I pulled a pretty minor yet stupid one last night: I was putting new sections on my NH 488. Couple of buddies stopped by the barn and we enjoyed a couple of "adult sodas". I guess I got distracted and flipped the bar over. I installed all 40 sections upside down! Couple hours later, its all fixed. Still feel like a DA. Maybe I should get most the work done before the "sodas" come out!
- Thread starter JBMac
- Start date
Billy Shafer
Well-known Member
I worked on a transfer switch for over an hour. Wouldn't transfer. Looked over and saw the transfer motor switch off. Felt like a real idiot. Told the customer loose wire no charge and left.
Not mine but a friend years ago built a muscle car engine. I was there for the first start. Chevy engine and he had a couple of grand in it. Now for those who don't know on that engine the distributer turn to oil pump too. He didn't install the distributer clamp. After it started he was messing with the dizzy and it walked up enough to disengage the oil pump! I looked in the car at the gauges, saw it had no oil pressure and shut it off. He had to replace all of the bearings, cam shaft and turn the brand new forged steel crank.
Rick
Rick
fixerupper
Well-known Member
Oh boy, where do I start?
Harold Hubbard
Member
1956 Dodge flathead six, installed #1 main bearing upside down, oil holes didn't register, made a whole whopping half mile before the #1 rod started knocking.
Determined
Well-known Member
New Holland bar rake.
Ratcheting hub blew apart a mile from the yard and rake stopped turning.
Jammed the handle of a pair of pliers in and wired them to the rim so I could finish the field.
That was three years ago and it is still working fine.
Ratcheting hub blew apart a mile from the yard and rake stopped turning.
Jammed the handle of a pair of pliers in and wired them to the rim so I could finish the field.
That was three years ago and it is still working fine.
fixerupper
Well-known Member
Harold, come to think of it I did that same thing years ago with a WW2 Ford army jeep. I was fresh out of mechanics school and knew it all. Reversed a couple of main bearing shells on a freshly ground crank. It's an awful feeling when the engine seizes up. The crank wasn't damaged. Put new inserts in and it ran fine. Jim
redforlife
Well-known Member
Almost got started putting the sections on pointing the wrong way one time. Not upside down, but turned half way around pointing the other way. A friend of mine rebuilt a rear end. A project that was worked on over time. He completed it and installed it later. He didn't get much use out of it. He had completely forgotten to put any grease in it. Didn't run it long at all before it was shelled out again.
RCP
Well-known Member
- Location
- Grove City Pa
After studying a tractor tire and rim for several minutes before installation. I still managed to put it on backwards, GRRRRRR. The remount went a lot faster.
RCP
RCP
Not a botch up, but an aggervating experience none the less.
Our creeper range John Deere 4430 started showing low oil pressure last season so we put it in the shop last winter to check the bearings. Hunch was right problem was in two places, one of the rear trust bearings was half out and who ever put it together the first time put the oil cooler bypass gasket on backwards and it blew out so it was loosing oil pressure there. Long story short, put new rods and mains in, everything in spec. Didn't have 15 minutes on it and it locked up. Pull the pan back down, #5 rod decided to grab the crank, didn't spin, looks like the shell collasped. Talked to the supplier, they sent us new ones, send the old ones back. Put new rod bearings in again and no problems. No one has an explaination for me.
Our creeper range John Deere 4430 started showing low oil pressure last season so we put it in the shop last winter to check the bearings. Hunch was right problem was in two places, one of the rear trust bearings was half out and who ever put it together the first time put the oil cooler bypass gasket on backwards and it blew out so it was loosing oil pressure there. Long story short, put new rods and mains in, everything in spec. Didn't have 15 minutes on it and it locked up. Pull the pan back down, #5 rod decided to grab the crank, didn't spin, looks like the shell collasped. Talked to the supplier, they sent us new ones, send the old ones back. Put new rod bearings in again and no problems. No one has an explaination for me.
Put a 283 Chev V8 in my 1936 Chev pickup in the summer of 1967, when I was 18. I hadn't put any assembly lube in the engine when I put it back together, so it would hardly turn over (I had washed all the part with gasoline, so they were pretty dry). Luckily, the neighbor walked me through fixing that.
Bigger problem was the PowerGlide transmission. I had not installed the kick-down rod from the carburetor to the transmission, thinking it was just there to kick the tranny down into low when you punched the gas, and figured I could handle that manually. Found out later (when the transmission quit working) that it also controlled the oil pressure in the transmission, and wasn't optional. Oops. . .
And speaking of automatics, did you know that if you cruise around the WSU campus all of a spring afternoon in low gear in your '59 Ford Galaxie with Ford-o-matic (to take maximum advantage of the excellent dual exhaust sound), you'll burn up reverse?
Bigger problem was the PowerGlide transmission. I had not installed the kick-down rod from the carburetor to the transmission, thinking it was just there to kick the tranny down into low when you punched the gas, and figured I could handle that manually. Found out later (when the transmission quit working) that it also controlled the oil pressure in the transmission, and wasn't optional. Oops. . .
And speaking of automatics, did you know that if you cruise around the WSU campus all of a spring afternoon in low gear in your '59 Ford Galaxie with Ford-o-matic (to take maximum advantage of the excellent dual exhaust sound), you'll burn up reverse?
Installed that 4-taper-bolt coupler in a Farmall "H" drive train backwards, means the drive shaft does not even get inside the pilot bearing, ran it a few weeks, disced up some gruond, until the drive shaft went berserk, blew up things, vibrated itself .... gonna stop now.
When I first got married, wife and I rented an upper flat from my elderly aunts in Detroit (this was 1973) . The plaster walls in the kitchen and bath of the flat were a mess because the finish coat had separated from the base coat. Lots of big open areas with the finish coat ready to come off in other areas. Rather than patch, I installed drywall over it. Smart idea but first time I had ever done drywall. The seams and corners were UGLY and not straight. Plus, I didn't remove the molding and door trim. Just pried them up and shoved the drywall behind it. My aunts never said anything about it, I was mighty proud of my work. The house was torn down several years ago, so I breath a sigh of relief when I drive by the empty lot that no one can walk through even a vacant house and say "Who the heck did this?"
Fawteen
Well-known Member
- Location
- Downeast Maine
First time I ever overhauled an SBC.
Got the crank in, putting the piston/rod assemblies back in. I didn't know any better and nobody told me about putting protectors on the rod bolts.
Putting the last one in, it was being a little contrary and I was "tunking" the top with the wooden handle of a hammer. When it finally decided to go, it REALLY went and drove the rod bolt right into the crank journal of my freshly machined crank.
Even a dumb-donkey like me could see THAT wasn't going to buff out. Turns out, it wouldn't polish out either and I had to cough up for another core crank.
Got the crank in, putting the piston/rod assemblies back in. I didn't know any better and nobody told me about putting protectors on the rod bolts.
Putting the last one in, it was being a little contrary and I was "tunking" the top with the wooden handle of a hammer. When it finally decided to go, it REALLY went and drove the rod bolt right into the crank journal of my freshly machined crank.
Even a dumb-donkey like me could see THAT wasn't going to buff out. Turns out, it wouldn't polish out either and I had to cough up for another core crank.
gtractorfan
Well-known Member
I was working in a small machine shop, about 6 employees with a secretary. Men's restroom sink was slow draining. I had the perfect solution. I used a rubber "cork" sink stopper, drilled a hole thru for an airhose gun. Gave the drain a shot of air. Someone on the other side of the wall yelled "HEY!!" I went to look what the hey happened. Didn't think of it --there was another sink on the opposite side of the wall. THe blast of air managed to clean out that sink's trap-- all over the wall and on the ceiling! I had a clean up job and the drain still wasn't fixed. At least the plumbing didn't fly apart-- (and I didnt' get fired).
DaninKansas
Member
That's funny as he!!
Goose
Well-known Member
I had a Chevy 4wd pickup with the trans needing overhauling. I'd never done one before, so I bought an overhaul kit and a step by step manual and went to work. Fabricated a few tools along the way.
Had it all done, installed in the pickup with the transfer case on, and found I could only rotate the tail shaft in one direction. My first thought was of a one way clutch inside the trans. I pulled the whole thing apart again, and found there was only one way that clutch would install.
I finally called a transmission instructor I knew at our local community college and described what I saw as the problem, that with the trans installed, I could only rotate the tail shaft in one direction.
He replied, "Oh, yeah. That's normal. Until it runs for a minute or two, and everything gets lubed and parts get used to each other, there's just too much weight and friction to rotate it the opposite direction".
Put everything back together, installed the trans in the pickup, and it worked like a charm. Or at least like it was supposed to.
Had it all done, installed in the pickup with the transfer case on, and found I could only rotate the tail shaft in one direction. My first thought was of a one way clutch inside the trans. I pulled the whole thing apart again, and found there was only one way that clutch would install.
I finally called a transmission instructor I knew at our local community college and described what I saw as the problem, that with the trans installed, I could only rotate the tail shaft in one direction.
He replied, "Oh, yeah. That's normal. Until it runs for a minute or two, and everything gets lubed and parts get used to each other, there's just too much weight and friction to rotate it the opposite direction".
Put everything back together, installed the trans in the pickup, and it worked like a charm. Or at least like it was supposed to.
redforlife
Well-known Member
Already posted, but after reading some of these, I remembered another. Worked at a Ford dealership, and the owners highschool boy bought a 64 1/2 mustang to fix up to drive. I got the job of overhauling the 170 in-line 6 engine. Got it all back together, first start was fine, boss took it for a short spin, came back with no oil pressure. Had new oil pump & pressure at the start. He had me spin in new rod bearings and put on another new oil pump. Same thing, lost oil pressure on the test drive. Stumped both of us. He even had another mechanic look at. The other mechanic found nothing to be wrong, except it had to be the oil pump. I put a third new oil pump on, and no more problems. The new oil pumps were primed when installed, and had oil pressure on the first start up. Who would of ever thought that you would get 2 bad new out of the box oil pumps in a row. Sure was glad it turned out to be that, and not something that I had done. That wouldn't of been good. The boss's son and all.
jon f mn
Well-known Member
While I was a welder a good customer contracted me to build a set of stairs to get to the roof of a new Subway sandwich shop he built. He gave me the prints which clearly said 6" stairs. I questioned him about it on the phone and he said do what ever it says, so I took the plans to his office and showed him. He said to do what the plan said, so I did. When they were done you almost couldn't climb them because the rise was too short. The customer complained and I said it's what the plan shows. The guy that drew the plans came by the shop and kindly showed me where it said 6" depth, 9" rise, right there where both me and the customer were looking but didn't see it. Had to cut off the treads and redo them including paint, while attached to the building.
Pocket door was installed, I trimed the opening and painted it. Found out the door wasn't hung right on the track. I pulled the trim and the door was hung correctly. I reinstalled the trim and painted it. The door was in the slot a few days when it warped so much it would drag on the opening and scrape the paint. I pulled the trim and the door was set between blocks, weighted and straightened. I reinstalled the trim and painted it. The door was in the pocket when the plumber installed a valve assembly on the wall of the room adjacent to the pocket and drove screws all the way through the wall and into the pocket door. I pulled the trim a new door was installed, I trimed the opening and painted it. Then a change order came for the offending valve assembly.
Ted in NE-OH
Well-known Member
Many years ago I was driving my fathers 56 Pontiac in the snow and going where I was not supposed to go. Hit some heavy snow so pulled the gear shift down to "LO" went TOO far and went into Reverse. Everything went quiet and car stopped. Turned the key to restart NOTHING, turned the key again still nothing. OH SH__ now I am in real trouble. Finally figured it out and put gear shift into Park and then it started OK. The next summer my father had to get the transmission overhauled. Never told him what I did.
JD mower quit,Yanmar gas with an electric fuel pump. The tank was full and nothing coming out at the carb.
$50.00 bucks later for the shiny Mister Gasket pump(cheapest I have found)and I found the hot wire pulled out from the but connecter.
Well, when the pump does go bad, I will have lost the shiny new one
$50.00 bucks later for the shiny Mister Gasket pump(cheapest I have found)and I found the hot wire pulled out from the but connecter.
Well, when the pump does go bad, I will have lost the shiny new one
I am just as bad as some on here in that I could fill a small book.
1) Working at first dealership, farming at night and still doing my own repair work. So very little sleep and loads of stress. I did an in frame overhaul of a neighbors tractor. I put one of the rod bearings in back wards. So no oil to the crank journal. Cost me a casket set, set of rod bearings and a new crankshaft.
2) Bought a JD 5010 to resale. It needed an engine overhaul. While I was overhauling it I also installed a M&W turbo kit. When I blocked off the ventilator pump I decided to remove all of it from the block. Including the drive gear and shaft. This leaves an open oil port in the circuit with the number one main bearing. I noticed that the oil pressure would drop off after it warmed up but still was within spec. After a few hours running it spun the number one main bearing an ruined the crankshaft and block. While I was assembling the "new" used block I figured out what I had done. Just plugged the oil port and everything worked great.
Like the old saying college is not the only place you "pay for" an education.
1) Working at first dealership, farming at night and still doing my own repair work. So very little sleep and loads of stress. I did an in frame overhaul of a neighbors tractor. I put one of the rod bearings in back wards. So no oil to the crank journal. Cost me a casket set, set of rod bearings and a new crankshaft.
2) Bought a JD 5010 to resale. It needed an engine overhaul. While I was overhauling it I also installed a M&W turbo kit. When I blocked off the ventilator pump I decided to remove all of it from the block. Including the drive gear and shaft. This leaves an open oil port in the circuit with the number one main bearing. I noticed that the oil pressure would drop off after it warmed up but still was within spec. After a few hours running it spun the number one main bearing an ruined the crankshaft and block. While I was assembling the "new" used block I figured out what I had done. Just plugged the oil port and everything worked great.
Like the old saying college is not the only place you "pay for" an education.
jimg.allentown
Well-known Member
Just so that you know......
The trans in the '56 Pontiac had a cone clutch for reverse. You probably didn't hurt it by putting it down into reverse. Those transmissions were somewhat immune to driver abuse. Back in that era, Packard dealers demonstrated the strength of their transmissions by putting it into reverse at about 10mph - and that was a factory approved demonstration.
The trans in the '56 Pontiac had a cone clutch for reverse. You probably didn't hurt it by putting it down into reverse. Those transmissions were somewhat immune to driver abuse. Back in that era, Packard dealers demonstrated the strength of their transmissions by putting it into reverse at about 10mph - and that was a factory approved demonstration.
Determined
Well-known Member
Ted
I did something similar two weeks after buying my 57 Oldsmobile.
Sitting at a stoplight a hopped up looking pick-up pulled up in the lane next to me and revved up his engine, I responded with a rev from my V8.
Wanting to get a good launch I pulled the shifter down into first gear.
Light turned green and smoke rolled off his tires going forward and mine going backward.
Luck had it there was no car behind me.
Never forgot again that reverse was at the bottom of the shift pattern on that car.
Owen Aaland
Well-known Member
I guess most of mine have been minor. That last one was when installing a cab back on a 2-105 White I managed to hit the temp gauge and knock it out of the dash. I flipped a 560 gas engine that I had just got done overhauling off the front frames where I had placed it because another mechanic needed the cherry picker. The hook caught it as we were moving it and down it went. Fortunately that time only the floor was damaged.
The most expensive ones were done by some of my employees.
Not pre-lubing a rear axle bearing after a brake job on a truck took out the axle housing and hub. Another mechanic dropped a 3020 gas JD head and broke off a corner where the head gasket sealed. Another time the hitch cover assembly with auxiliary valves from an Oliver was tipped off a bench and one of the valves was destroyed. Another one installed the main bearings upside down in a 4020D JD. That engine lasted about 20 hours running until it was a gallon low on oil before it took out the bearings.
It is a good thing this was all spread out over 30 years. It would be tough to pay for all the mistakes in a short period of time.
The most expensive ones were done by some of my employees.
Not pre-lubing a rear axle bearing after a brake job on a truck took out the axle housing and hub. Another mechanic dropped a 3020 gas JD head and broke off a corner where the head gasket sealed. Another time the hitch cover assembly with auxiliary valves from an Oliver was tipped off a bench and one of the valves was destroyed. Another one installed the main bearings upside down in a 4020D JD. That engine lasted about 20 hours running until it was a gallon low on oil before it took out the bearings.
It is a good thing this was all spread out over 30 years. It would be tough to pay for all the mistakes in a short period of time.
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