KE4AVB wrote:As Sky said we all do make rookie mistakes, mostly from distractions but can be otherwise too.
Sky I can do one worst. I was changing the oil on a Mack semi tractor when as I was putting in the drain plug I had driver come in and distracted me. I fail a normal step of torquing the plug. The dang torque wrench was just laying there as usual. Later the driver took it out and after about 30 minutes the drain plug worked its way out. Draining out all 38 quarts. The driver was partially at fault too for the locked engine as ignored the loud buzzer and the bright dash light warning of loss of engine oil pressure. He ran it until the engine locked up. I got all the blame and I agreed that I must have missed a routine step.
I still think if the driver paid attention too it would not been all that bad. Probably all we would had needed to do was replace the plug and oil but keep driving it until it locked up.
Anyways it was an avoidable mistake only if I had double checked my work on the oil change. I lost my job over it.
Every since I double and triple things especially if I question if I remember doing something or not. Most times I have done what I don't remember clearly doing but it is usually because I had a customer to show up or call.
People that come into my shop has messed me more than once. I no longer do mechanic work for a living but when I did I could write a book on things that happened to me over the years. I have drove back to my shop more than once to make sure I put the fill plug back in after repairing a truck transmission or rear end.
I can assure everyone that as we age we tend to make more mistakes . At 73 I can tell anyway. If I was a football running back I would have lost my starting position long time ago but I now fumble a lot
