What is the worst mistake you made doing your own wrenching?

Makes sense. But, like I said, I heard it from a grouchy old mechanic and I wasn't inclined to argue with him after he showed me a technique to extract a broken bolt without drilling it

 

Higher percentages of carbon in the steel are what make it hard. So it either has more carbon or doesn't. Heat is heat

 

I'm a really good mechanic. I have the tools and skill to tackle anything up to and including full custom fabrication, engine builds/swaps, etc. I got there by being a shitty mechanic with shitty tools and half assing things because I didn't know better. Here's a few of my greatest hits:

1. Broke a head bolt on my Jeep 258 after changing a head gasket. (What's a Touque to Yield Fastener? You can't reuse them?? FUCK!!!)
2. Filled a TH350 automatic with 90w gear oil. (The bottle said it could be used in transmissions...)
3. Put the rear caliper spacer on the wrong side of the caliper on my old Kawasaki KZ1000 and spit out the pads on the freeway.
4. Overtightened and broke or stripped out approximately 9,567,243 bolts
5. Reversed the wires on the neutral switch on my CB750 chopper. Every time the bike was in neutral it was a dead short
6. Arc welded about 400 wrenches to battery cables, fenders, brackets, etc while changing batteries
7. Screwed up the wiring in my house and ended up with 220V in the living room. Ever heard a vaccuum cleaner scream?
8. Before I had proper tools, I used Vise Grips and crescent wrenches on EVERYTHING. Never met a bolt I couldn't round off.
9. I believed the internet. This was possibly my most destructive period
10. Set myself on fire a couple times when I was first lesrning to weld

We all screw up. All of the above were many years ago and my work is high quality now. I guess experience is the best teacher. Or maybe classes. Classes are probably a little better.

 

How did you end up removing it???

 

Way back when I had no tools and rounded bolts I beat sockets on them and I had sockets I never could get the nuts out of even in the vise . I also had to resort to hammer and chisel on some , boy was that a job -- you are bringing back nightmares .

 

Heat and then drill/easy-out. Then bought me a set of Snap-on torx bits.
They put the steering wheels bolts on way too tight at the factory.

 

Wish there was a video for this! Lol

My best mistake was forgetting to take the old oil filter gasket/seal off. I assumed it came off with the filter. Went to back out of my parent's garage and watched the oil pressure drop and a loud ticking noise start. Oil was everywhere. It was on a v6 camaro and the filter was on the front of the engine. The belt made sure every pulley and under the hood was well lubed. I double check that every time now even if I can see it on the old filter.

 

Agreed with both, took my '17 into my local Toyota shop to get new T4R Pro Sema rims, BFG KO2s and alignment. Came out loaded with grease but figured it happens I'll clean it off at home. After I get home, closer inspection showed 3 out of the 4 rims had light scratches on them where they installed them. Never again, they did nothing for me, F you Shore Toyota!

 

I have not made any mistakes ever, with one exception. I replaced the struts and did not tighten the bottom cross bolt enough. Just tightened it.

 

You will .

 

A mistake i have done plenty of times is when making brake lines or fuel lines, end up getting distracted and flare the line without putting the tube nut on first.

 

UGH!!! Yes, I've been there.

 

What is the worst mistake I made doing my own wrenching?
I opened my own auto repair business. Being your own boss is good but, when seemingly every form of local government wants a slice of the pie, (Fire Dept inspector, B.A.R., Water & Sewer inspector, etc,etc) No paid vacations, health ins. yada,yada, yada!
I now work for a large corporation, Get paid 3x as much, Complete health benefits package, 401, and pension. Union backed so I can talk back to the bosses and call it questioning. best move I ever made.

 

Did I mention welding in flip flops? Yeah.

 

Lets just say I won't ever use a spring compressor ever again. Paying a shop to assemble the struts is money well spent.

 

they have a fancy machine they put them on...

 

My mom was a nurse. Had someone come in that did that except rested the lumber on his leg. Oops.

 

On one of my first cars, I was adjusting the carburetor, and while it was running, I dropped the nut down the throttle body. It banged around until it found it's way all the down past the valves and into the cylinder. Rattled in there for years...

 

...that you know of or care to admit.