Breasts are proof that men can concentrate on more than one thing at a time.

 

Saw a thread like this in the 4th gen section on cumminsforum and liked the idea. Share some of your moments, concerning your vehicle(s), where you've messed up something so simple and thought to yourself "I am an idiot."
I'll start.

While a friend and I were finishing up on my plenum repair, I gave myself the utterly complex task of installing the radiator and fan shroud. Well after 25 minutes of trying to figure out why the radiator wasn't sitting right and why I couldn't get the fan shroud to fit in, I stood back and took a quick look at what was going on. I soon noticed the "caution fan" on the shroud magically vanished. Of course I put the damn thing in upside down and 5 minutes later I pulled it all out, put the bushings on the rad and flipped the shroud the other way and had it all installed.

Luckily no one else saw me fiddling around for almost a half hour trying to get these put in

Now let's hear some of your embarrassing stories!

 

I was working on my TB and removed the throttle cable. Well I had to go into town quick, I felt nothing going down to the highway but once I had gotten on I put the pedal all the way down since I wasn't moving anywhere fast. (I had only about 25% or less cable). I popped the hood and couldn't figure out what was going on. So I went home and me and my dad looked at it. Then he seen my throttle cable laying there. I reconnected it and everything was perfect again. I've had too many other dumb little scenarios like this one lol

 

I parked on a steep hill so i put my e-brake on. When I hopped in to take off I forgot it was on, and my dash lights dont come on to remind me! I drove home 20 mins away with it on...

 

I was wiring up the 100w off road lights, this turned out to be a battle because when connected through the relay I had full power at the lights but couldn't turn them off, much help from merc225hp on wiring the damn thing and it still didn't work, after I burned up the inline fuse and wiring (literally) we came to the conclusion the relay was bad, (cheap Baja Brand), went to Napa got a new inline fuse and relay, hooked up the new fuse and wired it through the relay and it still didn't work.

Felt something in my pocket, it was the new relay

Plugged up new relay and she works great

Edit:

I've got one for my brother in laws too;

They rebuilt the 5.7L Hemi in his '03 Ram, went to put the motor back in the truck, it went it smooth and perfect on the first try, BJ who was under the truck said "Wait, we gotta pull the motor back out" Albert: "Why?" BJ: "We forgot the flywheel"

 

^^^ lol. I did a motor swap on a old Tacoma up at work. It had a 5 speed and after fidleing with that damn clutch I finally got it all bolted up. Torqued down all the flywheel and bellhousing bolts and then went to the starter where I realized I had forgot the dust cover and it was one of those that covers the whole bellhousing. I had to pull the motor all the way back out, remove the flywheel and put the dustcover back on, then the flywheel, then fight it all back into position. Ohh well, practice makes perfect.

 

The time I spent 4 hours and broke two disty rotors all because of some corrosion that wouldn't allow it to go on fully.

Oh, yeah, and the time I tried to hypermile it and dropped it into reverse at 45mph.

 

how the heck could you drive with the e brake on? my truck won't move forward with the e-brake engaged. i know i have backed out of the driveway with the e-brake on and put it and drive and couldn't go anywhere.

i blew up half the power distribution center in my 81 when i was working putting the wipers on relays. i think i ground something that i was not suppose i could smell something burning. at least it only cost me $10 originally and most of the stuff still works. that was pretty stupid. wiring can be a pain in the @$S sometimes.

 

I've driven in 4LO.
And my 76 attempts to drive just fine with the parking brake on. Oops.

 

but have you adjusted them? your truck is old enough that it is most likely not maintained as well as it should where John's truck should have working park brake since he just plated it not that long ago and the park brake is suppose to work to pass safety which you have to do to get plates.