Ever stand in "Awe" of yourself? How the H__ did you get that Diesel project done? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Carrameow · #1 11-05-2005, 07:15 PM

Every once in a while my age of 45 catches up with me and this weekend I needed like 20 naps on this nice fall day. I would have taken the Naps except I needed to switch out my brake booster .
I gave it a shot and it seemed to take me hours and hours. I felt like a clumsy geezer who never ever had used tools before. Every turn of the wrench took forever. Every trip to the toolbox took 30 minutes & eneded up with the wrong tool. Every idiotic mistake that could have been made was made....I finally got say 30% done.
I looked down at the 300D 85 I was working on.
I just couldn't believe that the last year had seen me switch out a transmission, Motor, dashboard, windshield and wiring harness. It just totally baffled me that I had actually done all that work, and for a moment I felt as if it were dream.
On a day like this it would take me like 4 hours and 4000 calories to just wash my car. I feel lethargic and sluggish, clumsy and totally inept.
Did I actually get all that Repair Work done by myself last year? On a Day like this I would have called AAA to change my tire.............Its like I had never ever worked on cars before........

Glinko · #2 11-05-2005, 07:18 PM

I eat like 500 calories a day because I'm anereksic.

RAYMOND485 · #3 11-05-2005, 07:36 PM

1984 300d Turbo
Remove Master Cyl, Remove Driver Side Under Dash Cover, Use Good
Shop Light, The Bolts Are Same Size As Master Cyl, Use Long Ext
With Flex To Install Go Upside Down On Driver Seat And Install
Master Cyl Rubber O-ring Seal To Booster, The Front Line To Bleed
Air When Adding Fluid. Done Diy 2 Hrs. Install New Sway Bar Bushing
Same Time Both Sides $10.00

phidauex · #4 11-05-2005, 07:37 PM

I stood in awe of my tremendous ability to mess up, try again, mess up, try again, mess up, try again, for 13 heroic (or stupid) hours while changing my starter (and no, it did NOT end up getting changed, though I'm getting some help on that soon).

Then, last night, I stood in awe of my ability to say, "I want these shocks installed, even though its 10:30pm", and have it be done without incident just a few hours later.

You win some, and you lose some...

peace,
sam

Palangi · #5 11-05-2005, 07:42 PM

Thanks to old age and worn out knees, I am officially in awe if I can crawl out from under the car and stand up under my own power during an oil change.

#6 11-05-2005, 08:33 PM

I have always been very mechanically inclined, however, fear of the cost of screwing up make me nervous this year. At the end of April this year I found a 1999 E300 with only 47,000 miles Shaver Import in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Both my wife and I wanted the car so we bought it.

In June the glow plug light came on. My first thought before studying the access to the glow plugs was that this is no big deal because I have done this on my 1985 300D and performed much more extensive repairs before. Once I saw what was required I was concerned and I knew my wife would not be happy if I had to pay the dealership to do this. The big scare was hearing of glow plugs breaking off

and needing to remove the intake manifold. If you are not familiar with them the E300 is a sophisticated car with sophisticated controls for a rather basic diesel engine.

Well, to make a long story short I did the work using some instructions posted here and I did it in the estimated time. Now I do not fear this. In fact I have the manifold off again right now to replace the fuel lines that were so poorly engineered.

pawoSD · #7 11-05-2005, 08:48 PM

After I completed the replacement of my motor mounts and oil cooler/lines in early April of this year when it was about 41 degrees in the garage, I did stand back in awe, I just sat and looked at what I had done for a good long while, and was QUITE happy at the probably near $700-800 in labor I had just saved.

Brian Carlton · #8 11-05-2005, 09:24 PM

Richard, I know exactly how you feel.

I'm finally nearing the end of the saga of the head replacement on the SD. Another day, today................turbo oil feed line..........turbo lower support bracket............cyclone drain lower support bracket.............exhaust downpipe top flange............exhaust downpipe lower clamp...........transmission dipstick mount............crankcase dipstick mounting ring.............valve cover............main throttle linkage............radiator drain plug...........radiator mounting clips.

Then the day was done. The time just passes by and not enough gets finished. Too much time is spent looking for ratchets and sockets............which are not more than five feet away............but..........in which direction??

Hang in there.............if this job is successful.............it will all be worth it.

Hatterasguy · #9 11-05-2005, 09:32 PM

My dad just finished putting the drivesahft back in my SDL today. (I owe him big time on this project I am so busy with work and school I just cannot find the time

)

Anyway the trans removel, and driveshaft removing went extremly smoothly. This whole job was just smoooth, their were no unexpected problems. I have to say this one I won and came out on top.

Unlike my engine mount job, last fall. Every bolt fought me on the way out and on the way back in. That was the worst job I have done so far.

Brian Carlton · #10 11-05-2005, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Anyway the trans removel, and driveshaft removing went extremly smoothly. This whole job was just smoooth, their were no unexpected problems. I have to say this one I won and came out on top.

Now if I could just figure out a way to get my 83 year old father, who wouldn't know a ratchet from a box wrench, to do the head R & R on the SD, I'd also be able to state, with some glee:

This whole job was just smoooth, their were no unexpected problems. I have to say this one I won and came out on top.

Hatterasguy · #11 11-05-2005, 09:40 PM

Go for it Brian!

Not only did he put the driveshaft back in today, but he cleaned and greased the heck out of everything. Then he cleaned up and painted a few rusty brackets!!

Very nice!