 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Those "Doh" moments! |
 
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| JWL Member Since: 26 Oct 2011 Location: Hereford Posts: 3443   
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No matter how much experience you have with spanners, it may be your job, you may be an enthusiastic amateur or a complete novice, we all have had a moment or three when pure incompetence sets in.
Recently I replaced the front discs on my 110, apart from ordering the wrong ones, solid instead of vented(misread the description) I did the job in a mates farm workshop mainly as his air tools have a bit more grunt than mine plus the supply of the odds and ends like split pins, grease etc that he has on the shelves. The job went well, I did have to raid his box of sockets when my 12point 1/2" gave out but apart from that no hassle. Pulled my motor out, went back in to have a chat and shut up the workshop and then noticed the thrust washer off a wheel bearing that had escaped under a bench 
Another job I did was a quick bit of maintenance on my starter motor, I had a leak from the FPR which finds its way into the starter solonoid and fouls the contacts which eventually stops you from starting your motor. I had five minutes to spare so grabbed a 10mm socket and a tin of electrical contact spray and dived underneath. It's a simple job, take out the three 10mm bolts, pull out the solonoid plunger, give it a spray and a rub, bit of spray on the internal contacts then shove it all back together and hey presto, working starter. You can move about fairly easily and on the whole see what you're doing but just as I was putting the plunger back in I was distracted by a chap who'd wandered over for a look-see. That's when it all went wrong, because I hadn't disconnected the battery feed things got interesting when I arced the spring on the plunger inside the solonoid barrel  Electrical contact cleaner is highly volatile and certainly lit up the area for me! Quick bit of panic flapping with a handy bit of rag to extinguish the flames and all was well, just giving me time to shout to the bystander not to release the full fat fire extinguisher that was pointed right in my face! The only problem this 5 minute job had given me was that when the spring arced across it left a lump of welded spring in the chamber stopping me sliding the plunger back in. Ended up getting some of the builders to give me a push start to get home where I had to take the motor off and file the "weld" off so it would work, Doh!
I can't be alone with having "Blonde moments", any other tales out there? |
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19th Nov 2013 12:01pm |
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| rtm89 Member Since: 14 May 2013 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 254  
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I had a beautiful series 3 that unfortunately after doing return trips to Shropshire from North Yorkshire nearly every weekend decided that the water pump had had enough. Managed to limp the poor girl home stopping every mile or so to let her cool down. I got her home and set about replacing the water pump just before her mot.
I then was back working and had to get my old fella to take her in and told him that it needed filling up with water and bleeding through before it went. Needless to say he thought I'd said I'd done it and set off to the garage. Low and behold he boiled my poor old girl and seized her solid. New engine time. My only mistake was not being clear in communication and running out of time to see the job through but it cost me plenty in the long run. |
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19th Nov 2013 12:13pm |
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| JWL Member Since: 26 Oct 2011 Location: Hereford Posts: 3443
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The first motor that I bought was a Hillman Husky van, the later one based on a Hillman Imp. My old man borrowed it one day and found himself miles from anywhere with a failing battery. He decided to top up the electrolyte with "water" out of a pop bottle he found under the seat. His mate gave him a jump start and sent him on his way back home untill..................the battery exploded and blew itself out onto the road complete with carrier and some bodywork! Yep, in pop bottles you usually find pop, allbeit some flat lemonade! Certainly stopped him from borrowing any motors from me again
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19th Nov 2013 12:27pm |
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| x-isle Member Since: 26 May 2011 Location: Midlands Posts: 1327  
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My best Doh moment was a long time ago.
I had a split gaiter on my CV, so as a temporary measure I decided to fit a split glue-up gaiter as I didn't have the tools to remove the drive shaft. Split gaiters come with some pretty strong super glue. So I got under the car, put the gaiter on, then continued to glue the split up whilst holding the gaiter in place. ........you may have guessed already....... Yes, I glued fingers to my thumb whilst holding around the driveshaft. It took me ages to release myself and included having to break the skin off my thumb to get free. Craig Rogers 2007 Puma 110 XS 2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux www.craigrogers.photography |
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19th Nov 2013 12:31pm |
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| roel Member Since: 08 Aug 2009 Location: Lelystad Posts: 2039  
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I was replacing the front discs off my disco 3.
If it is nice weather I like to do things like that outside. So I parked my Disco 3 in front off the garage and jacked it up, put axles stands under it etc and removed the wheels and brakes discs on both sides. Then I wanted to take the 90 to get new discs. The 90 was in the garage so I had to use my bicycle to get the discs. I can tell you the front discs of a disco 3 are heavy.  Roel
1984 90 2.5 na Diesel - RR V8 (1994-2001) 1997 Camel Trophy Discovery 300TDI (2001-2009) 2005 G4 Discovery III 4.4 V8 (2008-2018) It's gone but it still hurts. 2003 90 Td5 (2009-now) |
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20th Nov 2013 2:02am |
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| Happyoldgit Member Since: 14 Sep 2007 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3471 
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Doing an oil change some years ago I began to wonder why the new oil was not coming up to any mark on the dipstick, then I noticed the large puddle of clean oil under the vehicle
...and the sump plug on the workbench  Steve.
Owned numerous Land Rover vehicles of all shapes and sizes over the decades. Current Defender: A non tarts hand-bagged Puma 110 XS USW. [Insert something impressive here such as extensive list of previous Land Rovers or examples of your prestigeous and expensive items, trinkets, houses, bikes, vehicles etc] http://forums.lr4x4.com I used to be Miserable ...but now I'm ecstatic. |
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20th Nov 2013 8:49am |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20266
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At least you flushed it out I suppose MOG
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20th Nov 2013 10:37am |
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| Laurie Member Since: 22 Feb 2008 Location: Sussex, England Posts: 2897 
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Changing my keys from one hand to the other so I could search the other pocket for them.
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20th Nov 2013 11:27am |
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| Green Machine Member Since: 19 Nov 2010 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1226 
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MOG's story reminds me of one of my mates' Dad who decided he would tackle the blocked kitchen sink himself. He took the u-bend off, having carefully placed a suitable container underneath to collect the water . . . and then proceeded to empty said container into the sink. Brilliant. 2005 Td5 | 90 Station Wagon | Tonga Green
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20th Nov 2013 2:28pm |
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| Mjibex Member Since: 21 Mar 2013 Location: Reading Posts: 283 
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My father put the mower away after summer, having drained the oil.
Did he put any in the following year? - No, new engine required:( |
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22nd Nov 2013 3:35pm |
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| smb Member Since: 15 Jan 2013 Location: Cheshire Posts: 1232
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MOG, Had a similar experience, but under the influence of Westons Finest.....It took 15ltrs to find out I'd forgotten to put the sump on  |
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22nd Nov 2013 3:52pm |
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| shaggydog Member Since: 12 Aug 2012 Location: Kent Posts: 3347 
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Was stuck in traffic on the M25 trying to get home one day in the summer.
Had a fly in the cab and kept swatting at it. It would land on the dash and just as I swatted it would fly away. This continued in the heat of the midday sun as i crawled along in the stop start traffic. Anyway, some time passed and i listend to the radio enjoying the architecture of the grey concrete centeral reservation when i noticed the fly land in my crotch. Instinctively I swatted at it full force, with only a split second to realise what would be the inevertable outcome to my lightning fast reaction. Ouch
However was pleased the next day to see the cab spider had clamed a victim overnight  |
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22nd Nov 2013 6:59pm |
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