Dumb Present Owner

[Pythias]

Before setting out on a drive to the Coast down the scenic Columbia River (Washington side) this morning I topped up the oil and the dash pots. .. Just about the time I was turning onto U.S. 101, about 50 miles, I thought I could smell something burning.... maybe oil?....It went away and I figured it was that car I just passed. 50 or 60 miles further I smelled it again. And a little later again AND I could have sworn I saw a puff of smoke INSIDE the car. .. hmmm... by the time I was back thru the coast range and onto I-5 i was getting it every 3 or 4 minutes. I DID NOT want to look lest if find something that would prevent me from getting back home, so I continued driving until I had the car in the garage. When I popped the hood, I found that I had NOT put the cap back on the valve cover oil filler hole and had blown oil all over the engine compartment.

I'm gonna have to find some degreaser I guess. ..

DUMB DUMB DUMB!

 

[JPSmit]

Doh! though I am comforted that I am not alone - maybe not that specific deed, but, not alone. My DCO has a lot to answer for as well. :blush:

 

[jvandyke]

I've done that. It's good way to preserve all the bits under the hood, nice coat of oil.

 

[blkcorvair]

Ouch and Yuk! One of my buddies has a real low mileage ZR-1 (1991) he collects quite a few corvettes. As luck would have it theres no clearance under the hood, so when he left his cap off on top of the plenum and shut the hodd.... KA..PLOW! Spider cracked the center of one nice original hood.

I had an oil cooler line pop of the fitting at 55 in my Midget now. Luckily I shut it right down with no damage but geeze what a mess!

 

[RickB]

Reminds me of the mess in my MGBGT when the oil pressure sensor line blew a leak.
A LOT of oil can get out in a short time!

 

[maddy]

I left the oil plug out of the engine when changing the oil. Ran out of rags that day! At least it was just the floor...

 

[bgbassplyr]

Me too.

 

[SilentUnicorn]

left my gas cap on that nice little shelf the RB have in the back.....once



mark

 

[Morris]

I have done all those except blow an oil line... knock on wood... touch a belay... spin around thrice and say a chant.

 

[DrEntropy]

I've had those aftermarket stainless braided O/P gauge lines fail. Not pretty. 80PSI and a small opening. Like opening a lawn sprinkler in there. But with the life-blood of the engine hemorrhaging ... yuck.

 

[Billm]

My roommate in the Air Force at Edwards Air Base (read: Mojave desert) took his car out about 10 miles into the wastelands, opened the drain plug, changed the filter and poured in his 5 quarts. He had forgotten to put the plug back in!
After he walked 10 miles back onto base and got me he made SURE that the plug was back in before he poured the next 5 quarts in!
Bet that he has never done that again.
Bill

 

[DrEntropy]

Oooof. Well at least he didn't try to DRIVE it back to announce his faux pas.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

The DPO of Bugsy installed a 1098 in Bugsy my '68 Sprite and then in his excitemet to fire it up and hear it run, neglected to install the oil pressure gauge line. 80 psi of engine oil exits the engine sideways and it is amazingly close to the slave access panel opening. When I picked up Bugsy I found probably 2 quarts of oil on the passenger footwell that had been left for probably 6 months. The oil soaking into the whatever type of padding under there made it easy to scape off down to the green underneath. All of the upholstery panels on the PS needed to be refabricated from scratch. A really nasty job to clean up on Bugsy.

 

[JPSmit]

Reminds me of the mess in my MGBGT when the oil pressure sensor line blew a leak.
A LOT of oil can get out in a short time!

Lent must be coming, this is possibly the longest list of Mea Culpa's so far :angel:

I don't want to hijack the thread - OK I do (Mea Culpa ) but, the only line that I have not replaced on the whole car is the oil pressure sensor line. (The one that comes from the engine to the junction that then connects to the hard line to the gauge.)

The reason I haven't is because I (and my parts guy) cannot find a part number for this - anyone know?

thanks

 

[jlaird]

That may just be because it is a owner fabed line. Try copper, it will work just fine.

 

[RickB]

Reminds me of the mess in my MGBGT when the oil pressure sensor line blew a leak.
A LOT of oil can get out in a short time!

Lent must be coming, this is possibly the longest list of Mea Culpa's so far :angel:

I don't want to hijack the thread - OK I do (Mea Culpa ) but, the only line that I have not replaced on the whole car is the oil pressure sensor line. (The one that comes from the engine to the junction that then connects to the hard line to the gauge.)

The reason I haven't is because I (and my parts guy) cannot find a part number for this - anyone know?

thanks

Shoot a picture and post it.
The MGB hose is one of those parts at Moss that's listed for a few different applications. If it's that one I've got a real good source for them (where I got mine).

 

[David_George]

Read your post and can definately relate. I've had a couple of those brain farts myself as well but the reason I'm writing is to let you know I'm a fellow Washingtonian up north. I recently bought a 62' Mk 1 and am getting some quick lessons and education on this little jewel. I've got the head off now and in the machine shop in Tacoma, should be going back together any day now. And will certainly love it this summer, can't hardly wait. If I knew how to upload pics I'd send you a couple but here's my email. If you'd drop me a line I'll respond with a few pics....maybe someday we can hook up and cruise the river....thanks....David.....email is as follows......vauxfolks101@msn.com

 

[RickB]

Hi David, welcome to Spridget ownership and to the forum!
I'll email you now, it would be great to meet.
Do you know there's a great MG Car Club affiliated with the original club of England here in the Northwest? We are in our 52nd year and going strong!
We have all the MG's represented and even a few Sprites (BillM). :wink:
See the web site here:

https://www.mgccnwc.com/default.htm

Rick

 

[BugEyeBear]

WAY BACK a buddy of mine bought a new Nissan pick-up.

It was black w lots of chrome, & he was always washing it, waxing it, and polishing the wheels.

Well one day I was over there right after he'd just detailed it, and he decided to check the fluid levels.
All fluid levels were fine, so he lowered the hood.
But since his hands were still a little greasy he used his elbows to push the hood to the latched position.

YOU GUESSED IT!
This left 2 Nice Dents in the front of his hood EXACTLY the size of his elbows!!
He was NOT a happy camper!!

 

[Pythias]

vauxfolks101@msn.com

There's something wrong in your email. I tried to send you TWO different messages and they both came back as undeliverable. Write ME.

pythias@pacifier.com

for information about goings on in the Pacific Northwest. I'd love to see your car!