Spraying carb cleaner down into the carb that I had in my hand. Had the slide out, float bowl off. Can't tell if its getting clean.

Walk outside the garage where there's more light, bend way over to get a good view down into the carb, let go with a good long blast.

LOOK OUT!!!

A tidal wave of carb cleaner is heading straight back into my wide open eye ball.

I swear to god, I actually saw the gush before it soaked my wide open eye. Or at least, I think I did.

In any case, I was instantly crying and hopping around in pain. Tried to get inside to a sink to flush it out as fast as possible.

Imagine the scene as I'm trying to open the door to the laundry room from the garage. 6'6" bean stalk screaming and hopping up and down in pain. I have the carb cleaner in one hand, the carb in the other.

My first attempt at opening the door, I can't figure out how to turn the knob with my wrists.

WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING?!!!

I finally realize that I need to drop the carb cleaner and the carb and camly open the door and proceed to the laundry room sink.

Damn, that took a lot of flushing.

Edited by Woods_Rider, 13 February 2012 - 09:35 PM.

I was working on a jetski.... i was putting the fuel tank back in it with some fuel in the tank I didn't want to deal with pouring out, managed to spill a bit in the bilge, but got the tank in. I had freshly charged the battery. I decided as a final check before I tried to fire it up (I had done some ignition system work while it was taken apart) I should check the spark. someone at one point told me it was bad to turn the engine over without both plug wires grounded out, so I throw plugs in the boots and make sure the front cylinder is rested nicely on the head, not paying attention that the back cylinder plug had fallen down deep in the bilge and rested nicely against the bedplate right next to the spilled fuel. GAH! pressed the start button and BOOM! explosion. the flames from the fuel also traveled back into the battery vent line (many people don't know charging a battery produces hydrogen gas to be vented from a lead acid battery) and exploded the battery.

I stumbled back several feet, only to see 4 foot flames coming from the open hull of the jetski. luckily we carry charged fire extinguishers on these skis! got the fire out soon after it started.

I was covered in battery acid. eyes, face, mouth, clothes. doesn't look like anything above my neck took much acid, but the way I was leaning over the engine bay looking at the engine closely I took plenty. battery acide tastes TERRIBLE by the way. like vinegar that you can't get out of your mouth. listerine! haha


edit: BTW there is water in the bilge too... thats not all fuel :-P

when the shirt came out the washer:







this one barely tops the time I was carrying a 1 gallon can of chainsaw gas on my quad between my legs and rolled my quad. it splashed in my eyes midroll. terrible pain!

Edited by Davenjw, 13 February 2012 - 11:54 PM.

Wow, these just keep getting uh, better?!

Took a fat dip of skoal...with marine proof grease still on my hand.  Didn't quite taste right....

I agree with KMK...some gnarly stories out there.

Wow. My Wife always says all men are idiots and my Husband is their King. What did I start here? If I can post the pics of when I rolled the 3 rail trailer with all three rails loaded with bikes down a hill at Jordan Creek, I will. I'm trying not to.
The tire iron story is the best though.

In my early 20's....headed out to Glamis with my 350X trike in the back of my Ranger pickup...drank a 40oz St Ides when I left out of Brawley. Hit sand hwy spectacle 1/2 hour later and pulled out onto the whoops. Right then a friend blew by in a rail, so in my stupor I gave chase. I took after that buggy batshit crazy and was actually catching up as I slammed through the whoops. About then I glanced in my rear view mirror and saw the trike hanging upside down from the tailgate.

It bent some stuff, but it was a trooper of a trike.

I was working as a technician for the biology department where I went to college.  As I had some mechanical knowledge (obviously not enough common sense though) the professor I was working for put me in charge of maintaining the boats and other equipment.  During my second year on the job we aquired a brand new 18 foot Lund open deck sled.  It was now my job to go out to the local lakes and break in the boat for 30 hours, rough!  After visiting a few of the local lakes I realized that this task was going to be incredible boring without some scenery.  I decided that a long Lake Roosevelt run would be just the ticket.  I set out for the Lincoln boat lauch near Seven Bays, with Keller Ferry as my destination.  It was late April, I believe, middle of the week, and I was all alone.  I dropped the boat in the water, parked the truck, warmed the motor up, then took off in windy, rainy conditions.  About a mile into my adventure the boat seemed to be going slower and slower.  I stopped the boat to check the motor for any obvious signs.  This is when I observed a half inch of water across the entire deck of the boat........I was sinking!!! The plug was nowhere in sight.  I started up the boat and b-lined it for shore at the speed of smell.  I barely made it to the dock, tied off quickly, and ran to the truck to find the plug in the bed of the truck where I had left it as I was unloading.  The boat was barely afloat when I returned, but the motor was still out of the water.  After backing the truck down I realized that water was pretty damn heavy, especially in such massive volumes.  I managed to get the boat partially on the boat, pulled it up enough to create an angle for drainage, then continued inching it up as the water continually drained.  Really wasn't sure I would be employed ever again at that point, but I kept it quiet.  All is well that ends well.

On a positive note the professor I worked for 12 years ago just called me the other night.  He bought a dirt bike and will be joining us at the Des 100 this year

That's why boat plugs should be roughly the size of manhole covers. To make sure that you are aware of the problem before you are miles from shore. Lol

Oh great, boat stories!

The dozy I have involves my dad.  A few years ago he had a boat moored at a marina on the Thea Foss waterway in Tacoma.

He got a call one morning that the boat was, well no longer floating, apparently the bilge pump failed?

Anyhow after re-floating and repairs were done, said boat sat back in it's mooring for a good month or two before the whole scenario played out a second time!

Dad kept the boat for several years after getting it fixed up the second time.

Strangest of all was the name painted on the back of the boat "Double Trouble".

I don't think I'll ever own a boat.....

I live up the street from Mukilteo boat launch...it's good entertainment just sittin on the beach and watching the boat ramp

Well, I am now pretty sure I am a genius...

portlandcsc, on 09 February 2012 - 05:22 PM, said:

Because those engines are all ball bearing crankshaft, you have a little more forgivness. But there is a good chance rings may have had some life removed. You may not notice it smoking, it will start by fouling plugs periodically. If you smell smoke when cold, see smoke (oil, not fuel from enrichment) then its piston ring time. I suspect 3 minutes, no high idle, you are probably OK.

r4sbergXR600, on 14 February 2012 - 05:07 PM, said:

The boats that I've raced would self drain if the plug was pulled.
Just go fast and let it empty before stopping to fix the problem.
(it helps to always have a spare drain plug on board ALWAYS)

About 30 years ago I had just finished 7 in a row 12 hour night shifts, got off in the morning of the last day and decided not to go to bed but instead I'd do tune up on my truck. I replaced the plugs, wires, cap, etc. and was letting it warm up so I could time it when I noticed this liquid on the edge of my coil just below the high tension wire leading to the distributor.

In my rummy state I reached up to wipe it off while thinking to myself "Wonder what that stuff is" When I woke up a few minutes later I was laying about 10 feet in front of the truck, one hell of a headache and every joint in my right arm from my shoulder down to my finger tips felt like they were on fire, the truck was just purring away.

Seems the liquid I had seen on the coil and had attempted to wipe off was oil that was leaking out of the coil and when I tried to wipe it off I completed the ground circuit which sent the voltage in the coil shooting down my arm and knocking me to the ground, I don't know how high of a charge I took but do know my arm hurt for days after that and yes I changed the coil the next day after a good nights sleep.

Forgot the oil? What are you, a 12 yr old girl? Did you forget to bring petrol on a ride as well?

Last summer, doing some trim work with a finish nail gun.  Stupidly holding the trim to close to tip of gun, sure enough, nail missed the trim and shot the nail into the beefy Part of my left palm.  Stared at stupidly, pulled it out and sucked on it for a sec...went to nail same piece and did it again!   I put the nail gun down awhile and decided to chill figuring karma in this case wasn't gonna be pretty.

MX813, on 18 February 2012 - 11:36 PM, said:

Don't quite know why, but this one made me laugh out loud.  Even had to read it to my wife.  She kind of looked at me with the look that says "You do have a secret twin".

Yogi Bear, on 19 February 2012 - 08:15 AM, said:

It gets better.  A few yrs back, framing a new rough opening for a picture window.  Using my framing gun, affixing the OSB to studs and missed the stud.  Found the nail embedded in a wall across the room after it passed through an Anderson window screen door.  $200 later....

I had something crappy happen to me not more than an hour ago. Let me preface this by making it known that we have a mini wiener dog who only goes out into a fenced area. Now onto my tale of woe.

I was outside putzing around a bit and decided I should fire up the bike since it has been a month or so since I've done so. A few kicks and a short warm up later I'm doing hot laps around the back yard. After a dozen or so I figure it's time to put it away in the name of neighbor relations,so I cruise into the shop. I had no more than pushed the kill switch when I was hit full on with a terrible smell. A quick bike inspection revealed the source. Stuck to the front tire was one of the biggest piles of dog s**t I've ever seen. The way it was smashed into the center knobs,but still fairly intact towrd the edges makes me think I must have picked it up during my victory lap and rolled it straight into the shop. Needless to say I was forced into doing doing a bunch of figure eights in the lawn to brush it off. BTW this dog must have been enormous and eating a diet rich in protein judging by the size and smell of this pile.

Delta Bravo, on 18 February 2012 - 08:28 PM, said:

Hoah, euro dude and your petrol diss..... I'm sorry your offended. If I was Perfect as you imply you are, It would have never happened. I'm sure your are the fastest pit racer in the area. Congratulations.

Edited by portlandcsc, 20 February 2012 - 12:40 AM.