Do You Have Any Embarrassing Repair Mistakes?

[rodmckie]

been there done that ....keeps opec happt:cool2:

 

[brain55]

Changed oil in my ZTR mower last week and started pouring in the oil, after a half gallon it was still just touching the stick so I went to get another gallon jug. Upon returning with the new gallon, THEN I noticed oil all over the ground under the mower; I had forgotten to put the plug back in the drain hose. First time that has ever happened to me on oil changes.
That cost me 2 quarts of full synthetic.

If you have never done that, you either have not done enough oil changes or you're lying, lol.

In my 25+ years as a professional mechanic I have done it more than once. I'm trying to come up with my most embarrassing. There is always the getting everything back together and seeing the shim or spacer on the bench and having to take whatever transmission or differential back apart to put it in. That usually comes right after thinking, Wow, that went back together easy. There are really a lot over my career, it is hard to narrow it down, because most of the time I just chuckle at myself and take care of it.

Brian

Wait, I remember one now. Ask me how I know black wires are not grounds in German cars. Not long after trade school I was working on a Jetta and plugged a loose black wire into a ground. I let the smoke out of a lot of wires and all of the switches in the dash, lol. What did I know, I had primarily worked on American cars up until then. Black is ground.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Now that the kids are teenagers I do not do dumb stuff. I tell them I did it just to teach them what NOT to do.

 

[JimRB]

I had my 1966 Beetle engine back together, then I noticed the pushrod tubes I forgot to install. At least that engine did not have head gaskets.

I had a 1966 Squareback that I had the clutch out for some reason. I reinstalled things and the clutch would not work. I removed the engine again and installed a new clutch/pressure plate. It has been 35 years ago so I forget the gory details but maybe there were none.

It takes me two days to do a timing belt on my Jetta TDI. Guys that do it often say then can do it in 4-6 hours. I schedule 2 days to allow for frustrations that I forgot the belt path of the accessories belt or something else that befuddles me. Or I get distracted with cleaning something up.

 

[Rford]

First time resleeving my Perkins 152 engine. Used an ax handle to drive the liner in (laid it across the top, tapped with a hammer) like it said to do on some rebuilding engine forum, for chainsaws.....after about 6 hits the liner had had enough a big chip flew off the lip.....just as it was happening it dawned on me that I was going to break the liner with this technique....fortunately, the parts place sold liners separately....

 

[stuckmotor]

I patched a tube and put a boot in a front tractor tire. When finished, I noticed a strange bulge in the tire. I also noticed that my bead breaking tool was missing. You know the rest of the story.

 

[Ken]

Have a Allis Chalmers WD-45 that water got into the pan so decided to rebuild. Removed engine put on bench and put in new main bearings, rod bearings.
replaced the clutch and checked engine timing all good. re-installed the engine and checked all started the engine. Compression still 80 pounds on all cylinders had good oil pressure . 12 at idle and 25 full throttle. Then found the new rings in box of new parts Remember pulling pistons and checking the sleeve wear. then returning then to the cylinders so wouldn't get them mixed up .
Does this mean getting old and forgetful or something just goes blank at times.
ken

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Have a Allis Chalmers WD-45 that water got into the pan so decided to rebuild. Removed engine put on bench and put in new main bearings, rod bearings.
replaced the clutch and checked engine timing all good. re-installed the engine and checked all started the engine. Compression still 80 pounds on all cylinders had good oil pressure . 12 at idle and 25 full throttle. Then found the new rings in box of new parts Remember pulling pistons and checking the sleeve wear. then returning then to the cylinders so wouldn't get them mixed up .
Does this mean getting old and forgetful or something just goes blank at times.
ken

Where is the ring set today?

 

[rodmckie]

hear you brother.......am still trying to figure out what i did with all that nothing that i don't have lol,

 

[sixdogs]

I patched a tube and put a boot in a front tractor tire. When finished, I noticed a strange bulge in the tire. I also noticed that my bead breaking tool was missing. You know the rest of the story.

That's a good one.