Your biggest DIY screwups

gurneyeagle · 10-19-2011, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onzedge

Awesome, Gurney.

Then there was the time we had a small water leak in the front yard. After digging-up approximately half the yard and never finding the leak, we called a plumber. The guy found the leak in two minutes about a foot from where we initially started digging.

My electrical skills are epic as well. Wired a dimmer in the dining room an hour before a big party for my wife's family. Ten minutes before guests start arriving, the wife realizes the switch is dimming half the lights in the house and the switch is "getting kinda warm". Luckily, no fire truck that time.

First and last time I cut a tree down was right after Katrina and it fell the opposite way and almost hit the house.

anthonyy · 10-19-2011, 03:54 PM

On my previous car, I was installing a camber kit on the rear. The bolts holding the existing camber arms were near impossible to get off without lifting the car and getting more torque. But I was trying... and pushing... so hard that my torque wrench head slipped (bolt still hadn't moved) and the end of the handle bashed into my forehead instantly drawing blood. Yes, I had my head within the wheel well... Had to get 10 stitches and my pride still hurts. I ended up bringing the car in...

gurneyeagle · 10-19-2011, 03:57 PM

Here's a simple one - was changing the wiper blades on my wife's Odyssey a few years back when I knocked the empty wiper arm down and cracked the one week old replacement windshield.

kenchan · 10-19-2011, 03:58 PM

jeff- LOL!!

first i couldnt' tell wtf that thing was since it was all rusted.

hahahaha. should send it back to the manufacturer and complient them for the durability... or the lack of (rusty).

Ron · 10-19-2011, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirkster

ROFL....

Reminds me of my dad and the tube of p-tex that he left in a cylinder while reassembling a triumph TR-3 and discovered the problem after he had the head back on and was looking for it. Best part was that his dad watched him do it and when my father finally asked him if he had seen the tube of p-tex he calmly said that you might want to check inside cylinder 3...

My only gaff lately was not realizing that the Akibono brakes have two bleeder valves on each caliper... Wasted a lot of Motul trying to "bleed all the air" out of the system...

Something similar happened to me on my Z32. I was bleeding the clutch and could not get any pressure to build up. I replaced the slave cylinder, changed the line for an SS one and after like 4 bottles of fluid.... nothing. I gave up and then discovered, after driving quite a few miles with low pressure on the system, that there was another bleed valve on the engine bay besides the ones on the master and slave cylinders..

b1adesofcha0s · 10-19-2011, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gurneyeagle

Then there was the time we had a small water leak in the front yard. After digging-up approximately half the yard and never finding the leak, we called a plumber. The guy found the leak in two minutes about a foot from where we initially started digging.

My electrical skills are epic as well. Wired a dimmer in the dining room an hour before a big party for my wife's family. Ten minutes before guests start arriving, the wife realizes the switch is dimming half the lights in the house and the switch is "getting kinda warm". Luckily, no fire truck that time.

First and last time I cut a tree down was right after Katrina and it fell the opposite way and almost hit the house.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gurneyeagle

Here's a simple one - was changing the wiper blades on my wife's Odyssey a few years back when I knocked the empty wiper arm down and cracked the one week old replacement windshield.

Seems like you have a lot of these stories

kenchan · 10-19-2011, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b1adesofcha0s

Seems like you have a lot of these stories

Ron · 10-19-2011, 04:34 PM

the wiper blade vs. windshield happened to me too.. lol

gurneyeagle · 10-19-2011, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b1adesofcha0s

Seems like you have a lot of these stories

We all do. I'm just willing to share mine.

b1adesofcha0s · 10-19-2011, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gurneyeagle

We all do. I'm just willing to share mine.

I guess since I'm still young mine haven't happened yet

Though part of that is because I don't try to work on my car by myself, only with supervision of someone that has more knowledge/expertise/knows what the hell they're doing.

stiso · 10-19-2011, 04:53 PM

after working a 12hr night shift decided to change my girls brake pads which were well overdue (had rotors turned the night before), finished all 3 pads and on the fourth installed the inner pad backwards, didn't check my work and went to sleep. When i woke up my girl said that her cars squeeling now and questioned my work. Instantly i realized what i probably did and sure enough the rotor was FUBAR. No worries though, I played my man card and just told her that I noticed that the rotor was pretty bad when i changed the pads and that we now need a new one. I told her this happens if you don't change your brakes on time. Of course she didn't know any better... She still thinks it was her fault....ha/ha

anthonyy · 10-19-2011, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stiso

after working a 12hr night shift decided to change my girls brake pads which were well overdue (had rotors turned the night before), finished all 3 pads and on the fourth installed the inner pad backwards, didn't check my work and went to sleep. When i woke up my girl said that her cars squeeling now and questioned my work. Instantly i realized what i probably did and sure enough the rotor was FUBAR. No worries though, I played my man card and just told her that I noticed that the rotor was pretty bad when i changed the pads and that we now need a new one. I told her this happens if you don't change your breaks on time. Of course she didn't know any better... She still thinks it was her fault....ha/ha

lol...

christian370z · 10-19-2011, 05:00 PM

You guys have some epic DIY screwups! I have two mistakes of my own and both were with my 1996 Saab 900se.

The first time, I was swapping my turbo for the first time to a slightly larger OEM turbo from a later generation. At the time, I was working at a performance shop in Stamford CT so I was able to use the lifts and tools after hours. The guy I worked with was the top Ferrari USA mechanic for 3 years at the time, and he agreed to help me out. We got the old turbo out and got the new one in, but there is one banjo bolt for the oil inlet that was sandwiched in between the exhaust manifold flange and the turbo's housing which made it nearly impossible to tighten properly.

I went to start the car up for the first time and all I see is a huge spurt of oil and the Ferrari tech motioning frantically to cut the engine. Well, I didn't do a good job of tightening that banjo bolt down and within a matter of seconds, drained 3/4 of my oil. No harm done, but the car smelled of burning oil for the next few weeks.

The second screw up was when I did the big leap to a GT28 turbo, 550cc injectors and a new tune. I did the turbo swap just fine and the ECU was a breeze to remove and replace (done it sooo many times). I did not know how to install injectors at the time, so one of my Saab friends who has had dozens of Saabs helped me out. Everything went well, and a short test drive went well too. However, on the 60 mile drive home, I started smelling gas. I kept driving a bit and pulled over at a rest stop. I popped the hood and there was gasoline literally bubbling out of injector number 4 between the intake manifold and the injector. I waited for the car to cool off a bit and (rather stupidly) decided to see if I could make it home. I did, but by that point the leak was much much worse and the garage wreaked of gas. My parents were not happy. It was towed to the local Saab dealer and it turned out the bottom o-ring was not seated correctly.

Red__Zed · 10-19-2011, 05:03 PM

I wonder if the story of my flaming wheel hub belongs here...

windex · 10-19-2011, 05:04 PM

Years ago I changed my oil on a gloomy day, and while putting on the new filter it starts to rain. I hurry up and screw the filter on and the drain bolt. Refill the engine and start the car to move it. Before i get a chance to move it my dad starts screaming at me to kill the engine. Apparently I forgot to tighten the drain bolt. Silly me begins to run to get the socket wrench forgetting that there's oil and water all over the ground. I looked like a cartoon character flying with my feet in the air and my head rapidly approaching the ground. Luckily I didn't smash my head on the ground but i did hurt my back pretty bad and ended up covered in oil and water while my whole family laughed at me.

10-19-2011, 03:57 PM	#33 (permalink)
gurneyeagle A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Houston/Saint Augustine Posts: 2,681 Drives: '18 Audi TT RS Rep Power: 20214	Here's a simple one - was changing the wiper blades on my wife's Odyssey a few years back when I knocked the empty wiper arm down and cracked the one week old replacement windshield. __________________ Waiting on the Z35! SOLD - 2011 Gun Metallic Touring 7AT w Sports Pkg & Nav, Nismo Bumper and Rims, RC Grille, RC Brake Ducts, H&R Spacers, Painted Door Hdls, GTR Start Button, Nav By-Pass, EVO R Fog Light, CF Ducktail, CF Interior Trim

10-19-2011, 04:53 PM	#41 (permalink)
stiso Base Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: z Posts: 42 Drives: z Rep Power: 15	after working a 12hr night shift decided to change my girls brake pads which were well overdue (had rotors turned the night before), finished all 3 pads and on the fourth installed the inner pad backwards, didn't check my work and went to sleep. When i woke up my girl said that her cars squeeling now and questioned my work. Instantly i realized what i probably did and sure enough the rotor was FUBAR. No worries though, I played my man card and just told her that I noticed that the rotor was pretty bad when i changed the pads and that we now need a new one. I told her this happens if you don't change your brakes on time. Of course she didn't know any better... She still thinks it was her fault....ha/ha __________________ ... Last edited by stiso; 10-19-2011 at 08:58 PM.

10-19-2011, 05:00 PM	#43 (permalink)
christian370z A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Newport Beach Posts: 3,900 Drives: 2010 370Z/Saab 900se Rep Power: 431	You guys have some epic DIY screwups! I have two mistakes of my own and both were with my 1996 Saab 900se. The first time, I was swapping my turbo for the first time to a slightly larger OEM turbo from a later generation. At the time, I was working at a performance shop in Stamford CT so I was able to use the lifts and tools after hours. The guy I worked with was the top Ferrari USA mechanic for 3 years at the time, and he agreed to help me out. We got the old turbo out and got the new one in, but there is one banjo bolt for the oil inlet that was sandwiched in between the exhaust manifold flange and the turbo's housing which made it nearly impossible to tighten properly. I went to start the car up for the first time and all I see is a huge spurt of oil and the Ferrari tech motioning frantically to cut the engine. Well, I didn't do a good job of tightening that banjo bolt down and within a matter of seconds, drained 3/4 of my oil. No harm done, but the car smelled of burning oil for the next few weeks. The second screw up was when I did the big leap to a GT28 turbo, 550cc injectors and a new tune. I did the turbo swap just fine and the ECU was a breeze to remove and replace (done it sooo many times). I did not know how to install injectors at the time, so one of my Saab friends who has had dozens of Saabs helped me out. Everything went well, and a short test drive went well too. However, on the 60 mile drive home, I started smelling gas. I kept driving a bit and pulled over at a rest stop. I popped the hood and there was gasoline literally bubbling out of injector number 4 between the intake manifold and the injector. I waited for the car to cool off a bit and (rather stupidly) decided to see if I could make it home. I did, but by that point the leak was much much worse and the garage wreaked of gas. My parents were not happy. It was towed to the local Saab dealer and it turned out the bottom o-ring was not seated correctly. __________________ -320whp / 259wftlbs- SP Rays -- RE-11s -- SpecialtyZ Tune -- Swift Springs -- Stillen 25R Oil Cooler -- Stillen G3 Intakes -- Berk HFCs -- F.I. 12" CBE -- Stillen Sway Bars -- Es14 Spring -- INGS+1 lip -- CF Spoiler -- GTR Start Button -- VLED Parking Lights -- PWJDM V2 shift knob

10-19-2011, 05:04 PM	#45 (permalink)
windex Enthusiast Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 471 Drives: slow car Rep Power: 15	Years ago I changed my oil on a gloomy day, and while putting on the new filter it starts to rain. I hurry up and screw the filter on and the drain bolt. Refill the engine and start the car to move it. Before i get a chance to move it my dad starts screaming at me to kill the engine. Apparently I forgot to tighten the drain bolt. Silly me begins to run to get the socket wrench forgetting that there's oil and water all over the ground. I looked like a cartoon character flying with my feet in the air and my head rapidly approaching the ground. Luckily I didn't smash my head on the ground but i did hurt my back pretty bad and ended up covered in oil and water while my whole family laughed at me. __________________ BC RACING WHEELS \| STILLEN \| ARK DROP ENGINEERING

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10-19-2011, 03:54 PM	#32 (permalink)
anthonyy A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Los Gatos, CA Posts: 1,027 Drives: Lexus CT Rep Power: 16	On my previous car, I was installing a camber kit on the rear. The bolts holding the existing camber arms were near impossible to get off without lifting the car and getting more torque. But I was trying... and pushing... so hard that my torque wrench head slipped (bolt still hadn't moved) and the end of the handle bashed into my forehead instantly drawing blood. Yes, I had my head within the wheel well... Had to get 10 stitches and my pride still hurts. I ended up bringing the car in...

10-19-2011, 03:58 PM	#34 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	jeff- LOL!! first i couldnt' tell wtf that thing was since it was all rusted. hahahaha. should send it back to the manufacturer and complient them for the durability... or the lack of (rusty).

10-19-2011, 04:34 PM	#38 (permalink)
Ron A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 3,009 Drives: TT '11 PW Nismo #113 Rep Power: 21	the wiper blade vs. windshield happened to me too.. lol

10-19-2011, 05:03 PM	#44 (permalink)
Red__Zed A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: window seat Posts: 28,940 Drives: Mostly on two wheels Rep Power: 119	I wonder if the story of my flaming wheel hub belongs here...