Costly Boo Boo!

[Dynamic]

So I was just doing a routine oil change on my quad and I just snapped a really important bolt. Now I got oil leaking from a gasket by my oil filter cover. Done this several times before but I just overtightened it and now the one half is stuck in the engine block.

Now I'll have to take it in to get that fixed at Honda and I know already its gonna be in the hundreds of dollars.

As I sit here wishing I would of used my tourque wrench anyone else have any similar stories while either maintaining or fixing something only to have it backfire and end up costing alot of time and money? I know there has got to be some good ones out there!

[ricosuave]

I did the same thing trying to fix a coolant leak on an older VW diesel I had... in the end, I was able to use a set of easy outs to get the snapped bolt out... maybe that could work for you? be sure to heat the stud if you can before trying it though.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Yeah you should be able to get it out yourself.
My buddy did the same thing while tightening down a bolt after changing the head gasked on his motorbike, and it was pretty simple to get the bolt out once we got the right tool.

[wooohooo]

Well, one time my car battery was dead and I have almost 0 mechanic skills but I did know that I needed a boost. So I called a couple of my friends but they were all in class and finally got hold of one of my friends... a girl. So she drove over and took out the wires for me to attach (thinking I knew how to) heh... it was quite embarrassing. After she got the car going I drove off to Canadian tire and needed my battery replaced. Not knowing how to do it I had them do it for me for an extra 50 bucks or something. Later I call up my Dad and he thinks i'm a complete idiot and is giving me crap for not knowing how to hook up a car and then he asks me if I at least replaced the battery my self. Yes, I know now that it is only a few nuts and bolts. This should probably go in the confessions thread. Good thing I don't have aspirations to be a mechanic

[4X4]

I used to have this wicked old '88 Ranger 4x4 that I'd do pretty much all the work on myself. But one day I was a bit lazy and took it to a lube shop for an oil change. A few months later, when it was time to do it again, I crawled underneath, took out the oil pan bolt, and went to take off the oil filter. That GD thing was screwed on so tight I couldn't get it off. It was insane how tight the pricks had put it on.
I tried putting on leather gloves, to no avail. Didn't have an oil filter wrench and did not want to put the oil back in the engine to go to AV, so I stuck a screwdriver through it to use as leverage. All that did was tear up the damn thing and make it sharp.
I was out of control furious. I was already planning my visit to the lube shop to give them hell, but I needed to get the filter off to do that.
I started changing my oil at about 1 pm and I had been reefing on the filter for about an hour and still couldn't budge it. I started top question myself wondering if during any of those forehead-vein-popping reefing sessions I had been trying to turn it the wrong way and tightened it.

After awhile, I was so unbelievably pissed off, I knew I needed to calm dow before I started bashing things with a hammer or something, so I walked to the liquor store and bought a case of beer. Drank two of them on the way back to my parking lot, climed underneath and tried again. No luck.
So I crawled out, sat on my tailgate and drank another two. Tried again. No luck.
This went on until about 6pm until I had drank probably at least 10 beers. I crawled underneath again, swore at the filter for a bit and then started reefing again. Something went off in my brain and somehow, for one moment, I became stronger... It finally turned.
I finished the oil change, but was way too drunk to drive to the lube shop (which was probably closed by then anyway). In my life I have never ever been more pissed off at someone I didn't know.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I used to have this wicked old '88 Ranger 4x4 that I'd do pretty much all the work on myself. But one day I was a bit lazy and took it to a lube shop for an oil change. A few months later, when it was time to do it again, I crawled underneath, took out the oil pan bolt, and went to take off the oil filter. That GD thing was screwed on so tight I couldn't get it off. It was insane how tight the pricks had put it on.
I tried putting on leather gloves, to no avail. Didn't have an oil filter wrench and did not want to put the oil back in the engine to go to AV, so I stuck a screwdriver through it to use as leverage. All that did was tear up the damn thing and make it sharp.
I was out of control furious. I was already planning my visit to the lube shop to give them hell, but I needed to get the filter off to do that.
I started changing my oil at about 1 pm and I had been reefing on the filter for about an hour and still couldn't budge it. I started top question myself wondering if during any of those forehead-vein-popping reefing sessions I had been trying to turn it the wrong way and tightened it.

After awhile, I was so unbelievably pissed off, I knew I needed to calm dow before I started bashing things with a hammer or something, so I walked to the liquor store and bought a case of beer. Drank two of them on the way back to my parking lot, climed underneath and tried again. No luck.
So I crawled out, sat on my tailgate and drank another two. Tried again. No luck.
This went on until about 6pm until I had drank probably at least 10 beers. I crawled underneath again, swore at the filter for a bit and then started reefing again. Something went off in my brain and somehow, for one moment, I became stronger... It finally turned.
I finished the oil change, but was way too drunk to drive to the lube shop (which was probably closed by then anyway). In my life I have never ever been more pissed off at someone I didn't know.

I've been to Pro Body Parts three times for a bumper for 98 Ranger and they still can't get it right.

It has to be the most basic, common bumper of all time.

Now I am taking my money to princess auto and making something custom.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I used to have this wicked old '88 Ranger 4x4

First mistake...

Originally Posted by 4X4

....that I'd do pretty much all the work on myself. But one day I was a bit lazy and took it to a lube shop for an oil change.

Second mistake...

Originally Posted by 4X4

Didn't have an oil filter wrench

Third mistake

Originally Posted by 4X4

so I stuck a screwdriver through it to use as leverage.

Fourth mistake... the biggest one so far because if it doesn't work you're screwed... which of course you found out

Originally Posted by 4X4

I knew I needed to calm dow before I started bashing things with a hammer or something, so I walked to the liquor store and bought a case of beer.

First thing you did right.

Originally Posted by 4X4

went on until about 6pm until I had drank probably at least 10 beers. I crawled underneath again, swore at the filter for a bit and then started reefing again. Something went off in my brain and somehow, for one moment, I became stronger... It finally turned.

Congratulations! Fixing cars always goes better with beer to lube the way.

Originally Posted by 4X4

finished the oil change, but was way too drunk to drive to the lube shop (which was probably closed by then anyway).

Second good decision of the night.

[burn_this_city]

Bolts on japanese bikes and cars are made of sugar. You really need a torque wrench and the specs or you'll eventually break or strip one.

[4X4]

I agree with everything you said, Rerun, except about my Ranger being a mistake. I adored that truck. Until I bought my Tacoma last year, "Sammy" was perched atop my order of favorites as far as all the vehicles I've owned.

1988 2.9 V6 4x4 Ranger Custom. Had 3" body lift on it, 31" tires, extended cab, short box. Absolutely awesome on gas, went like a bat out of hell, manual tranny for fun driving and better 4x4ing... By far my favorite vehicle. Until I made the grave mistake of lending it to a friend for a day. He murdered Sammy on Memorial Drive on a patch of black ice.

[mikey_the_redneck]

Originally Posted by Dynamic

So I was just doing a routine oil change on my quad and I just snapped a really important bolt. Now I got oil leaking from a gasket by my oil filter cover. Done this several times before but I just overtightened it and now the one half is stuck in the engine block.

Now I'll have to take it in to get that fixed at Honda and I know already its gonna be in the hundreds of dollars.

As I sit here wishing I would of used my tourque wrench anyone else have any similar stories while either maintaining or fixing something only to have it backfire and end up costing alot of time and money? I know there has got to be some good ones out there!

Did you just snap the head off the bolt? My dad did that one time on a head gasket and he just tack-welded a nut onto the end of the broken bolt and used a socket to get it out........

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Dynamic

So I was just doing a routine oil change on my quad and I just snapped a really important bolt. Now I got oil leaking from a gasket by my oil filter cover. Done this several times before but I just overtightened it and now the one half is stuck in the engine block.

Now I'll have to take it in to get that fixed at Honda and I know already its gonna be in the hundreds of dollars.

As I sit here wishing I would of used my tourque wrench anyone else have any similar stories while either maintaining or fixing something only to have it backfire and end up costing alot of time and money? I know there has got to be some good ones out there!

If there is part of the bolt still sticking up above the block, as the previous poster says, tack welding a nut onto it is a good fix to enable removal of the stud...

.... but you need a welder of course and I assume you don't have one.

Does anybody here have a welder that they could help this guy out?

If nobody volunteers, I suggest you go to you neighborhood garage mechanic and get them to remove it for you. Guaranteed it will cost a lot less than getting Honda to do it.

[Locke]

Thats a great story 4x4. I've got a few of those, I remember one night I was trying to install a set of headers on my stang and it took a friend and I most of the night and the better part of a flat of beer and by the end we got so frustrated we ended up destroying the valve covers by scratching them and denting them with the headers.

Not a fun time, but a funny memory now.

[CaptainCrunch]

I was completely out of condoms and all of the drugs stores were closed, but then I said to myself, how many times am I going to be in haiti?

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I was completely out of condoms and all of the drugs stores were closed, but then I said to myself, how many times am I going to be in haiti?

Is that where the 'crunch' part of your handle comes from?

[peter12]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I was completely out of condoms and all of the drugs stores were closed, but then I said to myself, how many times am I going to be in haiti?

Too soon?