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

[Timbbuc2]

Many years ago did the exact same thing on a 72 Monte Carlo. I built the motor from bare block and got in too much hurry. My motor was in the car, you can only imagine how much clean up I  had to do.BUT I wont di that again

[blown motor]

Well, one time I     

[soundcontrol]

My stupidest mistake was scary, was gonna change the leaf springs on my 70 Cuda in the driveway, I was only 20. Was lying under the car with half my body and the last nut for the clamps over the rear axle was really hard to get loose, had to get a longer wrench. Finally, a big snap and the car comes crashing down on me.... I had the jackstands on the rear axle! Lucky as I was it didn't come down all the way, another inch and I would have been stuck or crushed, something, maybe it was the pinion snubber (can't remember) stopped it.

[RzeroB]

My stupidest mistake was scary, was gonna change the leaf springs on my 70 Cuda in the driveway, I was only 20. Was lying under the car with half my body and the last nut for the clamps over the rear axle was really hard to get loose, had to get a longer wrench. Finally, a big snap and the car comes crashing down on me.... I had the jackstands on the rear axle! Lucky as I was it didn't come down all the way, another inch and I would have been stuck or crushed, something, maybe it was the pinion snubber (can't remember) stopped it.

I was going to hit the "like" button, but I really don't "like" your story - it's actually scary thinking about what almost happened to you!!

[Dakota]

The first car I bought was a 68 Olds that seated 14 comfortably.  I was in such a hurry to drive after the purchase that I didn't check anything.  During the first trip, the engine was running rough so I opened the hood in my parent's driveway right next to the front porch.  A fuel line had split, letting gas fill the pockets of the intake manifold.   The gas was boiling.  Elsewhere on the block, an ancient spark plug wire was arcing.  I just closed the hood and backed away from the car.  Nothing happened.  My guardian angel was busy that day protecting me and my parent's house from a fire.   

[71GranCoupe]

Here is one a buddy did back in high school. He was looking to raise the back end of his car without major lift brackets but still look good. He got to looking and decided to take the axle out and rotate it thus gaining about 6" with a good appearance. He got it all back together and was really happy with the appearance. Went for a road test, and low and behold, he had 3 gears in reverse and one forward. Yup, he realized what  had happened and then and to tear it apart and put it back the way it was. He has told that story many times and gets funnier every time.


Anyone who has turned a wrench has probably at least one snafu to their credit. Only one that I can remember doing is on an oil change on my 69 1/2 Super Bee. Drained the oil, took off the filter, put new oil in. The filter was sitting on the bench getting ready to go back on, got a phone call. Come back after an extended period of time. Check oil level and fire it up. Glanced over at the bench and YES, the filter is still there. I shut it down after about 2 seconds and ALL the oil was now on the ground. Unbelievable how fast it was pumped out in a matter of moments.

[Chryco Psycho]

I have done the double gasket when changing the filter , old gasket stayed on the engine & I didn't check before installing the new filter .

I did an oil change 1 time & the drain plug stripped when I retightened it , 500,000 miles on the engine threads were well worn , tried to teflon tape the plug in place as I was 40 miles from a new part , about 30 miles in the plug dropped out , used a teflon coating in the engine in the past , made it 20 miles with no oil or plug , noticed a puddle after work under the car , reached under & no drain plug , got a new oversize plug & new oil , engine never had a problem by some miracle .

[ShelbyDogg]

Never did that. I always turn my pumps with a speed wrench to prime the whole engine by hand. You would have caught it before it happened.   Oops. Replying to a very old post. Just checking in for Carlisle!

[usraptor]

Never did that one but while yours was messy, mine was messy and expensive.   Once when I was draining the oil in my wife's car, getting ready to do an oil change, somebody came to the front door, so I left the garage and went to talk to them.  After they left I went back to the garage and pulled the plastic drain pain from under the car and added the new synthetic oil.  After I finished I saw this fresh oil start flowing out from under the car.  I had forgot to put the drain plug back in.   So back to the store I went to buy five more quarts of synthetic oil. 

A few years later I was working on the 'Cuda and had removed the shaker bubble and air cleaner while I was trying to diagnosis an intermittent no start issue.  I gave up, but before I left and closed the shop I put one of those red shop rags over the carb to keep anything from falling/crawling in.  You guessed it! A few days later I came back out, climbed into the 'Cuda and tried to start the engine completely forgetting about the shop rag over the carb'.  The engine turned over once or twice and then actually fired, but ran like hell.  I did a compression check and discovered I didn't have any compression in hole #3.  Trying to figure out why, I  pulled the intake find that red rag stuffed into the intake runner of the head.  When I couldn't pull it out I removed the head and discovered that the rag was also stuck under the intake valve which had  bent the valve. That was an expensive mistake!