Learn From My Rookie Mistake

[Myron]

I did a bunch of service work to my '64 IIA 88 the other day to get it back on the road. One thing I did was replace the oil pressure gauge line. The old one was leaking at the crimped end that connects to the sender. I routed it just like it had been, along the firewall, around and down the right side of the engine. I didn't know it, but it was also incidentally resting against the brake line where it is fastened to the passenger side footwell.

When I started the car and backed it down the driveway, I had no brake pedal. When I turned back around and looked through the windshield, I was horrified to see a trail of fluid on the driveway. What I didn't realize was that I had routed the new pressure gauge line, which is armored with steel remember, in such a way that it was in contact with the terminals of the starter switch. When I had started the car, the line had come in contact with the terminals of the switch and become energized. The power went to ground where it was in contact with the brake line. The resulting arc must have been a couple hundred amps and the resistance heating instantly melted the frickin' steel brake line. Et voi la, no brakes.

I keep thinking of all the money I save by doing my own service work. I'm lucky I didn't have a damn engine fire.

Kind Regards to All,

Myron

http://i836.photobucket.com/albums/zz282/Roverhaven/Land%20Rover/photo.jpg

[SafeAirOne]

Well...on the bright side, at least it wasn't a fuel hard line.

[Jim-ME]

I did the same thing with a wrench and did have a fire so you were lucky.
Jim

[stonefox]

Had a similar experience while installing the heater controls on my Kodiak III.No matter how quick you think you are ,you cant get there quick enough!

[Revtor]

oh man, sorry to hear this. Lesson LEARNED!!!!!



and this is why "disconnect the battery" is always the first step..

[Myron]

and this is why "disconnect the battery" is always the first step..

So true...

[antichrist]

Except in this case it wouldn't have mattered since you'd have to reconnect the battery to start the car, and had the same result.

[Revtor]

true, true.....

[cedryck]

Look at it this way, no fire, and you are able to repair it, you will never do it again as well. I have learned some hard Rover lessons this way too.

[Opabob]

Anyone like battery cutoff switches? Just curious if any found this to be a good idea or not.

[mrdoiron]

Anyone like battery cutoff switches? Just curious if any found this to be a good idea or not.

Yup, battery cut off not on both my rovers, as I actually created a short once while working on the license light on a lightweight I once had, and it melted the entire wire harness straight through to truck - dash, through firewall... pretty expensive lesson to remind me to do what I intuitively knew I should - and as Revtor says, Step 1 - disconnect the battery !