Ok well lots of people who wrench on cars have a "wall of shame" where they hang all the parts they have accidentally ruined trying to remove/repair/install. So, what is the most expensive part you have fubared while working on a car/truck/motorcycle?
Wall of shame...most expensive part?
- Thread starter PT1
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BTW, mine was the front driveshaft on a friends Jeep GC that blew off and is still MIA on I-271 in NE Ohio when I was helping the owner install new u-joints "the right way".
This goes back many many years and was the primary factor in me now using a torque wrench in all critical applications (including lug nuts) but I have a damaged thread in the aluminium crankcase of my BMW motorcycle where one of the head bolts thread into. I have been using the motorcycle all these years unable to torque down that one head bolt, but other than a small oil leak from the head gasket, the bike runs well. One of these days, I mught have to replace one half of the crankcase.
I lost a bolt, then broke the too long replacement off into my lower intake manifold on my GTP. Cost about 100 to get it replaced, but I blocked the coolant passages to the TB while I was at, so it wasn't a total waste. Also spent $65 on a MAF when the MAF fuse that only 2 people in the club knew about blew.
Originally Posted By: George7941
This goes back many many years and was the primary factor in me now using a torque wrench in all critical applications (including lug nuts) but I have a damaged thread in the aluminium crankcase of my BMW motorcycle where one of the head bolts thread into. I have been using the motorcycle all these years unable to torque down that one head bolt, but other than a small oil leak from the head gasket, the bike runs well. One of these days, I mught have to replace one half of the crankcase.
Why not helicoil it?
This goes back many many years and was the primary factor in me now using a torque wrench in all critical applications (including lug nuts) but I have a damaged thread in the aluminium crankcase of my BMW motorcycle where one of the head bolts thread into. I have been using the motorcycle all these years unable to torque down that one head bolt, but other than a small oil leak from the head gasket, the bike runs well. One of these days, I mught have to replace one half of the crankcase.
Why not helicoil it?
While pressure testing an AC system in a customers 99 dodge pickup the phone rang. I got carried away with the call and forgot about the bottle of Nitrogen I was using to pressure test the truck with.
The Evaporator blew up taking the HVAC box with it, blend doors, part of the dash and the passenger side air bag..
Cost to fix it was $1600 out of our pocket.
The bad thing is that we were pretty sure that the Evap was leaking but there was no way to tell after it opened up like a gutted fish.
The Evaporator blew up taking the HVAC box with it, blend doors, part of the dash and the passenger side air bag..
Cost to fix it was $1600 out of our pocket.
The bad thing is that we were pretty sure that the Evap was leaking but there was no way to tell after it opened up like a gutted fish.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2025
How about two Moser 12 bolts in a 2000 6 speed Trans Am, or 2 driveshafts twisted in two.
A few GM 10 bolts, Some turbo Dodge motors with over 20 psi of boost. Racing gets pricey.
A few GM 10 bolts, Some turbo Dodge motors with over 20 psi of boost. Racing gets pricey.
I really screwed up a bolt holding down the intake manifold on a '94 SHO I was working on. Unfortunatly, the bolt stripped, so I went out and bought a dremel in hopes of carving a flathead slot into the top.
Well, that didn't work out either, so I had to take it to one of the few shops in town willing to hammer the bolt out for me. Most ran in fear when I mentioned SHO and chewed bolt
All told, it was about a $200 repair, if you include the price of the dremel.
For most things though, a dremel is worth its weight in gold!
Well, that didn't work out either, so I had to take it to one of the few shops in town willing to hammer the bolt out for me. Most ran in fear when I mentioned SHO and chewed bolt
All told, it was about a $200 repair, if you include the price of the dremel.
For most things though, a dremel is worth its weight in gold!
97 cavalier, crank sensor o-ring got sludged in the block. I tried prying it out but busted the plastic thing in half. Would have had to drop the oil pan etc to get it out, and what with the rust and all decided to scrap the entire car.
Olds intrigue with 226k and transmission problems wound up in my hands for a brake line, needed a scan tool to bleed it right, junked it too.
Mazda b2000 pickup, needed radius arm bushings (and rust repair), radius arm to lower control arm bolt sheared off... so I scrapped it.
My wall of shame needs acreage.
Olds intrigue with 226k and transmission problems wound up in my hands for a brake line, needed a scan tool to bleed it right, junked it too.
Mazda b2000 pickup, needed radius arm bushings (and rust repair), radius arm to lower control arm bolt sheared off... so I scrapped it.
My wall of shame needs acreage.
1984 Mercedes 380SL - a $70 power steering pulley
Originally Posted By: Chris142
The Evaporator blew up taking the HVAC box with it, blend doors, part of the dash and the passenger side air bag..
The older cars often had a valve in the system that would blow open if the pressure in the system got too high. I know for a fact that my 88 Mustang GT does.
The Evaporator blew up taking the HVAC box with it, blend doors, part of the dash and the passenger side air bag..
The older cars often had a valve in the system that would blow open if the pressure in the system got too high. I know for a fact that my 88 Mustang GT does.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
5,000RPM launch, ate the guts out of my T5 transmission, I had 1st, 2nd and 5th. Had to drive it 200Km home........Fluid looked like metallic paint.
Messed up the intake install on a Ford 4.2L V6. I torqued it down with a torque wrench, but I guess I didnt use enough sealant in the right spot or had it crooked or something. Leaked coolant into the crankcase.
I once left a craftsman 15" flex head ratchet with a 15/16" socket on my alternator pulley once after i got done replacing the alternator on my ford. I started up the engine not even thinking about my ratchet and before i new it i was having to buy a new electric radiator / cooling fan, because the ratchet fubared the fan. Anther time I was street racing some punk in my dad's 1968 Ford F250 ranger pick up, and i popped the clutch which wasted the spider gears in the rear end. But that's ok the punk's honda threw a rod right before i screwed up the axle.
Originally Posted By: PT1
Originally Posted By: George7941
This goes back many many years and was the primary factor in me now using a torque wrench in all critical applications (including lug nuts) but I have a damaged thread in the aluminium crankcase of my BMW motorcycle where one of the head bolts thread into. I have been using the motorcycle all these years unable to torque down that one head bolt, but other than a small oil leak from the head gasket, the bike runs well. One of these days, I mught have to replace one half of the crankcase.
Why not helicoil it?
I helicoiled it once already but did not have an extra long insert. The standard length insert gave way after a couple of years. I am going to try a time-sert but it might not work because the lubricating oil passage is adjacent to this thread.
Originally Posted By: George7941
This goes back many many years and was the primary factor in me now using a torque wrench in all critical applications (including lug nuts) but I have a damaged thread in the aluminium crankcase of my BMW motorcycle where one of the head bolts thread into. I have been using the motorcycle all these years unable to torque down that one head bolt, but other than a small oil leak from the head gasket, the bike runs well. One of these days, I mught have to replace one half of the crankcase.
Why not helicoil it?
I helicoiled it once already but did not have an extra long insert. The standard length insert gave way after a couple of years. I am going to try a time-sert but it might not work because the lubricating oil passage is adjacent to this thread.
Back in the 70's screwed up the rocker arm on a 340, then it jammed open an intake valve. Drove it all the way home backfiring.
On a 318 I installed a HI VO oil pump and forgot to change out the drive shaft to a hardened part. Broke at 6 grand... managed to salvage a lot of parts.
On a 318 I installed a HI VO oil pump and forgot to change out the drive shaft to a hardened part. Broke at 6 grand... managed to salvage a lot of parts.
Broke 2 camshaft bolts and had to drill them out, retap. Once broke a bolt in the block bolting on the lower radiator hose. That was alot of trouble and I went through several drill bits to get it all out. I was younger then and apparently didn't know my own strength or limit of my stupidity. I tend to use a torque wrench now.
Originally Posted By: eljefino
97 cavalier, crank sensor o-ring got sludged in the block. I tried prying it out but busted the plastic thing in half. Would have had to drop the oil pan etc to get it out, and what with the rust and all decided to scrap the entire car.
Olds intrigue with 226k and transmission problems wound up in my hands for a brake line, needed a scan tool to bleed it right, junked it too.
Mazda b2000 pickup, needed radius arm bushings (and rust repair), radius arm to lower control arm bolt sheared off... so I scrapped it.
My wall of shame needs acreage.
I loved those Mazdas. I had a B2000 that I just about replaced everything on except the manual transmission. Sold it at 202k miles.
97 cavalier, crank sensor o-ring got sludged in the block. I tried prying it out but busted the plastic thing in half. Would have had to drop the oil pan etc to get it out, and what with the rust and all decided to scrap the entire car.
Olds intrigue with 226k and transmission problems wound up in my hands for a brake line, needed a scan tool to bleed it right, junked it too.
Mazda b2000 pickup, needed radius arm bushings (and rust repair), radius arm to lower control arm bolt sheared off... so I scrapped it.
My wall of shame needs acreage.
I loved those Mazdas. I had a B2000 that I just about replaced everything on except the manual transmission. Sold it at 202k miles.
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