Ever Had A 'Job On The Drive' Go Wrong?
Discussion
Hi guys, I'm a mechanic by day with a prestige 4 ringed brand, but enjoy my job so take on 'guvvys', obviously as favours due to tax reasons...
Over the last 3 weeks I've had a Corsa with damaged differential. Week one I removed the diff to find worn bearings. Week 2 I installed replacement second hand box, due to it being more realistic cost wise than replacing bearings etc. Then the slave blew whilst bleeding the clutch. So gearbox back out. Installed new slave, build up, all ok, drive short test route and leave overnight - next day, no clutch, dripping from gearbox!! If anyone is aware of the modified VX slave cylinder, it's now all plastic and is really poor! So, week 3 and gearbox back out. Managed to get my local parts place to supply me with a nice old style slave cylinder, and rebuilt it. This time, fingers crossed, all seems ok. Again, anyone who knows VX will know about the stupid spacer they put in between the engine and box, which, when crawling around on your back and knock it slightly, falls off every time, meaning starting again grrrr!!
So after all that, if I was being paid
I'd of earn the equivilent of £4 an hour, due to the amount of hrs spent on it!
After the second slave blew, I really was thinking what do I do now, as I'm also getting married a week tomorrow, so obv conscious of the time!
Has anyone else taken something on, then regretted it?!
Over the last 3 weeks I've had a Corsa with damaged differential. Week one I removed the diff to find worn bearings. Week 2 I installed replacement second hand box, due to it being more realistic cost wise than replacing bearings etc. Then the slave blew whilst bleeding the clutch. So gearbox back out. Installed new slave, build up, all ok, drive short test route and leave overnight - next day, no clutch, dripping from gearbox!! If anyone is aware of the modified VX slave cylinder, it's now all plastic and is really poor! So, week 3 and gearbox back out. Managed to get my local parts place to supply me with a nice old style slave cylinder, and rebuilt it. This time, fingers crossed, all seems ok. Again, anyone who knows VX will know about the stupid spacer they put in between the engine and box, which, when crawling around on your back and knock it slightly, falls off every time, meaning starting again grrrr!!
So after all that, if I was being paid
I'd of earn the equivilent of £4 an hour, due to the amount of hrs spent on it!After the second slave blew, I really was thinking what do I do now, as I'm also getting married a week tomorrow, so obv conscious of the time!
Has anyone else taken something on, then regretted it?!
Often - though all my own or family. Back in the day my Ma had an Opel Manta with cracked cylinder head - removing the thermostat allowed it to run without dumping the cooling water everywhere, but I managed to located (pre internet!), a secondhand engine. Travelled (round trip 100 miles plus) to get engine, borrowed an engine crane, fitted same, just to find it was suffering from exactly the same. Cue my poor Mum still freezing from lack of effective heater in winter.
At least I did that job properly, I have some examples of "learning experiences" that ended less well, including wrecking the engine on my Austin Maxi and having the front wheel fall off the same Maxi.
At least I did that job properly, I have some examples of "learning experiences" that ended less well, including wrecking the engine on my Austin Maxi and having the front wheel fall off the same Maxi.
I used to have a Nissan 200sx and it developed a leak from one of the gaskets on the turbo, so me and a mate decided that we would do it on his drive.
I pulled up at his just after finishing work at about 5 in the evening planning to spend a couple of hours doing it then go home. We finally finished at 0700 the next morning after working through the night by the light of an h4 bulb bodged into a torch and wired up to a spare car battery. Just in time to have a shower and head back to work!
I pulled up at his just after finishing work at about 5 in the evening planning to spend a couple of hours doing it then go home. We finally finished at 0700 the next morning after working through the night by the light of an h4 bulb bodged into a torch and wired up to a spare car battery. Just in time to have a shower and head back to work!
Qwert1e said:
If there isn't a puddle of oil on the drive - you haven't done an oil change....
Ha yea this rings a bell, draining the oil nice and neatly, until a gust of wind blows the flow, blowing it all over the nicely paved driveway!Another I remember is a broken rear spring on a Mondeo, first bolt sheared. Ringing round wherever I could think on Easter weekend finally got me a replacement strut inc hub so no need to dismantle, plus returned the new spring as the replacement was nearly new!
Many times I've literally sat on the drive, under a car and thought 'what the feck am I gonna do now?'
Rebuilt the top end on a RR V8 as the tappets were tapping, didn't need to do it just wanted to. Did it slowly over a few weeks and no dramas. Fired it up, sounded sweet and took it for a drive and the f
ker promptly blew and cracked the block. Bought a recon engine for£700. Not a happy bunny was I.
ker promptly blew and cracked the block. Bought a recon engine for£700. Not a happy bunny was I.Ah yes, Mondeo - I had a front spring snap. Thought it would be an easy job(!)
First, in theory you need to remove subframe to drop strut out - I used the "dodge" where I just loosened one side. Got the strut out only to find that although I have four sets of spring compressors, these are all fine for my "classics" (sheds) but didn't feel right doing the mondy one. Finished up taking it up the road to the garage and handing over a fiver for use of the air powered spring compressor he'd just bought.
First, in theory you need to remove subframe to drop strut out - I used the "dodge" where I just loosened one side. Got the strut out only to find that although I have four sets of spring compressors, these are all fine for my "classics" (sheds) but didn't feel right doing the mondy one. Finished up taking it up the road to the garage and handing over a fiver for use of the air powered spring compressor he'd just bought.
My recent one was changing the injector harness on my Disco - I managed to drop two of the bolts holding the head cover on 
Cue hours searching the top on the head and engine bay with a bright torch. I found one the following day having given up, and found the second wedged on top of the steering arm on day three. 
I've also set off for the factor on my Vespa for a part for my car only to have the Vespa break down. So I set off for the Vespa shop on my push bike, but the axle (for want of a better description) snapped. Ended up walking to the Vespa shop as it was closest.
Cue hours searching the top on the head and engine bay with a bright torch. I found one the following day having given up, and found the second wedged on top of the steering arm on day three. I've also set off for the factor on my Vespa for a part for my car only to have the Vespa break down. So I set off for the Vespa shop on my push bike, but the axle (for want of a better description) snapped. Ended up walking to the Vespa shop as it was closest.
Bill said:
My recent one was changing the injector harness on my Disco - I managed to drop two of the bolts holding the head cover on Cue hours searching the top on the head and engine bay with a bright torch. I found one the following day having given up, and found the second wedged on top of the steering arm on day three.
I've also set off for the factor on my Vespa for a part for my car only to have the Vespa break down. So I set off for the Vespa shop on my push bike, but the axle (for want of a better description) snapped. Ended up walking to the Vespa shop as it was closest.
Going by that sequence of events,your shoes should have broken whilst walking to the Vespa shop. Cue hours searching the top on the head and engine bay with a bright torch. I found one the following day having given up, and found the second wedged on top of the steering arm on day three. I've also set off for the factor on my Vespa for a part for my car only to have the Vespa break down. So I set off for the Vespa shop on my push bike, but the axle (for want of a better description) snapped. Ended up walking to the Vespa shop as it was closest.
Thankfully not.I changed the strut top on the shed last weekend
Wrestled with the spring compressors and all the other fun associated with taking it all apart, changed the bearing and put it all back together again.
Putting it on the car, i realised i had put the top mount back on 180 degrees out.
I hate front coil springs!
Wrestled with the spring compressors and all the other fun associated with taking it all apart, changed the bearing and put it all back together again.
Putting it on the car, i realised i had put the top mount back on 180 degrees out.
I hate front coil springs!
Yesterday was one of those days. Trying to work out what's causing a suspension squeak on the Jag and needed to change all discs and pads. Couldnt even get the front calipers off. Gave up on that one due to inaccessibility and not having a long enough / deep socket
Oil change on the Mrs car before we take it off for a weekend away, sump plug rounded, looks like it's happened a while ago and oil never changed. Ended up with a suction / extractor to get the oil out, an extra £40 on top of the oil, filter and now unneeded replacement sump nut. Dropped the filter taking it out (they point up) so now have a nice oil slick on the road outside the house. Hoping the rain will wash that away a bit. And the filter hadnt been changed for a long time, possibly original Ford one, now has a screwdriver and chain marks in it from getting it off
Oil change on the Mrs car before we take it off for a weekend away, sump plug rounded, looks like it's happened a while ago and oil never changed. Ended up with a suction / extractor to get the oil out, an extra £40 on top of the oil, filter and now unneeded replacement sump nut. Dropped the filter taking it out (they point up) so now have a nice oil slick on the road outside the house. Hoping the rain will wash that away a bit. And the filter hadnt been changed for a long time, possibly original Ford one, now has a screwdriver and chain marks in it from getting it off
Welding my Metro GTI up, small hole in footwell, lifted carpet forward, proceeded with welding, carpet falls forward and catches fire, come out to carpet fire, launch the pint of Squash my wife had brought me on the conflagration, car then always smelt of burnt carpet and Kia-Ora, hidden with the mats.
Always have some source of water when welding, stuff always catches fire, underseal, rags, carpet, clothes, hair etc
Always have some source of water when welding, stuff always catches fire, underseal, rags, carpet, clothes, hair etc
Fuel tank level sender died on my 1978 MGB. Given it was only held on with a 3 pronged lock ring I figured I could change it out. So I ran the car for a few days totting up the mileage to run it down below the hole on the side of the tank.
When I though it was ready I put one side of the car up on ramps and got ready; new sender, new gasket and some rags. Off came the old ring and so did one of the locking tabs on the tank. Bugger.
Also firing in my direction came a few litres of unleaded. So obviously that landed in my lap. Bugger.
So now I had a car I couldn't drive (sender on drivers side so as soon as I sat in the car it would slosh more fuel out, possibly onto the exhaust. Didn't think that would be a good idea.
Tried to tow the MG to the garage with a 1.25 Fiesta. That was ok till we smelt burning clutch. And the passing coppers figured we were reasonably sane once they'd asked us what the he'll we were doing.
Backup plan was a tow by the garage behind their truck.
Outcome was failed £5 fix, replacement cost nearly £350 to cover recovery, new sender, new lock ring and new fuel tank as the lock tabs were welded to it.
No fun
When I though it was ready I put one side of the car up on ramps and got ready; new sender, new gasket and some rags. Off came the old ring and so did one of the locking tabs on the tank. Bugger.
Also firing in my direction came a few litres of unleaded. So obviously that landed in my lap. Bugger.
So now I had a car I couldn't drive (sender on drivers side so as soon as I sat in the car it would slosh more fuel out, possibly onto the exhaust. Didn't think that would be a good idea.
Tried to tow the MG to the garage with a 1.25 Fiesta. That was ok till we smelt burning clutch. And the passing coppers figured we were reasonably sane once they'd asked us what the he'll we were doing.
Backup plan was a tow by the garage behind their truck.
Outcome was failed £5 fix, replacement cost nearly £350 to cover recovery, new sender, new lock ring and new fuel tank as the lock tabs were welded to it.
No fun
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