda]

I started the 5.7L Hemi I rebuilt and frantically shut it off for no oil pressure.


..I left the sensor disconnected. 

[Rich G.]

I put an engine in a automatic charger. Had everything hooked up and forgot to put the flex plate on!!!! It's those mistakes that you only make once!

[cudabob496]

sometimes folks fill a new engine with oil, forget to prime the oil system,
then fry the motor on startup.

[70/6chall]

Couple of things come to mind, both involving the battery. Was leaning over the fender, on the drivers side. I believe I was trying to start the car by crossing the starter w/ a long screwdriver. It didn't kick over so the screwdriver went from right hand to my left. Without thinking I laid the tool down next to the battery terminals, hand still on it! WOW!! did that hurt. Ended up unknowingly throwing that screwdriver across the yard. #2 was just as stupid, this time I a long piece of HD steel wire. I had set the piece of wire next, to the where? The battery of course. It crackled and I grabbed at it, to get it out of the way. Never grab a wire across battery terminals. Hot very hot, I carried that scar across the palm of my left hand for quite awhile. Great learning experience here.     Thanks,   Al
     PS: remember this is a SL6, starter on drivers side of block.

[Chryco Psycho]

I topped up a battery this week as the acid was low fired up the vehicle & it blew the caps off & shot acid everywhere . Not even sure why it happened

[cudabob496]

I topped up a battery this week as the acid was low fired up the vehicle & it blew the caps off & shot acid everywhere . Not even sure why it happened

large draw on the battery must have created a lot of gas. Maybe too much acid in battery, or
maybe vents are plugged?

[cudabob496]

friends teenage boy was standing on water soak ground, fooling with engine, and got
a bad shock from the coil. Two days later died in the hospital from heart failure.
Turns out the current went through his heart.

[Gary]

Years and years ago, back in auto mechanics class, instructor told a story about 2 guys who rebuilt an engine.  They wanted to fire it up but didn't have the carb yet.  So they just stuck the fuel line in the intake and cranked it over.  Engine hit about a million RPM before the rods came out.

[mopar jack]

Pulled a plugged radiator once to send in for cleaning. while it was out thought it would be a good idea to flush the block, even better if I ran the motor to help circulate. Well it didn't take long to see the transmission fluid running down the driveway. Forgot it was an automatic!