Hi, my name is Jimmy, and sometimes I'm stupid!

(all together) "Hi Jimmy".......

When I do something stupid, I try to pass on the info to my fellow knot-heads. Some folks don't like to point out their snafu's, but it doesn't bother me really.
Well, my previous valve adjustments have been on an '80 300TD, and an '85 300TD. No worries on the process, I just take my time, and also clean everything I touch along with whatever is next to it.
Since I haven't had The Squash for very long, of course a valve adjustment is called for. So, I had to figure out how I was going to turn the motor. My mechanic says to use power steering pulley and don't worry about it. OK, I tried and it slipped. So, I loosened the pump and tensioned the belt very tight with the intent of loosening it when done. Well, it still slipped and wouldn't spin the engine.
OK, so I loosen fan shroud, remove radiator fan, then with much effort pull out fan shroud so I can get to the 27mm crank bolt. (I don't like to spin starter during this).
Well, I'm trying to spin motor with crank bolt, and it won't turn it either. Then I notice the car rocked slightly!
Ahhhhh
YOU MUST PUT A MANUAL TRANNY CAR IN NEUTRAL!! DUH!!!!!
I had not adjusted the valves on anything that wasn't automatic before, and never thought about it prior to my revelation.

Learn from my stupidity. I did......

BTW, all valves were very tight.

I also loosened back the power steering belt.

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

On a 240D you can turn the engine using the fan too. If the belt slips (it should) press with your hand to tighten it.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Imagine if you did use a starter bump to turn the engine. The car would have lurched forward, possibly on you.

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

I was adjusting the valves on my Toyota and my friend bumped the starter with the car in gear. I was leaning forward braced agents the front of the car... screwed up my shoulder for a few weeks.

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Jeez. I woulda made that same mistake too I think.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

Maybe we ought to have a thread for " Automotive confessions and blunders"

I tried to remove the rear disc pads on my 504 Peugeot ( 25 years ago). I set the emergency brake to steady the car while I jacked it up, and for got to release it. The Peugeot emergency brake actually applied the rear discs thru a mechanical link. I must have struggled with those pads for an hour before I realized that the reason they were so tight was that the emergency brake was on.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

G'mornin',

I have never destroyed anything, nor hurt myself or anyone else....but....some years back I owned a '90 Mercury Station Wagon (don't offhand remember the model designation), the one with the fake wood sides, and leather, loaded up, almost Lincoln Town Car Wagon.......anyhoo, the 302 V8 gasser has a divided oil pan (2 drain plugs) to allow the tie rods to pass thru the oil pan......I had drained the oil and changed filter, was buttoning up when I got a phone call......forgot to put the second drain plug back into the oil pan......and after I hung up the phone, proceeded to dump about 5 quarts of lube thru the engine and onto my driveway.......

SB

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Diesels:
'85 300D, "Max, Blue Benz", 155K, 27.0 MPG
'84 190D 2.2, "Eva, Brown Benz", 142K, 40.2 MPG
'77 240D (parts car)
'67 Eicher ES 202 Tractor "Otto" (2cyl, Air Cooled, 30HP)
Gassers:
'94 Ford F-150, "Henry", 170K (300 Six) 17.5 MPG
'85 190E 2.3, 148K....Parts Car
'58 Dodge W300M Powerwagon (Flat Fenders) Less than 10 MPG

I wouldn't feel bad about this. It's weird to me to have a manual in a car, I'm just not used to it. Every car I had driven was an auto and every truck I had driven was manual. My neighbor (my boss and president of the company now) let me drive his new Audi when I was in highschool. I "forgot" it was a manual when I went to start it in the parking lot. Luckly there was nobody parked in front of me. I got some funny looks from the other kids when that thing lurched forward.

Ive done the oil change issue before too. Forgot to put the oil pan plug back in and dumped a lot of oil onto the driveway that day, and had to wait for a ride to get some more. Never made that mistake again.
Now for one more, I had my brakes done at a local shop once, because i was out of time and we were about to go on tour the next morning. So i dropped it off on the way to work, paid up front, walked to work and picked it up at the end of the night. The next day on the way out of town, it sounded like my front wheel had loose lugnuts. So we get out and check everything. All tight! A few miles later another loud thump. This time it sounded like the rear axle was popping. It wasnt regular so we kept trying to pay attention to it and tell where it was coming from. Finally. we pulled into a parking lot and had one person drive back and forth and we all watched the wheels. Then we saw it. The drivers rear wheel looked like it was hitting an invisible rock. Took the wheel off and the brakes were shot. He forgot to put a retaining clip on and pretty much two pads, two springs, one rivet, star adjuster, and the e-brake clip were all shot, as was my drum. we had to remove it all and keep going for 3 days before we could get the parts to fix it in a Target parking lot. Long story short (too late). ... this was from a professional mechanic. We all forget something sometime.

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1980 300D

On a manual you can jack up a rear wheel, put it in fourth gear and turn the wheel by hand to rotate the engine to where you want it.

Len

"Maybe we ought to have a thread for " Automotive confessions and blunders""
I think there is one in the archives...

When we search for it should we use your name as a poster??

I hope you decided to keep your 240D. Nice little car.......

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

::makes mental note::

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

I was at the local auto parts store buying oil for my 240D, added some in the parking lot. Drove home, less than a mile, noticed smoke coming from under hood, opened same, there was my oil cap sitting on the radiator right where I left it. Checked oil, added some more, okay, yet messy.

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83 SD

84 CD

Okay, glad it wasn't me. Friend in high school had an old Mustang.Parent's driveway had a pretty good slope to it. So he proceeds to change out the shifter cable with no wheel chocks or parking brake applied. During the changeover the tranny went into neutral. Needless to say the Mustang drug him down the driveway (didn't roll over him). I can promise you it wasn't me because it was a Ford.