The Preliminary:
I have been wrenching on something or other, usually small engines, for the last 15 years. I think tonite was the most frustrating and stupid experience though.
Being as it -24C outside right now, no work can be done on my car without a heated shop, obviously. Also being that I have the week off from class, I figured what better to do than some maintenance so my dad had agreed to let me work on my car at the manufacturing plant where he supervises. Normally this would not be an option during work hours, but he is on night shift and there are fewer people working under/above his supervisory position. The plant is located 60km distance from where we live.
My wife wanted me to stay home and watch a movie together, and it was difficult to leave.
The event features described below are not embellished:
I arrived at the plant close to 10:00 P.M. with the intention of a full wash/vacuum/detail and a coolant flush and trans cooler line replacement. If things went well I was going to flip the dogbone mount bushings 90*.
The wash was going well until the pressure washer stopped (I think its about a $10k pressure washer). ****. No problem, I was almost done with it, so I began using the bucket and mitt. I did that for about 1 minute when suddenly my 18 month old wedding band, which is made of heavy tungsten, just flew off my soap lubricated finger. I think I've lost some weight and the ring was a loose fit. ****, I better find the thing or it will look pretty bad when I come home.
Surprisingly, it did not roll into the grate and I found it after a few minutes of looking. Also surprisingly, we got the pressure washer to work again.
Next was the maintenance. The vehicle ramps we had planned to use were in use for machinery maintenance, so I had to use these ****ty little ones. When I got under the car, my quick observation was that there was only about 4 ****ing inches between the underbody/engine and my freaking face. My next observation was that I think every single gasket on my damn engine is leaking, and also the power steering hoses.
It would be difficult to do anything with such close proximity between my face and the hot oil pan, but I was stubborn and wanted this done today. After about 30 minutes of trying to remove the trans hose retaining clip I was incredibly frustrated. The car was dripping salty/sandy ice water all over my face. I moved the trouble light to a different position.
BANG. The bulb was about a foot from my eyes and it ****ing blew up. I think it was because cold water may have dripped on the hot bulb. In less than a second my mind was picturing an emergency visit for eye glass removal. After a few more seconds I was aware that no glass entered my eyes, but I lay there for 10 minutes in some sort of shock.
I replaced the bulb and tried again, but it was impossible to articulate any tools with so little space. A task that should have taken 15 minutes had already used more than an hour to get no where.
**** the trans line. I'll have to let the stealership do it.
I focused on the coolant change. I was trying to remove the clamp from the lower rad hose, but it was the same ****ty story as the cooler line. I couldn't articulate any tools in that space, despite trying every vice grip and plier known to man. I spent a solid hour trying to do something that would take 30 seconds with the car on the hoist. Those ****ty little spring type hose clamps. I couldn't grap the b1tch from below, and from the side I couldn't get any coordination or strength. My arm was twisted up like a coat hanger. Well, the effort of carrying 16 liters of coolant and DI water out of Walmart was worth nothing so far.
It was about 1:30 A.M. and time to go home.
I left and was 50 feet off the parking lot when I needed something to drink. There was a juice "bag" (never had one of these before) and I was trying to push the straw in to the bag. It was too dark to see much. The straw eventually went but tangarine juice squirted across the interior. ****ing thing.
Wedding band lost and found: Sure
3 hours spent getting **** all done: check.
Passion for car diminished due to numerous oil leaks: check.
Almost had glass in eyes: **** yes.
Drove 120km in the country for a wash: Absolutely.
P.S. 10 hours prior, I had ordered an MPS. There might be a new MPS, SD headers, and tuned 2003 GTP PCM in the classifieds shortly.
Originally Posted by GreyGhost
