Inspired by the outer space thread, has anyone dropped something while working on a car that really matters?
I would volunteer dropping a contact breaker point retaining screw down the distributor shaft of a Marina.
Can't really remember, but I think I just fitted another screw and hoped for the best - naughty, naughty.
Dropped many a sump plug into the waste oil bucket during oil changes.
|
>>I would volunteer dropping a contact breaker point retaining screw down the distributor shaft of a Marina.
Yes! You do hundreds without issue, but, it's only when the customer is looking over your shoulder that you fumble it.
|
|
|
During the reassembly process after changing the timing belts and water pump on my old Mondeo TD, I was refitting the plug for the crankshaft timing pin hole back into the crankcase when I dropped the plug down the back of the air-con compressor. After various retrieval methods failed, I ended up having to remove the air-con compressor and its mounting bracket from the block to retrieve the plug. It added well over an hour to the job!
I probably drop the sump plug into the used oil 80% of the time! An extendable magnet takes care of it though.
Edited by DP on 20/11/2008 at 11:18
|
I dropped a Triumph 2.5PI crankshaft once. Part of it landed on my big toe.
An argument for steel tipped boots in the workshop at all times..no I was not wearing them :-(
|
|
I dropped the top of a spark-plug down its hole on an A-series Metro. I couldn't get it out so I just left it there. The car ran OK for about another 20,000 miles and then lost compression on that cylinder!
|
|
There is part of a two thou feeler gauge lurking somewhere in my Honda 125cc motorbike. Was checking the valve clearances several years ago and went to pull out the gauge for it to tear and fall down through the void where the cam chain runs. 10,000 or so miles later I'm hoping it's come out at some point when I've changed the oil.
|
At uni many years ago, was once helping a chum to remove the engine from his Metro for some job he felt he needed to do (sure it was terribly important). We had ropes around it, attached to a scaffolding pole, lifted by some large chaps. When it was out of the car and near the ground, it slipped. Unfortunately, another friend was under it. He wasn't hurt as the engine sort of rolled off his (substantial) belly onto the ground. We laughed as it seemed to be funny at the time, mostly because of the loud 'OOOOFFF!!' sound he made!
This was at halls of residence- he kept the engine in his room. His cleaner asked understandably what 'it' was. He replied as if it was as plain as it could be: "it's a 997cc A-series engine. What does it look like?" She cleaned around it.
Ah, happy days!
|
|
|
|
Once lost a valve stem cotter down an oilway when decoking the P4.
I would have been more than happy to leave it there but found it impossible to get another one of the correct pattern so had to drop the sump and fish around for it in the sludge.
Since then I've always stuffed cotton rags in the holes as per Haynes suggestion.
|
Not a "Component" as such, but youngest Daughter once dropped her Hammy Hampster in the car, and we never got that back! We "think" it may have legged it up the rear heater floor vents, but who knows! she tried leaving a dish of food and water in the rear footwell, but it was never touched, car never smelt of anything dead either, anyway we got her a bike to make up for it.
Billy
|
|
|
|
