Anyone ever do anything this dumb?

[1256pickett]

You guys are a bunch of amateurs. All these mistakes you are admitting to are unforgivable. Always remember and learn from them but NEVER ADMIT to it. On that note I plead the fifth. 

[Diesel Doctor]

Can you get the lifters out of that engine without removing the cam?

And why would you do so for a head gasket?

It is a push rod engine so those would have been removed for a head gasket.

Are you sure you did what you are saying you did?

I have a 4-99 Perkins but it has almost been 100 years since I had it apart.

The memory about the cam is on the wain.

 

[FARMALL FIXER]

Like my Dad allways told me, "If you don't make a mistake once in a while you ain't doing anything, fix your mistake and move on", I miss his words of wisdom.

 

[Jacka]

3 hours ago, Diesel Doctor said:

Can you get the lifters out of that engine without removing the cam?

And why would you do so for a head gasket?

It is a push rod engine so those would have been removed for a head gasket.

Are you sure you did what you are saying you did?

I have a 4-99 Perkins but it has almost been 100 years since I had it apart.

The memory about the cam is on the wain.

 

Yes the cam is in the block. Lifters go up through the head.The reason I think now it slipped my mind is because last time I had head done the machine shop re installed them for me.This time they were just numbered and in a box of parts.But still my fault.Just one of those things.I guess when your looking at something but not actually seeing it.I since cleaned the block and head again,gonna give the lifters a good cleaning (numbered ends so I wanna clean that off too),lube them up real well with a coat of oil .I was thinking of using Lucas oil treatments to lightly coat lifters, cam and internal parts.I don't know if I should use that or just clean motor oil.Just waiting on new head gasket to come in too.

Total brain fart.

[hardtail]

On 3/18/2026 at 5:24 AM, vtfireman85 said:

BTDT, I froze up a new 427 tall deck bored .030 over. After serious issues with a Chrysler 230 head gasket on a fresh rebuild, ultimately found to be a timing issue, I decided to just put water in it, run it around a little bit and make sure I didn’t have issues before filling with antifreeze… that was September. We got a hard freeze in November and I woke up at about 3 am with a sinking feeling. It split the block on both sides between the freeze plugs. Wide open. Not my proudest moment, on the bright side I got very quick at pulling and reinstalling that engine. 

Dad had a 65 Malibu 4 dr that got hit on the passenger wheelwell, not bad but he parked in the dead fence row, I needed a rig to drive at 17 so I drug it out and was working on it in the spring, I had put water in the cooling system, I had got the 283 running the day before and had an unexpected cold evening, next morning it wouldn't start so pulled spark plugs and water was shooting out the holes, on to plan B

[BoilerRed]

At least you caught it.  The missing distributor hold down bolt on my SBC finally re-appeared after it wore a hole in the intake port wall.  Sometimes you just gotta learn lessons the hard way when you're a kid.

[Rawleigh99]

Congratulation on being man enough to admit it!  We have all done something like that before.

[whweldit]

Just quit mowing yard.  Serviced mower about 3 weeks ago.  Ready to go.   Just as I finished I drove it across road to barn to blow deck off.  Looked backed and hmmmm, what is that in road.   Oil.   Evidently I had not snugged the drain valve tight when drain changing oil.  It had opened up and pumping oil out.   Just had started.   Lost about 1/2 of the oil.   Still had oil pressure.   Whew!    

[bitty]

23 hours ago, pt756 said:

Years ago changed the oil in the 756 310, probably was in a hurry about something, put filter, new oil in, BIL took off with it , I am lucky he is so observant and noticed the oil coming out of the oil pan, as he drove out the driveway, didnt tighten up the plug, that was a close one,

In the early 80's the one 856 was overhauled. Dad and my uncle pulled it in the fuel shed (old corn crib wagon shed) and changed the engine oil for the first time. They were both working at it the plug got put in but neither of them tightened it. My cousin spread a load of menorah with it then it's about a three and a half mile drive to the field. He was spreading the load when the tractor stopped. He walked back to where the oil streak started and picked the drain plug up but the damage was already done. This was pre cell phone days . 

[Jacka]

43 minutes ago, bitty said:

In the early 80's the one 856 was overhauled. Dad and my uncle pulled it in the fuel shed (old corn crib wagon shed) and changed the engine oil for the first time. They were both working at it the plug got put in but neither of them tightened it. My cousin spread a load of menorah with it then it's about a three and a half mile drive to the field. He was spreading the load when the tractor stopped. He walked back to where the oil streak started and picked the drain plug up but the damage was already done. This was pre cell phone days . 

Ouch,that story reminds of neighbor in the 70's. Brand new or almost new JD 4630.The son was changing the oil.He put the plug in and left to go tend to the dairy barn.Father came out of the house and jumped on it fired it up and took off.He didn't get far because the son,whom was a man,didn't put oil in it because he wasn't finished and was stopped in the middle of it.The father didn't get far and a new motor was ordered from JD.I remember that story and too this day I put a tag on anything that shouldn't be started. I am the only one here but if something happens and I am wisked off to the hospital at least I left a note.

[Wes806]

Was plowing snow this with my 1999 F350 with 7.3 powerstroke. Loss all movement suddenly. Did have some knock noise when starting and low RPM.  Firuge it was flywheel.  Pulled transmission yep flywheel broken.  Everyone said tranny was good just flywheel. Put new flywheel in torque converter wouldn't bolt up. I put  flywheel in backwards. Pulled tranny flipped fly wheel around put all back together. Still no move. Got to pull it all back apart and have tranny rebuilt.  Grrrrrr  I wanted mechanic to go thru it while I had it out but he and everyone else said it was good..    Sorry about long story.

[MT Matt]

Had a chain idler gear go out on my New Holland haybine.  When it locked up, the tensioning arms got ate up plus the chain. Had to beat the balled up chain out of there but only found one of the idler sprockets. Figured the other dropped out and was gone.

Fixed the carnage with all new parts. Made it half way around the field and the sound of another chain getting eaten is very distinct.  Somehow, some way the missing sprocket showed up and didn’t play well with the other parts.  I guess I didn’t look close enough to locate the part. Always find what is supposed to be there. Lost my favorite 1/2” wrench and a ratchet wrench working on that mess.

Didn’t get a liner cold enough for my SMTA rebuild and broke it driving into the block.  I’m sure there is lots of other stuff I’ve screwed up.  Just fix it and keep going. Trying to do as best as you can. 

[bitty]

3 hours ago, Jacka said:

Ouch,that story reminds of neighbor in the 70's. Brand new or almost new JD 4630.The son was changing the oil.He put the plug in and left to go tend to the dairy barn.Father came out of the house and jumped on it fired it up and took off.He didn't get far because the son,whom was a man,didn't put oil in it because he wasn't finished and was stopped in the middle of it.The father didn't get far and a new motor was ordered from JD.I remember that story and too this day I put a tag on anything that shouldn't be started. I am the only one here but if something happens and I am wisked off to the hospital at least I left a note.

I always like to remove the keys when doing anything that would be bad for a startup 

[yellowrosefarm]

7 hours ago, bitty said:

I always like to remove the keys when doing anything that would be bad for a startup 

Just like rolling the window down on any car or truck brought into the shop, so the keys don't get locked inside accidently.  Not that it's ever happened to me..........

[int 504]

many years ago a friend lost a set of 8 hole bud wheels on rear of plow truck do to coming loose. hard to find 8 hole wheels. Got tires changed over to replacement wheels and SIL put them on truck on side of road but didn't have right wrench to tighten so went to get it. oldest son comes along in car with gf, sees truck, jumps in and heads for home.....rinse and repeat. way before cell phones

[Jacka]

Little update on my senior "can't see the forest because of the trees" moment.

Took it all back apart,cleaned head and block AGAIN .Soaked lifters in oil,pre lube cam lobes with motor oil and Lucas oil treatment.Installed lifters THIS TIME and reinstalled,torqued head.Adjusted valves,installed injectors,started engine brought to operating temp.Tore everything back apart to re torque head and did everything previous mentioned it putting all back together. It actually runs great now.But my work was almost doubled because of a little snafu.

Anyway ,I just wanted to say thank you for all the people that shared their little misfortunes and mistakes.It sure made me feel less alone and dumb. Especially when those that shared are mechanics that I have read their answers on here for all types of issues and are far better mechanics than I will ever be.