Installing a new engine in a Toyota MR2 wasn't going well. From underneath the car, I asked my son who was helping at the time if something was hitting something to keep the engine from dropping into place. He said no. In his defense, he isn't very experienced in this sort of thing, try as I might. I exerted enough force to really get it jammed and then looked from above to find that the water pump pulley was installed backwards and was in fact what was causing the problem. Now the only way to get it off was to move the motor and unjam it. So, I did the smart thing; went in the house and lived to fight another day.
The next day I set about trying to get it unjammed. It wouldn't budge until I stuck my right hand down to adjust the motor mount. As soon as I did, without putting any more pressure on the engine, it unjammed and dropped, pinning the tip of my right thumb between motor bracket and the motor mount. My garage is free standing and is 30 feet from the house but I yelled for help. No response. I had to reach up with my left hand and crank the lift attached to the engine to lift it and free my thumb. Emergency room was next. The nail had been torn from the nail bed at the cuticle. Removed the nail and took seven stitches. When I got home I went back out to the garage and reversed the water pump pulley and got the engine mount bolts in before the local anesthetic wore off.
When I went into the house holding my bloodied thumb I asked my daughter if she hadn't heard me yelling for help. I am sad to say her response was - "Yes, but I thought it was just the usual yelling."
Greg in Colorado
Tell us about your most infamous auto repair blunder. Use your woe to help others avoid similar mistakes. Please email your story to
flamur@rockauto.com. Include your mailing address and shirt size (large or extra large) and we will mail you a RockAuto "Do it yourself?" t-shirt if we publish your story. The story will be credited using only your first name and your vague geographic location (state, province, country, continent, etc.) so you can remain semi-anonymous!
