Why I'm A Mechanical Dumba$$ (feel free to disagree)

[94GTLaserRC]

Let me start by saying this is in "tech" because hopefully if someone reads this they wont do the same as me.

1. Went to put on the fox VC's and the bolts were too short....counted the holes went to Home Depot with the stockers, bought 6 matching ones..they WERE the right size, but later that night I realized I have TWO VC's .

---SO, I go back the next day to H.D. to get more 1/4 x1" bolts. I went to move the hurricane supplies out of the way, and I found a WHOLE bag of 1/4 x 1" bolts that we use for the panels...DOUBLE

2. Went to put all the $hit back on today, and it was pretty uneventful--UNTIL I got to the Vortech. Damn Power Pipe Boot is impossible to maneuver in there...locked in the Vortech, went under the car to look at the boot positioning under the impellars, and ... Forgot to put the drain hose on.

3. So, I took it all out, put on the drain hose, but could not get the Vortech to "seat right" on the bracket...I looked down, and the clamp for the drain hose was positioned wrong.

4. Got it turned right, put in the Vortech after struggling 30 minutes AGAIN with the power pipe boot, got it all tightened up, got the alternator on, checked ALL the clearances on everything (and wiring on alt) and decided to go under the car, hook up both oil lines and change the oil and WTF?, the drain hose wouldnt reach I "pinched" down the hose with the Vortech by not feeding the hose down there properly (This is why 2 people are really helpful doing stuff like this-power pipe feeding also)

This was about 3:45 now, and my older daughter went to a party with my wife, and I promised my 8 yo to go in the pool with her...so had to call it a day. I really wanted to get her running today. I have time tomorrow after church, but wanted to do some yard work.

Im pretty confident I have everything wired and bolted right so far. The Fox VC's only gave me fits at the oil filler neck nipple, and trying to put the cap on (Which I grinded down) With the alt off, the pass side seem to go right on, and I didnt have any parts touching the alt when I put it on.


Call me but at least Im trying...just hope if I start it up tomorrow, the VC's dont leak, and nothing "blows up"

RC

 

[S/CBlack95GT]

Well, we all have days like that. Some days I can take my engine apart and put it back together blindfolded. Other days I cant remember if I turn the wrench left or right to tighten a bolt. As long as you get it together is all that matters.

 

[HISSIN50]

As Shaun said, we have all been there and done that. it is part of the territory.

good luck with finishing it all up.

 

[94GTLaserRC]

Well, we all have days like that. Some days I can take my engine apart and put it back together blindfolded. Other days I cant remember if I turn the wrench left or right to tighten a bolt. As long as you get it together is all that matters.

That's what Im afraid of.

ALso, It seems to me that the "days like that" is a norm for me...not the exception. Ask Joe, he always laughs that it takes 2 of us 2 hours to check my tires, b/c something always goes wrong.
RC

 

[bimmertech]

i wrench on cars all day long and have those days too. the other day i changed out a valley pan on a 740 in 2 hours(pays 6.8) and on the same car it took me 2.5 hours to change the cig lighter socket(pays 0.5). the point is everyone has those things they can rock and roll on, maybe installing a vortech supercharger is not yours.

 

[RIO5.0]

Thats Murhpy's law in action bro.... Nevermind the fact when your really amped to get something done or rushing, chit is always gonna happen....

Example...I'm on the downside of a full kitchen remodel...today I get to laying the inlaid down....get it all installed, put the 100lb roller right to it...things mint....sweet I say's.....I move on to something else...looking at the floor like 5 hrs later I see this cluster of bubbles....W.T.F.!!!! I check it out and sure as chit the AC plywood has de-laminated and lifted the damn floor in an 8X8 area...and naturally it has to be right smack in front of the sink base.... :damnit: ...Here I paid 1k for just the inlaid and a 20.00 sheet of plywood porks me!!!...sweet.....Thats Murphy's law....
So I hear on chit going South...Keep on truckin I guess...Its cool your tackling your stuff though...but the learning curve sucks just the same....

 

[1slow95]

Sound's like a normal day for me ....Today I installed my clutch/flywheel on the engine, and when I was tightening down the clutch bolts I realized I forgot to put that metal plate behind the flywheel . SO, I had to take the clutch and flywheel off, put that plate on, then reinstall the clutch/flywheel.

Earlier this morning, I went to the Napa to get bolts for my VC's, and for some reason I only counted 10. SO, when I installed the valve covers later I came up 2 short .

I also found out my throttle cable connection on my tb hits the fuel rails, so I'm gonna have to go with either an intake spacer, or another spacer on the tb. Fun times!

 

[BlueOvalStangGT]

Come help me with my new engine.

 

[urban96]

i think everyone has days like that, its best to quit before you get too fustrated and come back to it later

 

[xr8d302]

since we're talking about stupid moments, upon installing my centerforce clutch the other day, we noted that the clutch had to be pushed really far into to get into gears, and it engaged very very close to the floor, but we narrowed that down to the clutch not being broken in yet. Anyway....after about 5 hours, I could no longer shift, so I took it back to the shop where we did it...and started freaking out thinking I'd just wasted alot of money...




turns out my floor mat had slid up under the clutch and blocked my clutch from fully touching the floor....we pulled it out, 3 days later, the new clutch runs effortlessly...

stupid....stupid....

 

[donkey_punch]

you have nothing to worry about. i'm like the king of this. try almost a day and a half to get the distributor hold down bolt off. it was one of those weekends. and i want to do a H/C/I and a turbo kit myself. ha i think i have a better chance of taking over the world.

 

[94GTLaserRC]

Thats Murhpy's law in action bro.... Nevermind the fact when your really amped to get something done or rushing, chit is always gonna happen....

No it's not, it's me Besides...I wasnt even really rushing.. I started at about 9:30 in the AM and gave myself till about 2:30-3PM.

If I hadnt bought the Escort to get around it, I would be REALLY

IM not upset because of cost, time, not having the car, etc.. Im only upset because I have so many other things to get done around the house, and I want to spend time with my girls....other than that...Im cool


IM gonna go back to it early this afternoon after church...Guess we know what IM praying about !
RC

 

[1105]

Good luck with the rest of the install... We've all been there before, some a lot more than others... But it happens to everyone. Keep your head straight and dont let it get to you and it'll all work out in the end. Good luck and hope you get it running today. Driving around a beater isnt fun when you have a car with power sitting in the driveway

 

[baglock1]

Don't worry about it RC. Stuff like like is what makes tinkers into mechanics. It's all about the education.

 

[sociopath5.0]

Just dont get so frustrated you break things. I always take a break before I get too steamed. My brother on the other hand threw a whole tray of sockets across his garage when he couldnt get the oil filter back on his Yamaha FZ 1. He did this last week and sockets are still turning up all over the place. I think he has 3 more to find. He ended up buying the "special" wrench you need to get in between the exhaust and get a hold of the filter without having to crush it with pliers. $37 for an oil filter socket. I'm in the wrong business.

 

[94GTLaserRC]

Thanks for the encouragement all, but Im still a mechanical Dumba$$.

Going back to work on it again in a bit..but sill may not finish, only because I have other things to get done today.
RC

 

[Uncle Log]

Not mechanical but....I once ordered new lugnuts for my car. How many did I order?....8, yes EIGHT!! How I came to that number I'll never know. Eight lugnuts wouldn't even cover 2 of the wheels.

 

[Labora]

My luck has been the same latley. New (fox) longtubes turned into a clutch fork install (just grind a little bit more off *evil voice in my head*)....Still fixing that..

 

[94GTLaserRC]

Well, I "thought" I had everything ready to roll.

I took my time, got the Vortech in right, finished changing the oil, and had one minor problem:

I couldnt get a wrench in to turn the not on the oil feed line (the red one that Vortech gives) I got a SB line that looks really nice, and Since I couldnt get the red one off, I left it for now.

Got everything checked and ready to go, so the last thing I had left to do was put the stock belt back on, and I couldnt get it on...it was WAY too tight...I dont know why b/c everything "should have" lined up the same. (The Vortech can only line up one way). But here is what I think it is:

I have a 3/8 ratchet with a long handle that I use...It's got a pivotting head on it, so when I turn it clockwise to loosen the tensioner the handle is angled outward so as not to push on the belt. I couldnt find that ratchet, so I tried to use a regular one. When turn the str8 ratchet, it pushes a bit on the belt, and prevents me from stretching the belt all the way


BTW...Does anyone know where I can buy the tool that you use for the tensioner to loosen the belt?

RC

 

[bimmertech]

most sears will carry a gearwrench belt tool kit for around $80. it comes with a long handle and a double ended wrench with all sorts of attachments. i have one at work and use it every time i do a belt change, works great.