Ever Happen To You???

I forgot to replace the oil cap on my car one time after an oil change before going on a trip. Luckily, my first stop was to top off the gas tank a few miles from home and noticed the smoke coming out of the engine bay. The cap was still on my rad support.

From then on, I made it a habit to put the cap on top of the engine; my theory being that the hood wouldn't close with the cap in the way.

I tested that theory a few years later with my wife's car. The gas shocks that held the hood open were worn out. When I let the car down off the jack stands, the hood fell shut, and it folded around the cap like shrink wrap.

Now the cap gets placed over the hood-latch hole.

 

Been there and done the two tool thing. I have a separate shop and an attached garae at/on our home. Thus two sets of tools (and approx 8 tape measures. I've ferreted out a few that do not measure from the same zero. I've also learned measure twice (or thrice) and cut once. The lumber yard is an 8 mile jaunt.
It seems I've also lost my work-benches, all 4 of them, they look like part salvage yard, tipped over tool box, and some unknown disembowled electrical device with wires, fasteners and odds and ends of metal poking out here and there. With this major project winding down I expect the benches to reappear and yield the miscellaneous odds and ends (and missing tools) that were the catalyst of lumber yard trips.

 

Have anywhere from 6-12 tape measures, those little devils migrate and hide.
After a 12 hour workday I needed to prep a 390 Ford engine for sale the next day, after trying to start it unsuccessfully, then I replaced the carb, distributor and coil, still no start, found no spark condition, pulled cap and rotor, cleaned and gapped points, tried again, no spark, found no power to coil, hot wired the coil, figured it was ready to fire, shot a little starting fluid in the carb, no start, pulled the cap. No rotor, installed rotor, hit the starter and blam! the starter fluid broke a piston and vented the explosive pressure through the piston and out the dipstick tube, launching the dipstick into geosynchronous orbit, moral: Don't work on Fords!!!

 

That is for sure.. Every time I touch a FORD engine bay I loose skin..

 

all of mine look the same . collect all's . don't even have any rolling carts that aren't full too . one of these days

 

I operate my work areas with the CHS Principle "Closest Horizontal Surface"

 

Many years ago I was tuning up my Pontiac (MANY years), points, plugs, condenser, etc. The bracket for the condenser was too big so I made a shim from a matchbook cover, it tightened right up. Would not fire a lick. After chasing the children inside I used some language I had learned in the Marine Corps but it still wouldn't start. I wondered if the condenser needed to be grounded, guess what, it does.

 

You folks sure have made me feel better about my self..
All in a days work I guess..

 

I would give up on work benches, tables, rolling carts and use the floor, more room there and I have lots of magnets on rods to pick everything up that I drop, saves my 72 year old back.

 

I Love the magnets on sticks to save me from bending over to pick up what I drop, it saves stress on the back.

Dave

 

My Friend Andy shared a story with me, His Girlfriend went to the refrigerator, and stood there looking in the refrigerator; he went to the refrigerator, ask what are you doing? She said she forgot what she came there for, He said get out of the way, before I forget what I came for. Comes with the Territory, I guess. Good Luck