Duhh

[154048]

After years of wrenching I proved that you are never too experienced to ignore the tried and true axioms...like not leaving a critical juncture un done...
Routine oil change....left the pan draining while I went and had lunch...came back and fired it up...:dang, those valves are noisy"....Ooops.


Only ran for 10 seconds or so, but honestly...duhhh

Back to Basics School for me....

 

[lkchris]

Time for a checklist?

 

[toooldtocare]

Saw a mechanic do the same thing at a Chevy dealership. After gunning the engine several times to get the oil light to go out, he shut it down. He looked over at his work bench and saw the oil, put it in and returned the truck to the customer. I wonder if this shortened the life of the engine.

 

[Walking Eagle]

Reminders. . .

Uhhhh, now where the hell did I put that checklist?

I've learned to use post-its, attached with little zip-ties (fortunately, cheap at Harbor Freight - I use a lot of them) through fastener holes, un-torqued nuts, de-tached electrical connections, and - most especially, around the ignition-area when the bike has NO OIL in it. . . Before I'm done with a big set of of jobs, the bike looks like an explosion in a paper factory.

Sad to say, that I'm now capable of forgetting ANYTHING. In fact, what were we talking about?????

Walking Eagle

 

[Stan_R80/7]

That is easy to do. With life's almost constant distractions, any time I take a break when working on something (and I am always working on something) I try to leave the job so if I don't come back for several weeks there should not be a problem. That includes photo's, labeling baggies w/parts, and putting bolts and nuts back finger tight so they don't get lost. Even then, things happen. I try to not get distracted or take long breaks when changing engine oil - also people have described using the starter to crank the engine to get the oil light to go out before starting, which does work. Now you know, don't take a lunch break in the middle of changing engine oil.

 

[154048]

Excellent tips...
I usually at least take the key out and hang it up with a note attached so it is not so tempting to listen to that lovely Boxer sound...
Until it is time....

 

[jimwjarmour]

old timers

thats what I do,I remove the key and place it in the container with all the nuts screws and ,cleaned oil filler/drain plugs,why ?, because I have also started a few bikes over the years, owned by myself and some friends ,while I was working on them ,luckily all were ok and ran for thousands of miles after,hope all is well ,jimmy

 

[grahamm]

yellow post it not on my tank right now... "NO OIL"!

I don't trust myself: I might forget to fill the oil after leaving it for a couple days until I can get around to picking up some oil that I thought I had before I drained...

Yep... note pad is becoming an important part of my tools.

 

[henzilla]

I use pink surveyor tape on items on the checklist to be removed/tightened/checked.

Like the TDC locking tool! and on the keychain of bikes NOT to be started until final check.

 

[PeoriaMac]

Perhaps not as damaging to the engine, but certainly messier is forgetting to replace
the oil filler cap before starting the engine....

 

[markaz]

Or not replacing the drain plug before refilling with oil, esp. after you've already removed the drain pan.

Not that I've ever done that...

 

[69zeff65]

I put my bulky obnoxious funnel in the filler hole

Its high VIS yellow, sticks out and hits the fuel petcock and if I don't notice it then I should all my bikes because I'm obviously blind.

For the Oil and Hex head machines the funnel is a little different and it doesn't hit the petcock but its still nearly impossible to miss.

The cap comes off and the funnel inserted before the oil is drained, I have done this since my days as an MB VW tech, I was mentored by a very wise individual.

I like the idea of putting the key in with nuts bolts and other related items but I have a few "in progress" projects and I may not find the key until that particular project is finished.

 

[akbeemer]

I'd never forget to put the oil in; that would be silly. Nope, I remembered to put the oil in my cage. It was the drain plug I neglected to put in. Five quarts of oil on the ground in front of my place in Germany. The Germans were not amused.