Well...I finally have my dumbest thing I've ever done story. Today, I was working on my truck converting to Duraspark II (using this... http://www.theottoshop.com/budget/tech/HEI/hei.htm) and I couldn't get it to work. I thought the GM HEI controller was badso I had it tested and it tested good. I started running out of daylight, so I stuck the stock TFI back in. In a hurry, I swapped the plug wires off the DSII cap and threw them on the TFI cap in order of what I pulled them off. I set the dizzy in and plugged everything back in. Then I put all the tools in the garage and grabbed the timing light and a 1/2" wrench. I went to start it up and it did about the same thing it was doing when I was trying to convert to a DS dizzy. I was likeProfanity Removed!?! My dad came out and looked and was like, get a spare plug and olet's see if ya got some spark. Wll, I had no spark, but it was trying to catch on one cylinder. I get back under the hood and start checking all connections. I pull of the col wire and have my dad crank the motor, well that had LOTSA spark. I put it back on and grab the middle wire off the cap. No spark...I get back under and go to pull of the coil wire and all the other wires off to check the firing order. I follow the coil wire......................

Then it hit me, I had placed the coil wire on wrong terminal, where the #2 plug ware was supposed to go and the #2 wire was on the coil terminal. That explains the cylinder trying to catch...

What's ya'lls stories?

 

Well, Right now I would think posting a thread in this forum that I figured was quite funny & creative....... to which I thought others would want to add to.

But, It appears, that FTE users aren't insterested i it.


Does this count ?

 

Hmmm....
I would have to say the time that I had a piece of fencing wire holding a battery in place (it was there when I bought the car) and it crossed terminals when I was boosting it (I think I moved the wire by accident with the booster cable ends) and was getting red - my first thought was I got to get that off there before something worse happens
- Yup, you guessed it I grabbed it and pulled it aside - at which point I was quickly reminded of the smell of burning flesh and the pain that comes along with it.

 

Here is my rule of automotive relativity: No matter what dumb thing you do, someone, somewhere, has done something even dumber. I am afraid you don't get the prize, not even close.

And, I think everyone is entitled to do One Dumb Thing during their automotive careers. Do you mean regarding auto repairs or in general? Drive these trucks long enough and you will either wreck it or run it with low coolant and overheat the engine or bleed the brakes and drop the vehicle on you.. the list is endless.... don't feel bad.

10 % of everything is a mistake.

 

How about working with a friend rebuilding an engine. We were rushing along to get it done, and the oil pan got put back on without the oil pump installed. Didn't find this one until it was back in the car, hooked up to the tranny, radiator in, and filled. just about everything hooked up, then filled the oil and tried to prime. sent in an old distrib with no cam gear and it just dropped in, and spun free. Already knew what was going on, but had to look.Looked down in and saw nothing. Dropped in a straight piece of wire and it went straight to the pan. Only reaction I could have was to laugh. Damn Chevy's.

 

I make "Bonehead Awards" on the computer and pass them out daily....

 

Please see the "It only happens to me" thread.

 

Can't say yet. I am still alive.

To date, one of the dumber things I have done was when I replaced a starter in a Renault Alliance for no reason.

The thing wouldn't crank over, and the battery and charging system tested to be fine. Well I proceeded to change the starter, which in this model required the removal of the right axle to get the starter in place (french car). Needless to say, a day later I got it all back together, and no start. I figured it needed a boost so I had my wife help me while I started it. She went to pull the cables off the car and the whole battery post clamp came off with the cables. Needless to say, I felt pretty dumb and upset as I had just spent a day and $200 on something that I didn't need to do, if I would have checked the cables first like I should have.

 

And talking to Waxy????

 

One of the ones that I care to share is putting an engine back into a 65 Mustang and got all done and discovered the new, and old clutch throwout bearing still laying on the workbench. I blamed it on the Pabst Blue Ribbon beer!

 

I got married. The funny part is that my wife says the same thing.

 

How about trying to flush the coolant in a bronco and exploding the heatet core into the cab and back of the dash from too much water pressure.

Also i installed a cb on the ceiling of the truck and when i ran the screws up i missed the pre drilled holes ataching it only to the cardboard head liner. It shore hurt when i made that right turn.

 

Got married... twice.... to the same uh... woman..

 

Well, I wasn't gonna admit to it but since some of you admit to getting married as a dumb thing... my dumbest thing ever was getting divorced. What a mistake... oh well... get over it huh?

 

well automotively, it was getting my hand caught in the spring and pinned between the bottom of the strut and the wheel hub....OUCH.


otherwise I get the stupid award for spending way too long (as in years) with a guy who was never very nice, and was worse when he was drunk (which was anytime he wasnt at work).