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MG MGB Technical - First engine start disaster...

Or alternatively titled "Hey, shouldn't all that oil be inside the engine?"

Yep, I did some temporary wiring and was all ready for my first engine start. Everything is all nicely set up and double checked, static timing done, valves, carbs all ready to go. I pull the plugs and crank her over on the starter to get oil pressure up. Only no pressure. I disconnect the gauge to see if there was anything and no, there wasn't. So I unscrew the oil filter a little to see if that has oil and it does, a little leaks out under the car. Better clean that up I think to myself. Bend down with a small rag and suddenly realise that I'm going to need a bigger rag. Yep, I'd done an Exxon Valdez. All my lovely new oil that should be IN the car was sitting UNDER the car! I had a look about the engine and it seems some idiot (errr, well me) forgot one of the oil gallery plugs. The one near the alternator just half under the engine front plate. I hit the starter quickly and oil spurted out of the hole.

Bugger.

I think it isn't a huge deal. I might be able to get a die grinder on there so I can grind away the part of the front plate covering half the hole. Then I can get the plug in. But damn, do I feel stupid :( I have a bottle of OSH I have been saving for the day I fire the engine but I think I might just go whack myself about the head a bit with the bottle now.


Simon Jansen

Let's be honest here, i don't know whether to sympathise or laugh! We've all done dumb stuff but as dumb things go that is a good one!

Hope you can sort it out as easily as you hope!
The Wiz

I've NEVER done anything dumb like that. Unless you count not tightening lug nuts and having the wheel almost fall off at speed. Oh, and a few other things.

Jack
J.C. Weidner

Confession time..I actually installed a brake pad backwards, the metal backing scraping on the disc made a horrible noise on the test drive (a block to turn around). Then I took the one on the wrong side off. All turned out fine, but I know that "some idiot..me" feeling well, except for time spent. My excuse (you gotta have an excuse, right?) is that I was doing it too late in the evening, only light from the streetlight by the neighbor's house. The side I did when it was still light out was fine, as I found when I took it off first...jeez. Why do we confess these things? Now I feel so stupid! I guess I was in a hurry to get it done before darkness fell..I'm tempted to delete all this..oh well. Maybe it will make you feel better, Simon.
Tom

After the second time of having the engine in our TD throw a rod because the wrist pin pinch bolt sheared off, I told my wife, "either I got some bad parts or the mechanic did something stupid and I am hopping that it is a case of a stupid mechanic (me) because I know how to correct that. It turned out that the problem was a stupid mechanic and I did, in fact corrected the problem by learning more about the importance of ot over torquing pinch bolts (or any bolt). My point is that as long as we learn from our dumb mistakes, the mistakes are ok. Simon, the next time you do an engine, you might want to do what I did, make up a reassembly check list so oil gallery plugs are not missed. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

At least you found out without pumping all the oil out of a running engine and siezing it.
Stan Best

Simon. I would suggest that you read the thread on the Special Tuning Cooling System Modification (or to that effect) should you decide to grind away the front plate. The chance of getting swarf into the oil system is greater than of getting it into the cooling system and the effects far more dangerous to the engine. I would not take the chance myself.

All of us have made various stupid mistakes over the years caused by lack of knowledge or inattention to detail. Often aided by being tired when doing the work or getting interupted while doing the job and not going back and rechecking what needs to be done.

My daughter and I re-installed the engine into her car, had to go out at 1:30 am to buy more brake fluid because we had problems bleeding the clutch hydraulic system. Got it working, then, tried to start the engine. Barely turned over. Three am with her car scheduled for a car show at eight am. We stopped, got cleaned up, went to our beds and daughter took my car to the show the next day while I went through all that we had done the day before. Forgot to connect the ground strap between the transmission and tranny cross memeber (RB car, like yours). Then, there was the time I did an oil change, poured in four quarts of oil, checked the dipstick and found the sump empty. Had not put the drain plug back in. Fortunately, the used oil container was still sitting under the sump and there was no mess to clean up.

We all make mistakes and learn from them. One thing I have learned is, even if it is a real pain in the neck, fix the mistakes correctly and do not take a chance on ruining an engine or transmission in an attempt to do a repair "almost right".

Les
Les Bengtson

This thread was discussed on 11/02/2006

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