So you had a bad day
04-09-2013, 03:42 PM
#111
Yesterday was a good day - I installed a modern electronic distributor and competition plug wires in the MG. Fired it up. It worked!
Today I wanted to finish the job and set the timing. To do that you need to have the engine fully warmed up. Good, the weather was warm enough for a short top down drive - first of the year. I noticed the exhaust note was really different but hey that's why I need to set the timing - right.
Pull into the garage. Engine nice and warm. Set the timing. Time for a test drive. Backing down the driveway I notice a trail. Ops, that is not good. I quickly pull back up the drive and shut it off. Looking into the garage. Oh $hit, there's four quarts of oil on the floor.
Spent the next couple hours trying to clean up the driveway since everyone walks across it (wife, dogs, grandkids, etc.) and then I tackle the garage floor. I get to test out how well a wet vac sucks up oil!
I have not located the cause as yet. It could be just the oil filter wasn't installed properly (I'm hoping); or something a lot worse like a cracked block. I did not hear anything go bang. And don't see any holes. But, if it's the filter, how come there's no tracks coming home after the 3 or 4 mile warm up drive. It all appears to have started during idling while I was setting the timing as I only see one track out and one track back. Bottom line, it was a bad day - that may get worse.
Today I wanted to finish the job and set the timing. To do that you need to have the engine fully warmed up. Good, the weather was warm enough for a short top down drive - first of the year. I noticed the exhaust note was really different but hey that's why I need to set the timing - right.
Pull into the garage. Engine nice and warm. Set the timing. Time for a test drive. Backing down the driveway I notice a trail. Ops, that is not good. I quickly pull back up the drive and shut it off. Looking into the garage. Oh $hit, there's four quarts of oil on the floor.
Spent the next couple hours trying to clean up the driveway since everyone walks across it (wife, dogs, grandkids, etc.) and then I tackle the garage floor. I get to test out how well a wet vac sucks up oil!I have not located the cause as yet. It could be just the oil filter wasn't installed properly (I'm hoping); or something a lot worse like a cracked block. I did not hear anything go bang. And don't see any holes. But, if it's the filter, how come there's no tracks coming home after the 3 or 4 mile warm up drive. It all appears to have started during idling while I was setting the timing as I only see one track out and one track back. Bottom line, it was a bad day - that may get worse.
04-09-2013, 03:45 PM
#112
Hope it's something minor, Dave.
04-09-2013, 04:38 PM
#113
Back in the dark ages, when I was maintenance officer for a helicopter company in Vietnam, we often had dramatic main transmission oil leaks after the 25 hour scheduled maintenance, due to improper installation of the transmission oil filter. Luckily, these were found during the initial run-up after said maintenance. A quick tweak from the line crew, and all was right with the world. 
04-09-2013, 05:04 PM
#114
That sucks. Hope it ends up being something simple and caused no significant damage. What a mess to have to deal with!
04-09-2013, 05:27 PM
#115
Former Moderator
Yesterday was a good day - I installed a modern electronic distributor and competition plug wires in the MG. Fired it up. It worked!
Today I wanted to finish the job and set the timing. To do that you need to have the engine fully warmed up. Good, the weather was warm enough for a short top down drive - first of the year. I noticed the exhaust note was really different but hey that's why I need to set the timing - right.
Pull into the garage. Engine nice and warm. Set the timing. Time for a test drive. Backing down the driveway I notice a trail. Ops, that is not good. I quickly pull back up the drive and shut it off. Looking into the garage. Oh $hit, there's four quarts of oil on the floor. Spent the next couple hours trying to clean up the driveway since everyone walks across it (wife, dogs, grandkids, etc.) and then I tackle the garage floor. I get to test out how well a wet vac sucks up oil!
I have not located the cause as yet. It could be just the oil filter wasn't installed properly (I'm hoping); or something a lot worse like a cracked block. I did not hear anything go bang. And don't see any holes. But, if it's the filter, how come there's no tracks coming home after the 3 or 4 mile warm up drive. It all appears to have started during idling while I was setting the timing as I only see one track out and one track back. Bottom line, it was a bad day - that may get worse.
Today I wanted to finish the job and set the timing. To do that you need to have the engine fully warmed up. Good, the weather was warm enough for a short top down drive - first of the year. I noticed the exhaust note was really different but hey that's why I need to set the timing - right.
Pull into the garage. Engine nice and warm. Set the timing. Time for a test drive. Backing down the driveway I notice a trail. Ops, that is not good. I quickly pull back up the drive and shut it off. Looking into the garage. Oh $hit, there's four quarts of oil on the floor.
Spent the next couple hours trying to clean up the driveway since everyone walks across it (wife, dogs, grandkids, etc.) and then I tackle the garage floor. I get to test out how well a wet vac sucks up oil!I have not located the cause as yet. It could be just the oil filter wasn't installed properly (I'm hoping); or something a lot worse like a cracked block. I did not hear anything go bang. And don't see any holes. But, if it's the filter, how come there's no tracks coming home after the 3 or 4 mile warm up drive. It all appears to have started during idling while I was setting the timing as I only see one track out and one track back. Bottom line, it was a bad day - that may get worse.
04-09-2013, 06:36 PM
#116
Thread Starter
Yesterday was a good day - I installed a modern electronic distributor and competition plug wires in the MG. Fired it up. It worked!
Today I wanted to finish the job and set the timing. To do that you need to have the engine fully warmed up. Good, the weather was warm enough for a short top down drive - first of the year. I noticed the exhaust note was really different but hey that's why I need to set the timing - right.
Pull into the garage. Engine nice and warm. Set the timing. Time for a test drive. Backing down the driveway I notice a trail. Ops, that is not good. I quickly pull back up the drive and shut it off. Looking into the garage. Oh $hit, there's four quarts of oil on the floor. Spent the next couple hours trying to clean up the driveway since everyone walks across it (wife, dogs, grandkids, etc.) and then I tackle the garage floor. I get to test out how well a wet vac sucks up oil!
I have not located the cause as yet. It could be just the oil filter wasn't installed properly (I'm hoping); or something a lot worse like a cracked block. I did not hear anything go bang. And don't see any holes. But, if it's the filter, how come there's no tracks coming home after the 3 or 4 mile warm up drive. It all appears to have started during idling while I was setting the timing as I only see one track out and one track back. Bottom line, it was a bad day - that may get worse.
Today I wanted to finish the job and set the timing. To do that you need to have the engine fully warmed up. Good, the weather was warm enough for a short top down drive - first of the year. I noticed the exhaust note was really different but hey that's why I need to set the timing - right.
Pull into the garage. Engine nice and warm. Set the timing. Time for a test drive. Backing down the driveway I notice a trail. Ops, that is not good. I quickly pull back up the drive and shut it off. Looking into the garage. Oh $hit, there's four quarts of oil on the floor.
Spent the next couple hours trying to clean up the driveway since everyone walks across it (wife, dogs, grandkids, etc.) and then I tackle the garage floor. I get to test out how well a wet vac sucks up oil!I have not located the cause as yet. It could be just the oil filter wasn't installed properly (I'm hoping); or something a lot worse like a cracked block. I did not hear anything go bang. And don't see any holes. But, if it's the filter, how come there's no tracks coming home after the 3 or 4 mile warm up drive. It all appears to have started during idling while I was setting the timing as I only see one track out and one track back. Bottom line, it was a bad day - that may get worse.
In my experience, I've had oil pan bolts back out on me. The only time filters leaked was when they did not seat properly upon installation. You notice them right away.
04-10-2013, 02:34 AM
#117
sorry Dave! My bad day yesterday does not compare. We went by Time Warner to get a new cable box with dvr as the old one was failing and constantly had to be rebooted, etc. Took the old one in, got a new one, brought it home and hooked it up. Had to wait an hour or so for the signal to boot up. FINALLY it went through its routine, booted up and there was an awful buzz/hum noise that resonated through the brain like a drill in a dentist's office PLUS the picture is all yellow and green. Opened online chat with Time Warner, they sent THREE signals and rebooted the thing THREE times. Finally after spending the entire afternoon dealing with the thing, they decided to send a technician out. GRRRRRRR that's what they should have done the first time. First available appt is tomorrow afternoon, so no tv in the downstairs den until tomorrow. On the bright side I'll get some exercise going up/down the stairs to the other set.
04-10-2013, 12:51 PM
#118
Originally Posted by dlq04' timestamp='1365550938' post='22463104
Yesterday was a good day - I installed a modern electronic distributor and competition plug wires in the MG. Fired it up. It worked!
Today I wanted to finish the job and set the timing. To do that you need to have the engine fully warmed up. Good, the weather was warm enough for a short top down drive - first of the year. I noticed the exhaust note was really different but hey that's why I need to set the timing - right.
Pull into the garage. Engine nice and warm. Set the timing. Time for a test drive. Backing down the driveway I notice a trail. Ops, that is not good. I quickly pull back up the drive and shut it off. Looking into the garage. Oh $hit, there's four quarts of oil on the floor. Spent the next couple hours trying to clean up the driveway since everyone walks across it (wife, dogs, grandkids, etc.) and then I tackle the garage floor. I get to test out how well a wet vac sucks up oil!
I have not located the cause as yet. It could be just the oil filter wasn't installed properly (I'm hoping); or something a lot worse like a cracked block. I did not hear anything go bang. And don't see any holes. But, if it's the filter, how come there's no tracks coming home after the 3 or 4 mile warm up drive. It all appears to have started during idling while I was setting the timing as I only see one track out and one track back. Bottom line, it was a bad day - that may get worse.
Today I wanted to finish the job and set the timing. To do that you need to have the engine fully warmed up. Good, the weather was warm enough for a short top down drive - first of the year. I noticed the exhaust note was really different but hey that's why I need to set the timing - right.
Pull into the garage. Engine nice and warm. Set the timing. Time for a test drive. Backing down the driveway I notice a trail. Ops, that is not good. I quickly pull back up the drive and shut it off. Looking into the garage. Oh $hit, there's four quarts of oil on the floor.
Spent the next couple hours trying to clean up the driveway since everyone walks across it (wife, dogs, grandkids, etc.) and then I tackle the garage floor. I get to test out how well a wet vac sucks up oil!I have not located the cause as yet. It could be just the oil filter wasn't installed properly (I'm hoping); or something a lot worse like a cracked block. I did not hear anything go bang. And don't see any holes. But, if it's the filter, how come there's no tracks coming home after the 3 or 4 mile warm up drive. It all appears to have started during idling while I was setting the timing as I only see one track out and one track back. Bottom line, it was a bad day - that may get worse.
I always look at the last thing I did to see if it caused the problem. Did you have to remove or loosen any engine fittings, covers or plugs to install the new distributor?
In my experience, I've had oil pan bolts back out on me. The only time filters leaked was when they did not seat properly upon installation. You notice them right away.
I'm pretty confident now its one of the two things mentioned due to the rate that it puked out the oil - like 4 quarts in 3 minutes. So I may have actually been very fortunate to have the failure in my garage and to catch it before it ruined a bearing.
04-10-2013, 06:56 PM
#119
Registered User
Will you ask, "Is it safe?" as you use the Dremel. (obscure reference to a truly chilling scene in the movie "Marathon Man")
04-10-2013, 07:21 PM
#120
Registered User
Interesting day Tuesday. Our IT department is undergoing its 4th downsizing/rightsizing/orgasmsizing/whatever in 10 years. That's right: they let people go in 2003, 2005, 2010, and now again in 2013. In fact, the jackasses told several employees in January that their job would end Feb 1; they were free to apply for other openings in the company. Two of my friends went through that process and landed new jobs in different parts of the IT organization. Only to lose those jobs 2 months later when the main reorg kicked in. But hey, I guess that small staff reduction in January was worth it; they saved enough money to feel good about putting those people through a second jeopardy two months later.
They called me into a conference room with my manager and a rep from HR to inform me that I'm being severed. I've been very dissatisfied with my raises the last few years, and made it known. I expected to be let go; after May 3rd, no more of corporate America's bullshit for me. I've had to put up with their bullshit for 40 years (just 14 at the current company, but it's the same bullshit wherever you work, and management typically believe their own bullshit) and the end is just weeks away. I don't have to spend several months learning a new system/new way of doing IT only to come in one day and tell them I no longer want to work for what they're paying me, and they immediately get a higher average score on their internal employee satisfaction survey.
They called me into a conference room with my manager and a rep from HR to inform me that I'm being severed. I've been very dissatisfied with my raises the last few years, and made it known. I expected to be let go; after May 3rd, no more of corporate America's bullshit for me. I've had to put up with their bullshit for 40 years (just 14 at the current company, but it's the same bullshit wherever you work, and management typically believe their own bullshit) and the end is just weeks away. I don't have to spend several months learning a new system/new way of doing IT only to come in one day and tell them I no longer want to work for what they're paying me, and they immediately get a higher average score on their internal employee satisfaction survey.