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Oops! The Silly Mistakes Thread

It seems it happens now and then so this wasn't a unique incident, though most people don't suffer such catastrophic effects. Yup, people eat slugs.
 
The silly mistake ?

Not taking notice of my own knowledge base.

For a year I have been intending to change the timing belt on my car.

I'm a mechanic/machinist, well, was.

And I know all about timing belts.

And tonight it snapped.

It is difficult to kick one self hard enough to express the stupidity.

INT21
 
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Hopefully not too much damage? Or do you need a new engine?
 
The silly mistake ?

Not taking notice of my own knowledge base.

For a year I have been intending to change the timing belt on my car.

I'm a mechanic/machinist, well, was.

And I know all about timing belts.

And tonight it snapped.

It is difficult to kick one self had enough to express the stupidity.

INT21
Aw man, that can really do some damage. So what @Mythopoeika said.
 
Well, today being Sunday and the shops shut, I haven't looked yet.
That will be tomorrows task.
The engine wasn't turning over very quickly when it happened. And it didn't make the hideous clatter of a complete disintegration.

It all depends upon the position of the cam shaft when the belt broke.

I have been on the web to some folks I know who have had similar experiences and two of them said they just replaced the belt and all was well.

So I hope for the best, while being ready for the worst.

If it won't run with a new belt then I have to calculate the cost of a second hand engine or the cost in parts,( maybe new valves) of repairing the old one.

Or simply scrap the car. It is seventeen year old.

But I don't want to do that.

By this time tomorrow night I'll know.

INT21.
 
Well, today being Sunday and the shops shut, I haven't looked yet.
That will be tomorrows task.
The engine wasn't turning over very quickly when it happened. And it didn't make the hideous clatter of a complete disintegration.

It all depends upon the position of the cam shaft when the belt broke.

I have been on the web to some folks I know who have had similar experiences and two of them said they just replaced the belt and all was well.

So I hope for the best, while being ready for the worst.

If it won't run with a new belt then I have to calculate the cost of a second hand engine or the cost in parts,( maybe new valves) of repairing the old one.

Or simply scrap the car. It is seventeen year old.

But I don't want to do that.

By this time tomorrow night I'll know.

INT21.

Ouch.

What car is it?
 
The tale of a Tail used instead of a Tale. Will she now tail the opposition in the polls?

A supporter of Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina threatened to sue a cinema over a spelling error that inadvertently suggested she had a "tail".

The cinema in Dhaka misspelled the title, Hasina: A Daughter's Tale - but has since corrected it.

Hasina supporter Saad Chowdhury said the word tail was "elfish"; suggested part of an animal, and was humiliating.

He demanded the Blockbuster cinema correct the error and apologise publicly or face a $90m (£70m) lawsuit.

Bangladesh will hold a general election next month, with Prime Minister Hasina and her Awami League hoping to retain power.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46252184
 
... If it won't run with a new belt then I have to calculate the cost of a second hand engine or the cost in parts,( maybe new valves) of repairing the old one. ...

The first thing to do is identify your engine and check whether it's an 'interference' versus 'non-interference' design. 'Interference' refers to valves 'interfering' (clashing on / with) the camshaft if the timing belt's (or chain's) coordination is lost. Valve damage is more likely with the 'interference' version, but unlikely with the 'non-interference' version.
 
The engine is a TUD 5. It appears that it may survive a belt break.

The only engine that I have experience with that definitely will survive is one of the early Vauxhall Diesels.
If the belt snapped the pistons did collide with the valves, but a stress mark in the valve rocker allowed the rocker to break and saved the rest of the motor.

My local motor factor didn't have a belt in stock today, so it will be tomorrow when I do the job; or maybe Wednesday if it is raining. Having to do it outside.

INT21.
 
Mark 2 MR2s have non-interference belts - I only know that cos our mechanic was singing their praises the other day.
 
When trying to see what MO had posted above (I only get a blank post using Firefox) I tried using Avast Secure Browser. This usually solves the problem. Or it did on the old site.

But now ASB won't let me onto this site, and the reason in gives is...

The client and server don't support a common SSL protocol version or cipher suite. This is likely to be caused when the server needs RC4, which is no longer considered secure.

So, are we now moving into an era where the internet is going to be divided up depending upon which browser one uses ?

Google Earth is no longer downloadable if you don't use their Chrome browser.

What will be next ?

Anyway. Maximus otter, If that last post of your was aimed at me (it was in the middle of a subject I was discussing with others) you will have to provide some other elucidation.



INT21
 
Helpful Tip: Don't use a blowtorch to kill spiders inside your house ...



FULL STORY: https://www.apnews.com/65fb2f33bce94b598c7636b0c9fa5285

I have an image in my mind of a burnt-out house upon which a spider is sitting, completely unharmed..




The silly mistake ?

Not taking notice of my own knowledge base.

For a year I have been intending to change the timing belt on my car.

I'm a mechanic/machinist, well, was.

And I know all about timing belts.

And tonight it snapped.

It is difficult to kick one self hard enough to express the stupidity.

INT21

I have my fingers and toes crossed for you that the engine damage is not too severe. It is all too easy to postpone a job that one is intending to do, can happen to all of us.
 
Maximus otter, If that last post of your was aimed at me (it was in the middle of a subject I was discussing with others) you will have to provide some other elucidation.

Unless you are an attractive, bikini-wearing young Russia lady who unwisely dove off a dock without checking whether the water below was frozen, the post is irrelevant to you.

If you are an attractive, bikini-wearing young Russian lady, please PM me: l am handsome, young, very wealthy and seeking love...

maximus otter
 
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Sadly, Maximus, I do not fit the description.

But there are plenty of sites out there that can provide a selection of Russian beauties to a young man (who is healthy, wealthy and wise) with their phone number.
And even if your were plumb ugly and thick as a brick there would be someone looking for you; as long as you were wealthy.

But you already knew that ;)

INT21
 
Zebra,

...can happen to all of us. ..

It can, but it shouldn't.

It was completely predictable. Even inevitable.

INT21.
 
INT21? did you get a final answer on the engine?
 
No, not yet.

I did collect the belt, but it has been raining all day. I don't need to rush to get back on the road and will wait for a fine day.
Shouldn't take longer than half an hour. I've changed a few in the past.

INT21.
 
Quick update.

Bad weather again today, But I did manage to get everything ready for putting the new belt on before the light gave out.
A wet and miserable process.

I can turn the camshaft with a spanner, and (although I will check tomorrow) the valve clearances seem to be ok. If a valve was bent it probably would show a big clearance due to not returning fully.

The crank turns ok. Obviously not a complete revolution as it comes up against the stationary camshaft at some point.

So, I just have to insert the timing pins and put the belt on.

Cost so far: £24 for the belt.

INT21.
 
Quick update.

Bad weather again today, But I did manage to get everything ready for putting the new belt on before the light gave out.
A wet and miserable process.

I can turn the camshaft with a spanner, and (although I will check tomorrow) the valve clearances seem to be ok. If a valve was bent it probably would show a big clearance due to not returning fully.

The crank turns ok. Obviously not a complete revolution as it comes up against the stationary camshaft at some point.

So, I just have to insert the timing pins and put the belt on.

Cost so far: £24 for the belt.

INT21.

That's good news then :) Thankfully not as catastrophic as you'd feared.
 
Quick update.

Bad weather again today, But I did manage to get everything ready for putting the new belt on before the light gave out.
A wet and miserable process.

I can turn the camshaft with a spanner, and (although I will check tomorrow) the valve clearances seem to be ok. If a valve was bent it probably would show a big clearance due to not returning fully.

The crank turns ok. Obviously not a complete revolution as it comes up against the stationary camshaft at some point.

So, I just have to insert the timing pins and put the belt on.

Cost so far: £24 for the belt.

INT21.
Sounds like you were lucky.
 
Remember When Pixar Accidentally DELETED Toy Story 2?



Hmm... I'd not heard of this before but I'm putting on my sceptical beret for a couple of technical reasons.


EDIT: forgot to insert "What are you doing Dave" humourous HAL9000 comment. :andr:
 
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Hmm... I'd not heard of this before but I'm putting on my sceptical beret for a couple of technical reasons.


EDIT: forgot to insert "What are you doing Dave" humourous HAL9000 comment. :andr:
I was wondering how powerful her home computer must have been to be able to keep all that data on it? .. but if she's a PIXAR employee, very powerful indeed I expect.
 
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