UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

Ok, I'll start this off by admitting I'm an idiot, lol! I made a foolish mistake that could have potentially cost me thousands of dollars. The other day I pulled my Edelbrock 1407 off my truck to do some maintenance and I stuffed the intake manifold with 4 rags so nothing could fall into the engine like dirt, washers, nuts whatever. A few hours later I pulled the rags, bolted on the 1407 and fired up the ol 454. Well to my surprise the ol 454 started knocking, smoking and barely ran. I thought I dropped a washer or something down the intake because I've never seen an engine do that before so I shut it off thinking I blew the engine and started calling around for a replacement 454. Then I started thinking if it was a washer bouncing around in the cylinder the plug would be damaged so I pulled the plugs and they were fine so I fired it back up and all hell broke loose but this time it was knocking, smoking and now blowing fire out the 3" tail pipe, I figured if it was going to die it was going to die in a big way so I floored it about 5 times and BLAM, a smoldering piece of a cotton rag shot out the tailpipe and landed about 6' feet from the truck! LOL, I'M NOT JOKING! As soon as it exited the tailpipe the 454 smoothed out and ran great! Is it obvious what happened now? I thought I pulled out all the rags but I accidentally left one inside the intake and it got sucked into the cylinder, chewed up and spit out the tailpipe! Unfreakingbelievable! Here are the pics for your entertainment!

THIS RAG IS THE SAME SIZE AS THE ONE THAT GOT CHEWED UP!
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6d1d29df.jpg

THE AFTERMATH!!!
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/...ps872ea373.jpg

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

you got ssooooo lucky!!

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

lol...that reminds me of a couple incidents in my distant mechanic past.

Once I ran to the parts store to get a longer carb stud for a 454 I stuffed into my swivel bucket seat 77 Monte and I figured ahh....I've leave the shorter one on until I get there....(I also put a 1" Edelbrock carb spacer on...hence the need now for a longer carb stud) well, I drove to the parts store and after buying it I thought maybe I should put it on in the parking lot....? Nah, I'll wait until I get home....oops.

I was at a stoplight when all of a sudden it sounds like rapid machine gun fire ripping along my 2.5" dual flowmaster exhaust and exiting out the back....!?! The valves acted like a salad shooter-gradually shredding the old, shorter carb stud down to bits! Cost? Fresh valve job on the 600-mile heads, hone job on two cylinders, 2 replacements pistons and a couple new spark plugs...and several cases of beer!

So yes you really dodged a bullet there! lol

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

sooo lucky!!!

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

Yeah, I'm surprised I didn't at least bend a valve because a shirt sleeve size piece of rag can only compress so much. I've been working on cars for over 30 years and have never had this happen before! I just wished I would have caught it on video, lol!

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

That's pretty cool!

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

WOW!, I would never expect a rag to make it completely through the intake valve then exhaust valve.

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

Won't make it past the reed valve on a 2 stroke. But yes been there done that.

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

That happened to me years ago with a different outcome. Had some buddies help me put an engine in. Some how the wing nut for the breather had made it in the intake. Started the new engine up. Sounded good except I had alot of smoke coming from the passenger tailpipe. Ended up taking out the piston, valves, cracked the head and scarred the cylinder wall. Ruined the engine. Pulled it and put the old one back in and all was fine.

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

Crazy!

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

i did have a red valve tear apart on my CR125. a pedal just ripped off somehow. the rest where in great shape

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

Hilarious!(only since it didn't cost you any $$$$) Glad the motor survived!

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

You're so dang lucky, you should go buy a lottery ticket!

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

The second part of that story is better.....I put everything back together, started it, let it run for about 10 min. While I washed up a bit....noticed the temp gauge got to 260.....I shut the engine off in a panic....then realized, in my zest to get it all up and running, I forgot to add coolant....I put the radiator cap on earlier not wanting anything to fall into the radiator.....so..., the motor seized up, warped the crank journals and cracked a couple cylinder walls. Yeah....I took a break from big blocks after that....lol

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

LOL.. Big Blocks are hungry, they'll eat anything... :)

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

Thought that could happen to me only

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

Cutting out, acting generally foul and snotty while it was on the rag...
Typical.

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

Happens to the best of us. I once rebuilt a Q-jet to replace my existing carb and when I pulled the old carb off, I didn't notice one of the phillips base plate bolts fall into the intake. Put the new carb, it fired up instantly and sounded better than ever...for 5 seconds, then BANG BANG BANG....That little bolt smashed the piston all to hell. Haha.

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

we need a thread to keep the most unbelievible stories, this would be at the top!

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

Yes I'm very lucky and counting my blessings! One thing I don't quite understand is how did the rag make it through my muffler? No catalytic converter, it's just a two into one 3" exhaust system with one muffler. Anyways I saved the rag as a trophy/reminder to stay focused while working on vehicles, lol!

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1219762d.jpg

Thinking about it, I honestly don't know where my air cleaner wingnut went!

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

I like to set (lose) mine on top of my brake master cylinder.

I read through this, you are very fortunate...I am in awe that the valves just chewed on it a little and there was no catastrophic failure.

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

I'm extremely surprised I didn't bend the valves or at least damage the spark plug because a man's large T-shirt sleeve can only compress so much. I'm wondering if this happened to a small block if the chances of catastrophic failure would be higher simply do to the smaller cylinder size?

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

Let's see a V-TEC swallow that and blow it out the other end!

:metal:

Another reason there's no replacement for displacement. :D

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

I did the same thing a couple years ago with a v6 Escape. Luckily I used paper towels so it was a little easier on the engine:dohh:

Re: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE! I'm an IDIOT!
 

wow thats lucky for sure