What stupid thing did you do today?

[jojobeans]

You know you've 'made it' when you're Walmart's shopper of the week!

Sometimes it’s the simplest things that you absolutely fudge up. I operate and supervise a power plant for 12 hours a day, can fix anything in my house and fiddle with intricate little RC cars without much issue… Yet, I dang near need an adult when it comes time to buy groceries.

I feel there’s a lot more stories that everyone is holding back in here and I can’t wait to hear them. Thread title should be “what’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done?”

 

[CertifiedMike]

I feel there’s a lot more stories that everyone is holding back in here and I can’t wait to hear them. Thread title should be “what’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done?”

My story starts when I was about 6 years old and ends.....

 

[Ritz413]

Most times when I get gas for the car, is when I buy a 2$ scratch ticket. Knowing full well the odds alone say it's stupid idea.....I realize the letter code indicates a $2 winner.....but the prize says $1. If it's a $2 prize that should be a 2x not a matching number.

 

[BMcG]

Ordered a takeaway but forgot to change the address.

Went to my parents and my Dad sent me a photo of him eating it

 

[9x19]

Tired of having boxes stacked in the corner, I had the bright idea to transfer their contents to a storage tote in a stack... turns out once you put 10k rounds of .22LR in a tote, it becomes a stay.

Back in the corner go the boxes... tote will be used for something lighter.

 

[Doom!]

Stupid thing was last night, to tired to do the dishes. So when I got around to it today, everything was crusted on and took three times the effort to clean up.

 

[Mrgoodwrench35]

A little background. I'm an auto tech, been turning wrenches professionally for over 30 years. I've replaced thousands of timing chains and belts and just about everything you can imagine can go wrong with a car. This is something I've never done in 30 years.

I replaced timing chains and gears on an old 2.4 equinox. First thing Monday morning, half asleep and hung over. I did it wrong. Missed the crank mark by 2 teeth, fired it up and it sounded, well, really bad. Interference engine (meaning valves will contact pistons if its not in time) and I was certain it was dead. Corrected my mistake, fired it up this morning and it purrs like a kitten. No damage. I'm the luckiest person on the planet. Going to buy lottery tickets at lunch.

 

[CreepyQuarryCrawler]

A little background. I'm an auto tech, been turning wrenches professionally for over 30 years. I've replaced thousands of timing chains and belts and just about everything you can imagine can go wrong with a car. This is something I've never done in 30 years.

I replaced timing chains and gears on an old 2.4 equinox. First thing Monday morning, half asleep and hung over. I did it wrong. Missed the crank mark by 2 teeth, fired it up and it sounded, well, really bad. Interference engine (meaning valves will contact pistons if its not in time) and I was certain it was dead. Corrected my mistake, fired it up this morning and it purrs like a kitten. No damage. I'm the luckiest person on the planet. Going to buy lottery tickets at lunch.

We've all been there bud. Glad to hear in the end it turned out okay.

 

[Burnzone]

A little background. I'm an auto tech, been turning wrenches professionally for over 30 years. I've replaced thousands of timing chains and belts and just about everything you can imagine can go wrong with a car. This is something I've never done in 30 years.

I replaced timing chains and gears on an old 2.4 equinox. First thing Monday morning, half asleep and hung over. I did it wrong. Missed the crank mark by 2 teeth, fired it up and it sounded, well, really bad. Interference engine (meaning valves will contact pistons if its not in time) and I was certain it was dead. Corrected my mistake, fired it up this morning and it purrs like a kitten. No damage. I'm the luckiest person on the planet. Going to buy lottery tickets at lunch.

Dude! You are lucky! But definitely been there too Gonna say even better when a yr (or whatever time frame your shop covers) goes by and warranty is done every time the vehicle returns I circle round and listen closely... What are they here for now?

 

[Burnzone]

Reminds me of a bone headed move I did early on in my career. Guy brings a semi (Cummins ISX) to our shop with a blowed out turbo. Knew it was blown out. Did NOT tow it to us. Drove it all the way from Timbuktu. Of course being blown out it had no boost and filled the charge air cooler with oil. Had heard horror stories at an earlier point about "runaways". (Engines don't runaway-mechanics do. Engines over speed)
I replaced the turbo and decided the CAC was not that full of oil that it couldn't be driven. It WAS that full of oil. I didn't get out of the parking lot. It took off and roared and thundered and shook the shop. I don't know how fast it went but it was plenty fast! Wwwaaayyy beyond 2000rpm anyway. Turning the key off did NOT help. And when it finished it's business it didn't restart. Just cranked unevenly. We overhauled it and cut the guy a deal on parts and labor. The injectors had really big nozzle holes and the main bearings had lots of scratched up brass showing. Thankfully the crank was ok.
I didn't get fired but I probably should have. I might have fired myself if I was the boss
So...from here on...I always use excess caution with similar scenarios

 

[Burnzone]

Reminds me of a bone headed move I did early on in my career. Guy brings a semi (Cummins ISX) to our shop with a blowed out turbo. Knew it was blown out. Did NOT tow it to us. Drove it all the way from Timbuktu. Of course being blown out it had no boost and filled the charge air cooler with oil. Had heard horror stories at an earlier point about "runaways". (Engines don't runaway-mechanics do. Engines over speed)
I replaced the turbo and decided the CAC was not that full of oil that it couldn't be driven. It WAS that full of oil. I didn't get out of the parking lot. It took off and roared and thundered and shook the shop. I don't know how fast it went but it was plenty fast! Wwwaaayyy beyond 2000rpm anyway. Turning the key off did NOT help. And when it finished it's business it didn't restart. Just cranked unevenly. We overhauled it and cut the guy a deal on parts and labor. The injectors had really big nozzle holes and the main bearings had lots of scratched up brass showing. Thankfully the crank was ok.
I didn't get fired but I probably should have. I might have fired myself if I was the boss
So...from here on...I always use excess caution with similar scenarios

Little off topic. Title of the thread is what stupid things did you do today. I hope stupid things done today are pretty much behind me. At work anyway. So back to regular scheduled programming

 

[CreepyQuarryCrawler]

I like this and there is still time in my day.

It was a hot summer day about a decade ago, I was at my last no cooling call of the day; brain was fried.

This system had no charge, I tested it with nitrogen and it held. I advised we refill it and inject it with sealant. Job sold!

I went out and proceeded to fill it then I made the fatal mistake; I injected it with sealant but I hadn't pulled a vacuum on the system.

I guess the oxygen/moisture mixture turned that sealant into a sludge.

She phoned the next day with no cooling.

I had to sadly inform her the unit died

Que Homer into the bushes.

 

[CertifiedMike]

I went out and proceeded to fill it then I made the fatal mistake; I injected it with sealant but I hadn't pulled a vacuum on the system.

So does this suck or... no???

 

[CreepyQuarryCrawler]

So does this suck or... no???

Yeah.

In refrigeration we need to remove out all the non condensables (moisture and o2) out of a system before charging AND injecting with sealant.

The sealant is designed to flow the system and react to a micro crack where oxygen is present to seal it up.

So what happened is the sealant reacted to the O2 and moisture in the system forming blockages throughout the system.

Instead I basically gave the thing a heart attack by clogging up all it's veins.

Had I not put the sealant in, it would have worked. Not perfectly, but still pumped vapor.

I applied the invoice towards a new one to try and save face.

I felt like a real idgit

Update:

Told you guys the day isn't over yet.

Me and my lhs were looking for a bearing that didn't exist

I just grabbed some shims. I think I made three trips over two days

 

[Doom!]

Me and my lhs were looking for a bearing that didn't exist

Now that is something I would do.

 

[CreepyQuarryCrawler]

Now that is something I would do.

It's a reminder to slow down AND thoroughly read the instructions

 

[CertifiedMike]

Yeah.

In refrigeration we need to remove out all the non condensables (moisture and o2) out of a system before charging AND injecting with sealant.

The sealant is designed to flow the system and react to a micro crack where oxygen is present to seal it up.

So what happened is the sealant reacted to the O2 and moisture in the system forming blockages throughout the system.

Instead I basically gave the thing a heart attack by clogging up all it's veins.

Had I not put the sealant in, it would have worked. Not perfectly, but still pumped vapor.

I applied the invoice towards a new one to try and save face.

I felt like a real idgit

Update:

Told you guys the day isn't over yet.

Me and my lhs were looking for a bearing that didn't exist


View attachment 262943

View attachment 262944
I just grabbed some shims. I think I made three trips over two days

I have chased bearings and battery packs that don't exist.

Speaking of... does anyone know where I can find any muffler bearings???

 

[9x19]

I have chased bearings and battery packs that don't exist.

Speaking of... does anyone know where I can find any muffler bearings???

Are you looking for the horizontal, transparent muffler bearings, or just the regular kind?

 

[Mrgoodwrench35]

I have chased bearings and battery packs that don't exist.

Speaking of... does anyone know where I can find any muffler bearings???

We keep em all in stock. Right next to the blinker fluid.

 

[81exige]

blinker fluid? so for that rare occasion when a BMW driver pulls into your shop?