The ‘’we’re all occasionally stupid FC owners’’ thread
`*☆*`{RX7}`*☆*`
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
From: New York
really want to hear stupid...
A few years back when I lived in florida and had my ae. As you know the ae's have bronze glass. Well one night my friend and I are out bored we go to walmart and I buy a co2 bb pistol. We find some empty beer bottles around 30 of em and then start having some fun. Well we run out of bottles and we leave. The gun is in the car and I am holding it. What do you know pop right thru my damn winshield. Well it gets even better. We hit the u-pull it junk yard every couple of days looking for a windshield for my ae. After about three months what do you know... An ae shell and the nice bronze windshield is like new... All we had was a butter knife. We pry it into the driver top corner, my friend tells me to not do anything just wait for him that he would be right back. He went to get a break cable from another car to use if it was a guitar string to try to slice the weather strip... Well I get impatient and what do you know. Crack@!!!!!!!! There went my only opportunity to get the bronze windshield I needed.
A few years back when I lived in florida and had my ae. As you know the ae's have bronze glass. Well one night my friend and I are out bored we go to walmart and I buy a co2 bb pistol. We find some empty beer bottles around 30 of em and then start having some fun. Well we run out of bottles and we leave. The gun is in the car and I am holding it. What do you know pop right thru my damn winshield. Well it gets even better. We hit the u-pull it junk yard every couple of days looking for a windshield for my ae. After about three months what do you know... An ae shell and the nice bronze windshield is like new... All we had was a butter knife. We pry it into the driver top corner, my friend tells me to not do anything just wait for him that he would be right back. He went to get a break cable from another car to use if it was a guitar string to try to slice the weather strip... Well I get impatient and what do you know. Crack@!!!!!!!! There went my only opportunity to get the bronze windshield I needed.
We have the same lastname kind sir 
I had to replace my leaky oil cooler lines. So I ordered a set of SS lines and replaced them. I start the car up with the intention of checking for leaks once it is started. I start the car, take a quick peak underneath, and no oil. I bring the revs up to about 2500 RPM and hear a loud bang.
I instantly realized the problem.
When I put everything back together I had only put on two of the nuts that hold the fan to the waterpump before the phone rang (only hand tight at that). When I revved the engine, all four studs on the waterpump sheered off and the fan almost flung itself outside of the engine bay.
I went to the junkyard the next day to buy a Fiero fan before I eventually replaced it with a nice Perma-Cool setup.
I instantly realized the problem.
When I put everything back together I had only put on two of the nuts that hold the fan to the waterpump before the phone rang (only hand tight at that). When I revved the engine, all four studs on the waterpump sheered off and the fan almost flung itself outside of the engine bay.
I went to the junkyard the next day to buy a Fiero fan before I eventually replaced it with a nice Perma-Cool setup.
Rotary Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 918
Likes: 1
From: Rockford, IL
accidentally cut oil cooler lines once when i was removing the ac
I also accidentally cut my shielded CAS wires thinking it was stock wiring.
And finally I drove my 7 for a whole year with out premixing. (i have stand alone ECU and i wasn't aware it discarded the OMP)
I also accidentally cut my shielded CAS wires thinking it was stock wiring.
And finally I drove my 7 for a whole year with out premixing. (i have stand alone ECU and i wasn't aware it discarded the OMP)
Last year, I had to replace my drivers door handle in my SE. Forgot to reconnect the alarm connector. Accidentally set off the alarm a few times by simply unlocking the door. Made a mental note to fix it someday.
My son took it to college for a couple of months. One day I get this call from him, all pissed off, alarm beeping loudly in my ear. He's like "what the **** is up with this alarm and how do I shut it off!?!?!?!?"
I was laughing my *** off as I talked him through removing the fuse under the hood! He didn't think it was all that funny since everyone within 100 yards was now staring at him.
My son took it to college for a couple of months. One day I get this call from him, all pissed off, alarm beeping loudly in my ear. He's like "what the **** is up with this alarm and how do I shut it off!?!?!?!?"
I was laughing my *** off as I talked him through removing the fuse under the hood! He didn't think it was all that funny since everyone within 100 yards was now staring at him.
note to self: my FC cannot take a near 90 degree turn at 40 mph downshifting into second
found this out the hard way.. started off cool with a pretty nice drift but the rear end came back and kicked out the other way. basically ended up off the on ramp in the grass going down a hill spun it back around and drove off like nothing ever happened. yeah.
found this out the hard way.. started off cool with a pretty nice drift but the rear end came back and kicked out the other way. basically ended up off the on ramp in the grass going down a hill spun it back around and drove off like nothing ever happened. yeah.
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Simi Valley
I was adding coolant and I mixed orange Dex-cool with Green antifreeze!!
I had it in for about 3 weeks. I realized how stupid of a mistake it was when I was searching through the forums for help. Now I'm gonna flush it before I get screwed over.
I had it in for about 3 weeks. I realized how stupid of a mistake it was when I was searching through the forums for help. Now I'm gonna flush it before I get screwed over.
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,859
Likes: 13
From: Sterling Heights, MI
I smoked up the whole neighborhood by pouring oil down the intake of my blown FC to make it start... 3 times. Taking the plugs out over and over again gets tiring after a while, so I eventually got lazy and snaked a tube down the throttle body and started pouring oil in that way 
Works like a charm The smoke is unbelievable though.
Works like a charm The smoke is unbelievable though.
FC3S
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 745
Likes: 0
From: I come from a land downunder
Well i cant quite remember why i had the fuel lines disconnected, but i was working on the car and turned the key to the on position to move the window without realising and sprayed fuel all over my engine bay lol
Wow! Great thread! This just helped me kill an hour!
I will add my $0.02 of incompetance...
I was installing a rebuild in my 88 n/a. Finished up everything, went to start it, and... nothing! Engine did not even attempt to turn over. I knew the battery was good, because I had just charged it. I made a quick leap of judgement, pulled out the jack, jacked up the car and pulled out the starter (of course it had to be the starter... it wasn't turning!). Anyway, after 2 hours of ghetto rigging the starter up to a battery, making sure it was working properly, I installed it back i the car. I got back in the drivers seat, went to start it, when it suddenly hit me that I had forgot to push the clutch in, when I first tried to start it!
I will add my $0.02 of incompetance...
I was installing a rebuild in my 88 n/a. Finished up everything, went to start it, and... nothing! Engine did not even attempt to turn over. I knew the battery was good, because I had just charged it. I made a quick leap of judgement, pulled out the jack, jacked up the car and pulled out the starter (of course it had to be the starter... it wasn't turning!). Anyway, after 2 hours of ghetto rigging the starter up to a battery, making sure it was working properly, I installed it back i the car. I got back in the drivers seat, went to start it, when it suddenly hit me that I had forgot to push the clutch in, when I first tried to start it!
HAHA. no i have a 1 up.
Dad and I were putting a Chevy 350 back into a 78 Corvette. Dropped the motor in. Went unusually smooth going in. I was new to cars so i went under and bolted to bell housing and everything up to the motor. Put the car on the lift to hook up some lines and cables. And we notice something is missing.....then look to the corner of the shop and we see the torque converter sitting there..DOH..no wonder it was such an easy install. Had to pull the motor back out bolt the convert on and dropped it back in. did it in record time because the customer was waiting for it. XD
In my 66 mustang the glass fuse for the radio would keep on popping. It annoyed me because i had to drive around with a box of fuses. Finally i ran out of fuses and decided to stick 2 quarters in the fuse slot. It was fine for a while until the wire shorted again. Im driving with my buddy in the car and he says "whats that smell? It that smoke?" I look down and see a bright red wire under my dash, pull the quarters out burning my fingers. Such a bad idea. But at least i found the bad wire. O.o
Dad and I were putting a Chevy 350 back into a 78 Corvette. Dropped the motor in. Went unusually smooth going in. I was new to cars so i went under and bolted to bell housing and everything up to the motor. Put the car on the lift to hook up some lines and cables. And we notice something is missing.....then look to the corner of the shop and we see the torque converter sitting there..DOH..no wonder it was such an easy install. Had to pull the motor back out bolt the convert on and dropped it back in. did it in record time because the customer was waiting for it. XD
In my 66 mustang the glass fuse for the radio would keep on popping. It annoyed me because i had to drive around with a box of fuses. Finally i ran out of fuses and decided to stick 2 quarters in the fuse slot. It was fine for a while until the wire shorted again. Im driving with my buddy in the car and he says "whats that smell? It that smoke?" I look down and see a bright red wire under my dash, pull the quarters out burning my fingers. Such a bad idea. But at least i found the bad wire. O.o
Last edited by Handful; Jun 13, 2009 at 11:52 PM.
heres my genius moment... I was doing a battery relocation a few months ago and I was putting all the positive wires together in the engine bay. Well I was tired and wasnt paying attention and I put the origional battery ground in with the positive wires when I thought that wire was off the alternator. Needless to say I connected it and the battery cables made a huge spark so I ran up front to see smoke and that ground cable go limp. Ahhh that was my biggest blond moment.
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,515
Likes: 4
From: San Jose, CA (NorCal/S.F. Bay Area)
This thread is hilarious....
I had my 88 NA on the lift from switching out the springs and shocks. Upon lowering the car down I heard a noise and noticed the lift was struggling to lower. So instead and stopping to find out what was happening I just kept on lowering to show the lift "who's boss". Turns out I left the drivers side door open and there was a metal trash can (that I had used as a step stool to climb into my car as it was up in the air) directly under the door..... needless to say my front drivers side door turned into a "Lambo" style door. To fix the problem I strapped one side of a metal chain around the door and the other side of the chain around a metal pole, put it in first, gave it some gas and let the clutch out. It did the job but the door is hard to close and looks pretty banged up now.
I had my 88 NA on the lift from switching out the springs and shocks. Upon lowering the car down I heard a noise and noticed the lift was struggling to lower. So instead and stopping to find out what was happening I just kept on lowering to show the lift "who's boss". Turns out I left the drivers side door open and there was a metal trash can (that I had used as a step stool to climb into my car as it was up in the air) directly under the door..... needless to say my front drivers side door turned into a "Lambo" style door. To fix the problem I strapped one side of a metal chain around the door and the other side of the chain around a metal pole, put it in first, gave it some gas and let the clutch out. It did the job but the door is hard to close and looks pretty banged up now.
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 7,855
Likes: 517
From: Behind a workbench, repairing FC Electronics.
Dumbest thing I've done with the FC so far... Bought the damn thing.
Originally was gonna be a Daily beater. Hauled it outta some guy's front yard for $250. He was the original owner, bought it in October of 1985... Let his son drive it and then his grandson... Grandson had a random encounter with a wild school bus a few years back and fucked up the driver's fender and front bumper. Sat ever since. Rust free chassis aside from the front fenders and that fucked up bumper. Hell, the "frame rails" aren't even dinged from someone jacking it up wrong. The original owner worked at a GM dealer and had it serviced well.
I put a few ounces of MMO in the combustion chambers, charged the battery, and she fired right up. Yay $250 Daily Driver.
But I needed an exhaust, as one muffler was rusted out. So I put an exhaust on it... RB header, 2.5" cat, XS power catback... ($160, $170, and $200)
Yay, $680 Daily driver...
Then I ordered an ACT clutch, light flywheel, Suspension Techniques swaybars, and some coilovers...
My cheap daily driver ain't so cheap anymore.
The FB is supposed to be the track car. Cage and everything. I just wanted to have a fun, reliable daily and now look at what I've done.
R compounds are on the way.
Originally was gonna be a Daily beater. Hauled it outta some guy's front yard for $250. He was the original owner, bought it in October of 1985... Let his son drive it and then his grandson... Grandson had a random encounter with a wild school bus a few years back and fucked up the driver's fender and front bumper. Sat ever since. Rust free chassis aside from the front fenders and that fucked up bumper. Hell, the "frame rails" aren't even dinged from someone jacking it up wrong. The original owner worked at a GM dealer and had it serviced well.
I put a few ounces of MMO in the combustion chambers, charged the battery, and she fired right up. Yay $250 Daily Driver.
But I needed an exhaust, as one muffler was rusted out. So I put an exhaust on it... RB header, 2.5" cat, XS power catback... ($160, $170, and $200)
Yay, $680 Daily driver...
Then I ordered an ACT clutch, light flywheel, Suspension Techniques swaybars, and some coilovers...
My cheap daily driver ain't so cheap anymore.
The FB is supposed to be the track car. Cage and everything. I just wanted to have a fun, reliable daily and now look at what I've done.
R compounds are on the way.
lol carzy stories, for one of mine, all my friends were being cheap with their cars and running them with just an open downpipe, they were either turbo or v6, v8, so i decided to do the same....what a ****** mistake, i was redlining at like 4 grand and going nowhere on that Honda status.
Another time i went out street drifting and street racing, near the end of night i started having cooling problems, for the next 3 weeks i couldnt figure out what was going on, i use to own an Evo and all i ever had was blowing couplers and afr problems lol. so i replaced the water pump and the thermostat, still had the problem, later on i found out my radiator was blown and my hoses needed replacing due to them being swollen and glazed, i also had to replace my rad cap, after more searching i realized i never reinstalled the connector prong thingy to the coolant temp sending unit cause i accidently took it off while fighting with spark plugs the last idiot torqued in like 6 turns over, and used the wrong ones on top of that lol.
I also ran out of gas twice warming up the car in my driveway, i tried putting a sock over the MAF to replace my cone filter to see if i can get more power, and being a drifter, i was suprised when i popped a curb in a parking lot while turning at like 5mph lol, i freaking turned in too much
Another time i went out street drifting and street racing, near the end of night i started having cooling problems, for the next 3 weeks i couldnt figure out what was going on, i use to own an Evo and all i ever had was blowing couplers and afr problems lol. so i replaced the water pump and the thermostat, still had the problem, later on i found out my radiator was blown and my hoses needed replacing due to them being swollen and glazed, i also had to replace my rad cap, after more searching i realized i never reinstalled the connector prong thingy to the coolant temp sending unit cause i accidently took it off while fighting with spark plugs the last idiot torqued in like 6 turns over, and used the wrong ones on top of that lol.
I also ran out of gas twice warming up the car in my driveway, i tried putting a sock over the MAF to replace my cone filter to see if i can get more power, and being a drifter, i was suprised when i popped a curb in a parking lot while turning at like 5mph lol, i freaking turned in too much
MECP Certified Installer
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,176
Likes: 3
From: Mesquite, TX-DFW
I removed the plenum to AWS vacuum line one day while working on the car to get it out of the way. When I was finish up with what I was doing I hop into the car and try to start it. It would start but wouldn't run.
I got so damn frustrated and sat there and tried to start it for 10 minutes before I realized I was a dumbass. I never put that hose back and created a huge vacuum leak.
I got so damn frustrated and sat there and tried to start it for 10 minutes before I realized I was a dumbass. I never put that hose back and created a huge vacuum leak.
note to self: my FC cannot take a near 90 degree turn at 40 mph downshifting into second
found this out the hard way.. started off cool with a pretty nice drift but the rear end came back and kicked out the other way. basically ended up off the on ramp in the grass going down a hill spun it back around and drove off like nothing ever happened. yeah.
found this out the hard way.. started off cool with a pretty nice drift but the rear end came back and kicked out the other way. basically ended up off the on ramp in the grass going down a hill spun it back around and drove off like nothing ever happened. yeah.
Philip loves his 7
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
haha well i have a few but im gonna share my dumbest one, i was driving over a local mountain when this guy in a v6 stratus with the words asphalt assault written across the back windshield passed me when i was running about 55 needless to say i got mad and decided to go after him so i dropped it into 3rd and stomped it and went to pass him around a turn, i had forgotten i had snow tires on the back and the back end let loose and i did a 180 at about 70 mph and slammed it into a drainage ditch. haha luckily i only crushed my left muffler tip.
I had a good one today. I was on my way to pick up a friend and decided to take a quick detour down a back road. I was doing about 70mph when a saw a very large crane bird land on the side of the roadabout a mile ahead of me. Me not thinking that animals will be dumb never slowed down. Well got to about where he landed and he decided to take off(fish in beak) right before i go to him
. Low and behold it hit my windshield, dropped the fish which almost came in my open sunroof. I took a quick look at my windsheld and kept driving. As i pulled in to my friends work to pick him up i noticed everyone giving me odd stares. As he enters the car he asks me if i knew there was a dead bird laying on my back hatch and spoiler. so later down the road i swerved around until it slid off and into the ditch
. Low and behold it hit my windshield, dropped the fish which almost came in my open sunroof. I took a quick look at my windsheld and kept driving. As i pulled in to my friends work to pick him up i noticed everyone giving me odd stares. As he enters the car he asks me if i knew there was a dead bird laying on my back hatch and spoiler. so later down the road i swerved around until it slid off and into the ditch
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Victoria BC
I had a good one today. I was on my way to pick up a friend and decided to take a quick detour down a back road. I was doing about 70mph when a saw a very large crane bird land on the side of the roadabout a mile ahead of me. Me not thinking that animals will be dumb never slowed down. Well got to about where he landed and he decided to take off(fish in beak) right before i go to him. Low and behold it hit my windshield, dropped the fish which almost came in my open sunroof. I took a quick look at my windsheld and kept driving. As i pulled in to my friends work to pick him up i noticed everyone giving me odd stares. As he enters the car he asks me if i knew there was a dead bird laying on my back hatch and spoiler. so later down the road i swerved around until it slid off and into the ditch
. Low and behold it hit my windshield, dropped the fish which almost came in my open sunroof. I took a quick look at my windsheld and kept driving. As i pulled in to my friends work to pick him up i noticed everyone giving me odd stares. As he enters the car he asks me if i knew there was a dead bird laying on my back hatch and spoiler. so later down the road i swerved around until it slid off and into the ditch
DONT FEED THE NOOBS
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,270
Likes: 0
From: land of slow hondas .... TULSA, OK
haha well i have a few but im gonna share my dumbest one, i was driving over a local mountain when this guy in a v6 stratus with the words asphalt assault written across the back windshield passed me when i was running about 55 needless to say i got mad and decided to go after him so i dropped it into 3rd and stomped it and went to pass him around a turn, i had forgotten i had snow tires on the back and the back end let loose and i did a 180 at about 70 mph and slammed it into a drainage ditch. haha luckily i only crushed my left muffler tip.
My latest bout of stupidity officially occurred today. I recently rebuilt my engine and got it starting and running fine. But I was unsure of my timing due to my uncertainty of my pulley/hub combo. I read about Hailers method of TDC here: https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/unsure-tdc-724942/
I followed the instructions and found my pulley to be maybe 2 degrees off. No biggie. You need to follow this method to understand what happened next; my front chamber is now filled with oil. I forgot to turn the engine by hand to squeeze out any last bit of oil. Instead I simply put the plugs back and cranked the car.
It fired up and suddenly I was surrounded by a dense cloud of smoke. Immediately, my wideband was stuck at 14.9 and the LED indicator was blinking an error code. ******* brilliant. I smoked out the property and possibly destroyed my O2 sensor. I also saw it bubbling where my downpipe meets the turbo due to an exhaust leak. After idling and revving the motor for nearly 10 minutes it was still smoking like a demon. I killed it and stepped away, basking in stupidity.
I followed the instructions and found my pulley to be maybe 2 degrees off. No biggie. You need to follow this method to understand what happened next; my front chamber is now filled with oil. I forgot to turn the engine by hand to squeeze out any last bit of oil. Instead I simply put the plugs back and cranked the car.
It fired up and suddenly I was surrounded by a dense cloud of smoke. Immediately, my wideband was stuck at 14.9 and the LED indicator was blinking an error code. ******* brilliant. I smoked out the property and possibly destroyed my O2 sensor. I also saw it bubbling where my downpipe meets the turbo due to an exhaust leak. After idling and revving the motor for nearly 10 minutes it was still smoking like a demon. I killed it and stepped away, basking in stupidity.
Caramelldansen
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,182
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay Area, California
My latest bout of stupidity officially occurred today. I recently rebuilt my engine and got it starting and running fine. But I was unsure of my timing due to my uncertainty of my pulley/hub combo. I read about Hailers method of TDC here: https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=724942
I followed the instructions and found my pulley to be maybe 2 degrees off. No biggie. You need to follow this method to understand what happened next; my front chamber is now filled with oil. I forgot to turn the engine by hand to squeeze out any last bit of oil. Instead I simply put the plugs back and cranked the car.
It fired up and suddenly I was surrounded by a dense cloud of smoke. Immediately, my wideband was stuck at 14.9 and the LED indicator was blinking an error code. ******* brilliant. I smoked out the property and possibly destroyed my O2 sensor. I also saw it bubbling where my downpipe meets the turbo due to an exhaust leak. After idling and revving the motor for nearly 10 minutes it was still smoking like a demon. I killed it and stepped away, basking in stupidity.
I followed the instructions and found my pulley to be maybe 2 degrees off. No biggie. You need to follow this method to understand what happened next; my front chamber is now filled with oil. I forgot to turn the engine by hand to squeeze out any last bit of oil. Instead I simply put the plugs back and cranked the car.
It fired up and suddenly I was surrounded by a dense cloud of smoke. Immediately, my wideband was stuck at 14.9 and the LED indicator was blinking an error code. ******* brilliant. I smoked out the property and possibly destroyed my O2 sensor. I also saw it bubbling where my downpipe meets the turbo due to an exhaust leak. After idling and revving the motor for nearly 10 minutes it was still smoking like a demon. I killed it and stepped away, basking in stupidity.
Well I have to pull the O2 and recalibrate. If I really killed it, I have a spare. Maybe I'll try tightening my exhaust bolts too, hopefully minimizing my exhaust leaks. I'm not worried at all that the engine is damaged. I just have a lot of oil in the exhaust the burn off. I need to bleed my brakes, but I don't have a 2nd person to help me so I may not be able to get the car driving around (and burn the oil off faster).