anyone have bad time when got broke other part while work on vehicle??

[Deafautotech]

i would like to talk about chrysler 300M for radiator..

last night in my work, i dont work on that 300M but the tech had to go to his grandpa's place. so my work had me to do the transmission cooler lines (it is leaking) i had it replaced but when i put bolt on radiator (for electric fan) to hold electric fans on radiator then i took WRONG DEPTH BOLT and put it on and i got it hit and cracked the plastic radiator's side. it is my nightmare because the 300M's customer already arrived and waiting for i get it fixed. but i told service advisor that car's radiator is broke. so i cant keep fix because it need replace radiator. the problem is i work too fast and took wrong bolt that suppose for hold cooler lines on engine oil pan but got it screwed it up.

it is my first time to damaged other part.....

 

[wilbilt]

It's difficult to reassemble something you didn't take apart, especially when you are being rushed.

Don't feel bad, it happens sometimes.

 

[Deafautotech]

i just feel bad because i broke it while customer just drop off and wait for car to drive to home... then customer had called to have them come back and pick up the customer....

most time i work around vehicles that i dont break any parts and this is my first time to break a part for 4 years in automotive industry....

 

[TNToy]

Meh. Done it before, yeah.

Just be glad you didn't do that to a 4L60E GM ******. There are thirty or so bolts holding on the valvebody. 4 with 8mm heads, the rest with 10mm heads. Thousands of techs have stuck a 10mm-headed bolt into a hole for the 8mm bolts, and torqued it... thus requiring a new valvebody.

It happens sometimes. I'm just sad you were working on a Saturday. I'm glad I'm an 8-5 Mon-Fri guy, myself.

 

[Deafautotech]

TNToy: i dont work on saturday anymore because my work found out that customers dont come for services on saturday much so my work lost money (due to lights and equipments to keep running like air compressors)

it is happened on friday night after shop is closed but i am still working on customer's car while my work asked me to do work....

 

[eschoendorff]

Dang, that ***** Deaf. It sounds like something that would totally happen to me though (but only because either A) I was impatient or B) I wasn't paying attention.

Like Wil said, you were coming into the middle of someone else's job. Thing's happen. At least you'll know what to watch for on the next 300M.

 

[toolfreak]

That's not as bad as when I was taking apart a transmission from a dozer and didn't see the retaining ring that was holding a bearing in place. I popped the top off the groove and ruined the housing that was $1200 used. That was probably the worst screw up I have had and most expensive.

I have always felt that if you don't screw up then you're not doing anything!

 

[Deafautotech]

wow, that is lot of money to destroyed the transmission.

few time i did screwed it up like stripped the threads on transmission so i had repaired with drill and install the heli coil threads on transmission oil pan (transmission is alumium and someone stripped it before i had service on transmission.) i dont use impact wrench to install on transmission pan. i use hand and torque wrench for torque specific.

 

[toolfreak]

It sounds like a lot of money but when you are dealing with heavy equipment that really isn't that much. I have watched some of the more experienced mechanics throw $5,000 or more in parts at a machine trying to solve the problem and not fix it, then end up having a $50 part fix it.

 

[amwalker]

Try replacing a $5000 water pump on a crash/rescue (airport) fire truck that didn't need replacing...the pump clutch was bad. Luckily the wear rings were shot (attributed to the problem, but wasn't the complete problem) That was a fun day explaining our botched diagnosis to the vehicle management manager (military). The clutch was $1100 for the record, sorry to everyone. (your taxs!)

 

[wilbilt]

The clutch was $1100 for the record, sorry to everyone. (your taxs!)

As long as you learned something from the experience, I don't mind chipping in toward your education...

I have a couple of faulty diagnoses to my credit, as long as we are baring our souls....

 

[Junkman]

If that is the only mistake you make in your life, you have gotten off easy. Mistakes happen to everyone, and that is how we learn.

 

[Jbullfrog]

I did an engine overhaul and mistakenly put a bottom main bearing (no Oil hole) in the block. I then laid the crank back into the block and thought it was odd that I had a bearing with an Oil hole left. It ran on the dyno for almost 10 minutes before spinning the bearing and requiring another overhaul complete with a milled crank.

 

[Deafautotech]

i wonder what if tech broke the part or accident crack the not repair like work on transmission cooler line and cracked the radiator when try put radiator fan (electric) on it? are tech pay or shop pay for part? i will pay for it but need to see what is going on at work while i work on someone dont finish the job like tech left at 4pm then i had to finish all repair after 5pm.....

 

[bmwpower]

I did an engine overhaul and mistakenly put a bottom main bearing (no Oil hole) in the block. I then laid the crank back into the block and thought it was odd that I had a bearing with an Oil hole left. It ran on the dyno for almost 10 minutes before spinning the bearing and requiring another overhaul complete with a milled crank.

Ouch... that *****.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

Deaf, NOW you qualify for the T-shirt (been there done that). This is why I HATE getting pulled off jobs, to go do someone elses (mess). I was doing a simple tune up and got yanked off of it, to go do some other problem (don't remember what, couple of years back). I had the new spark plugs HAND TIGHT on a Ranger and had just got my plug wrench back from a tech (we were both outside, both bays full) who was trying to diagnose a no start. Out comes the mechanic, to yank me off of my job, and he takes over mine. I explain that the plugs are hand tight only, and there are the other parts, go in and do whatever it was, then end up helping on a clutch job, and later, here a truck start to leave and some pops. I proceed to get a little yelled at, till the owner comes over to find out I got yanked from my job, and told to do someone elses.

I got to see a misdiagnosed clutch job, the other day. The line from the master cylinder to the slave, had a pinhole in it. I was thankfull that wasn't me, BUT I learned from his mistake. Learn from others, it will help you become better.

 

[wilbilt]

i wonder what if tech broke the part or accident crack the not repair like work on transmission cooler line and cracked the radiator when try put radiator fan (electric) on it? are tech pay or shop pay for part? i will pay for it but need to see what is going on at work while i work on someone dont finish the job like tech left at 4pm then i had to finish all repair after 5pm.....

It should NOT come out of your pocket. The business has insurance coverage for such issues.

 

[Junkman]

They also might be able to order just the tank for the radiator. I believe that the plastic tanks are held on by clips.

 

[Deafautotech]

yes radiator are hold by board as it under of board that hold headlights and hold front bumper as it require take it off to have access radiator to replace transmission cooler lines.

 

[Deafautotech]

Wilbilt: i know my work will pay for it but i just wonder if i would get troubles about it but i dont really like to do the other job where i didn't work on like i had to finish the repair when other tech had to go.

 

[iiibdsiil]

I broke a coil on a Ford E Van. I thought I took the bolt out (coil on plug, can't see ANYTHING), and I ripped that baby right out! Luckily, it was one of the news vans, and we just told them it needed a new coil with the tune up.

Other screw ups...

Started a motor with no oil in it. Shut itself off after about 10 seconds, I about shat my pants, quickly put oil in. Started it up to make sure it ran, then I cleared the computer out. LOL

Replaced a fuel pump, and forgot to hook the fill hose back up. Customer came back pissed after trying to fill it up. Service writer was pissed. Then when I dropped the car off for the waiting customer, he seemed a LOT more understanding, because he saw I was just a youngin. I grabbed $10 out of my pocket, and said "Here, it's all the cash I've got, I'm SOOOOO sorry." But he declined.

Almost crashed one car backing it up. Only half my fault, the dealer put an old lift out by the trash that day, and I couldn't see **** out of the car while backing up.

Boss was being a ***** one day at the Porsche place I was working at. Told me and another guy we couldn't leave until the car was done. Needed a wire from the front of the car to the back for the AC compressor to turn on when the driver turned the AC on in the car. Put a couple pieces of duct tape and ran the wire UNDER the car, and we left, now 7:30 pm. Boss takes car for a test drive (he was waiting for us so he could), and we left knowing the wire wouldn't make it down the street. Came in the next day... He said he was going to dock our pay since it was now Friday. The tech and I looked at each other, and said "You don't have the money to pay us on time EVER, this time you have an excuse."

 

[Deafautotech]

wow that bad to have car with no oil while starting it. i am never forget to put oil in engine after the engine have oil change.

one tech at next door that accident installed new oil filter on while old oil filter's o-ring stuck on then tech get it refill oil and start it then pull out of shop while oil leaking all way of shop floor. he did repair it quick right after other tech had stop him from drive away out of shop.

 

[MarkH]

I think this is one of those, that whoever has not had an episode like this in their repair career stand up. So the rest of us can see who the liars are. Frustrating but it is real life.

I wanted to sentence a number of the design people to true community service, a year of fixing their designs. After drilling out a large number of small bolts that were about 2 mm longer, and from another part being worked on, that fit when you picked them up blind while laying on your back. You get frustrated when on that final pull oops something breaks. We would have better designs.

I had put the bolts from each project in a different place but when reaching bling on my back under a truck, what pile was what did not register.

 

[Deafautotech]

sometime my tech friends had asked me to do other work for them while i had finish with other works. i am glad to help them to finish other vehicles but i dont like to finish where they left me a not finish repair on vehicle because i dont know which bolts should be go on or what problem with vehicle....

 

[toolfreak]

In the last two months I have done nothing but put together stuff that other people at work have taken apart. It gets old real quick but the boss has had me work on several major projects with other guys depending on what needs to be fixed first.

 

[Junkman]

Back in my day, the standard rule was..... you take it apart, you also put it back together. The only exception was if you died, but even that wasn't allowed until you finished your work. We also had an easy way to know if we put the oil in..... there were 5 empty oil cans sitting on the floor.

 

[wilbilt]

We also had an easy way to know if we put the oil in..... there were 5 empty oil cans sitting on the floor.

I used to lay the dipstick across the radiator support and hood latch if I had drained the oil. It was a reminder to check the oil before closing the hood.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

I learned you both press on the rubber ring on the oil filters and flash a light up there after you get it done. Had a new filter that the ring fell off when I was trying to get it in it's location. I only had the car three feet back in the bay, when I saw the oil, thank goodness.

 

[kartracer55]

Anytime you go to finish a job you didnt start, or go back to finish a job you started a while back, your asking for problems. When we are slammed, this happens to me alot. Since it is primarily one guy who takes care of billouts on larger jobs, when a customer comes in, He has to leave what he is doing. If I (or somebody else) is between jobs at that moment, he will ask somebody to finish it for him. I hate doing this because I dont know what problems he ran into before. Was this piece of hardware missing when he pulled it in? Was this shield cracked? Etc. Also, if it is a car you have never worked on, it takes THAT much longer to get everything back together.

 

[toolfreak]

I used to lay the dipstick across the radiator support and hood latch if I had drained the oil. It was a reminder to check the oil before closing the hood.

I like to leave the dipstick out or if changing diff or trans leave out the fill plug until full.

 

[Canadian Charlie]

I don't work in a shop (wasn't as lucky as some of you) but I do work in my own home garage. Biggest problem for me is when I start a job and it doesn't get finished that day and I don't get to get back to it til a few days latter, I do forget what was done.

I am another person who will leave the dipstick on the rad support or the work bench

 

[Junkman]

Put a pad of paper and pencil in the garage, and write yourself a note saying what you were doing when you stopped. That should jog your memory, or help the next person that gets to finish the job......

 

[Deafautotech]

i always have magnet bowl to keep all bolts and nuts together for that area of work. i dont put bolts on cart that some of techs happen lefts bolts or nuts and i get messup that i cant get fit right so i have to figure what that problem...

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

i always have magnet bowl to keep all bolts and nuts together for that area of work. i dont put bolts on cart that some of techs happen lefts bolts or nuts and i get messup that i cant get fit right so i have to figure what that problem...

You still have to be carefull with that bowl. One of the guys from the shop, used to run a transmission shop. If he was having a bad day, or someone po'd him (normally by failing to follow safety proceedures), he would take some random extra bolts and place them in someones pile. He never said anything till they were done.

 

[ImportTuner]

You still have to be carefull with that bowl. One of the guys from the shop, used to run a transmission shop. If he was having a bad day, or someone po'd him (normally by failing to follow safety proceedures), he would take some random extra bolts and place them in someones pile. He never said anything till they were done.

That is just plain mean ...

 

[Deafautotech]

thanks i will be careful around at my work... most time they just keep their work's in their area like bolts and nuts on bowl and left on lift post... but i still noticed that some of bolt fall down and tech had to look on floor to find it....

 

[iiibdsiil]

You still have to be carefull with that bowl. One of the guys from the shop, used to run a transmission shop. If he was having a bad day, or someone po'd him (normally by failing to follow safety proceedures), he would take some random extra bolts and place them in someones pile. He never said anything till they were done.

I have a hard time getting them back in as it is. I thought the job wasn't done right unless you had a couple extra bolts?

 

[malibu101]

My worst thing (most money) I did- 79 El Camino I used to have for a daily driver. One day it started to smoke on deceleration, classic sign of bad valve seals and/or bad rings. Leakdown tested it and figured bad valve guide seals. Tore heads off and had them redone, machinist said guides and seal were bad but he'd seen alot worse. Put back together and test drive worked great (better than before) except still smoking on deceleration. Visually cylinder walls looked fine when heads were off.
I then learned that vacuum modulators on automatic trannys go bad and ****** fluid gets sucked into intake on high vacuum (deceleration) causing smoke out the tailpipe.
Modulator- around $25
Time to install it- 10 minutes
Rebuild top end of motor- around $500
Learning lesson about modulator- priceless
I no longer have this truck (sadly). The wife never found out that I learned this lesson the expensive way!

 

[Deafautotech]

Ouch....

but it is good to learning more about it. i am wonder if you have vacuum gauge to test? i have it for my work and use it when engine burn the oil or running high idle....

 

[TNToy]

Regarding oil changes, the first thing I do is take the oil cap off and stick it over the latch, so the hood won't latch if you try to close it.

I've shattered an oil cap here and there by slamming the hood on it, but I'd much rather have to grab a $10 cap from Parts... than start a customers car without oil in it.

The reason we're paranoid about oil when working on 'em for a living, is that if you lift it up, drain the oil, do a brake job, replace a swaybar link and THEN set it down... it's much easier to forget that the oil change is incomplete that when you're at home JUST changing oil. Especially since we squirt the new oil in with a gun in 30 seconds, instead of pouring a bunch of tiny bottles in one by one. Several times I've had to check the dipstick and found it full, although I couldn't remember if I'd filled the motor with oil or not...

With oil filters, I peel the o-ring off of the old filter and throw the two away seperately. That way I KNOW it's not still up there on the filter housing. Then before installing the new filter, I wipe some oil onto the filters O-ring. Not because I actually believe this needs done, but because that way I know it's there.

I've still had two screwups where the vehicle leaked oil badly over the years. But in both cases I got the vehicle back into my bay a quart or two low, fixed the error, and topped it back off. One was a filter I forgot to tighten more than barely snugging it (talking through a problem with another tech while changing oil is distracting) and the other was a torn O-ring on a cartrdige-type filter I didn't notice before installing.