Not quite engine related but last week a coworker rolled his van coming to work ( late, snow and icy). Van got towed to tow yard, later in the same day he went to view the van ( driving his wifes car ) , snuck in behind the truck plowing snow, ( dumb ) and promptly got backed into by the plow truck!
1 totalled
other crushed trunk lid / bumper
Fatal Mistakes....
Moderator: Team
One of the auto shop guys was relieving the block on a flathead with a real powerful 3/8 drill with a burr cutting tool on it. We used to wear the baggy uniform coveralls at shop. As he was hunkering down the drill caught the slack in the crotch and proceeded to wind up the coveralls until we noticed him screaming in an ever higher toned pitch as it reached the nut sack area and started winding it up too. We were laughing so hard we could barely make to the outlet to unplug it
In 1976 I was 17 and had a '64 Lemans 326. The motor was so tired whenever I burned up one of those 2 speed TH300 transmissions, I could rotate the engine over to unbolt the converter by gragbbing the flex plate with one hand, so I decided to rebuild a 389 out of a '66 GTO. I had the block bored, hot-tanked and freeze plugs replaced. I did the heads myself at auto shop and assembled and installed the motor myself.
After firing it up, it would quickly and violently overheat in a very short time. I messed around with it off and on for several weeks, pulled the heads and checked for obstructions, changed the water pump, etc., until finally pulled off the timing cover and saw that the machine shop had installed freeze plugs in the round ports in the block which allow coolant to flow back and forth thru the timing cover and water pump.
Of course, by this time I had overheated those fresh rings so badly that it was a real smoker, and could still turn it over by hand.
Years later I was working at a motorcycle shop, and another mechanic was firing up an older kick start sportster after rebuilding the engine. He took it off the lift table to make it easier to kick, fired it up and let it run at a fast idle. After 30 seconds or so, the bike took off, spinning around on its kickstand about one revolution, then standing somewhat upright and running itself into a wall.
He had forgotten to fill the trans, and a gear welded itself to the mainshaft.
After firing it up, it would quickly and violently overheat in a very short time. I messed around with it off and on for several weeks, pulled the heads and checked for obstructions, changed the water pump, etc., until finally pulled off the timing cover and saw that the machine shop had installed freeze plugs in the round ports in the block which allow coolant to flow back and forth thru the timing cover and water pump.
Of course, by this time I had overheated those fresh rings so badly that it was a real smoker, and could still turn it over by hand.
Years later I was working at a motorcycle shop, and another mechanic was firing up an older kick start sportster after rebuilding the engine. He took it off the lift table to make it easier to kick, fired it up and let it run at a fast idle. After 30 seconds or so, the bike took off, spinning around on its kickstand about one revolution, then standing somewhat upright and running itself into a wall.
He had forgotten to fill the trans, and a gear welded itself to the mainshaft.
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KnightEngines
- Guru
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- Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 8:51 pm
- Location: Australia
Many years ago when I was fresh out of my apprenticeship my boss at the time was getting me to weld up the occasional cracked oil drain plug holes on toyota 4x4 trannys.
They were a bit thin & when the spud dealership mechanics leaned on them too hard they'd crack.
Used to do them on a hoist with the tig, vee out the crack, clean it up & weld it.
On the last one I ever did I musta got a bit overzealous with the thinners to clean it up & managed to get some into the trans.
Was happily welding away, building up a bit of heat in the trans & evaporating the thinners into a nice explosive vapour.
I heard a bit of a whoosh as it started to pull air in to feed the fire & ducked out of instinct - the bastard went off like a rocket engine about 1/2 a second after I got my head out the way.
One of the guys in the office looked up when he heard the whoosh - he said the blue & red flame shot about 20 feet out from under the thing, it blew trans fluid against the wall about 30 feet away & scared the living shit out of me.
Blew all the seals out the trans & I had to change my undies.
I told em I ain't doing any more of the damn things, not for any money.
They were a bit thin & when the spud dealership mechanics leaned on them too hard they'd crack.
Used to do them on a hoist with the tig, vee out the crack, clean it up & weld it.
On the last one I ever did I musta got a bit overzealous with the thinners to clean it up & managed to get some into the trans.
Was happily welding away, building up a bit of heat in the trans & evaporating the thinners into a nice explosive vapour.
I heard a bit of a whoosh as it started to pull air in to feed the fire & ducked out of instinct - the bastard went off like a rocket engine about 1/2 a second after I got my head out the way.
One of the guys in the office looked up when he heard the whoosh - he said the blue & red flame shot about 20 feet out from under the thing, it blew trans fluid against the wall about 30 feet away & scared the living shit out of me.
Blew all the seals out the trans & I had to change my undies.
I told em I ain't doing any more of the damn things, not for any money.
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nickmckinney
- Guru
- Posts: 1417
- Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2008 11:21 pm
- Location: Orlando
- Contact:
Customer crushed the front of the oil pan slightly on a 4.6 Ford installing it. This pan had a crank scraper mounted in the front. Called me bitching about the main bearing knock the dealership diagnosed. When he brought the car over I just about laughed once I crawled underneath and saw a freshly bent pan. It was just enough for the scraper to hit the crank and made a sound I never heard before.
Same customer then bent the top of a valve installing different cams after replacing the oil pan. On these motors the stock valve guides are powdered metal. After about 500 miles the guide finally came apart and took out the entire engine.
I don't use stock guides anymore on these................
Same customer then bent the top of a valve installing different cams after replacing the oil pan. On these motors the stock valve guides are powdered metal. After about 500 miles the guide finally came apart and took out the entire engine.
I don't use stock guides anymore on these................
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Ken_Parkman
- Expert
- Posts: 661
- Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2005 11:30 pm
- Location: Ontario, Canada
That one reminds me of the guy who built the BBC in the basement of his house. To get it out of the basement he put a rope on it and used the 4x4 to drag the completed engine up the stairs, did have boards laid on the steps. The thing worked well, but had a knock from the crank hitting the bent oil pan.
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vincenelson
- Pro
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- Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 11:56 pm
- Location:
Had a friend assemble his new motor. I got a call that it was really smoking bad and since I did the heads for him he was asking me if I had done something wrong....I made him pull the heads and took them apart again with him watching. We found nothing wrong with the heads. He put the heads on and I suggested for him to cruze the car a few miles to see what that would do. He calls me up and says that in a 20 mile drive it used 2 quarts of oil. So we finally got around to finding how the the motor was assembled to which he was proud to tell me that he used pure STP on all moving parts including the pistons. We pulled the enging down washed all the parts and reassembled the engine, with regular assembly oil. The rings seated, and he was as happy as a lark. A good side note he did kill all the mosquitos in a 20 mile radius.
almost embarrassing, but another rock n roll classic......and very recently happened to my bandaged finger
because the roller cam came in late for a 347 SBF build up I installed rotating assembly first and then cam. Usually I put cam in first because it is so much easier.
OK, I slide cam in and the further it goes in the harder it is to guide it in. To get it into rearmost cam bearing I poke my finger through a lifter valley hole and lift cam up. To get it in I carefully tapped cam and the millisecond I tapped the cam I just said oh shit and another millisecond later yelled in pain. Of course my fingertip got nicely jammed between a sharp billet lobe and the cam bearing..............it hurts, it really hurts guys
because the roller cam came in late for a 347 SBF build up I installed rotating assembly first and then cam. Usually I put cam in first because it is so much easier.
OK, I slide cam in and the further it goes in the harder it is to guide it in. To get it into rearmost cam bearing I poke my finger through a lifter valley hole and lift cam up. To get it in I carefully tapped cam and the millisecond I tapped the cam I just said oh shit and another millisecond later yelled in pain. Of course my fingertip got nicely jammed between a sharp billet lobe and the cam bearing..............it hurts, it really hurts guys
Let me set this up for you.Grew up around automatics.Never messed with sticks at all.So in 1992 I have this 79 camaro with a 327.Had lower oil pressure so I thought I would slide under it and throw some new bearings in it.Dad always yelled at me for not using jackstands so I made sure I had a set under this one.So I get the pan off and start replacing bearings and I am turning the engine over with a breaker bar laying on my back.Holy crap this things got compression.Got another set done,started turning it over again,turning REALLY HARD[funny I didn't break the bolt off!] and I look and see the jackstands groaning and creaking.Two legs on each one were an inch off the ground.Car is a stick and in gear! I come out from under there like a rocket!Hows that for dumb?
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enkeivette
- Pro
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- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:04 pm
- Location:
Soo Many Story and Soo Little Time
I built my first engine at 16. It had a knock at about 4,000 rpm. Never figured it out. Ran like a top at idle. It was a free '67 Opel Kadett L station wagon, so I didn't do a post mortem on it. I traded it for a '59 F100.
Said F100 had a 312 that liked to flood over. So in trying to clean it out, I pulled the carb off and turn it over. You guessed it fire. Only problem was that it fired first then backfired. I had disconnected the fuel line and it was spraying fuel all over about the time the backfire hit. I had jumped it across the solenoid terminals, so I am standing right there. Out of instinct, I grab the burning fuel line and yank it back, spraying fuel up my arm. I then jerk my arm back and caught the cheek of my thumb on the radiator support, slicing it. I stomping around, on fire, cussing like a drunken sailor. Everything turned out OK. I later flipped the truck end for end back wards!
Friend rebuilds his '68 Roadrunner engine while I am away for basic training. I get back and they are just finishing it and want me to oversee the first fire. I was the mechanic of the bunch, but it wasn't by much. First try to turn it over and it won't budge. Must be a little tight. Finally get my old man's Jeep and pull the car down the highway squealing the tires until it finally breaks loose. Turns out they installed the timing chain with the key ways lined up and not the dots. Bent 8 push rods. Finally got it running and drove it about 2 miles to the location where I would later flip my '59 F100 and the main bearings start squealing. Not good.
I did the intake rag thing also, but just on one cylinder. The real remember-able part that day was taking a drink of my Mountain Dew that a bee had taken refuge in and getting stung in the mouth.
I did the breaker bar-balancer bolt start up thing also.
Rebuilt a 400 Chevy for a friend's pickup. He had the machine work done prior to my involvement. After installing the engine, we begin filling it with water/antifreeze. I hear that water start running onto the floor. Where could it be coming from? The exhaust. There was a small, but deep ding in the head surface that the owner and machinist didn't see. I never looked at the heads that closely while assembling the engine.
I built several engines for a circle tracker. He calls me one day and says that there is a problem with an engine that we had just freshened. The main bearings were chirping. Come to find out he used grease to punch out the throwout bearing and the grease was left in after installing the new one. The input shaft caused hydraulic pressure and killed the thrust bearing.
There are more, but I have hogged the thread enough. I guess if you do a lot, there is room for error.
Said F100 had a 312 that liked to flood over. So in trying to clean it out, I pulled the carb off and turn it over. You guessed it fire. Only problem was that it fired first then backfired. I had disconnected the fuel line and it was spraying fuel all over about the time the backfire hit. I had jumped it across the solenoid terminals, so I am standing right there. Out of instinct, I grab the burning fuel line and yank it back, spraying fuel up my arm. I then jerk my arm back and caught the cheek of my thumb on the radiator support, slicing it. I stomping around, on fire, cussing like a drunken sailor. Everything turned out OK. I later flipped the truck end for end back wards!
Friend rebuilds his '68 Roadrunner engine while I am away for basic training. I get back and they are just finishing it and want me to oversee the first fire. I was the mechanic of the bunch, but it wasn't by much. First try to turn it over and it won't budge. Must be a little tight. Finally get my old man's Jeep and pull the car down the highway squealing the tires until it finally breaks loose. Turns out they installed the timing chain with the key ways lined up and not the dots. Bent 8 push rods. Finally got it running and drove it about 2 miles to the location where I would later flip my '59 F100 and the main bearings start squealing. Not good.
I did the intake rag thing also, but just on one cylinder. The real remember-able part that day was taking a drink of my Mountain Dew that a bee had taken refuge in and getting stung in the mouth.
I did the breaker bar-balancer bolt start up thing also.
Rebuilt a 400 Chevy for a friend's pickup. He had the machine work done prior to my involvement. After installing the engine, we begin filling it with water/antifreeze. I hear that water start running onto the floor. Where could it be coming from? The exhaust. There was a small, but deep ding in the head surface that the owner and machinist didn't see. I never looked at the heads that closely while assembling the engine.
I built several engines for a circle tracker. He calls me one day and says that there is a problem with an engine that we had just freshened. The main bearings were chirping. Come to find out he used grease to punch out the throwout bearing and the grease was left in after installing the new one. The input shaft caused hydraulic pressure and killed the thrust bearing.
There are more, but I have hogged the thread enough. I guess if you do a lot, there is room for error.
When I was 18 I took the 351 windsor out of my cougar and built a 428. Whe I hooked up the power steering lines on the assist cylinder I reversed them. It started and ran alright until I turned the steering wheel that started a series of violent jerks on the steering. When i turned the wheel left it opened the hyd valve to assist but the cylinder turned the tires right. That caused the steering gear to spin right violently until it overran the cylinder and then opened the valve to assist and spun it the other way until it overran again. Almost broke my arm trying to turn off the ignition. Swapped the hoses, didn't think any more about it untill the ball fell off the end of my pitman arm a couple days later while traveling 60 mph down a county road. Crossed a ditch, left 1 front wheell in ditch, grazed a light pole, went through 100 ' of ccornfield with ears of corn slamming my windshield and my girlfriend screaming bloody murder. Totaled the car Ahh the good ole' days!
Far better it is to try and fail than never to try at all.
Not an engine catastopy, but close.
Years ago I use to run a big block chevy at the raceway. It needed to be freshed up and it was pulled from the vette and placed on the engine stand. The stand had been really beefed up to support all that weight and in fact I had upgraded the casters to some small phenumatic wheels and it rolled pretty easy even with the big block on there. I lived at the top of a steep hill and one day the stand got bumped and it headed for the garage door. I scrambled for it and in the process snagged my shirt on the engine as it was moving. It proceded to drag my kester out of the garage and down the driveway before I could get loose. It continued across the street, hit the curb and took a right down the hill and down the street. Man that thing was moving! It crossed another street, went down an embankment and into a pond settling deep into mud under several feet of water. It took a big truck and several hours to get it out. I had a good case of road rash and the engine ended up traveling several hundred feet.
Years ago I use to run a big block chevy at the raceway. It needed to be freshed up and it was pulled from the vette and placed on the engine stand. The stand had been really beefed up to support all that weight and in fact I had upgraded the casters to some small phenumatic wheels and it rolled pretty easy even with the big block on there. I lived at the top of a steep hill and one day the stand got bumped and it headed for the garage door. I scrambled for it and in the process snagged my shirt on the engine as it was moving. It proceded to drag my kester out of the garage and down the driveway before I could get loose. It continued across the street, hit the curb and took a right down the hill and down the street. Man that thing was moving! It crossed another street, went down an embankment and into a pond settling deep into mud under several feet of water. It took a big truck and several hours to get it out. I had a good case of road rash and the engine ended up traveling several hundred feet.
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Bad Hombre
- Member
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:28 pm
- Location:
I knew a guy once, along time ago he was changing a timing chain and gear set on a SBF. He had a starter button set up so he could line up the timing marks on the old set before he removed them. As he leaned over he put his finger between the cam gear and chain to see how sloppy it was but at the same time his stomach pushed the starter button. He got off it quickly but his finger was 5 teeth into the gear. Now he had to bump it all the way around the get his finger out. What a mess.
Last edited by Bad Hombre on Mon Apr 13, 2009 10:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.