Serious--do you drink Beer while working on your Diesel?
 

My answer would be a flat "No", because usually I rarely drink alcohol anymore, though I drank it like a fish up to 10 years ago.
However yesterday I had two Imported Beers because we had company. After they left, I went out and resumed the tedious frustrating work on my instrument panel, rewiring it after my dash fire.
After 30 minutes it all clicked and every switch and gauge came to Life! I found two crossed grounds and Black Blue wires in the rear plug connector. Boy was I thrilled. The car is finished!

Ironically sometimes with me, being a high stress worrying kind of guy, always sweating minute details, I seriously wonder if the Beer did me some good because it made me slow down and think in 1 dimension vice the usual multiple dimensions I approach problems with, and it made the mental gymnastics easier.

Would I drink beer and work on a car in the future? Probably not. Its not very professional and you could get hurt jacking some huge load up. It would probably get the neighbors upset. But if it was late some cold night and i was in my garage by myself, doing something mundane or easier, like waxing my car, well maybe...I would have a root beer...

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/snow7ice/fire4.jpg

No, not beer. Love Beer but had to give up my Texas habit of drinking gallons at a time :D (weight). With that said and 30# lighter - I do still love a good Scotch, or a high end Vodka. But, like above not while working. After the task has been completed! Now car waxing/detailing parties with friends, forget everything I said in the above sentences :cool:

Yes, I drink beer while working on my diesel. Especially if it is a job like what I'm doing now. I'm rebuilding the transmission, and I'm going pretty d*** slow doing it. I want to get it right the first time. Frequently, I'll step back, take a drink, ponder my situation, and find a simple solution to my next quandry. I've had to make a few tools so far, and I believe I've narrowed down what caused both trans to fail. (making one good out of 2 bad). I'm enjoying this project and the beer with it. :beerchug:

However, if I am doing something like moving the trans or anything heavier - anything hazardous in fact, I keep the beer in the fridge until I'm done.

I only drink on occaison and never when I am working on a car. I figure my car means too much to me to make a mistake due to alcohol.

Conservative approach? :D

you could say that.... :D

I don't drink when working on the M/B either. Too many little details that need to be done, properly, in sequence, with small parts everywhere.

I don't want to do it over. :o

Almost two years before I can even drink! So...nope for me. :D I won't even when I can because the way I see it....water is cheaper. :D

"do you drink Beer while working on your Diesel?"

Of course NOT, well,... not before 8AM anyway :D

If I drank beer the way I use too....

I would convince myself that there was good reason not to do the work that I had planned to do on the car. Like....
"tomorrow will be cooler"
"tomorrow will be warmer"
"It's to late to get started"
"It's to early to get started"
"I should get more opionions...on how to do it"
"I am confused about all the information I got...better ponder it"
"It really doesn't need to get fixed yet"
"It's to late to save the part, might as well drive it till it breaks"
"I have worked to hard and long...I need a break"
"I am out of practice..better wait and get help"

Now...the key point is....I would have come up with all of these reasons in drinking session, until I got so tired I passed out.

Don
Sober 13 years and counting

.........gee........I thought I was the only one who made up all these excuses. :D

After seeing what alcohol did to my brother, I made the decision to leave it for others to partake...but even when I was a drinker, I never did it when working on a vehicle.

alcohol funny car?
 

only german beer, it puts me in the mood ;)

PROST! :beerchug:

You should change your question to clarify whether you mean drink beer (as in one or two) or whether you drink enough that you are actually buzzed while working on the car. I have and probably will again worked on my car while having a beer but I would never work on it while buzzed - too dangerous.

Scott

You're even more conservative than Bone and me. You have a promising future. :D

Bigred, I could have written that post when was drinking. I have you beat on the sobriety though, Xmas will make my 18th year clean. Do regret quitting,NO!!! When the drinking would start, all work was over.

not often
 

and not if i am doing anything that takes much intellegent thought.

many years ago i did though. once i had a problem that frustrated me. i threw an expensive wrench to vent off and broke it. since then i dont throw things and dont drink while working.

tom w

mechmagcn....

And these fellows think (wink) they know about drinking.

Work? Why work when the best friends in the world might buy you a drink. Trick is you need to be at the bar all the time to score one!

I think Bill W. would tinker with old diesels. I know Dr. Bob wouldn't.

Don

I don't drink beer when I'm working on a car, but I've been known to drink a beer or two while I'm *driving* that car. :D

But that sort of thing was years ago. I can't recall ever drinking and driving either my 240D or my TDI, and that's 5 years or so...

- Patrick

Anything that requires some thought under the hood or within the vehicle, will keep me from partaking. No need for errors here, simply enjoy one later if you feel so inclined... I'm more apt to suck on some rum & coke tho' (Appleton or Mt Gay). :D

I'm so addicted to iced tea I'm sucking down a gallon every few days :eek: , it's quite tasty when it's warm in the garage and I brew my own. :)

BEER!? I'd never drink that pee-water. I drink REAL stuff, Mead . Well, not while working on anything. :D Smirnoff ice is my drink of chice while working on my benz. :beerchug:

Likewise...

Except around here, pabst blue ribbon (when on sale) is actually cheaper than water. Its the official cheap-o beer of Portland, OR :)
A 40 costs less than a brand name water...sad :D

I don't drink and work on my car becuase as soon as I get it done, I am taking it for a spin....

....I just eat cake instead....

I use the garage beer, case of 30 for $10, more water than anything. Takes a six pack to catch a buzz stuff. Mead, homebrewed, is far tooooooo strong for use while working on the car. One of those and no ability to seat a screw without cross threading. The cheap stuff keeps you hydrated while futzing around under the hood.

I have you both beat - 20 years this month.