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Jay Leno

charlie74

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That’s too bad, hopefully he recovers fully…
I enjoy his enthusiasm for the hobby and his enjoyment of all cars from the “every man“ classic to the ultra exotic.
It’s a good reminder for us all about garage safety like keeping fire extinguishers close by, disconnecting electrical sources, use of jack stands etc etc. If it can happen in his garage, it can happen in ours!
 

NutmegCT

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" ... he was working on his 1907 White Steam Car in his famed garage this past Saturday, fixing a clogged fuel line. He says there was a fuel leak and gasoline sprayed on his face and hands. Almost simultaneously a spark triggered an explosion, setting the comedian on fire."

 

DrEntropy

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Great guy IMHO. He's 'rescued' some wonderful vehicles. Hope his recovery is swift. I suspect he will make light of the incident at some point, he could call it his "Heidelberg scars."
 

JPSmit

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read somewhere today that he may need skin grafts
 

bobhustead

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A well known guy from Homestead, Fl. and a friend since college (both late 70s) were working a year or so ago on a car in their hobby collection. This fellow's face was above the carb when it backfired while he was on the inhale cycle of his breathing. He shortly died from the lung damage.
Bob
 

DrEntropy

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Unintended or unexpected results can be fatal, for sure. Hard to anticipate every possible consequence.

Working in a Porsche-Audi dealership decades ago, the shop owner asked the "gopher" kid (a college student working part-time) to go outside and warm up a 911 parked in front of a closed door stall. It was a winter day in western Pennsylvania. Kid went out and since the car had been brought in on a Jerr-Dan the transport driver had rolled the driver's side window down to maneuver the car a bit. Kid leaned into the car, didn't check to see if it was in neutral... C.I.S. injection, before the clutch engagement switches were put in the cars. It lit off at high idle immediately, crashed through the closed door and hit another 911 sitting a couple feet off the floor, on a lift. That pushed the second one off the lift into a THIRD 911 in front of it in a floor level area used as a wash bay. Can you say "indentured servitude"? Or "Three on a match"?

Unexpected things happen in an eye-blink. Even to well experienced folks. Hope Jay's recovery is swift.
 
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Preventing that sort of thing is why I developed the habit years ago of wiggling the stick side to side when I get in to be sure it is not in gear. Even now in the Toyota with all the lockouts if the pedals aren't depressed, it's just second nature.

Story reminds me of a guy I knew years ago, took his car in for servicing and they had it 6ft up on the rack. But didn't get it straight so when the mechanic went to lever at something underneath, it tipped right off and landed on the roof. So the servicing ended up getting him a newer used car...
 

NutmegCT

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Mike - I've been doing the "stick wiggle test" since I was in high school, to make sure I could ignore the clutch when starting the engine.

Too many people back then would punch their foot down on the clutch, then start the engine, regardless of what gear it was (or wasn't) in. Not a good idea!
 

Basil

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Mike - I've been doing the "stick wiggle test" since I was in high school, to make sure I could ignore the clutch when starting the engine.

True story. When I was a young Sgt (3 stripes) stationed at Malmstrom, I had a VW Square Back for which I did a complete engine rebuild at the base hobby shop. After reinstalling the engine (rear engine) and wiring everything back up, I sat in the car, put it in neutral, clutch in (habit) and turn the ket to start position. Nothing happened. As I sat there pondering what the issue might be, with the key still in the "on" position, I began running the shifter through the gears. At one point, for no particular reason, I put the shifter in reverse. As I did, the engine cranked over and sprang to life! Now I was really puzzled.

I pondered the situation for a minute, then realized what I must have done. The wiring for the reverse lights and the solenoid were in close proximity and, yes, I hooked them up wrong. I later found that when I'd turn the key to the start position, the reverse lights would come on. It was an easy fix, but boy did I feel stupid.
 
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Mike - I've been doing the "stick wiggle test" since I was in high school, to make sure I could ignore the clutch when starting the engine.

Too many people back then would punch their foot down on the clutch, then start the engine, regardless of what gear it was (or wasn't) in. Not a good idea!
Yep, same reason. Plus while there is additional wear on the starter replacing it a bit early is much less expensive that premature clutch wear forcing a new one. Unfortunately the Toyota has a switch of some sort requiring the clutch to be depressed, both to start and to release the parking brake. Made for those without the proper habits...
 

DrEntropy

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S.O.P: check for neutral.

Mike said:
Made for those without the proper habits...

Those "safety switches" are just one more thing to fail. Repaired or replaced a number of them on other peoples' cars. And auto tranny cars with the "neutral safety switch" usually have that buried in some hidden or nearly inaccessible spot under the vehicle or requiring disassembly of the interior to get to.
 

YakkoWarner

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I never even encountered the "must press clutch to start" switch until I got a much newer than my normal vehicle. None of my British cars had it, my 1984 Jeep didn't have it and it drove me nuts on the 1992 Ford (and still does on the 2011 Mazda). I always do the stick jiggle also and normally just slide into neutral while slowing down for stop signs and traffic lights rather than wearing the clutch.
 
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When I learned how to drive a stick, near 50 years ago now, the pedal was in and out and foot off of it. I also tend to go to neutral for lights and such. End result, the first Toyota I had was sold with nearly 200k miles and the original clutch still worked like new.
 
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