1978 SA Safety First
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 462
Likes: 98
1978 SA Safety First
Not that anyone needs a safety lecture (besides me I mean)...but maybe this will help someone...
Yesterday I was timing my 78 SA. Got it all back together, including the dual snorkel air cleaner. Realized the idle was a little bit too high. Decision point: take the (inconvenient to remove given all the connections and dual air ducts) air cleaner off, or simply lift it up a bit to get to the idle screw on the driver's side of the Q Jet. I elected to take the easy way out.
With the wheels chocked and the manual transmission in neutral, I took a long screwdriver and flash light, and began to try and adjust the idle screw. I was aware there is a fan rotating near by, but it seemed far enough away from the long screwdriver as to not be a problem, especially for someone as careful (!) and attentive (!!) as me.
In short order there was the loud clanging of a fan against something, and the screwdriver disappeared in a flash. And the middle finger on my left hand really started to hurt. The kind of dull hurt that you just know will kick in like a thunderclap as soon as you actually look at it.
Luckily, I didn't really hurt myself. I shut off the car, located the screwdriver down by the steering linkage, removed the air cleaner assembly, and did the job correctly.
And realized I had done it again. After all these years, and all these cars, I got impatient, took a shortcut, and hurt myself. Luckily not anywhere near as seriously as it could have been...like maybe a flying screw driver in an eye.
Thought I'd pass this along, even though it is a bit embarrassing. If it makes one person slow down and avoid a stupid and unnecessary accident, it will have been worth it.
Yesterday I was timing my 78 SA. Got it all back together, including the dual snorkel air cleaner. Realized the idle was a little bit too high. Decision point: take the (inconvenient to remove given all the connections and dual air ducts) air cleaner off, or simply lift it up a bit to get to the idle screw on the driver's side of the Q Jet. I elected to take the easy way out.
With the wheels chocked and the manual transmission in neutral, I took a long screwdriver and flash light, and began to try and adjust the idle screw. I was aware there is a fan rotating near by, but it seemed far enough away from the long screwdriver as to not be a problem, especially for someone as careful (!) and attentive (!!) as me.
In short order there was the loud clanging of a fan against something, and the screwdriver disappeared in a flash. And the middle finger on my left hand really started to hurt. The kind of dull hurt that you just know will kick in like a thunderclap as soon as you actually look at it.
Luckily, I didn't really hurt myself. I shut off the car, located the screwdriver down by the steering linkage, removed the air cleaner assembly, and did the job correctly.
And realized I had done it again. After all these years, and all these cars, I got impatient, took a shortcut, and hurt myself. Luckily not anywhere near as seriously as it could have been...like maybe a flying screw driver in an eye.
Thought I'd pass this along, even though it is a bit embarrassing. If it makes one person slow down and avoid a stupid and unnecessary accident, it will have been worth it.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Not that anyone needs a safety lecture (besides me I mean)...but maybe this will help someone...
Yesterday I was timing my 78 SA. Got it all back together, including the dual snorkel air cleaner. Realized the idle was a little bit too high. Decision point: take the (inconvenient to remove given all the connections and dual air ducts) air cleaner off, or simply lift it up a bit to get to the idle screw on the driver's side of the Q Jet. I elected to take the easy way out.
With the wheels chocked and the manual transmission in neutral, I took a long screwdriver and flash light, and began to try and adjust the idle screw. I was aware there is a fan rotating near by, but it seemed far enough away from the long screwdriver as to not be a problem, especially for someone as careful (!) and attentive (!!) as me.
In short order there was the loud clanging of a fan against something, and the screwdriver disappeared in a flash. And the middle finger on my left hand really started to hurt. The kind of dull hurt that you just know will kick in like a thunderclap as soon as you actually look at it.
Luckily, I didn't really hurt myself. I shut off the car, located the screwdriver down by the steering linkage, removed the air cleaner assembly, and did the job correctly.
And realized I had done it again. After all these years, and all these cars, I got impatient, took a shortcut, and hurt myself. Luckily not anywhere near as seriously as it could have been...like maybe a flying screw driver in an eye.
Thought I'd pass this along, even though it is a bit embarrassing. If it makes one person slow down and avoid a stupid and unnecessary accident, it will have been worth it.
Yesterday I was timing my 78 SA. Got it all back together, including the dual snorkel air cleaner. Realized the idle was a little bit too high. Decision point: take the (inconvenient to remove given all the connections and dual air ducts) air cleaner off, or simply lift it up a bit to get to the idle screw on the driver's side of the Q Jet. I elected to take the easy way out.
With the wheels chocked and the manual transmission in neutral, I took a long screwdriver and flash light, and began to try and adjust the idle screw. I was aware there is a fan rotating near by, but it seemed far enough away from the long screwdriver as to not be a problem, especially for someone as careful (!) and attentive (!!) as me.
In short order there was the loud clanging of a fan against something, and the screwdriver disappeared in a flash. And the middle finger on my left hand really started to hurt. The kind of dull hurt that you just know will kick in like a thunderclap as soon as you actually look at it.
Luckily, I didn't really hurt myself. I shut off the car, located the screwdriver down by the steering linkage, removed the air cleaner assembly, and did the job correctly.
And realized I had done it again. After all these years, and all these cars, I got impatient, took a shortcut, and hurt myself. Luckily not anywhere near as seriously as it could have been...like maybe a flying screw driver in an eye.
Thought I'd pass this along, even though it is a bit embarrassing. If it makes one person slow down and avoid a stupid and unnecessary accident, it will have been worth it.
