Scary electrical problem while changing oil!

[madmac9]

This was very scary. It was the first time I was changing oil on my GA. I couldn't figure out a good place to put the oil filter wrench to take the filter off. Then I find a good place and I start twisting. All of a sudden I guess I touched some metal and BOOM....sparks go everywere. I could have had a heart atack right there. After staring at it for 5 minutes I get the balls to touch it and take it down. I didn't get shocked thank god. But after explosion I knew the worst was yet to come. I could see my self trying to start the car and it not turing over. But my car had zero oil in it so I put oil it in and then I started it up. Everything ran fine. I have been running on it for a few weeks now and everything seems fine. I just would like to know....what the HELL did I do? Thanks

[Riley1123d]

maybe you just touched a positive and neg cable with your metal wrench that was a direct feed from the battery. Ever touch the pos an neg ends of jumper cables together? They spark like mad, so thats probably what happened, but on a larger scale. You are so lucky you didn't get shocked..

[madmac9]

Originally posted by Riley1123d
You are so lucky you didn't get shocked..

Yeah the handle of the oil filter wrench it wraped in rubber. That must have saved me from getting shocked. thank god

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by madmac9
Yeah the handle of the oil filter wrench it wraped in rubber. That must have saved me from getting shocked. thank god
Your wrench undoubtably touched the 'hot' positve terminal at the starter. The current grounded thru the wrench to the oil filter. There is no fuse on this circuit, it is hot from the battery pos terminal straight to the starter terminal.

It could have exploded except there was so much oil and so little air inside the filter that combustion couldn't occur.

The 12 volts of the electrical system will NOT shock you through your skin, since the human body has too much resistance for 12 volts to flow.
The 20,000 volts of a spark plug will give you a tingle, tho.

BUT, if you're wearing a ring, watch, bracelet, etc., and that piece gets between a 'hot' terminal and ground, something is gonna BURN.
Mechanics have lost complete ring fingers from the 12 volts running thru a wedding band and burning the flesh.

This is the reason that whenever wrenching on a vehicle, STEP 1 is to disconnect the negative battery terminal.
No ground = no short circuiting.

-Rick

[JoeyK]

:agree: had it happen to me too. I was in too much of a hurry to do a disconnect 1st. Learned my lesson.

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by JoeyK
:agree: had it happen to me too. I was in too much of a hurry to do a disconnect 1st. Learned my lesson.
There are two kinds of mechanics:

* Those who have sparked a hot terminal; and

* Those who are going to!! :D :D

-Rick

[PGsGT]

FYI...the shock actually isn't bad at all when the car is off.

It hurts a little more when the alternator is pushing it, but nothing that will hurt ya really, just scare the shit out of you:P

edit: I didn't read everyones post. Yes, when I shocked myself when the car was running....it was me making sure that the plug wires were firmly attached:P BAD IDEA!!!:lol:

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by PGsGT
Yes, when I shocked myself when the car was running....it was me making sure that the plug wires were firmly attached:P BAD IDEA!!!:lol:
OH YEAH, 12,000 volts of ignition will get the heart racing!! (Or stop a pacemaker :eek: ).

But 12 v of straight battery power (actually ~14.6 v) isn't noticable. At least to me.

I am NOT recommending that anybody touch two fingers to the terminals of a fresh car battery, but I will state that I just did it to my car's battery and felt nothing.

-Rick

[p8ntman442]

your lucky you didnt engage the starter doing that, Some times if your car wont start, you can take a screw driver and jump the terminals on the starter to engage it, that would have sucked if you accidentally started your car with no oil in it. P.S. you can grab both terminals of yopur battery with your hands your body acts like infinate resistance, and no current can flow, Also SOme ignition systems on high compression engines put out 65,000 volts for a fraction of a second. Be careful when wrenching.

[klc317]

I've done that before...not on my GA, but messing with other cars. Like they said, it'll really get your attention, but it wont hurt you. Of course, maybe that explains alot of things that are wrong with my brain..haha!!