.....That can Mess up your life! :mad:
Although slightly embarrassing, I thought I should post this so that no one here makes the simple mistake I made that set me back for a good chunk of change.

About 3 weeks ago I purchased a taller air filter and breather lid for my 76 SS. I've a reverse hood scoop (like an air inductance scoop) on the car and I measured to make sure the taller filter would extend up into the hood.
So I open the hood, remove the old filter and lid install the new filter and lid (the lid is one of those that has filter material in the top for increased air flow) and slowly close the hood. All seems good, I take a flashlight and look into the scoop in the hoods and everything looks good, there is clearance and everything so life is good and time goes on.

Last weekend, I'm coming home from Buffalo and about a mile from home, and stopped at a stop sign, looked both ways and pulled out when I heard click clank bing (loud) clack clack,,, so I pulled over and shut it down. (like moved 30 feet) I looked under the hood, under the car, (it sounded like a stick whacking something from in the car),, nothing. So leaving the hood open i started it up and the sound was coming from the top end of the engine. I immediately shut it down and called a tow truck.

After my mechanic started looking at it, he found a small plastic ziplock bag (1"x1") taped to the underside of the airfilter lid, in it was a small nut a flat washer and a hole in the bag. (yikes) So i went to the place i purchased the lid and opened a new package, sure enough, taped to the bottom was a little bag, with 2 nuts and a flat washer, but this one was taped over the center hole, mine was off to the side. The packaging has no parts list, or warning of the extra parts.

So i told him to go ahead and pull the heads.....

The nut got into my passenger side head, got into my # 8 cylinder and chewed it up good (crushed 2 rings) and it looks like a small chunk hopped back up through my intake manifold (no small feet, it's tall) of it put a small ding in the #4 cylinder. My AFR Eliminator heads did ok, we need to replace and reseat the #8 valves, #4 was un molested, I also need to replace the #8 piston and rings. The cylinder walls were clean thank god.

So, bottom line, I didn't look for a little nut that i didn't know was there and it cost me close to a grand.

I feel like a jerk and I paid for it. I'm sending a registered letter to the company that distributes the filter with a copy of the bill and photos of the damage. Some people keep telling me to take them to court. But they are in CAL, and made in CHINA. They should PUT THE PARTS IN PLAIN SIGHT (like on top) , and AD A PARTS LIST DAMN IT ALL!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

OK I hope none of you do something stupid like I did, allways ,,Allways, check everything twice.

It should be back on the road next week.
Randy

WOW! SPEECHLESS May be something good will come of it.

Talk about a lousy turn of events!

Stupid little things that cause huge problems are almost worse than an up front huge problem. They make no sense and feel like the essence of bad luck.

I hope you get a response from the company, maybe they will cover the damages. Not likely, I know, but clearly they created the circumstance and it is in their interest to change the way they package the air cleaner. I could see the logic in them helping you out on this from another perspective as well: you would likely win if you sued in small claims court, and defending against that may not be worthwhile for them.

:cool: this is why you must inspect every part you buy for your car, regardless of the part.

Quite a story Randy, man, what a disaster. Can understand your being a bit P.O.. I feel a somewhat strongly worded letter from your attorney might serve you well. They may want to cover your expenses to avoid legal fees and all the bad publicity, especially if it was a big outfit like K&N etc. Word of mouth is big business. Glad you had the knowledge and sense to shut it down quick. Glad it didn't get your cylinder walls etc. Good luck with it, and let us know how it ends....

that sucks, I take it you need a new head?

that sucks, I take it you need a new head?

He said his heads did OK.

Doug

What lousy luck Randy. Your estimate to fix sounds conservative compared what that amount of damage would cost to rectify here in OZ with mechanics charging over A$70/hour.

The only positive is that you have the opportunity to freshen up the motor.

Good luck with getting some compensation from the manufacturer.

What lousy luck Randy. Your estimate to fix sounds conservative compared what that amount of damage would cost to rectify here in OZ with mechanics charging over A$70/hour.

The only positive is that you have the opportunity to freshen up the motor.

Good luck with getting some compensation from the manufacturer.

I doubt I'll hear anything from the manufacturer beyond "were sorry, remember you must inspect every part you buy for your car, regardless of the part" spheal. I will Document everything, I have witnesses (the mechanics that found the bag). And the manufacturer will have to sign for the letter. Don't think I'll go to court. Just a really thick letter.

Yeah, i feel like a dolt, I should of looked. I found myself looking inside an oil filter before putting it on yesterday, things like that can make you paranoid! OY!

The estimate of around a grand, was just that an, estimate. I’ve a feeling after all is said and done it’ll be about $1300.

The Heads are ok, just the #8 valves needed to be polished and re-seated. I'm in good hands. The mechanic is the kind of guy who covers the car up like a surgeon would before an operation. He’s good, and does allot of classic cars because of that (I’ve seen some really rare cars at his shop). He explains everything so even my old lady understood!!! (that takes skill) :cool:

I’ll let you guys know everything I can after I get it back, I’ll post some photos also.

Thanks for your support!!!

Randy

I don't want to sound like a jerk here, so please don't take this personal.

I feel bad for you, really. I've done some pretty stupid thing in my life.

However, I just want to say. Please, do send the info to the manufacturer, but under no circumstances would I ever suggest taking them to court for your mistake. You admit in this thread several times that it was your fault for not looking, and I agree. (again, not trying to be a jerk, just being honest) I think if you try to go after them for this you're no better than the idiot who poured coffee on herself and sued McDonalds. Yes, it was stupid of them to put those parts there, and that's why I say you should inform them, and if they feel the need to help you out then that is great.

So, send the info to them, let them know what happened, and maybe even ask for some compensation, but don't threaten them with a lawyer. That's one of the biggest problems with this world today...

and again I do feel sorry for you, and I'm really sorry for sounding like a jerk, but I just felt I had to say something...

closer9,

It’s cool… dont jump the gun,,,

Like I said, I don’t think I'll do that. I’m not like that. 8-)

I'm just letting them know how much this mistake cost (could of been MUCH worse) with a big fat letter (photos, bills, recepts)...

Remember that part of this mess is their fault too, poor labeling, poor packaging, Poor QC. But your right, and I’ll say it again, the bottom line is “I didn’t look, I pay”.

They should be reminded how much the situation with the packaging can cost their customers, they must of thought the packaging through at some point. If they turn around and try to compensate me some(which I doubt will happen) kudos to them. If not maybe they will relook at the packaging, which might keep this simple but expensive mistake from happening again to another customer.

"measure twice.... cut once..."

8O

I think that's the best thing to do...

Good luck, and please let us know what they say...

In my job I have to write Work Instructions for machine repair and maintenance. Company policy is to include pictures of every nut, bolt and screw that needs to be inspected. And this is for professional Maintenance Workers.

My favorite was one written by a co-worker to replace the filter and fluid on a hydraulic system. This task is performed on nearly every machine at least once a year. There are well over 100 machines in my plant. The WI said to drain the fluid, remove the old filter, put on a new one and refill the tank. And they did. Unfortunately it did not mention a pan to catch the old fluid or to put the plug back in the tank. About 25 gallon (100 liter) of old hydro and 25 more of new on the floor.

I'm not kidding. Everybody makes mistakes, learn and get on with it. Thanks for your story, I bet we will all be a little more cautious thanks to you.

Randy,

I've always wondered about bad luck like this? We've all experienced it. The storys I could tell. Most start with I was minding my own business when....

hang in there!

In my job I have to write Work Instructions for machine repair and maintenance. Company policy is to include pictures of every nut, bolt and screw that needs to be inspected. And this is for professional Maintenance Workers.

My favorite was one written by a co-worker to replace the filter and fluid on a hydraulic system. This task is performed on nearly every machine at least once a year. There are well over 100 machines in my plant. The WI said to drain the fluid, remove the old filter, put on a new one and refill the tank. And they did. Unfortunately it did not mention a pan to catch the old fluid or to put the plug back in the tank. About 25 gallon (100 liter) of old hydro and 25 more of new on the floor.

I'm not kidding. Everybody makes mistakes, learn and get on with it. Thanks for your story, I bet we will all be a little more cautious thanks to you.
I write manual also, technical service bulletins and service tips, for the kits cars of sort we sell. You can't include enough photos and detailed explanations. But I do find that the people you would expect to be competent, professional mechanics and installers, tend to not follow the instruction, they think they know it all and screw things up the most. The guy that buys one of these and has to do the install themselves, even though he is not as experienced, will read the manual thoroughly and do the job right, has very little issues when done and does an overall better job.
Buy them books, send them to school, what do they do, eat the pages! :cry:
Mike

In my job I have to write Work Instructions for machine repair and maintenance. Company policy is to include pictures of every nut, bolt and screw that needs to be inspected. And this is for professional Maintenance Workers.

My favorite was one written by a co-worker to replace the filter and fluid on a hydraulic system. This task is performed on nearly every machine at least once a year. There are well over 100 machines in my plant. The WI said to drain the fluid, remove the old filter, put on a new one and refill the tank. And they did. Unfortunately it did not mention a pan to catch the old fluid or to put the plug back in the tank. About 25 gallon (100 liter) of old hydro and 25 more of new on the floor.

I'm not kidding. Everybody makes mistakes, learn and get on with it. Thanks for your story, I bet we will all be a little more cautious thanks to you.

Man, I sympathize with your position. (with a Mech engineering degree, we had a semester of technical writing, though I am not actively in that career)

It really is a tough job to write technical manuals and instructions. Knowing this, its easy to, in the very next second, look at someone else's instructions for a widget assembly and criticize the heck out of the tech writer because something is ambiguous. It really is a tough job.

It's funny too. Some people are good about instructions. They will follow them letter for letter, and by gosh, if the instructions don't say to do something, then by gosh you don't do it. Especially if the system is unfamiliar to the person. Especially if the system is critical, or expensive, or dangerous. Aviation mechanics get beaten in the head from school day one that instructions must be followed to the letter, no more, no less, no shortcuts. So, no oil pan? By gosh there has got to be a reason for that. However, if you were to take the instructions away from the individual, they are more apt to apply common sense and think about what they are doing, the purpose and order of all the parts.

It really, really is a tough job to choose your words and illustrations so wisely, so that it communicates the same idea to a million different folks with a million different levels of experience.

Amen.

For me to write a good set of instructions I have to first do the job hands on. I have a uncanny knack for putting that experience down on paper in a way that others can understand it. You need to also be able to visualize in your head what someone could do wrong at any given step and help them avoid this. This I think is the key to a good manual.
I hate when instructions are vague to a point that you second guess them. Or step by step and then seem to leave something out.
I also found long ago that the pictures can say more then your words. So photos, illustrations and diagram. are terribly important.
Mike