What a stupid move!!

[HCJtractor]

Last night I really had a brain lapse. I am removing my fuel tanks because of a trash issue. My tractor is sitting on my trailer. I removed one tank and was working on the other. There is a cross brace I removed on the first that supported the tank. No problem. On the identical cross brace on the other tank, it had three bolts, not two. Working with poor lighting from underneath, and being in a hurry, I used my impact to remove the three bolts. First bolt out . Engaged the second bolt and to my surprise, it was the drain for the hydraulic tank! As hydraulic fluid spewed all down my arm and shoulder, I stuck my finger in the hole and stopped the flow. I can't believe I did that! THe drain plug actually went thru the cross brace but of course was not actually holding it. As I lay there I could not find the plug. It had disappeared. No one was there to call for help so I realized I was either going to spend the night with my finger in the hole or lose lots of fluid. So after 5 minutes, I thought "screw it"! So I slid out, ran to grab a 5 gallon bucket and let it flow. Ten gallons later, I finally found the plug but of course it was too late. Of course my buckets were not clean, so the hydraulic fluid is trashed. I could not believe I just dumped $200 worth of fluid in dirty buckets, on my trailer, on the floor, and down my shirt. If it were not so stupid and funny, I probably would never have admitted to being such an idiot mechanic. Anybody ever done anything this lame??

 

[Artisan]

Well, takes a big man to make light of his own mistakes...BUT, why didn't
you disrobe and cram your chonies in that hole?

Maybe rip your T shirt or pull off a sock! Theres always a way my man!

I am glad you didn't get hurt, it could have been HOT oil...

...and yes, I have made some real bonehead moves...about 5 years ago
I had my sewer camera inside a sewer and it was not till after I had so
skillfully severed the cast iron pipe w/ a handheld 14" cut off saw that I
realized the camera was still in the pipe. It was a $420.00 blunder PLUS
a trip to the dealer and a 1/2 a day lost... Fuel, wear and tear on a
VERY expensive truck all toll? Over a grand...

 

[jonyyuma]

Ouch, that one hurts?? O f course there have been times that my Mind wandered, or jumped out of gear? I agree about the plug, no hope for it to show it's self at the dire moment?

 

[Bird]

Last night I really had a brain lapse. I am removing my fuel tanks because of a trash issue. My tractor is sitting on my trailer. I removed one tank and was working on the other. There is a cross brace I removed on the first that supported the tank. No problem. On the identical cross brace on the other tank, it had three bolts, not two. Working with poor lighting from underneath, and being in a hurry, I used my impact to remove the three bolts. First bolt out . Engaged the second bolt and to my surprise, it was the drain for the hydraulic tank! As hydraulic fluid spewed all down my arm and shoulder, I stuck my finger in the hole and stopped the flow. I can't believe I did that! THe drain plug actually went thru the cross brace but of course was not actually holding it. As I lay there I could not find the plug. It had disappeared. No one was there to call for help so I realized I was either going to spend the night with my finger in the hole or lose lots of fluid. So after 5 minutes, I thought "screw it"! So I slid out, ran to grab a 5 gallon bucket and let it flow. Ten gallons later, I finally found the plug but of course it was too late. Of course my buckets were not clean, so the hydraulic fluid is trashed. I could not believe I just dumped $200 worth of fluid in dirty buckets, on my trailer, on the floor, and down my shirt. If it were not so stupid and funny, I probably would never have admitted to being such an idiot mechanic. Anybody ever done anything this lame??

I'm certainly glad you did that. It's always good to know I'm not the only one who has done things like that.:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[Steave]

Thanks for the laugh at your expense. I could almost picture it, funny thought of you plugging the hole and looking or feeling for the plug bolt.

Now of course I've never done anything like that.

 

[EddieWalker]

why didn't
you disrobe and cram your chonies in that hole?

That's where I was expecting the story to go. Socks, a shirt or something would have fit in the hole for a quick fix.

Doing it once is perfectly acceptable. The next time you do it, that's when we'll give you a hard time!!! :laughing:

Eddie

 

[LBrown59]

*Now of course I've never done anything like that.

* Neither have I because all the dummies out there have done them all so there are none left fore me. * :laughing:

 

[namesray]

thanks for the story and laugh! glad you are ok too. it's funny because YOU can make light of it too and that is the best thing you can do.

i have done simular things. replacing belt on jacobsen mower, i thought i could do it the "quick" way by removing the radiator hose and putting the new belt on that way instead of taking the driveshaft off. couldn't even do it that way anyway. kinda turned out like your story. boss laughed at me. i did get the hose back on, but not before losing alot of coolant. also i try so hard to not "over fill" when refilling after fluid change. well, in a hurry i just kept pumping the new fluid in and before you know it, way too full. then have to go for the drain plug and couldn't get it back in while the fluid was draining out. most all the fluid come out and all down my arm and back as i was laying down under the machine. so i started over all covered in oil. i believe even the best mechanics do things simular from time to time or atleast in their past. they just don't like to admit it always.:ashamed:

 

[Don87]

Last night I really had a brain lapse. I am removing my fuel tanks because of a trash issue. My tractor is sitting on my trailer. I removed one tank and was working on the other. There is a cross brace I removed on the first that supported the tank. No problem. On the identical cross brace on the other tank, it had three bolts, not two. Working with poor lighting from underneath, and being in a hurry, I used my impact to remove the three bolts. First bolt out . Engaged the second bolt and to my surprise, it was the drain for the hydraulic tank! As hydraulic fluid spewed all down my arm and shoulder, I stuck my finger in the hole and stopped the flow. I can't believe I did that! THe drain plug actually went thru the cross brace but of course was not actually holding it. As I lay there I could not find the plug. It had disappeared. No one was there to call for help so I realized I was either going to spend the night with my finger in the hole or lose lots of fluid. So after 5 minutes, I thought "screw it"! So I slid out, ran to grab a 5 gallon bucket and let it flow. Ten gallons later, I finally found the plug but of course it was too late. Of course my buckets were not clean, so the hydraulic fluid is trashed. I could not believe I just dumped $200 worth of fluid in dirty buckets, on my trailer, on the floor, and down my shirt. If it were not so stupid and funny, I probably would never have admitted to being such an idiot mechanic. Anybody ever done anything this lame??

No, I never, Honest

 

[cowski]

every time that happens to me ,i say it needed changing anyway.