Bad Ideas

[1969911T]

Thought I would post something that might stop others from doing bad things with their car.

Here is my story.

Went to the gas station. Started filling up and smoke started seeping out of the front hood. Tried to open the hood, it would not open. Heard arcing. Had the front bumper off, so figured the battery was shorting to ground and was able to find a hole where I could use my finger to push the battery away from the ground. Drove home very slowly. Was able to get a open end wrench under the nose of the hood to remove the hood latch and get the hood opened.

The bad idea was to use one battery instead of the two that are standard. In the 80s it was getting hard to find the dual batteries and really expensive. The next bad idea was to not restrain the battery, other than depending on the Windshield washer fluid reservoir(which eventually cracked). No problems for about 15 years until I had the front bumper off and the windshield reservoir removed and drove to the gas station.

When I braked at the gas station the battery shifted forward, the positive terminal touched the steel tube holding the hood release cable. The arcing welded the hood release cable to the steel tube which is what prevented the hood from opening. The only evidence of this adventure is a missing section of the steel tube. Obviously, it could have been a lot worse! Guess who will always use the dual batteries?
Steve

[davep]

Very glad to hear that this misadventure was not disastrous. When working on our cars we have to consider an engineering FMEA; Failure Modes Effects Analysis. In other words, what can go wrong if I do this. Now you know what can go wrong.

[Haasman]

wow .... that's a good share and you are lucky.

Reminds of the time a junior mechanic removed the battery jumper cables after charging the battery for hours. Oh and yes, since the hood struts had failed, he used an old parts box to hold the hood slightly up. But not enough to vent the hydrogen gas.

Upon removing the connectors the ensuing spark caused and explosion blowing the front hood over the windshield, and the tech across the room.

The best part? The customer watched the whole thing.

[Scott A]

with most of the door taken apart, i leaned over to pull the passenger door closed....and put my finger in the round speaker hole...and as the door closed...the latch mechanism crushed my finger....and the door successfully closed...then I had to get the door open again, real quick...to get my finger back.
i hope i only do this once...

others should give care to avoid this.

[1969911T]

Another bad idea of mine. The first and only engine I have rebuilt is my T. I took the oil pump apart just to see what was inside-BAD IDEA. The engine ran but oil pressure was very low. Of course, the oil pump replacement meant splitting the case. 35 years and 150,000 miles later, leaks oil but still runs great. I believe in miracles!

[Chuck Miller]

In 2009 I'd thought I'd push my very iffy rear brake pads for one more track day at Buttonwillow ...
The problem was the track day was the start of 4 day event weekend another 100 miles away in Cambria ....

I barely made it with a lot of coasting, hand braking, and grinding my teeth like the grinding I was hearing from the rear of the car ...

Thank goodness a very good shop in San Louis Obispo set me up with rotors and pads ....

A lesson learned ....