pistonbroke Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 (edited) And oh what fun it was. I planned on getting it done by my trusted indy mechanic, but a financial thrashing from the wife this month has forced my hand it dusting off the spanners. So, car jacked up and on stands, drain the oil, remove oil filter, drop oil filter as it comes off last thread, oil all over face . Check bag of goodies from whifbitz......no sump plug washer. So I leave the oil draining and take a walk down to the local spares place, get washer and walk back again. I then decided to leave the oil draining for as long as possible to get the most out. So I move onto spark plug change. I remove the cover, and proceed to turn every single coil pack connector into dust as soon as I look at it . How the hell the car wasn't missfiring is a mystery, luckily, I planned for this and bought 6 new connectors in case of such eventuality. So, I get on here and found the IanC instructions for replacing them, to Ian, top work. The pictures in your thread make it look simple, but when you actually do the job, you realise how tiny and fiddly everything is. However, I persevered and managed to replace all of them. So, onto the spark plugs, I remove the coil packs and notice that the white plastic from one of the old coil pack clips has fallen into No'1 plug recess. I think to myself, I better get that out, I don't want it falling in when I remove the plug. I fought with the plastic piece for what seemed like an eternity with some stiff needle nose pliers, but to no avail. So, I hold my head over the hole and blow. The plastic bastard shoots up and hits me in the eye........then landed in No.2 recess , again I do the blow trick, this time with my eyes closed, I feel it ping off my forehead.........and I shit you not, I open my eyes and there he is, the little bastard is in No.3. I decided to change tactics and used some long precision screw drivers to chopstick the bugger out.....hurrahh . So, onto the plugs, I managed them without calamity. I wanted to do my cam cover gaskets as well, but noticed how much of a bugger the rear bolts are to get too. I decided to put everything back together while I still had light to work with. So, wack in the motul chrono v300 and start her up, praying that all 6 cylinders fire, she fires instantly and purrs to a sedate 700rpm, almost like a subliminal thankyou for new coil clips, iridiums and oil. Job done, when I walked back into the house, I glimpsed in the mirror and saw the state of my face, I forgot about the oil filter incident, and I'd walked down the high street for the sump washer looking like I'd been run over by a bus. Edited January 28, 2010 by pistonbroke (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porky1978 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Did the oil filter trick whilst i was learning my trade as an HGV fitter. The damn things hold about a litre of oil too!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 nice story matey! Cars are great fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTRickeh Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Oh, nightmare yes, but what a lovely sense of achievement you have now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitz Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Lol, made me laugh that did. Still glad you got it sorted Dan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesC Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 And oh what fun it was. I planned on getting it done by my trusted indy mechanic, but a financial thrashing from the wife this month has forced my hand it dusting off the spanners. So, car jacked up and on stands, drain the oil, remove oil filter, drop oil filter as it comes off last thread, oil all over face . Check bag of goodies from whifbitz......no sump plug washer. So I leave the oil draining and take a walk down to the local spares place, get washer and walk back again. I then decided to leave the oil draining for as long as possible to get the most out. So I move onto spark plug change. I remove the cover, and proceed to turn every single coil pack connector into dust as soon as I look at it . How the hell the car wasn't missfiring is a mystery, luckily, I planned for this and bought 6 new connectors in case of such eventuality. So, I get on here and found the IanC instructions for replacing them, to Ian, top work. The pictures in your thread make it look simple, but when you actually do the job, you realise how tiny and fiddly everything is. However, I persevered and managed to replace all of them. So, onto the spark plugs, I remove the coil packs and notice that the white plastic from one of the old coil pack clips has fallen into No'1 plug recess. I think to myself, I better get that out, I don't want it falling in when I remove the plug. I fought with the plastic piece for what seemed like an eternity with some stiff needle nose pliers, but to no avail. So, I hold my head over the hole and blow. The plastic bastard shoots up and hits me in the eye........then landed in No.2 recess , again I do the blow trick, this time with my eyes closed, I feel it ping off my forehead.........and I $#@! you not, I open my eyes and there he is, the little bastard is in No.3. I decided to change tactics and used some long precision screw drivers to chopstick the bugger out.....hurrahh . So, onto the plugs, I managed them without calamity:D Same happened when i changed my plugs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JODY T Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 tip: go get the hoover to clear out any plastic/foreign bits.. easier than blowing them out lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted January 28, 2010 Author Share Posted January 28, 2010 The wife would kill me if I got oil on the dyson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyh_15 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 And oh what fun it was. I planned on getting it done by my trusted indy mechanic, but a financial thrashing from the wife this month has forced my hand it dusting off the spanners. So, car jacked up and on stands, drain the oil, remove oil filter, drop oil filter as it comes off last thread, oil all over face . Check bag of goodies from whifbitz......no sump plug washer. So I leave the oil draining and take a walk down to the local spares place, get washer and walk back again. I then decided to leave the oil draining for as long as possible to get the most out. So I move onto spark plug change. I remove the cover, and proceed to turn every single coil pack connector into dust as soon as I look at it . How the hell the car wasn't missfiring is a mystery, luckily, I planned for this and bought 6 new connectors in case of such eventuality. So, I get on here and found the IanC instructions for replacing them, to Ian, top work. The pictures in your thread make it look simple, but when you actually do the job, you realise how tiny and fiddly everything is. However, I persevered and managed to replace all of them. So, onto the spark plugs, I remove the coil packs and notice that the white plastic from one of the old coil pack clips has fallen into No'1 plug recess. I think to myself, I better get that out, I don't want it falling in when I remove the plug. I fought with the plastic piece for what seemed like an eternity with some stiff needle nose pliers, but to no avail. So, I hold my head over the hole and blow. The plastic bastard shoots up and hits me in the eye........then landed in No.2 recess , again I do the blow trick, this time with my eyes closed, I feel it ping off my forehead.........and I shit you not, I open my eyes and there he is, the little bastard is in No.3. I decided to change tactics and used some long precision screw drivers to chopstick the bugger out.....hurrahh . So, onto the plugs, I managed them without calamity. I wanted to do my cam cover gaskets as well, but noticed how much of a bugger the rear bolts are to get too. I decided to put everything back together while I still had light to work with. So, wack in the motul chrono v300 and start her up, praying that all 6 cylinders fire, she fires instantly and purrs to a sedate 700rpm, almost like a subliminal thankyou for new coil clips, iridiums and oil. Job done, when I walked back into the house, I glimpsed in the mirror and saw the state of my face, I forgot about the oil filter incident, and I'd walked down the high street for the sump washer looking like I'd been run over by a bus. Know how you feel mate! I was changing my drivers side front wheel studs yesterday and my word if i could have got a longer handle on my spanner to get the nut of without almost pushing out a hernia I would have! The people driving past my house must have been laughing there socks off! just think of the money you saved not forking out £80 an hour on a mechanic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 ha ha, that made me giggle, just what i needed tonight. Least its saved you a bit of cash bud, Did the wife take any pics of your face?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty71 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Funny as fook that ... classic ... made me giggle here too:d Saved you a bit of cash, gave you a dirty face and created a good laughable story for all of us along the way. Awesome:D Scotty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Had a good laugh at your bad luck there Dan, well told! Stuff like this is all part of the "fun" of home mechanics, but the more of a PITA it's been the better that feeling of acheivement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevins Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Useful trick for reaching things that are not magnetic is, wrap sticky tape around the screwdriver and then twist it so its then sticky side out and tape it on, instant sticky picker upper lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted January 28, 2010 Author Share Posted January 28, 2010 I must admit, that while fighting with the white plastic from the clip, when it dropped into number 3, I could do nothing but laugh, it was like something out of a carry on film. When I heard myself sniggering, I thought to myself, 'this is worth posting about' . I've not got any pictures I'm afraid Geo, though tune in next week, I'm gonna spray the dash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty71 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 though tune in next week, I'm gonna spray the dash Pistonbroke's garage antics volume 2:d cant wait - more laughable antics on the dash spraying Scotty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 I must admit, that while fighting with the white plastic from the clip, when it dropped into number 3, I could do nothing but laugh, it was like something out of a carry on film. When I heard myself sniggering, I thought to myself, 'this is worth posting about' . I've not got any pictures I'm afraid Geo, though tune in next week, I'm gonna spray the dash Make sure you wear eye protector thingys, so when the your done you'l have the ring marks, he he Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathmonkey Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Make sure you wear eye protector thingys, so when the your done you'l have the ring marks, he he Good work mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevins Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 have you always wanted to strut around town as a minstrel then mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyb10supra Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 been there many times one thing I wont miss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackso11 Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 my coil pack connectors turned to dust last weekend, luckily only the bendy bit on the side of the clip that hold them on so they are wrapped in tap at the moment while I await new ones. £35 posted for 6 bits of plastic! :o oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RICHARDA Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Good write up, made me laugh:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomgeer Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Thanks for sharing this, really enjoyed it, especially the bit with the broken clip in the spark plug recess because I did exactly the same and spent about 30 mins trying to fish it out with long nosed pliers. Made me laugh, well written. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky49 Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 haha lol made me giggle did that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Dublin Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Well done fella! Well written Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 tune in next week, I'm gonna spray the dash Looking forward to the thread on that Just make sure you get the nossle in the right direction. It's difficult to get metallic paint off your face Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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