Here's a dumb trick for you

I changed the head on a tractor today. Old one was cracked - leaking water.
Book says to set the valve lash to 17 I and 21 E.
No problem.
There was a big difference between the height of the heads. Like .080 or so. So I had to crank the screws down a good half or 3/4 turn.
Got the cover back on and the water in and fired it up and boy did it rattle.
Sheesh!
So I grabbed the feeler gage and looked at the numbers closely.
DOH!
The .020 was stuck under the .021
.041 E is a little wide on this model.
Don't you think?
I wouldn't admit to this episode if I didn't suspect you all of having done similar tricks now and then.
Be fun to hear some of them

Hey, Jerry, ....sometimes, it is on a daily basis. Admitting? That is a whole "nother issue.!

Years ago I put pistons and liners in one of our trucks that had a 671 Detroit everything was perfect except I forgot to tighten the drain plug. I don't have to right the rest of the story.
Ron

I like to start my SuperC from the ground. It's outside a lot and I like to play "catch the can" when the soup can flies off the top of the muffler. I'm fielding at about .650. So I got back late one night from a friend's tractor show and decided to wait for morning to unload. All the fiddlin' with the chains, tiltin' the trailer, and what not, I managed not to remember the can. At the instant of the photo, I was tryin' to figure if I could get off the brake and still have a chance of keepin my average up as the can sailed by. Not exactly a mechanical goof, but isn't it always the case that there'll be somebody right around to see ya at your most foolish? Even worse when it happens to be a photographer (in this case, MaryE Yeomans) to capture the moment for all time.

Lessee . . .what else? You know how you organize parts in groups when they're going to be apart for a while? Things like rods in one box, rocker and assorted nuts in the valve cover . . . When I rebuilt the motor in the Super C. I learned that it's better to put the drain plug for the oilpan into its thread and not in the pan. Saves having to take your pan and new gasket back off to get it. I looked at that plug five times I know, even picked it up to spray it down to clean it up when I gave a last wipedown to the pan before putting it on. And put it right back inside the pan.

Years ago I was overhauling the engine on my JD H. Of course, I was interupted about a thousand times as I was re-assembling it, by other projects, kids, work, etc. I had just finished torquing the head and installing the pushrods&rocker arms. Turned around and there laid the rods and pistons on my bench. Fortunately all I needed was some new lead washers for the head. Still embarassed about it 35 years later.
Paul

I have a buddy who just repainted his 4010. Really nice job. Did it right..etc. Had it out mowing hay had parked it for the day wen out the next morning and started it..forgot he"d put a can on top the stack. Sucker blew straight up and came straight down on the hood, putting a nice dent/scuff/paint removed on that precious new paint job. ^%*&^%^*(&^&

I changed the oil in my MF 253, forgot to replace the drainplug, and dumped about a half gallon on the floor.

Kind of like finishing restoring your cub and after everything is done, notice the brake drums laying on the parts shelf?