Most Embarrasing Moment w/ Ride!

joemathews · #1 07-06-2004, 01:44 AM

Post your most embarassing moment driving, showing off, or working on your car! (mine happened yesterday!)

As you probably know I have been having trouble with my car, and to help diagnose the problem, I decide compression testing my engine is the next step!

I try to do the compression test. I just got my Craftsman tool set, so I am still growing accustomed to the tools. I grab my 3/8 ratchet, extension, and then I'm wondering if the spark plug is 13/16 or 5/8. Or something else (I read both 13/16 and 5/8 on Tuners). So I grab the 13/16. Fits nicely into the top and slides down. It doesn't feel like it is seated around the plug, so I twist it a bit. Well, you can see where this is going...deciding it is the wrong size after all, I try to pull it out. Well fortunately for me, my 13/16 deep socket doesn't lock onto the 3/8 extension, and the ratchet comes easily out of the socket, which is still wedged into my cylinder head. The socket is stuck firmly in the top of the head and valve cover as I desperately begin to wet my pants.

I stick the ratchet back in and try to pull out...ratchet slips right out of the socket. I try to put the ratchet in and twist it out...feels like it is getting more stuck, and soon I can barely move it in the opening. Awesome.

After about an hour of kicking things and otherwise being furious, I ended up taking off the valve cover (needed to do valve cover gasket anyway), and soaking the socket in WD40. After two coatings of lubricant, I bite the bullet and risk embedding the socket in my head forever, and twist while pulling up--it slipped out! No words can describe my jubilation. I could just see the expression on my mechanic's face as I explained that he would have to pull the head and hammer out this socket I had managed to get stuck in there! That didn't sound friendly on my wallet either, so I am elated to have it out. Now back to my shuddering and overheating problems...

HotCrew · #2 07-06-2004, 09:36 AM

I always feel like i have to screw up once before I get it right or maybe I just suck!

ashah000 · #3 07-06-2004, 10:12 AM

Haha I guess mine was when I did my compression test also. The tester had a deep reach extension (or something like that) It went on the end of the comp tester and screwed into the spark plug hole. So not knowing any better I put it on the end of the tester and screwed it in the hole. Then I try to take it out and only the top part comes out, the deep reach thingy is still screwed in there. I then try everything to get it out and i just did not know what the hell to do. Then I stuck a HUGE screwdriver in there and started turning and it finally came out.

RSLaser · #4 07-06-2004, 05:54 PM

I guess i have too many to post:

My most memorable is the matter of electricution i got...never grab an old spark plug wire while the car is running.

When i was workin on my IH i didnt bother to pay attention and the lugs on the left side of the vehicle are LEFT hand threaded...so i threw in an impact wrench to loosen it....you get the picture.

When undercoating a car with POR-15 or Rust bullet, WEAR A MASK! My brain is now POR-15'ed it will never rust!

when spraying carb cleaner in an engine while tryin to gt it to fire, DONT stick your face over the car to make sure its down far enough...still waitin on my eyebrows to grow back.

Most embarrasing:
When you buy after market wheels make sure the back spacing is right! Like onmy laser spent all damn day gettin the wheels gettin tires mounted and balanced, slapped em on, started the car, put it in gear, and didnt move more than an inch...like the P brake was on...

Failure is just a chance to do it better!

joemathews · #5 07-06-2004, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSLaser

Failure is just a chance to do it better!

Or a chance to pour a shitload more money into it

!

RSLaser · #6 07-07-2004, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Or a chance to pour a shitload more money into it !

LOL, No kiddin! I think the total estimated price to fix all my F*ckups is probably around $200...then again im just wingin it. What the hell is a repair manual? lol

HotCrew · #7 07-07-2004, 11:39 AM

Well i think you at least have try things yourself because if you dont you have to pay someone else and if you try...you either get it right or mess it up and have to pay someone to do it or fix it anyways...

spyderturbo007 · #8 07-07-2004, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joemathews

Post your most embarassing moment driving, showing off, or working on your car! (mine happened yesterday!)

the ratchet comes easily out of the socket, which is still wedged into my cylinder head. The socket is stuck firmly in the top of the head and valve cover as I desperately begin to wet my pants.

I stick the ratchet back in and try to pull out...ratchet slips right out of the socket. I try to put the ratchet in and twist it out...feels like it is getting more stuck, and soon I can barely move it in the opening.

I did the same thing. Only I decided to change my plugs when the motor was hot. I slid the socket in and started to unthread the plug when WHAMO! the damn thing locked on me. I'll pulling and tugging harder and harder as it starts to sink in that I'm FUCKED!

After I calmed down I thought that it was probably just the fact that the socket barely fit to begin with. I guess the block heated the socket up enough that it expanded and locked in there. I waited until everything cooled and it came right out! Anyway I went to sears and got a thin walled socket.

GSTRacerNVUS · #9 07-08-2004, 01:51 PM

I just had to replace my spark plugs and wires, cause my spark plugs I guess melted themselves in the sockets. They were next to impossible to get out. My car runs better now though.

GSTRacerNVUS · #10 07-08-2004, 01:54 PM

The Nissan tech told me that the spark plugs were probably just arching cause they were stuck in there and very bad. He showed them to me and I was amazed my car was even running... Thank GOD I work @ Nissan and I got the work done for free.

BoostedSpyder · #11 07-08-2004, 11:33 PM

everytime i'm trying to look cool and my car backfires cuz i got to be cool and vent my BOV. it doesn't happen much and is very rare, but when it does...

Chavez408 · #12 07-09-2004, 05:10 PM

I dont want to say what is my worst embarrasing moment in my car!

guitarXgeek · #13 07-10-2004, 12:41 AM

Mine was tonight! Earlier today I replaced my o2 sensor along with new sparkplugs. Silly me forgot to disconnect the battery before I started the work

... so I finish the job and I start the car - runs great and no problems. Then about 20 minutes later I leave to go to the movies with my friends, and on the way there I noticed that my lights were a bit dimmer than they usually are, but I shrugged it off and kept on. After the movie on my way home (about a 20 minute drive) my headlights almost completely go out, my battery warning light comes on and I realize that I'm fucked. So I pulled over into a walmart parking lot and got a ride home from a bud! So yea, my car is sitting in the walmart parking lot right now

The embarrasing part was the fact that the girls with us thought my car died because it was a piece of shit

Oh well, I learned something new today

guitarXgeek · #14 07-10-2004, 12:54 AM

Lol, no kidding about that, but as soon as it's running nicely again I'll be Mr. Pimp himself again!

Urban_Squrill · #15 07-10-2004, 01:45 AM

Mine was I was with a bunch of friends in my car(5 of us), It is like 1230 we picked up one of my friends up from work. All five of us pile in my car and I go to pull out the the parking lot and of course their being a bunch of my friends in the car I rev it dump the clutch take off turn on to the road, and my car died. Just fucking dead, It turns out that it was the sensor in the tranny so my engine would not start.

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD