How something easy becomes a mpia

[scottfab]

Originally Posted by Paul Workman

......................As a kid, I was replacing pistons in my 327 SBC. I was using a metal pan to keep all the bolts together. But, un-beknownst to me, my practical joker dad put a big 7/16 x 5" bolt in the pan with the rest of my bolts. When I get all done (I think) assembling the bottom of the motor, here's this big bolt left over...WTH!!

Dad still gets a chuckle out of it, every time it comes up.

oooh, I have to remember that one

[scottfab]

Originally Posted by A26B

..............................

I laughed at Paul's jammed air wrench..... but only because I did the same thing. It's a real problem when you can't reach the rachet reverse. It is one of those never forgotten lessons though.
................

NEVER DO THIS !!!!!!!!!!
Believe it or not there is one worse. I ran into this working on a friends toyota. I have a set of craftsman wrenches. These have a box end on one side and an open end on the other. The box end is one of those with NO lever but has an integrated ratchet. The direction of ratcheting is determined by flipping the box end over.

You can guess the rest. Yup I backed out a bolt head just far enough where I could not get the box end out. The only thing that saved having to cut the bolt head off was that I had only backed it out too far by 1/4 turn. I was able to get the bolt back in enough to get the wrench out, just barely.

[vilant]

Originally Posted by QB93Z

I try to remember to stuff a shop rag between the engine and the firewall when I am removing the Map sensor (or other bolts near bottomless voids). When the rag is there I rarely drop the bolt. Forget the rag and I will drop it for sure.

Jim

That's a great tip. I'll have to remember that next time I work on it. Which will be soon, cause I just received a new oil pressure switch and headlight bushings. Wish me luck, lol.

[DaveK]

Ahh the embarrassment of visiting the WAZOO and having them find HOW MANY tools tucked away in various places... I really had no idea that they were even missing!

[mike100]

Originally Posted by scottfab

...set of craftsman wrenches. These have a box end on one side and an open end on the other. The box end is one of those with NO lever but has an integrated ratchet. The direction of ratcheting is determined by flipping the box end over.

I don't even own a set of those. They don't last long enough anyhow.

[scottfab]

Originally Posted by mike100

I don't even own a set of those. They don't last long enough anyhow.

They've done ok for me. One is acting a big funny.
Time to take it back for a free replacement. May
have something to do with using a pipe extension on it

[Paul Workman]

Originally Posted by QB93Z

I try to remember to stuff a shop rag between the engine and the firewall when I am removing the Map sensor (or other bolts near bottomless voids). When the rag is there I rarely drop the bolt. Forget the rag and I will drop it for sure.

Jim

This made me laugh... I dropped a 1/4" drive ratchet down there once. I looked for hours, trying to find it, but it was like it evaporated - jacked up the car and everything trying to find it, to no avail. Never did find it, in fact!

Yep...Shop rag "fer sher" going forward!

P.

[mike100]

When I used to work in the trade, I collecting more than a couple of tools from customers cars. I might have donated a couple of mine too.

I recall once one guy brought back a whole rail of sockets I left on the tray of the front clip on one truck. They stayed in place with the hood closed and I was lucky the guy brought them back because they were worth more than $200 in today's money.