The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

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The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

January 08, 2005, 08:37:55 PM

In light of the "worst engines to work on" thread, what is the worst automotive job you have ever had to do on a car? I have a few, and I feel they'll be hard to top (at least the first two):

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Isuzu truck frame recall. In 1996 Transport Canada decided that the frames of 1988-1992 Isuzu pickup trucks sold in eastern Canada were rusting way too fast. The trucks were literally breaking in half. They ordered GM to have a recall, and the remedy was to replace the frame. The whole frame, from the front bumper to the rear bumper. The recall affected all pickups, regular cab or extended, 2WD or 4WD. By far, the worse were the 4WD extended cab models. Imagine how much rust you'll find under the floor of a truck that is recalled due to rust! The recall involved completely stripping the entire old frame (removing the body, suspension, drivetrain, all wiring and fuel/brake lines, etc) and putting the parts on a new frame. Removing the suspension was the worst part, as all pivot bolts were firmly rusted into the bushings, and required cutting out with a torch (which in turn filled the entire shop with thick, acrid smoke). In fact, most of the disassembly process was done with a cutting torch - body mounts, exhaust, suspension mounts, etc. GM would pay for the new frame and 24 hours of labour. Any other required parts (brake lines, bushings, body mounts, etc) were the responsibility of the owner. The only good thing about this experience (I did several frames, being the apprentice in the shop I got stuck with the shiznit work) is that I would now feel comfortable putting a body lift into a truck...
The great Caddy radio fiasco. In 1999 I was working at a Chev/Olds/Caddy dealership. A customer had ordered a new STS, and the car arrived. Unfortunately, at some point on the train between its place of manufacture and the dealership, somebody liberated its radio and cut the plug. The dealership owner's son called GM and they said that a new plug was unavailable, so a whole new harness would be shipped. They told him that he could either simply cut the plug off the new harness or install the new harness - either way, GM would pay. The owner's son, who only worked at a dealership because his daddy owned it, and who knew nothing about cars other than how to sell them, decided that no $60,000 new car was going to have electrical tape in the dash, so he decreed that the entire harness would be replaced. The harness arrived by freight. It weighed 180 pounds and had a price tag of $3,600!!!. It was the complete vehicle harness, from the headlights to the tail lights, into the doors, under the hood, and with eight (!) fuse blocks and several dozen sensors, relays, actuators and modules attached. Even the headlight and tail light bulbs were included. I showed the idiot owner's son what kind of job it would be and told him that he'd be asking for a whole lot of problems disassembling a brand new car, but he was adamant: No splices. I spent the next two days completely gutting the car. I had the interior fown to bare sheetmetal inside. Headliner, carpet, seats, door panels and dash, all lying in a pile in the bay next to mine. I had the trunk gutted as well, and was quite a way into the engine compartment when the owner's son came out and said "Gee, that is a big job. Maybe you oughta just splice a new connector in!" I could have killed him. I cut the radio plug off vthe new harness, spliced it onto the vehicle's harness, and spent the next two days putting the ed thing back together. One good thing came of it though: I got to keep the new harness. I cut all the fuse holders and connectors off, kept all of the sensors/relays/mosules, and tossed the remaining 150 punds or so of harness into the dumpster.
At the same dealership I got elected to do a fire restoration and investigation on a brand new Jimmy. The investigation was easy - the tranny line popped out and spilled tarnny fluid on the hot catalytic converter. The insurance adjuster was determined that the black gob of plastic that used to be a remote starter hanging out of the dash caused it, but when I got him under the vehicle and showed him the fallen-out line and burned fluid everywhere he was satisfied with my findings. The restoration was a different story. The whole dash had burned out, as did everything under the hood. General Motors would not pay for new wiring harnesses (because the fire was the result of a defect it was warranty, not insurance) so I had to make 'em. They gave me a few rolls of wire in three colors (red, white and black). The truck received a new engine and tranny, as well as all new accessories (alt, A/C compressor, etc), new front tires and wheels, all new front sheetmetal and plastic, but I had to wire everthing with three colors of wire. I also had to replace the dash and all components attached to it, the head liner, and the front seats and carpet. Truthfully I did not mind the wiring because wiring is what I do (a few more colors would have been nice), but the STINK and SOOT of that truck! I came home black from asshole to appetite every day that week! I would sure hate to try to troubleshoot a wiring problem in it, though, since none of the wire colors would match the manual and there were several hundred identically colored wires...
Replacing the head gaskets in my '91 T-Bird. While changing head gaskets is not normally a difficult job on a 3.8, keep in mind I did mine in the driveway in early January with temperatures in the -15 to -25 range. That was one VERY cold two days...

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #1 – January 08, 2005, 10:21:23 PM

I dunno, changing the plugs on my 3.8 ranks right up there

I mean, that almost makes me want to say "I officially hate fords." t0x1k

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #2 – January 08, 2005, 11:19:26 PM

Well, Dropping a tranny on an MN12 car is no fun!

EGR on a 4.6 Crown Vic

Starter on a Northstar, (well, not realy that hard, but if its the first time you ever did one and you didn't know where the starter was) Hahaha!

Tranaxle on a 3.0 Dodge Carivan! Who the hell at dodge thought of running a coolant hose through a loop in the bellhousing!

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #3 – January 09, 2005, 12:02:20 AM

Quote from: amooset

I dunno, changing the plugs on my 3.8 ranks right up there I mean, that almost makes me want to say "I officially hate fords." t0x1k

Ouch! He got owned!

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #4 – January 09, 2005, 01:20:46 AM

since im tired as all hell at the moment, i cant thnk of the hardest thing ive done, because ive done some tough stuff, but it wasnt really repair work

i guess the most difficult repair was my waterpump...ill remember the others tomorrow

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #5 – January 09, 2005, 01:55:58 AM

Worst job ever was a waterpump on a cummins ISX series diesel.

Now I know what you are saying, that is a routine 30 minute job. Infact that is one of the easiest heavy duty diesels to change a water pump on. Here's the kicker, the pump was changed in February on the side of a winter ice road in northern Manitoba, at night, ambient temp -40 something. This was 1000's of miles from the nearest piece of pavement or service station. No matter how angry the boss gets (acutally he's a great guy) I have never had the incentive to work that fast again.

It was a challenge and now makes a great story.

As for normal repairs, most vehicals give you reason to say "what the hell were they thinking?" Often this is compounded by ignorance, or a lack of technical information. They ofter a challenge, which is good, ......sometimes.........I guess.
After changing head gaskets in a quazi cab over GMC 6500 Diesel, or wresteling with something difficult like a belt tensioner on a 3.4L DOHC cutlass, its nice to see a simple car, on which you know every bolt (tempo/topaz) find its way into the shop.

More stories to come. maby tomorow. Time for sleep

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #6 – January 09, 2005, 02:25:39 AM

The worst so far would have to be engine swap in an '85 lancer 2.2L turbo, about a thoudsand brittle 20yr old vacume lines :shakehead after two days (and alotta beer) someone came along and told us it will drop right out the bottom no problem, so we got someone with a tractor to lift the car up who then promptley dropped the car onto the engine busting the fuel rail and throttle body on the good engine

Eventually we got it all together but it never did run right again.

Another fun one was the tranny on an '87 dodge 600 turbo (AAAGGHHH!! I hate K-cars! :2gunsfiri ) atleast the front end was already removed by a highway barrier :rolleyes:

But I will be picking up a '91 hyundai scoupe for cheep here soon that needs a ring gear, it just might take first place

Got nothin on Thunder Chicken but it was more than enough to make me question why I even bother picking up wrenches sometimes.

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #7 – January 09, 2005, 05:39:03 AM

My first and only engine swap, into an orange 1980 Capri.. got a donor Fairmont/Zephyr (Fairmont, I think) dropped off from the junkyard we dealt with, (were friends w/ the owner) yanked the 4-banger, and proceeded to spend a significant portion of the Florida summer dicking around with the swap by myself out in the front yard. My father had moved out by then, and I think had taken many of his tools with him as well.. but left his self-constructed lift behind. It was a triangle-shaped trailer with a J-shaped boom in the middle of the back edge of the triangle. Getting anywhere with that thing was the biggest pain in the ass of the whole thing. I think most of the days consisted of fighting with it for about 15-20 minutes out in the sun in ~95 degree, ~90% humidity weather and saying to hell with it and putting it off until the next day.

The swap was a success.. don't even think I screwed up any vacuum or electrical connections.. but I'll never do something like that by myself again and especially with those conditions.

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #8 – January 09, 2005, 03:00:19 PM

Quote from: tbirdscott

The worst so far would have to be engine swap in an '85 lancer 2.2L turbo, about a thoudsand brittle 20yr old vacume lines :shakehead after two days (and alotta beer) someone came along and told us it will drop right out the bottom no problem, so we got someone with a tractor to lift the car up who then promptley dropped the car onto the engine busting the fuel rail and throttle body on the good engine Eventually we got it all together but it never did run right again.

Another fun one was the tranny on an '87 dodge 600 turbo (AAAGGHHH!! I hate K-cars! :2gunsfiri ) atleast the front end was already removed by a highway barrier :rolleyes:

i dunno man, i had an 87 600se, 2.2L turbo, easiest car i ever worked on, ive done a tranny in an 88 Daytona Shelby Z, and an 86 GLHS, it wasnt that hard of a job at all

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #9 – January 09, 2005, 03:56:26 PM

Quote from: Tbird232ci

i dunno man, i had an 87 600se, 2.2L turbo, easiest car i ever worked on, ive done a tranny in an 88 Daytona Shelby Z, and an 86 GLHS, it wasnt that hard of a job at all

Well maybe it was just the way I was doing it then :raspberry but at the time having little more than a small craftsman ratchet set and working by myself it was a big PITA. But I eventually got it done and learned a bit along the way so it all good

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #10 – January 09, 2005, 06:46:58 PM

Simple answer: Ford t-bird, 5.0, oil pan. 6 days, one broken oil pan bolt and a $530 repair bill for the mistake.

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #11 – January 09, 2005, 08:11:09 PM

I think the biggest automotive repair pain may be one of future tense. My wife drives a 1999 Pontiac Montana. Everytime I think about changing the back 3 plugs I break out into cold sweats. I think this is why we will probably trade it for an 05' Ford 500 when the ol' tax return hits!

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #12 – January 10, 2005, 01:44:33 PM

FWD transaxle in a 92 Topaz 3.0. Probably the first big job I did without access to a lift. Jackstands and cinder blocks baby!

Here is an interesting one. It's not that hard, but has to be the most time consuming starter I've ever done. It was a 95 Dodge Neon 4 banger.
Step 1. Drain radiator.
Step 2. Remove lower radiator hose
Step 3. Remove electric fan.
Step 4. Unbolt radiator and slide forward as far as possible
Step 5. Proceed to change starter as you would in almost any
other vehicle

Oh yeah, upon completion of task and operational check, tell good friend he owes you a CASE of Heineken bottles and Not the 6 pack of Coronas originally agreeed upon.

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #13 – January 10, 2005, 05:14:41 PM

Ranked in order of difficulty and frustration:

1. Transmission removal/installation on '86 Cougar

2. Oil pan on '86 Cougar

3. Motor mounts on '88 XR7

4. Brake light switch on '88 XR7

Re: The worst automotive repair job you have ever done

Reply #14 – January 11, 2005, 01:03:08 PM

Just spoke to a guy I know today who is changing the water pump on a 2001 PT Cruiser with 30K on the clock. He has to drain the A/C coolant, remove the A/C lines remove a motor mount, and jack one side of the motor. Sounds like a lot of fun :eek: