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Biggest D'oh Moment


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So I'm getting my friends' 36,000 mile 1960 Electra flat top ready to give back to him. I decide to take it to work to:

a.) give it some exercise

b.) blow the "sitting" out of it

c.) make sure it's ready for his fine tooth comb that I know he will go over it with

It was pulling slightly left. After getting it home, I check the brakes (fine). Wheel bearings ( VERY slight) looseness in the drivers side. I correct it. Drive it again. Still pulling. Darn. Take it down to the alignment shop that I go to regularly (and have for over ten years). I know the guy who works there and he knows me. Now, the car had been aligned by him in September, so I figure, check it out again. He test drives it and agrees that there is a slight pull. No problem, he says, but the old guy who knows old cars isn't in, so I leave it overnight. I call him the next day, after I know they have checked caster, camber etc.........

" Did you think to check the tires air pressure? They're all at around 22 lbs."

"D'oh" <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

I have rebuilt engines. I have restored cars. I have made Pooh shine. I have a compressor in my garage that when empty would have filled all of the tires on this fine car.

What's your biggest embarrassing mechanical moment?

Mike

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My biggest D'oh moment was when I did a favor for a friend who promised to drive a bride and groom from their wedding to their reception. Although I never do weddings, my buddy was called out of town, so I agreed to do it.

I got my 13 Buick touring car all gassed up, shined up, lubed, etc. I dressed up in my black suit, bow tie, and bowler hat. Trailered the car to the wedding, unloaded, & parked in front waiting for the newlyweds to go for a ride.

I started the car with no problem, pulled away, and started to climb the hill two blocks away and the car just sputtered, and bucked all the way up the hill. It kept running badly almost all the way to the reception and just had no power.

About a block away from our destination, I discovered that I had not advanced the spark after I started the car! So, I went around the block a couple of times to show the newlyweds and everyone already at the reception that the old girl really could run nice.

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Guest imported_MrEarl

Jeeez, i never thought I'd tell this one but....

I, Mr Big 54 Buick, installed a set of 54 portholes backwards!!!...BOTH SIDES. Didn't even notice it til I had taken a picture of the car and when I saw it thougt 'what the ****'. I blamed it on working in close quarters and the fact that I was under the car and Jordan was up top holding them in. his defense was "You inserted them, I just held them". and he was right duuhhhohhh

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Thought I'd never be telling this tale of D....But I was coming home from college driving my 65 Skylark when I noticed a tremendous amount of smoke coming out of the back. Pulled over and shut her off, I knew it was a hose. In the middle of nowhere, but no big deal I always carried tools in the trunk, with coolant, oil etc. Blew a heater core hose. Cut it, bypassed the heater, went on my merry way. After a while I noticed the car would miss just a little every once in a while but no biggie. Problem got worse the next day, so I looked into it but was not too concerned. Had it in the garage, checked wires cap etc. Pulled her out of the garage and it crapped out period. Hmm, now we got a problem. Rechecked everything, in the meantime I am spending hours on this thing with the hood up etc. Bypassed the fuel pump thinking maybe got bad gas anything and everything, still can't find why she won't start. As I was cranking the engine my Mom comes out to check on us, had a buddy over, my Dad etc. She points to the right side of the engine and says "is that supposed to spark like that". When I was cutting the hose I forgot the utility knife, it slid down the wheel well and perfectly wedged itself against the starter and the frame, the missing was the blade tapping against one of the contacts on the starter, when I pulled the car out of the garage the drive was on a slope, making the blade hit all the time keeping the car from starting. Yes Mr. mechanic here had his Mom find the problem that I created. And I had witnesses to boot.

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"What's your biggest embarrassing mechanical moment?"

Jumping in a car after its purchase without properly checking thinks out and knowing the ins and outs of its operation. In this case an Amphicar. To the river we went and after being out in the water for a while it started sputtering. Better get on land and get home as it could be one of many things that need attention. Stops on the way home and I figured out it was out of gas however it appears to have a reserve gas valve similar to a motorcycle. Switch it over and we are good to go, so back on the road.

Instead of getting gas as I get closer to home I decide to go back into the river nearer to the house. All is well until sputtering starts again and engine stops. Uh oh big trouble now as I know I am out of gas. Rapidly heading for a dam with no way of stopping as there is no anchor on board (now have) to stop me. Visions of making the 6 o'clock news pass through my brain. Panic sets in however lucky for me a pontoon boat sees I'm in trouble and comes to the rescue, throws rope and tows me to shore where a truck pulls me out and up the ramp. Call wife to bring gas, she thinks its funny, I am not amused and have learned a lesson, read the manual!

Have a good weekend.

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I had a big cheater bar on the crank bolt that I was turning the engine over by hand with. The whole front clip was off so I was up close and personal when I tried it with a screwdriver across the starter terminals.

The breaker bar spun around and nailed me in a very painful spot between the legs. I am lucky I dont sing Soprano.

Your turn Willie.....

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Wasn't mine, but the best I ever witnessed was the small block Chevy that the oil pump shaft was omitted from. Ran in the garage after rebuild on and off for about fifteen minutes. No one in control of the "incident" paid any attention to the oil pressure gauge or the warning light. At the last running, it started to squeak. Bet those rings and bearings were well seated!

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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

'Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

</div></div>

I prefer to speak, it's easier than people finding out later that I'm not the genius they thought I was.

<img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Mike

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Once after purchasing a new cap and rotor, and painstaking installing new wires, points and condensor on the 56, it wouldn't start. Thinking gas related I tried manually choking it, putting in an extra couple of gallons of gas, priming the carb but nothing.

Figuring something went wrong with the points I removed the cap only to find I forgot to install the rotor. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Of course by then it was flooded.

Never forgot a rotor again, at least so far.

John d

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I have run in to a lot of "D'oh" moments on the road working on stuff for others. Like getting a sevice call only to find out that what I was called for only needed gas or diesel fuel. It is one of the first things that I check as this has happend on a number of occasions.

I had one a number of years ago that a customer had a problem with a Bobcat loader with a backhoe attachment that he could not get to work. The loader worked fine. I opened up an access panel only to find that there was a big rock under the pedal preventing the valve body from deverting the hydrolic pressure from switching from the loader to the hoe. You should have seen the look on his face <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> when I pulled that rock out and the thing worked!

Just recently another customer called and had a problem with an 8N Ford tractor that the battery went dead on over the winter. He went and bought a new battery and then called me because he could not figure out how to install it. I went over there to find that he had bought a 12 volt instead of a 6 volt and his complaint was that it was too tall??? I told him to take back the 12 and pick up a 6. Also he asked me about the correct direction to install it and I told him it was positive ground. His responds was "Then where does the other wire go? <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Du'hoooo. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> With folks like this around looks like my job is secure for many years to come. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Dave!

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My father (no, really, it was him and not me) returned a new battery because it was dead. The counter guy pointed out to him that the plastic terminal post protectors needed to be removed before connecting it. And he was a good mechanic, too. We laughed about that for years afterwards.

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Had another one yesterday, A cutomer called me about a rideing lawn mower that the mower drive would not ingage on. I went and took a look and found the battery was dead. I jumped it and it started right up with out a problem. I pulled the mower switch out and it worked without a problem. Did some tests and found that it is not charging. The clutch on this unit is electromagnetic and needs a good charged battery to work. The ignition is though mags on the flywheel so that part is not affected by the lack of juice in the battery. The motor will still run. I called him after the sevice call to tell him what I had found and he said, "I knew the battery was dead." Duh'oooo <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> , Do you thing maybe that's why the mower does not work? <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Just needs a regulator and everything will be fine. Like I said, Business is secure around these parts! At Dandydave's, Job Security is # one! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Dave!

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Guest 57wagon

Mega Do'h! My 95 Roadmaster was running fine on the way home, but when I made the turn into the driveway she started to sputter. Looked at the gas guage and it was just above empty. Got her into the driveway and parked her on a slight hill backwards. Checked everything: Throttle sensor, mass air flow sensor, spark plug wires, plugs, filter element, fuel filter (in line- not the tank one <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />) the coil, all of I replaced and still she sputtered and coughed - finally culminating in a no start at all. So I had her towed 30 miles to my mechanic, who pushed her into the garage and started looking her over. When he had her on the lift, he hit the bottom of the gas tank - dryer than an Arizona wash! Yup, it was way out of gas. $900 in parts, towing and labor and a week of no car - for a $1.00 in gas that would have made it to the station and filled it up! Oh! And the best part? When pushing the car into the service bay, one of the guys put his back into it and caved in the tailgate - which had to be repainted and was never right again after that...I guess it just was not my week with that car!

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Oh, I've forgotten to put the oil slinger back on the crankshaft before placing the timing cover on a 455 a <span style="text-decoration: underline">couple</span> of times!

After everything was buttoned up, there it was sitting on the workbench. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

I think I should hang it around my neck the next time.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Long story short. Its cold here in winter. Installed remote starter, Chevy work truck had 5 speed manual. Chevy doesn't have neutral safety switch on trans. Bypass clutch switch. One morning I start truck from bedroom window. Truck starts to roll as I left in gear. I hit stop and walk to get my shoes. The remote apparently try's to restart a second time on it's own. My wife says "dear your truck is going down the street on its own". It goes down the street and misses 3 cars and scrapes the side of neighbors house. Thank god no one is hurt. Deputy asks me how truck rolled up hill. Remove Remote Starter, Try explain to boss what happened.

RY

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest Dans 77 Limited

I have several. But the one thats sticking at the moment ocurred shortly after getting my first street legal car. It was old and needed a lot of work . The state inspection was up for it at the end of that week. So I was like a teenager posessed , you didnt see me without a wrench or body tool in my hand. I put a patch on the lower right quarter, smoothed it all out and even now 25 years later , consider it one of my finest auto body repairs ...it looked good. Later in the week most of the work is done and Im on my way to having my car legal for a year. The last thing to do is new rear brakes. My buddy Joe comes over the house and we proceed to tear into the brakes. He does one side , I do the other. In 20 minutes were done. brakes changed , drums reinstalled , wheels put on, ready to go. Get myself cleaned up and its time to go out and show off my new wheels. Im riding around and at the time Pittsburgh wasnt very good with pothole repair (some would say they still arent).Im going down a particularly rough stretch of the main street in my neighborhood when the back wheel comes off the car...... naturally in front of a whole group of girls that I was trying to talk into a ride in my new car.Well that ended that. I get out and look , the loose wheel has completely destroyed the quarter,and flat spotted the drum. Well amidst the laughter I walk down to the local pizza shop and ask the owners if I could use the phone to call home. I call my Dad, explain the situation to him and ask what should I do ? his reply was and I quote " Put the damn wheel back on and bring that POS home !!!!!!" . Turns out I thought Joe had tightened his wheel and since I had the 4 way Joe thought I tightened the wheel. Nobody did.Dad bought me a new brake drum, we redid the quarter and about a week later the car did pass inspection , but it was embarassing.

Dan

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