What stupid mistake have you made today?

[DanEC]

I was working on my car today which I normally keep on a set of Harbor Freight dollies I bought when I was building it.




I rolled it out and reached in from the outside and turned the key to start it and it fired up but was making a weird rumbling sound. I blipped the throttle a couple times with no change and glanced in the cockpit and noticed the transmission appeared to be in first and the speedometer was running at 5 - 10 mph. I thought what the heck - reached in and shut the motor off, pushed the stick into neutral and re-started it and everything sounded normal. The parking brake wasn't on either so I couldn't figure out what was going on. Then I noticed a little pile of rubber at the back end of the rear dollies and realized the car had been running in gear on the dollies like it was on a chassis dyno.

Fortunately, other that a bit of rubbed off paint on the dollies where the tires were slightly in contact - no damage done. Stupid mistake but I'm impressed the car didn't climb off the dollies and that the rollers on them kept up with the tires.

[Grubby]

Your lucky day. You could have had a lot of damage or worse if someone was in front of the car.

We have all done equally stupid things with various degrees of luck.

John

[Al G]

You were lucky. I never start the Cobra unless I'm in the seat with clutch in and trans in neutral.

[Detroit Bill]

No neutral safety switch?

[patrickt]

We've all made dumb mistakes before, fortunately Lady Luck was with you.. A couple of years ago I started the Cobra up after working on the fuel lines... and forgetting to tighten one up. When I got out to look at the engine, gas was puddled and boiling on the intake manifold. Yes, I just about soiled myself. No harm done, though. But it could have been bad.

[DanEC]

It was a dumb mistake. I usually park the car in neutral - and always (almost) check that it's in neutral before starting. Since I had removed the carbs and drained them I had to prime the fuel bowls which meant a couple starts - so I did it standing beside the car.

Kind of reminds me of when I was a kid adjusting the idle mixture and speed in my 64 Plymouth while in neutral (auto trans) with the parking brake set per the shop manual. I had everything set about right and standing beside the front fender with a foot on either side of the front tire, I absent-mindedly reached for the throttle to blip it and clear the motor while it was still in gear. Quick, short yank of the throttle - engine speed jumped - car jumped - rolled over the top of my left foot - car stopped by parking brake. Fortunately the nose of the car rose with the throttle yank so I hardly even felt the tire roll over my foot. I immediately looked all around to see if anyone was around to witness my act of stupidity.

[1795]

Dan,

We have all been there. At age 18 I decided to change the front disc pads only car. Accomplished it fairly well without too much trouble. Our driveway had a rather steep slope back towards the road. After taking the car off of the jack stands, I started it up, shifted into reverse and started down the driveway. Pushed the brake pedal in and it went to the flop, because I had not re-pressurized the system. I was pumping frantically and the brakes engaged just before the car rolled into the road. So far no stupid mistakes with the cobra, but I am sure there will be at least one....

[keezling]

I remember the '70's "after run" problem. It also wasn't uncommon for engines to self start simply by turning the ignition on, as the plugs would spark once when the ignition was powered up. I was a dealership mechanic and learned real fast why most of the bench legs were bent. Stupid mistakes at company level. Some redesigns aren't mentioned in the sales material.

[Detroit Bill]

Dan no neutral safety switch? If so you might want to think about adding one.

[DanEC]

No, no provison for a neutral switch. Not a bad idea but would take some effort to fabricate to work with underfloor pedals, etc. My 66 Vette doesn't have one either.

I wish I had noticed the rear wheels spinning on those dollies before I reached in and shut it down. That would be something to see - but not worth repeating.

[Detroit Bill]

A neutral safety takes an output from the transmission, I assume you have a Tremec and the ignition circuit uses it. I'd be surprised if the wiring was not already in the wiring harness. I suspect it would not be that hard, it is a foundational safety devise.

Imagine if it was not on stands and drove out the back of the garage or over someone!

It has nothing to do with the pedals.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Detroit Bill

A neutral safety takes an output from the transmission, I assume you have a Tremec and the ignition circuit uses it. I'd be surprised if the wiring was not already in the wiring harness. I suspect it would not be that hard, it is a foundational safety devise.

Imagine if it was not on stands and drove out the back of the garage or over someone!

It has nothing to do with the pedals.

He has a Toploader. But, if you are inclined to put a NSS in your SPF with your Tremec, make sure you include a NSS bypass as the internal Tremec switch tends to fail, especially if you're not using a separate relay with the switch to activate your starter solenoid (and thus lessen the current going through your NSS).

[Detroit Bill]

Originally Posted by patrickt

He has a Toploader. But, if you are inclined to put a NSS in your SPF with your Tremec, make sure you include a NSS bypass as the internal Tremec switch tends to fail, especially if you're not using a separate relay with the switch to activate your starter solenoid (and thus lessen the current going through your NSS).

I was not aware that they had a tendency to fail. If it is a known problem I would expect Tremec to fix it over time.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Detroit Bill

I was not aware that they had a tendency to fail. If it is a known problem I would expect Tremec to fix it over time.

They won't. The problem is that it is an extremely low amp switch that is designed for computer controlled "modern" vehicles. If you hook it up to your old style Ford solenoid that is bolted on to the firewall, then you'll burn it up and you'll be stranded. You have to use a separate, low amp relay. Or, just never reach in and start the car from the outside. Better yet, never even put the key in the ignition unless your butt is in the seat.

[Detroit Bill]

Originally Posted by patrickt

They won't. The problem is that it is an extremely low amp switch that is designed for computer controlled "modern" vehicles. If you hook it up to your old style Ford solenoid that is bolted on to the firewall, then you'll burn it up and you'll be stranded. You have to use a separate, low amp relay. Or, just never reach in and start the car from the outside. Better yet, never even put the key in the ignition unless your butt is in the seat.

That makes sense.

[cycleguy55]

My NSS is activated by hydraulic pressure in the line between the master cylinder and hydraulic throwout bearing. No pressure, no start.

[Steve Gallegos]

jacked the right side up using the floor jack, put the stand under the car, finished the work, jacked the car up to remove the stand, wasn't looking where I moved the stand to. I lowered the floor jack and the stand was under the cut out where the header exits the side of the car. took out the piece under the header, no damage to the header. pissed me off

[xb-60]

How stupid is this.....changing brake pads late at night then up early next morning, driving down the road slowly (dirt road) to the intersection, then accelerating up to speed (sealed road), and then about two miles from home, braking (first brake application) for the junction, and pedal goes straight to the floor!! Mad pumping to move all the pistons, and then the brakes come on with a vengeance. I stopped in time (just). Big lesson learnt.
Cheers,
Glen

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by xb-60

How stupid is this.....changing brake pads late at night then up early next morning, driving down the road slowly (dirt road) to the intersection, then accelerating up to speed (sealed road), and then about two miles from home, braking (first brake application) for the junction, and pedal goes straight to the floor!! Mad pumping to move all the pistons, and then the brakes come on with a vengeance. I stopped in time (just). Big lesson learnt.
Cheers,
Glen

I imagine that elevated your pulse rate and created a sanitary issue. At least I didn't know what was happening immediately so I didn't have enough sense to panic.

[Large Arbor]

I moved my lawnmower to get my car out and then backed right into it. Some minor scratches, but I felt like just shooting myself!

Phil