Another "stoopid" problem

[Beeger]

So I just finished rebuilding my center support including a new torque tube "donut" and differential prop shaft seal. Time to top-up the 80W-90 in the differential. I unscrew the filler plug and prepare to add the oil - holding up the bottle with the cap still in place to decide what angle to hold it at ,before adding the oil, to make sure the stinky stuff won't spill all over. And then, PLOP, the plastic bottle cap falls into the hole and deep into the differential. I lay there, blinking, trying to evaluate the consequences. This should be pretty easy to get out, right? Nope. I put about a half hour into that strategy with various instruments before giving up. I thought about filling it with oil so that the cap will float out - but an experiment shows that the cap doesn't float in gear oil. Next I wonder "is it really that big a deal?" I think it probably is and I'm thinking I really should remove the cover and get it out of there. Anyone want to try to talk me out of it?

[jeff denton]

Huh-uh. After all you've been through so far it just doesn't seem like you'd have a problem unscrewing a few bolts, popping the cover off, locating the stoopid cap, and reassembling. That tiny piece of plastic might not compress quickly beyond the clearances of some differential parts, namely the ring and pinion... Have you priced an Opel differential overhaul lately? I would not chance it, and won't recommend you do.
Hey I'm not laughing, we've all done worse than that, haven't we? Now that I've provided the best answer we could convert this thread to a fun series of hilarious stories about stoopid things we've done around machinery. Who's first?
Er, Otto, there's a reason I mis-spelled "stupid" twice here...

[First opel 1981]

What could be the possible ramifications of a piece of plastic getting ground up in your diff gears?
I mean it's not like chunks of plastic could get into the exposed bearings, right? It couldn't possibly get into the edge of a seal and cause a leak, could it?

I hope you can recognize sarcasm...

[Anonymous D]

A new differential gasket, costs less than $15 (with shipping).

A replacement (tested and good) differential, will set you back at least $100
(plus shipping, which could be substantial based on size, weight, and where you find one).

Internal bearings for a rear axle, can add to to hundreds of dollars (if you can find all of them).

Seems an easy choice (to me).

[tcav]

While you have the diff.cover off,it will give you the chance to clean all the old dunk out of the bottom of the diff.
Just cleaned and re-placed gaskets on Diff,Tranny(4 spd) and oil pan..
It will make your heart feel good.
Im going back with 85x140 lube weight...39 year old gears why not.
tom

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by tcav Im going back with 85x140 lube weight...39 year old gears why not.tom

If you have cold weather in your area you might change your mind, especially in the gear box. I can tell you from experience.

Harold

[Beeger]

I took the cover off and got it out of there. It was worth it just to inspect things and clean the goop out of the bottom, as suggested. I used a magnet which yielded some interesting shards of metal. As for other "stoopid" stuff...how about reassembling a 1.9 without replacing the rear oil plug. This leads to "where's the oil pressure?" and "why is there oil under the bell housing?" I can be the only one who has done this. Fortunately, I just cranked it on the starter rather than really starting it up.

[jeff denton]

Hooray!
Hey when I was about twelve I was helping Uncle Jim change oil in the old Massey Ferguson Super 92 combine. Not that I was much help, but I did have the honor of pumping on the oil barrel handle while Uncle Jim worked the dipstick on the other side. I pumped and pumped. And pumped and pumped, Jim 'bout wore out the dipstick by pulling it out and sticking it back in, he'd say "keep pumping" and I did. He'd ask if I'm pumping the handle ALL the way up AND all the way down, "oh yeah, I'm pumping". I switched arms occasionally and then started using both...Finally he yelled "STOP PUMPING" when he realized he was standing in a huge puddle of oil. The plug hadn't been put back in the pan. Not my job. I didn't take it out. Who's in charge here, anyway? I still laugh every time I think about that. Oh, and think about it every time I start pumping oil into an engine.

[Redskinsjbs]

Wahoo!!!

Well, in all of my infinite wisdom and because I wanted to show off my sexy classic car that I am refurbishing to my beautiful date, I closed the hood so that she could see the wonderful lines of this classic car. It just so happened that I had taken the dash out the week prior, and had hence forgotten to reinstall the hood release. Man, was I embarrassed when she asked to see the engine and I had to ask her to fetch me a coat hanger.

[heimue]

Well, talking about stoopid things, I can jump right in (no, I won't mention any gear shifters this time ). I changed the water pump on my 1.9 Kadett two weeks ago. To remove the radiator, you better take off the hood release first, to slide it up and out. I bet ya'know what's coming, the thing that was forgotten when closing the hood was to reconnect the stoopid hood release. I kind of remembered 0.01 seconds before the "dang" sound the hood makes when it falls into the catch - of course too late to catch it. Fortunately enough, you can pretty easily pry a Kadett hood open with just two regular screw drivers, one to crack up the hood a little, and the other one just needs to be pushed in onto the release latch ...

Dieter

[jlthunder]

OK, here is mine. Not Opel related, but Stoooopid. At the stable I volunteer at, they asked me to hang up a second water bucket for a thirsty horse. The 2nd bucket is already in the stall, but on the floor. I lift the bucket up with the new bucket hanger(screws in hand) so I can hang it at the correct height. I feel one of the screws come loose in my hand and "bloop", the screw goes into the bucket with water, hay and horse slobber. Oh yeah, it is 40 degrees F out so the water is pretty cold. I carry the bucket out of the stall, dump the water and retrieve the screw.