What automotive mistakes you have made and are willing to admit to

RandyWilson said:
I was gonna say I bought a Chevy once. But decided to not stir the pot with this crowd. Mine was a '97 S10 Blazer


People plugging up vent hoses (and cutting off floating diagnostic connectors ) are common stories. But one in particular stands out. I had an MGB brought to me that kept getting water in the fuel. Water in the tank. They blamed the gas station. They blamed the gas cap. They blamed Lucas electrics. They finally brought it my shop. As soon as I opened the hood, the problem was glaringly obvious.

For US specs, MG had to add a charcoal canister system. Like most manufacturers of the era, they put it under the hood. Now understand that the canister is the entire vent system for the fuel tank, and the carbs. As such it has a solenoid venting valve with a rather large hose heading down towards the ground, uncapped. This hose was in the immediate vicinity of both the starter and the ignition distributor. Since there was a chance for raw fumes to be vented from the hose under various failures, in later models the hose was extended too get it away from potential sparks. But rather than running under the car, they ran it along the top of the frame rail, through the front bulkhead, ending just behind the grille. So you have this 1/2" diameter hose sitting open just to the right and slightly in front of the radiator. Someone had decided that this was totally wrong, and had a 1/2" nipple soldered into the radiator so they had some place they could attach the hose.

They didn't mention that they were also loosing coolant.
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Correction... GMC Jimmy.... same as the Chevy Blazer...
 
GoceKU said:
Made a tubular manifold and started adding propane to the impeller on the turbo as additional fuel. Blow 2 head gaskets, but the boost is very addictive,
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Tell me about it... You know your an addict when you start demanding to see the MSDS on the windshield washer fluid, then buy it by the case.
 
To be honest, i've never had much need for meth injection. Here in europe i have 100+ octane fuel at every gas station for 3-5% more price than ordinary gasoline. Also i've been running almost all my petrol cars on LPG since the early 2000's. LPG has 104-110 octane rating and no fuel pumps needed, its under pressure. Additionally i'm not making half the power as you, i'm more looking for higher RPM and more torque at redline. Those 2-3000rpm mean a lot in a manual car, one more shift and you are loosing.
 
How about something as recent as today? :rolleyes:

Using the wrong motor oil for my Sprinter... 14 quarts of liquid gold down the drain.... I changed the oil this past Monday, after our recent trip... Something today told me to check the oil I used... we are heading to Monroe, GA for the weekend... So I check the oil I used, turns out it is not compatible with this model year...

So glad I have this thingy that makes it easy to drain with a hose... oils spills from diesel engines stain everything!

IMG_5637.jpegIMG_5636.jpeg

Got the correct oil.... I should be done in a few minutes once this drains completely...

Luckily this oil only ran for a few minutes after the oil change... when I ran it to fill the filter.... This year calls for 229.51 Low SPAsh multigrade service engine oils (Specification 229.51) or above... the one I got was for an older engine... 229.5 Multigrade engine oils (Specification 229.5).
 
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Mine doesn't even compare to some of these, but here goes. The thermostat in my grand cherokee went bad. At this time I had a lot of issues with my back, and it was very difficult to get down on the ground, let alone lie under the car, but I manage most of it, and my wife volunteers to get under and tighten the two bolts for me (it's at the bottom of the engine in front of the radiator). She's learning how to use all sorts of tools and has been doing woodworking projects, and she loves to help on the car. But. She has no feel for things at all. I know this, but I have a torque wrench so all should be good.
She snaps off one of the 7mm bolts by tightening it too hard in spite of the torque wrench. Didn't you feel the click? "no" Can't you tell it's getting tight? "no".
So I have to get under there, and I manage to remove the broken bolt. I have a spare, so I get it all reassembled, and do the bolt myself, but I'm in a lot of pain now. I test drive the car and wouldn't you know it, I put the thermostat in backward! :crushed:
I can't take it any more, so my wife gets down there, takes everything apart, flips the thermostat around and.... breaks the same damn bolt!
I don't have another bolt, and this is our only car. I ended up turning a small doohicky that threaded onto what was left of the stud thru the counter bore of the thermostat housing and then seated on the outside. Hard to describe. I locktited a stub of hex bolt on the outside so that I could tighten it on. It's held for 4 years now. I just can't make myself get under there again, even though my back is fine now!
 
First time on ice as a new driver, I learned that front wheel drive cars and rear wheel drive cars have different handling characteristics by losing control of an intentional fishtail and wiping out a speed limit sign. Had to put an off color door from the junk yard on it, replace the sign, and pay a ticket for too fast for conditions.
 
I‘m young and a bit too careless, I’m was working after hours alone, changing the fuel level sender in a 69 Mustang. The car is inside shop at work ( car audio install shop in the middle of nowhere). Idled it forever on what I thought was empty it just kept on going. I’m underneath laying on my back, incandescent trouble light beside me. I have a little bucket expecting a couple of cups at most. I take out the ring and pull the sender and about 1-2 gallons pour down my arms and back and onto the floor. The little pool is flowing towards the trouble light. Visions of being incinerated alive flash before my eyes. I’m out from underneath in about 400ms, drag the light away. Remove my gas soaked clothes and thank my lucky stars.
 
slow-poke said:
I‘m young and a bit too careless, I’m was working after hours alone, changing the fuel level sender in a 69 Mustang. The car is inside shop at work ( car audio install shop in the middle of nowhere). Idled it forever on what I thought was empty it just kept on going. I’m underneath laying on my back, incandescent trouble light beside me. I have a little bucket expecting a couple of cups at most. I take out the ring and pull the sender and about 1-2 gallons pour down my arms and back and onto the floor. The little pool is flowing towards the trouble light. Visions of being incinerated alive flash before my eyes. I’m out from underneath in about 400ms, drag the light away. Remove my gas soaked clothes and thank my lucky stars.
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You are a lucky man! If a drop of gas hit that bulb the glass would have shattered and the filament would have lit you up! Good thing LEDs have come along!
 
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