What NOT to do when working on your car.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 744
Likes: 1
From: England UK
Car: 85 Z28
Engine: LG4 modified
Transmission: 700R4
Ooh I remembered a couple!
1. Always ensure you have drained the oil from the car before you remove the sump. How I didn't spill any of the oil I'll never know.
2. When your car has a water leak, make sure the bottle of "water" you grab from the back seat doesn't turn out to be Mountain Dew. Only discovered my mistake when my wife got a little thirsty on the journey...."Ugh - this is WATER!"
3. Do not attempt to move a car using a piece of string out the window as a throttle cable. Interestingly not because you won't be able to control it, but because the string will untie itself just as the car is blocking the whole street.
4. When the above has happened, don't get in a panic at all the traffic and try to re-tie the string to the throttle linkage before you have at least put the car out of drive. A "mild slope" will not hold the car if you're pulling on the moving parts of the carb!
5. Don't assume the smoke bellowing from the sides of your rebuilt engine is just the "oil burning off the manifolds as they heat up for the first time"...it could well be the ignition leads leaning on them. (thankfully not my thirdgen)
1. Always ensure you have drained the oil from the car before you remove the sump. How I didn't spill any of the oil I'll never know.
2. When your car has a water leak, make sure the bottle of "water" you grab from the back seat doesn't turn out to be Mountain Dew. Only discovered my mistake when my wife got a little thirsty on the journey...."Ugh - this is WATER!"
3. Do not attempt to move a car using a piece of string out the window as a throttle cable. Interestingly not because you won't be able to control it, but because the string will untie itself just as the car is blocking the whole street.
4. When the above has happened, don't get in a panic at all the traffic and try to re-tie the string to the throttle linkage before you have at least put the car out of drive. A "mild slope" will not hold the car if you're pulling on the moving parts of the carb!
5. Don't assume the smoke bellowing from the sides of your rebuilt engine is just the "oil burning off the manifolds as they heat up for the first time"...it could well be the ignition leads leaning on them. (thankfully not my thirdgen)
Senior Member
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 973
Likes: 0
From: Avondale, AZ, used to be seattle, washington
Car: 1978 Chevrolet C10
Engine: 350
Transmission: Turbo 350
Originally posted by 92 zzz28
BTW, Eleanor was FORD...
BTW, Eleanor was FORD...
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 744
Likes: 1
From: England UK
Car: 85 Z28
Engine: LG4 modified
Transmission: 700R4
Originally posted by 92 zzz28
BTW, Eleanor was FORD...
BTW, Eleanor was FORD...
Originally posted by NastyL98_T/A
Here's another one. Read carefully and understand fully what it said on radiator caps: "Never open hot"
I'm currently experiencing some of the most excruciating pain in my life as a result of second degree burns up my entire arm, shoulder, and parts of my neck. I thought I had let the car sit long enough, but when I opened the cap, it blew off under high pressure bathing me in scalding hot water. Trust me, it is unlike anything you can imagine.
I just wish there was a video camera taping it, b/c I'm sure it was hilarious to see my turn from the explosion screaming and tripping over myself while falling into the garden trying to rip off my shirt.
I wish I could see it.
:lala:
Here's another one. Read carefully and understand fully what it said on radiator caps: "Never open hot"
I'm currently experiencing some of the most excruciating pain in my life as a result of second degree burns up my entire arm, shoulder, and parts of my neck. I thought I had let the car sit long enough, but when I opened the cap, it blew off under high pressure bathing me in scalding hot water. Trust me, it is unlike anything you can imagine.

I just wish there was a video camera taping it, b/c I'm sure it was hilarious to see my turn from the explosion screaming and tripping over myself while falling into the garden trying to rip off my shirt.
I wish I could see it. :lala:
TGO Supporter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 9,067
Likes: 1
From: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Car: '83 Z28, '07 Charger SRT8
Engine: 454ci, 6.1 Hemi
Transmission: TH350, A5
Axle/Gears: 2.73 posi, 3.06 posi
Hehe... I changed my fan switch once when the coolant was not cooled yet. It was in -25*C weather though and it wasn't burning hot... felt pretty good, lol
Supreme Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,886
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, NC
Car: Guess
Engine: Crazy 8
Transmission: So close to being a manual I can taste it
Originally posted by Nixon1
How embarassing! "Hey baby...let me have a look there. I'll fix that for ya. Hmm...let's see... [turn turn turn, PSSHHHTT] AHH! CHRIST!!! AHHHHHH!!! MY EYESSSSS!!! MY EYYYEESSSS!"
How embarassing! "Hey baby...let me have a look there. I'll fix that for ya. Hmm...let's see... [turn turn turn, PSSHHHTT] AHH! CHRIST!!! AHHHHHH!!! MY EYESSSSS!!! MY EYYYEESSSS!"
Dude, You were that guy hiding in the bushes laughing his *** of at me weren't ya!!!!!!!!
Luckily it didn't get in my eyes cause I wear glasses.
When ever I think about it or tell anyone about it, I just laugh at how dumb I was back then....
They were pretty hot chicks though...
Supreme Member
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,931
Likes: 0
From: Palm Bay, Florida, USA
Car: 95 E-150 & 07 Kawasaki ZX-6R
Engine: A slow one & a fast one
Transmission: A bad one & a good one
Axle/Gears: A weak one & a chained one
What a shame, man.... I avoid helping chicks out with their cars because I don't carry my diagnostic tools with me in the car...so chances are, I wouldn't be able to get it started for them anyways....in which case I'll look like a loser.. No thanks!
Supreme Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,985
Likes: 1
From: Massachusetts
Car: candy blue 85 z28
Engine: 305 tpi LB9
Transmission: 700r4 crazy beefed up one
Axle/Gears: ones with teeth
what not to leave in the sun
well almost 100% complete with my interior in my 85 z 28 project car...
1994 seats, new carpets, new headliner, new sails, new speaker box, newer plastic where needed looking real nice. decided to remove the louvers and see if they would clean up.... and what did i leave in the back trunk area....
3m spray adhesive......... BOOM........ stuff doesn;t like 90 degree days over 4 days it blew sometime coating everything with glue. Mostly the back window carpet rear of back seat and all the plastic parts..... good thing i didn't shatter the back window when it blew because it destroyed the passanger side well cover.
things i; learned
no matter how rushed you are clean up tools put away chemicals..
Sun and aerosoles don't mix
Acetone works to remove glue on hard parts
my carpet my be a loss
1994 seats, new carpets, new headliner, new sails, new speaker box, newer plastic where needed looking real nice. decided to remove the louvers and see if they would clean up.... and what did i leave in the back trunk area....
3m spray adhesive......... BOOM........ stuff doesn;t like 90 degree days over 4 days it blew sometime coating everything with glue. Mostly the back window carpet rear of back seat and all the plastic parts..... good thing i didn't shatter the back window when it blew because it destroyed the passanger side well cover.
things i; learned
no matter how rushed you are clean up tools put away chemicals..
Sun and aerosoles don't mix
Acetone works to remove glue on hard parts
my carpet my be a loss
Supreme Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,985
Likes: 1
From: Massachusetts
Car: candy blue 85 z28
Engine: 305 tpi LB9
Transmission: 700r4 crazy beefed up one
Axle/Gears: ones with teeth
what not to leave in the sun
well almost 100% complete with my interior in my 85 z 28 project car...
1994 seats, new carpets, new headliner, new sails, new speaker box, newer plastic where needed looking real nice. decided to remove the louvers and see if they would clean up.... and what did i leave in the back trunk area....
3m spray adhesive......... BOOM........ stuff doesn;t like 90 degree days over 4 days it blew sometime coating everything with glue. Mostly the back window carpet rear of back seat and all the plastic parts..... good thing i didn't shatter the back window when it blew because it destroyed the passanger side well cover.
things i; learned
no matter how rushed you are clean up tools put away chemicals..
Sun and aerosoles don't mix
Acetone works to remove glue on hard parts
my carpet my be a loss
1994 seats, new carpets, new headliner, new sails, new speaker box, newer plastic where needed looking real nice. decided to remove the louvers and see if they would clean up.... and what did i leave in the back trunk area....
3m spray adhesive......... BOOM........ stuff doesn;t like 90 degree days over 4 days it blew sometime coating everything with glue. Mostly the back window carpet rear of back seat and all the plastic parts..... good thing i didn't shatter the back window when it blew because it destroyed the passanger side well cover.
things i; learned
no matter how rushed you are clean up tools put away chemicals..
Sun and aerosoles don't mix
Acetone works to remove glue on hard parts
my carpet my be a loss
Don't leave straight 50 weight oil in you car and then try to rev it to warm up faster when it's 2am on Jan1st and -15 degrees (Bye Bye engine)
Do not leave straight water in your coolant system when it hits 15 degrees outside and try to melt the frozen coolant by driving to work anyway.
Do not drive 110mph down the interstate when you just had new rims put on and haven't checked the lug nuts. (drivers rear wheel passed you by) Do not count on a scissor or floor jack being able to jack up the car after you have just found your rim and tire in the dark 3/4s of a mile down the median and carried it back to the car resting on the brake drum. This is also not a good idea when you are on your first date with the hottest girl you ever dated. (Do not let her beg the cop for a ride to work either)
Do not count on your 95lb 5'1" girlfried to hold the breaks when trying to push a non running car up a 30 degree incline with your sisters chevette. You end up buying a new car for your sister when you try to ues it as a wheel chock to stop the car from rolling back out into traffic.
Do not wait untill you get to the video store to check it when the front tire seems loose on your first test drive of a newly rebuilt car that has your truck tag on it. You end up with a ticket for the tag and a bill for the 12 foot 2" deep gouge you just cut in the newly paved road.
Do not try to remove a stuck caliper by chaining it to a tree and backing up real fast. Front springs can do some serious damage when the knuckle breaks. They do lots of dammage to picture windows and fenders
Do not let your friend with a boom and sling tow truck hook up to the front of your thirdgen. Unless you really wanted a fast way to remove the front end.
Do not spray ether in a fuel injected engine with a skipped timing chaing BOOM!!!! (Throttle bodies do not taste good nor do front teeth)
Do not leave the fuel line disconnected after testing to see if the electric pump works and deciding to fill the washer fluid pump with gas and running the line to the carb to get home. When the short that killed the original pump stops shorting and the pump comes back on you will smell so much gas you can taste it. (hmm wonder if we are about to blow up?) DON'T light that ciggarette!!!!!!!!!!
And last but not least when using a 6" tow strap to pull a 1ton 4x4 out of the mud. Do not straddle the tail gate to keep the strap on the hitch with your right foot. OW MY NUTZ!!!!
Do not leave straight water in your coolant system when it hits 15 degrees outside and try to melt the frozen coolant by driving to work anyway.
Do not drive 110mph down the interstate when you just had new rims put on and haven't checked the lug nuts. (drivers rear wheel passed you by) Do not count on a scissor or floor jack being able to jack up the car after you have just found your rim and tire in the dark 3/4s of a mile down the median and carried it back to the car resting on the brake drum. This is also not a good idea when you are on your first date with the hottest girl you ever dated. (Do not let her beg the cop for a ride to work either)
Do not count on your 95lb 5'1" girlfried to hold the breaks when trying to push a non running car up a 30 degree incline with your sisters chevette. You end up buying a new car for your sister when you try to ues it as a wheel chock to stop the car from rolling back out into traffic.
Do not wait untill you get to the video store to check it when the front tire seems loose on your first test drive of a newly rebuilt car that has your truck tag on it. You end up with a ticket for the tag and a bill for the 12 foot 2" deep gouge you just cut in the newly paved road.
Do not try to remove a stuck caliper by chaining it to a tree and backing up real fast. Front springs can do some serious damage when the knuckle breaks. They do lots of dammage to picture windows and fenders
Do not let your friend with a boom and sling tow truck hook up to the front of your thirdgen. Unless you really wanted a fast way to remove the front end.
Do not spray ether in a fuel injected engine with a skipped timing chaing BOOM!!!! (Throttle bodies do not taste good nor do front teeth)
Do not leave the fuel line disconnected after testing to see if the electric pump works and deciding to fill the washer fluid pump with gas and running the line to the carb to get home. When the short that killed the original pump stops shorting and the pump comes back on you will smell so much gas you can taste it. (hmm wonder if we are about to blow up?) DON'T light that ciggarette!!!!!!!!!!
And last but not least when using a 6" tow strap to pull a 1ton 4x4 out of the mud. Do not straddle the tail gate to keep the strap on the hitch with your right foot. OW MY NUTZ!!!!
Last edited by gmsmallblockguy; Jul 27, 2003 at 09:09 AM.
Originally posted by gmsmallblockguy
Don't leave straight 50 weight oil in you car and then try to rev it to warm up faster when it's 2am on Jan1st and -15 degrees (Bye Bye engine)
Do not leave straight water in your coolant system when it hits 15 degrees outside and try to melt the frozen coolant by driving to work anyway.
Do not drive 110mph down the interstate when you just had new rims put on and haven't checked the lug nuts. (drivers rear wheel passed you by) Do not count on a scissor or floor jack being able to jack up the car after you have just found your rim and tire in the dark 3/4s of a mile down the median and carried it back to the car resting on the brake drum. This is also not a good idea when you are on your first date with the hottest girl you ever dated. (Do not let her beg the cop for a ride to work either)
Do not count on your 95lb 5'1" girlfried to hold the breaks when trying to push a non running car up a 30 degree incline with your sisters chevette. You end up buying a new car for your sister when you try to ues it as a wheel chock to stop the car from rolling back out into traffic.
Do not wait untill you get to the video store to check it when the front tire seems loose on your first test drive of a newly rebuilt car that has your truck tag on it. You end up with a ticket for the tag and a bill for the 12 foot 2" deep gouge you just cut in the newly paved road.
Do not try to remove a stuck caliper by chaining it to a tree and backing up real fast. Front springs can do some serious damage when the knuckle breaks. They do lots of dammage to picture windows and fenders
Do not let your friend with a boom and sling tow truck hook up to the front of your thirdgen. Unless you really wanted a fast way to remove the front end.
Do not spray ether in a fuel injected engine with a skipped timing chaing BOOM!!!! (Throttle bodies do not taste good nor do front teeth)
Do not leave the fuel line disconnected after testing to see if the electric pump works and deciding to fill the washer fluid pump with gas and running the line to the carb to get home. When the short that killed the original pump stops shorting and the pump comes back on you will smell so much gas you can taste it. (hmm wonder if we are about to blow up?) DON'T light that ciggarette!!!!!!!!!!
And last but not least when using a 6" tow strap to pull a 1ton 4x4 out of the mud. Do not straddle the tail gate to keep the strap on the hitch with your right foot. OW MY NUTZ!!!!
Don't leave straight 50 weight oil in you car and then try to rev it to warm up faster when it's 2am on Jan1st and -15 degrees (Bye Bye engine)
Do not leave straight water in your coolant system when it hits 15 degrees outside and try to melt the frozen coolant by driving to work anyway.
Do not drive 110mph down the interstate when you just had new rims put on and haven't checked the lug nuts. (drivers rear wheel passed you by) Do not count on a scissor or floor jack being able to jack up the car after you have just found your rim and tire in the dark 3/4s of a mile down the median and carried it back to the car resting on the brake drum. This is also not a good idea when you are on your first date with the hottest girl you ever dated. (Do not let her beg the cop for a ride to work either)
Do not count on your 95lb 5'1" girlfried to hold the breaks when trying to push a non running car up a 30 degree incline with your sisters chevette. You end up buying a new car for your sister when you try to ues it as a wheel chock to stop the car from rolling back out into traffic.
Do not wait untill you get to the video store to check it when the front tire seems loose on your first test drive of a newly rebuilt car that has your truck tag on it. You end up with a ticket for the tag and a bill for the 12 foot 2" deep gouge you just cut in the newly paved road.
Do not try to remove a stuck caliper by chaining it to a tree and backing up real fast. Front springs can do some serious damage when the knuckle breaks. They do lots of dammage to picture windows and fenders
Do not let your friend with a boom and sling tow truck hook up to the front of your thirdgen. Unless you really wanted a fast way to remove the front end.
Do not spray ether in a fuel injected engine with a skipped timing chaing BOOM!!!! (Throttle bodies do not taste good nor do front teeth)
Do not leave the fuel line disconnected after testing to see if the electric pump works and deciding to fill the washer fluid pump with gas and running the line to the carb to get home. When the short that killed the original pump stops shorting and the pump comes back on you will smell so much gas you can taste it. (hmm wonder if we are about to blow up?) DON'T light that ciggarette!!!!!!!!!!
And last but not least when using a 6" tow strap to pull a 1ton 4x4 out of the mud. Do not straddle the tail gate to keep the strap on the hitch with your right foot. OW MY NUTZ!!!!
Member
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: Clarkston, Washington
Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: T56
Originally posted by gmsmallblockguy
...This is also not a good idea when you are on your first date with the hottest girl you ever dated. (Do not let her beg the cop for a ride to work either)
Do not count on your 95lb 5'1" girlfried to hold the breaks when trying to push a non running car up a 30 degree incline with your sisters chevette...
...This is also not a good idea when you are on your first date with the hottest girl you ever dated. (Do not let her beg the cop for a ride to work either)
Do not count on your 95lb 5'1" girlfried to hold the breaks when trying to push a non running car up a 30 degree incline with your sisters chevette...
Just wondering if these two women are one and the same . . . I'm also wondering how in the hell you are still alive after all that
Nope not the same girlfriends.
I also wonder why I am still alive myself. I did most of this (stupid) stuff before the age of 21 and up untill then never thought I would live to see 20. Amazingly enough I never even got hurt or hurt anyone else durring any of that stupidness.
Now that I am older I am happy because I still feel that anything after 21 is for granted
Heh I only listed the stupid stuff you should hear about the crazy stuff if you think that's bad.
I also wonder why I am still alive myself. I did most of this (stupid) stuff before the age of 21 and up untill then never thought I would live to see 20. Amazingly enough I never even got hurt or hurt anyone else durring any of that stupidness.
Now that I am older I am happy because I still feel that anything after 21 is for granted

Heh I only listed the stupid stuff you should hear about the crazy stuff if you think that's bad.
Last edited by gmsmallblockguy; Jul 28, 2003 at 11:39 AM.
I started thinking about some of the crazy stuff but then I realized it would be a book to long for this board.
Here are a coupple gems
Setting:
Permanently closed road on a 60 degree hill 1/4mile long with 4 feet of snow with a straight path from a snow blower for it's full length one day after an ice strom with a red plastic sled.
(do you see where this is going?)
Me and 16mil of plastic on an ice shoot hitting about 75mph head first toward a busy street. I catch up to my younger brother and try to pass him DUH the path is 3 feet wide! So I duck out from behind to see the 6" cement filled post about .002 seconds from my face I avoided it deftly by holding both hands up and rolling to the right while trying to push myself off to the side of the pole CARANGGGG POW goes the left knee, tibia, and fibula.
Ok great he broke his leg big deal thats not crazy
No? OK
Setting:
A sunny day 65 acre plot full of motocross trails and jumps.
Me and an equally crazy friend.
A free hyundai.
ME: "Ok theese 13 inch tires gotta go this thing can't even get through the fields"
Buddy: "Uh I wonder if theese will work" ( he is pointing at some old 15" skinny jeep tires)
Me: "I'll get the drill you cut off the fenders with the sawzall"
Ok so now we can get through the fields ok and this little car is so light we decided to try it on a little 12 foot hill jump.
We got up to about 45mph hit the hill flew about 15 feet and the lugs pulled through one of the back wheels landing the gas tank on a rock and crushing the fuel lines.
Well we weren't done there a 1/2 mile walk some turbo blue and a snomobile tank become a gravity feed fuel system duct taped to the roof with a primer bulb running through the passenger door for "extra boost"
Ok lets kill the hyundai now it's off to the big doubble hill jump We know that anything over 60mph will clear the 2nd hill on a motorcycle so we hit it at about 75.
Well it is quite difficult to controll your inclination in a car and they have a bit more wind resistance and weight than a bike.
We hit the hill about 15 feet short front bumper straight into the ground. We hit hard enough to keep the back wheels up in the air.
When we started to smell gas and saw the new gravity feed tank spilling out on the ground we realised the hole in the main tank must be leaking also. So I try to open my door nope no good. We both look at eachother and without saying a word to each other start kicking out the windshield. No sooner do we break free than the car ignited.
We managed to escape only bruised but within less than a minute the car exploded when the flames reached the main tank.
Here are a coupple gems
Setting:
Permanently closed road on a 60 degree hill 1/4mile long with 4 feet of snow with a straight path from a snow blower for it's full length one day after an ice strom with a red plastic sled.
(do you see where this is going?)
Me and 16mil of plastic on an ice shoot hitting about 75mph head first toward a busy street. I catch up to my younger brother and try to pass him DUH the path is 3 feet wide! So I duck out from behind to see the 6" cement filled post about .002 seconds from my face I avoided it deftly by holding both hands up and rolling to the right while trying to push myself off to the side of the pole CARANGGGG POW goes the left knee, tibia, and fibula.
Ok great he broke his leg big deal thats not crazy
No? OK
Setting:
A sunny day 65 acre plot full of motocross trails and jumps.
Me and an equally crazy friend.
A free hyundai.
ME: "Ok theese 13 inch tires gotta go this thing can't even get through the fields"
Buddy: "Uh I wonder if theese will work" ( he is pointing at some old 15" skinny jeep tires)
Me: "I'll get the drill you cut off the fenders with the sawzall"
Ok so now we can get through the fields ok and this little car is so light we decided to try it on a little 12 foot hill jump.
We got up to about 45mph hit the hill flew about 15 feet and the lugs pulled through one of the back wheels landing the gas tank on a rock and crushing the fuel lines.
Well we weren't done there a 1/2 mile walk some turbo blue and a snomobile tank become a gravity feed fuel system duct taped to the roof with a primer bulb running through the passenger door for "extra boost"
Ok lets kill the hyundai now it's off to the big doubble hill jump We know that anything over 60mph will clear the 2nd hill on a motorcycle so we hit it at about 75.
Well it is quite difficult to controll your inclination in a car and they have a bit more wind resistance and weight than a bike.
We hit the hill about 15 feet short front bumper straight into the ground. We hit hard enough to keep the back wheels up in the air.
When we started to smell gas and saw the new gravity feed tank spilling out on the ground we realised the hole in the main tank must be leaking also. So I try to open my door nope no good. We both look at eachother and without saying a word to each other start kicking out the windshield. No sooner do we break free than the car ignited.
We managed to escape only bruised but within less than a minute the car exploded when the flames reached the main tank.
Last edited by gmsmallblockguy; Jul 28, 2003 at 03:30 PM.
Ironically on the opposite side of the hill was the fire department and they never came. Probably because the owner of the property was known to them as the kid who stole all thier beer for his masive graduation party only a few years before.
what not to do????
heres a couple stupid things i did during this motor swap
1) get in a hurry to jack the car up, push the jack under too far, and not check if it's on the crossmember.... (nice dent in my oil pan now... thank goodness it didnt mess anything up...itll be ok for now...)
2) NEVER USE RUBBER FUEL LINE FROM YOUR MECHANICAL PUMP TO THE CARB WHEN GOING UNDER THE ALTERNATOR BRACKET AND NEXT TO THE WATER PUMP.... ALTERNATOR FAN > RUBBER FUEL LINE... ate a little hole in the line, spit fuel onto fan.... (it was raining gas in the shop...) good thing the car had just started.... (no fires)
3) "well... ill just do it like this temporarily, then do it right later" NEVER SAY THAT! DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!
heres a couple stupid things i did during this motor swap
1) get in a hurry to jack the car up, push the jack under too far, and not check if it's on the crossmember.... (nice dent in my oil pan now... thank goodness it didnt mess anything up...itll be ok for now...)
2) NEVER USE RUBBER FUEL LINE FROM YOUR MECHANICAL PUMP TO THE CARB WHEN GOING UNDER THE ALTERNATOR BRACKET AND NEXT TO THE WATER PUMP.... ALTERNATOR FAN > RUBBER FUEL LINE... ate a little hole in the line, spit fuel onto fan.... (it was raining gas in the shop...) good thing the car had just started.... (no fires)
3) "well... ill just do it like this temporarily, then do it right later" NEVER SAY THAT! DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!
Supreme Member
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,931
Likes: 0
From: Palm Bay, Florida, USA
Car: 95 E-150 & 07 Kawasaki ZX-6R
Engine: A slow one & a fast one
Transmission: A bad one & a good one
Axle/Gears: A weak one & a chained one
Here's one I did today... PAY ATTENTION IN THE RAIN. I was driving my dad's car to go pick up some chicken wings from the local grocery store...but I had to drive to one an extra 10 minutes away to get them...not my normal store. So I get them, and as I go to leave, it's POURING...like BAD. So I run fast as hell to the car and get in, completely soaked. Start the car..put it in Drive...see, I was going to pull forward through the empty space in front of me and go out the opposite way. Problem.... THIS grocery store has those concrete things. The car lurches up and then CRUNCH. I had to put it in Reverse and give it about 3500 rpms to climb back over it and cross my fingers I didn't bang his trans fluid pan or anything up.....
Supreme Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,907
Likes: 0
From: In the state of bliss
Car: 1984 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 2.5L Iron Duke 4 cylinder
Transmission: 5 speed manual
This thread is awsome. i have been reading it for the last two days.
i have a several to add:
1: I was working on changing the oil in my recently purchased 81 Trans Am (1999). The previous owner had put the oil plug back on REALLY tight!
I had a wrench on the bolt and I was torquing pretty hard with my arm to loosen it. I was pulling so hard my body started to lift off the ground (weighed about 165 at the time). I began to realize that my fist was facing the header collectors under the car and they were rough and rusty looking, I began to think what might happen when this bolt would finally crack loose, no sooner than that thought ran through my mind, my fist crashed into the rusty metal at a hundred miles an hour. i have big scars on my last three fingers on my right hand. Knocked it down to bone on my middle finger knuckle. Just bandaged it up. Couldn't feel my fingers for a week!
2: Don't let your girlfriend (now my wife) drive your Trans Am up onto ramps that are on a slight decline. She over extended them and now my dad has two flat car ramps! Messed up my front ground effects too. Not particularly all my wifes fault. My placement of the ramps made the situation happen.
3: Don't beat your self up continuously trying to figure out why your fuel pump wont engage when doing a complete drive train swap from an 88 IROC into an 84 Sport Coupe. My bro spent a whole day trying to get his car to start. Turns out there were a series of ground wires near that battery that werent fastened. HMM....VROOOM!!
4: Don't jamb a muffler at the end of your y-pipe cause you can't afford to get a cat bat exhaust on your 84 Sport Coupe project (aforementioned). You will have to drive it for months (till you can aquire the funds from a part time job) to get the necessary parts. You will also have to drive with ear plugs for the loud resonating roar from the L98 350 in the passengar compartment.
5: Don't expect a jerry rigged muffler to say on your y pipe for very long.
Ask the guy in the van behind us on the hiway!
Later,
bill
i have a several to add:
1: I was working on changing the oil in my recently purchased 81 Trans Am (1999). The previous owner had put the oil plug back on REALLY tight!
I had a wrench on the bolt and I was torquing pretty hard with my arm to loosen it. I was pulling so hard my body started to lift off the ground (weighed about 165 at the time). I began to realize that my fist was facing the header collectors under the car and they were rough and rusty looking, I began to think what might happen when this bolt would finally crack loose, no sooner than that thought ran through my mind, my fist crashed into the rusty metal at a hundred miles an hour. i have big scars on my last three fingers on my right hand. Knocked it down to bone on my middle finger knuckle. Just bandaged it up. Couldn't feel my fingers for a week!
2: Don't let your girlfriend (now my wife) drive your Trans Am up onto ramps that are on a slight decline. She over extended them and now my dad has two flat car ramps! Messed up my front ground effects too. Not particularly all my wifes fault. My placement of the ramps made the situation happen.
3: Don't beat your self up continuously trying to figure out why your fuel pump wont engage when doing a complete drive train swap from an 88 IROC into an 84 Sport Coupe. My bro spent a whole day trying to get his car to start. Turns out there were a series of ground wires near that battery that werent fastened. HMM....VROOOM!!
4: Don't jamb a muffler at the end of your y-pipe cause you can't afford to get a cat bat exhaust on your 84 Sport Coupe project (aforementioned). You will have to drive it for months (till you can aquire the funds from a part time job) to get the necessary parts. You will also have to drive with ear plugs for the loud resonating roar from the L98 350 in the passengar compartment.
5: Don't expect a jerry rigged muffler to say on your y pipe for very long.
Ask the guy in the van behind us on the hiway!Later,
bill
if u start hearing a grinding noise when brakeing, dont go stick your finger on the rotor to check for scratches after just shutting the car off>nasty burn.
if u just got your first car and it snows dont use the ice scraper on your paint thinking it was made not to scratch your paint just remove the ice. its only for window>got some nasty scrathces on my paint from this stupid move.
if your hood struts dont work and u stick i stick to hold it up make sure its in there good before u stick your head under it> got a good scar from this one
if u only drove a stick once before dont base it on a video game and drive it in first for 20 min reaching 60kph because u forgot how to change gears>blew my mom boyfriends TT supra engine, he was no happy
if u just got your first car and it snows dont use the ice scraper on your paint thinking it was made not to scratch your paint just remove the ice. its only for window>got some nasty scrathces on my paint from this stupid move.
if your hood struts dont work and u stick i stick to hold it up make sure its in there good before u stick your head under it> got a good scar from this one
if u only drove a stick once before dont base it on a video game and drive it in first for 20 min reaching 60kph because u forgot how to change gears>blew my mom boyfriends TT supra engine, he was no happy
Last edited by icebird_1981; Aug 12, 2003 at 07:40 PM.
Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
From: florida
Car: 1984 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: modded 5.0
Transmission: modded 700r4
never spend an entire day taking the y pipe off, replacing the starter and solenoid, and reinstalling the y pipe before making sure you don't just need a new battery.
Supreme Member
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,931
Likes: 0
From: Palm Bay, Florida, USA
Car: 95 E-150 & 07 Kawasaki ZX-6R
Engine: A slow one & a fast one
Transmission: A bad one & a good one
Axle/Gears: A weak one & a chained one
*** bless the trickle/10/50 amp starter/charger. Its a great way to test that problem!
Supreme Member
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,962
Likes: 5
From: Moorestown, NJ
Car: 88 Camaro SC
Engine: SFI'd 350
Transmission: TKO 500
Axle/Gears: 9-bolt w/ 3.23's
Originally posted by billsfirebird
4: Don't jamb a muffler at the end of your y-pipe cause you can't afford to get a cat bat exhaust on your 84 Sport Coupe project (aforementioned). You will have to drive it for months (till you can aquire the funds from a part time job) to get the necessary parts. You will also have to drive with ear plugs for the loud resonating roar from the L98 350 in the passengar compartment.
4: Don't jamb a muffler at the end of your y-pipe cause you can't afford to get a cat bat exhaust on your 84 Sport Coupe project (aforementioned). You will have to drive it for months (till you can aquire the funds from a part time job) to get the necessary parts. You will also have to drive with ear plugs for the loud resonating roar from the L98 350 in the passengar compartment.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 616
Likes: 0
From: Windsor,Ontario, Canada
Car: 1985 Camaro Z 28
Engine: 305 LG4
Transmission: 700R4
umm dont put a trolly jack through your GFX it wont work at all lol
Ya i did that being a first time owner a few years ago and ended up breaking the dang thing lol
Ya i did that being a first time owner a few years ago and ended up breaking the dang thing lol
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally posted by my84firebird
never spend an entire day taking the y pipe off, replacing the starter and solenoid, and reinstalling the y pipe before making sure you don't just need a new battery.
never spend an entire day taking the y pipe off, replacing the starter and solenoid, and reinstalling the y pipe before making sure you don't just need a new battery.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 798
Likes: 0
From: Sharonville OH
Car: 98 Z28 vert
Engine: LS1
Transmission: automagic
Axle/Gears: 2.73 - boo racing yay MPG
it took you a full day to do that????? only takes me 15-30mins.
TGO Supporter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 9,067
Likes: 1
From: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Car: '83 Z28, '07 Charger SRT8
Engine: 454ci, 6.1 Hemi
Transmission: TH350, A5
Axle/Gears: 2.73 posi, 3.06 posi
Originally posted by gmsmallblockguy
Setting:
A sunny day 65 acre plot full of motocross trails and jumps.
Me and an equally crazy friend.
A free hyundai.
ME: "Ok theese 13 inch tires gotta go this thing can't even get through the fields"
Buddy: "Uh I wonder if theese will work" ( he is pointing at some old 15" skinny jeep tires)
Me: "I'll get the drill you cut off the fenders with the sawzall"
Ok so now we can get through the fields ok and this little car is so light we decided to try it on a little 12 foot hill jump.
We got up to about 45mph hit the hill flew about 15 feet and the lugs pulled through one of the back wheels landing the gas tank on a rock and crushing the fuel lines.
Well we weren't done there a 1/2 mile walk some turbo blue and a snomobile tank become a gravity feed fuel system duct taped to the roof with a primer bulb running through the passenger door for "extra boost"
Ok lets kill the hyundai now it's off to the big doubble hill jump We know that anything over 60mph will clear the 2nd hill on a motorcycle so we hit it at about 75.
Well it is quite difficult to controll your inclination in a car and they have a bit more wind resistance and weight than a bike.
We hit the hill about 15 feet short front bumper straight into the ground. We hit hard enough to keep the back wheels up in the air.
When we started to smell gas and saw the new gravity feed tank spilling out on the ground we realised the hole in the main tank must be leaking also. So I try to open my door nope no good. We both look at eachother and without saying a word to each other start kicking out the windshield. No sooner do we break free than the car ignited.
We managed to escape only bruised but within less than a minute the car exploded when the flames reached the main tank.
Setting:
A sunny day 65 acre plot full of motocross trails and jumps.
Me and an equally crazy friend.
A free hyundai.
ME: "Ok theese 13 inch tires gotta go this thing can't even get through the fields"
Buddy: "Uh I wonder if theese will work" ( he is pointing at some old 15" skinny jeep tires)
Me: "I'll get the drill you cut off the fenders with the sawzall"
Ok so now we can get through the fields ok and this little car is so light we decided to try it on a little 12 foot hill jump.
We got up to about 45mph hit the hill flew about 15 feet and the lugs pulled through one of the back wheels landing the gas tank on a rock and crushing the fuel lines.
Well we weren't done there a 1/2 mile walk some turbo blue and a snomobile tank become a gravity feed fuel system duct taped to the roof with a primer bulb running through the passenger door for "extra boost"
Ok lets kill the hyundai now it's off to the big doubble hill jump We know that anything over 60mph will clear the 2nd hill on a motorcycle so we hit it at about 75.
Well it is quite difficult to controll your inclination in a car and they have a bit more wind resistance and weight than a bike.
We hit the hill about 15 feet short front bumper straight into the ground. We hit hard enough to keep the back wheels up in the air.
When we started to smell gas and saw the new gravity feed tank spilling out on the ground we realised the hole in the main tank must be leaking also. So I try to open my door nope no good. We both look at eachother and without saying a word to each other start kicking out the windshield. No sooner do we break free than the car ignited.
We managed to escape only bruised but within less than a minute the car exploded when the flames reached the main tank.
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 938
Likes: 1
From: Hinesville, GA USA
Car: '86 IROC-Z/'94 Z28
Engine: 350 LT1/382 LT1
Transmission: 4L60-E/T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.45/3.42 (soon 4.10)
damn!
Wow! I last checked this post about 5 months ago when I left for basic training! Someone out to make this a sticky or something as a funny tribute to the longest post on TGO!
One a friend of mine reminded me of...dont ever try to crush the crush sleeve on a pinion gear under a car using cheap jackstands...lucky I keep the jack under there too...some dumb 16 year old thing I did 4-5 years ago. Have dropped 2 cars on me! They get heavy...
One a friend of mine reminded me of...dont ever try to crush the crush sleeve on a pinion gear under a car using cheap jackstands...lucky I keep the jack under there too...some dumb 16 year old thing I did 4-5 years ago. Have dropped 2 cars on me! They get heavy...
TGO Supporter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 9,067
Likes: 1
From: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Car: '83 Z28, '07 Charger SRT8
Engine: 454ci, 6.1 Hemi
Transmission: TH350, A5
Axle/Gears: 2.73 posi, 3.06 posi
Ok.. this happened yesterday...
Don't start working on your carb, adjusting the air valve (Q-jet) and discover you don't have the right size Torx head to loosen the set screw. Ok, no big deal, I just have to go get another... then come home from the tool store with the same Torx screwdriver I already had...
Don't start working on your carb, adjusting the air valve (Q-jet) and discover you don't have the right size Torx head to loosen the set screw. Ok, no big deal, I just have to go get another... then come home from the tool store with the same Torx screwdriver I already had...
Supreme Member
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,931
Likes: 0
From: Palm Bay, Florida, USA
Car: 95 E-150 & 07 Kawasaki ZX-6R
Engine: A slow one & a fast one
Transmission: A bad one & a good one
Axle/Gears: A weak one & a chained one
If you have a cam...don't try to put the car into gear until the idle speed comes down. I've stalled out at many, many drive-thrus pulling that move.
And as a sidenote I discovered....don't try to show off to a 2003 Mustang SVT Cobra. And if you do...LAUNCH it, don't granny it, cause you'll need all the speed you can get to stay even. (I held him for 3 seconds from a rolling start before he pulled away...I was pretty happy with myself!)
And as a sidenote I discovered....don't try to show off to a 2003 Mustang SVT Cobra. And if you do...LAUNCH it, don't granny it, cause you'll need all the speed you can get to stay even. (I held him for 3 seconds from a rolling start before he pulled away...I was pretty happy with myself!)
Supreme Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,552
Likes: 5
From: New Jersey
Car: 86 Corvette, 89 IROC, 1999 TA
Engine: 350, 350, LS1
Transmission: 700r4, 700r4, T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.07, 373, 4.10
Originally posted by Nixon1
If you have a cam...don't try to put the car into gear until the idle speed comes down. I've stalled out at many, many drive-thrus pulling that move.
If you have a cam...don't try to put the car into gear until the idle speed comes down. I've stalled out at many, many drive-thrus pulling that move.
???????? Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
From: Summerville, South Carolina
Car: 1987 Camaro Sport Coupe
Engine: 305 (LG4)
Transmission: 700R4
I have A couple for ya........
1. Don't use SALT and water to clean the battery. My dad did that on his fathers's Chrysler when he was a teenager. killed the battery dead.
2. Check the wheel nuts after replacing the tranny in a Intregra. A kid in my automotive class in high school was replacing the tranny and after a week got it back togeather and about 20 min. later the left wheel came off and he went into the ditch. it took a Toyota 4x4 to get the car out and 10 people to lift the car so we could get the tire back on.
3. Rember that on an old car the plastic clips on the wires are brittle. I have about a hundred broken clips.
4. When the fan is roubbing the radiator fix it soon. my friend had this happen to his Grand Am and put holes in the radiator. then he didn't know it was that way and the car over heated and blew the head gasket (four banger) I hate over head cam engines. it was a PITA to set the timing on that car.
1. Don't use SALT and water to clean the battery. My dad did that on his fathers's Chrysler when he was a teenager. killed the battery dead.
2. Check the wheel nuts after replacing the tranny in a Intregra. A kid in my automotive class in high school was replacing the tranny and after a week got it back togeather and about 20 min. later the left wheel came off and he went into the ditch. it took a Toyota 4x4 to get the car out and 10 people to lift the car so we could get the tire back on.
3. Rember that on an old car the plastic clips on the wires are brittle. I have about a hundred broken clips.
4. When the fan is roubbing the radiator fix it soon. my friend had this happen to his Grand Am and put holes in the radiator. then he didn't know it was that way and the car over heated and blew the head gasket (four banger) I hate over head cam engines. it was a PITA to set the timing on that car.
Last edited by 87cam305; Aug 20, 2003 at 06:02 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 857
Likes: 1
From: Phoenix, AZ
Car: '82 Z28
Engine: 350HO
Transmission: M4
1. Always make sure the funky cotter pins for a hurst shifter linkage are right, because dropping your reverse linkage rod in the middle of the road going 40 isn't fun.
2. When your clutch starts slipping, don't say "i'll fix it later". fix it now. Because when you drive the car till you can leave it idling in gear, and then try to replace the clutch, when you try to get a core charge for your flywheel the guy at napa will just laugh at you.
3. hose clamps have a purpose
4. so does locktite
5. when the dumbass you bought your car from put rims on it with the wrong offset, put new ones on before the fender cuts groove in your tire resulting in a blowout
6. 90w oil has to be one of the worst smelling things on the planet, and doesn't easily come out of clothes or hair.
7. don't ever shift so hard you break your stock shifter, because the shifter for a 4-speed saginaw tranny from a 82 is not easy to find (had to buy a hurst)
8. always have somone spot you when you drive your car onto ramps, you just might drive off of them otherwise, then cringe, then get out and laugh at your car cause it looks like a beached whale.
2. When your clutch starts slipping, don't say "i'll fix it later". fix it now. Because when you drive the car till you can leave it idling in gear, and then try to replace the clutch, when you try to get a core charge for your flywheel the guy at napa will just laugh at you.
3. hose clamps have a purpose
4. so does locktite
5. when the dumbass you bought your car from put rims on it with the wrong offset, put new ones on before the fender cuts groove in your tire resulting in a blowout
6. 90w oil has to be one of the worst smelling things on the planet, and doesn't easily come out of clothes or hair.
7. don't ever shift so hard you break your stock shifter, because the shifter for a 4-speed saginaw tranny from a 82 is not easy to find (had to buy a hurst)
8. always have somone spot you when you drive your car onto ramps, you just might drive off of them otherwise, then cringe, then get out and laugh at your car cause it looks like a beached whale.
Supreme Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,886
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, NC
Car: Guess
Engine: Crazy 8
Transmission: So close to being a manual I can taste it
[i]
8. always have somone spot you when you drive your car onto ramps, you just might drive off of them otherwise, then cringe, then get out and laugh at your car cause it looks like a beached whale. [/B]
8. always have somone spot you when you drive your car onto ramps, you just might drive off of them otherwise, then cringe, then get out and laugh at your car cause it looks like a beached whale. [/B]
That happened to me once!!!
Senior Member
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 973
Likes: 0
From: Avondale, AZ, used to be seattle, washington
Car: 1978 Chevrolet C10
Engine: 350
Transmission: Turbo 350
Originally posted by My86Firebird
never put your face over the carb when the motor is running... back fires hurt like hell :-(
never put your face over the carb when the motor is running... back fires hurt like hell :-(
i told them to move, well lets just say one guy now has not leg hair, and his girfriend now has darker colored jeans, that happened today. i had some friends over and i just finished puttin in the system, small propane tank, and a sparkplug, ends up i can now shoot flames about 40 ft out my exhuast. :lala:
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally posted by Squeeks83
that or not knowing that people are standing by your exuast after you just installed a flmaethorwer system.
i told them to move, well lets just say one guy now has not leg hair, and his girfriend now has darker colored jeans, that happened today. i had some friends over and i just finished puttin in the system, small propane tank, and a sparkplug, ends up i can now shoot flames about 40 ft out my exhuast. :lala:
that or not knowing that people are standing by your exuast after you just installed a flmaethorwer system.
i told them to move, well lets just say one guy now has not leg hair, and his girfriend now has darker colored jeans, that happened today. i had some friends over and i just finished puttin in the system, small propane tank, and a sparkplug, ends up i can now shoot flames about 40 ft out my exhuast. :lala:
BUT it is a good way to **** off that mustang thats behide you reving his rusted out POS 89 5.0 trying to show off to his little girly friend LoL :-D
Last edited by My86Firebird; Aug 21, 2003 at 09:55 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 973
Likes: 0
From: Avondale, AZ, used to be seattle, washington
Car: 1978 Chevrolet C10
Engine: 350
Transmission: Turbo 350
this is in my 78 C10, i have the pipes sticking out the sides before the rear bumper, so no, i cook the ***** next to me, so thats better, i guess. lol
im saying BS till i see some pics or a vid man!!!! hehehehe. One of the guys off fuelslut.com changed his TCS button in his 98 TA from traction control system, to a tailgator control system... hehehehe. Flip the switch... VROOOOM!!!
Senior Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 616
Likes: 0
From: Windsor,Ontario, Canada
Car: 1985 Camaro Z 28
Engine: 305 LG4
Transmission: 700R4
on my old sunbird i forgot to clamp the muffler on, so im drivin down to the parts store and i realize that my muffler is about a block behind me
Lesson learned, turn the radio down after doing any work on your car...and re check everything.
Lesson learned, turn the radio down after doing any work on your car...and re check everything. 



