|
|
|
#1
|
||||
|
||||
Brought to tears by Ol' Turbo
No, this is not a sappy "I love my car" thread. I was brought to tears because the simplest task turned into a nightmare...
What I was trying to do was remove the battery so I could inspect the tray. For some reason the hood was either unable or I had forgotten how to open in 90 degrees (the latter is more likely) went at the battery with a ratchet, then BAM!!! I feel like such an idiot for not figuring out the hood after 10 minutes of trying, then using a ratchet with an extender to try and loosen it. So, my gorgeous new paint job has a chip in a highly visible area, and the nut is completely stripped on the battery. After screaming at the top of my lungs, cursing the nut with every dirty word in the book, I am now in bed lying in the fetal position. The bolt will probably have to be cut off, which I am not equipped to handle.
__________________
1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k 1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k 1980 240D Stick China 188k 2001 CLK55 AMG 101k 2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!! Last edited by TylerH860; 10-09-2008 at 01:30 AM. |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
I feel you pain Tyler. My car was painted 1 year ago and a month ago I found a huge chip/gash in the paint on the pass side rear fender lip. I have yet to touch it up.
I have to ask, did you really cry?
__________________
1985 300TD Turbo Euro-wagon 1979 280CE 225,200 miles 1985 300D Turbo 264,000 miles 1976 240D 190,000 miles 1979 300TD 220,000 GONE but not forgotten 1976 300D 195,300 miles 1983 300D Turbo 175,000 miles http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...e485-1-2-1.jpg |
#3
|
||||
|
||||
I know how it is, when my car got sideswiped a few years ago I cried a little. It hurts!!
What actually happened? Did you break the hinge? Or is it just a paint ding. I'd just touch it up and move on....perfect paint jobs are just an accident waiting to happen. Makes me not want to have my car repainted because I know someone will probably just key it.
__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life- '15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800) '17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k) '09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k) '13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k) '01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km) '16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k) |
#4
|
||||
|
||||
See, cheap wagons have their benefits.
Your paint job is absolutely awesome on Ol' Turbo and it is just unfortunate that it is now wounded. I guess you need to get a small bit of touch up paint and you can make that spot less visible. At least Norm gave you some practice. So, vise grips wont take care of that battery bolt/nut? You can take the cable loose from the car side, remove the battery and get an easier angle/grip at the nut.
__________________
Jimmy L. '05 Acura TL 6MT 2001 ML430 My Spare Gone: '95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black '85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White '80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed '81 300TD 240K "Smash" '80 240D 230K "The Squash" '81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
there are trends in MB diesel ownership.
Rejuvination climax plateau and finally. the return to a truly vintage vehicle with a vintage 'pattina'. Your diesel's natural state of being is more powerful than any maintenance schedule can supress. Kinda like entropy. my wagon has 2 shades of vanilla paint on the outside, your paint chip is more like character. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
I did a similar thing that added a patina to my car. I tried to complete the simple task of replacing windshield washer jets. I did not know you could simply put a socket under the jet and push to push out the tabs.
Now, what I did involved trying to break the tabs with pliers. Eventually I got fed up with this, and went and got my hammer and big screwdriver. I actually pushed up the metal of the hood around the hole for the washer jets. Then, I tried to take off the washer from the top with my pliers. You guessed it, pliers slipped and I gouged the paint. That hood was almost perfect, now there is a reverse dent and a scratch in the paint near that windshield washer jet. I don't know what made me curse more, that episode, or the time it took me 8 hours to replace the front shocks. I was using a small 10mm wrench, and pb blaster on 28 year old shocks. Perhaps I should have gotten something with better leverage. It didn't help that I kept forgetting which way is to loosen or tighten.
__________________
1980 240d 1999 SL500 |
#7
|
||||
|
||||
Well, since the battery had me down, I decided to take on some other projects to reassert my masculinity.
The first thing I did was open the hood 90*. I forgot about the partially closing part. The other thing I did, which was kind of a big deal, was replace my broken air cleaner mount. Without a very long extender, its kind of like one of those games at the renaissance fair to get the ratchet down to the bottom bolt. Fortunately, this outpatient procedure was a complete success, and I can now sleep tonight. I never thought of disconnecting the battery cable itself. (not surprisingly)
__________________
1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k 1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k 1980 240D Stick China 188k 2001 CLK55 AMG 101k 2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!! |
#8
|
||||
|
||||
There's nothing wrong with a good cry. I didn't this time, but my tear ducts were welling up enough to produce a few drops.
__________________
1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k 1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k 1980 240D Stick China 188k 2001 CLK55 AMG 101k 2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!! |
#9
|
||||
|
||||
I have one word for you: Dremel
Go to Home Depot and get a Dremel moto-tool and a package of abrasive cutoff wheels for it. You can cut off frozen/mauled bolts or nuts in 30 seconds with that puppy. It's extremely useful for old car repairs.
__________________
'81 300CD - 180K, cannot be killed by any conventional means '99 Ford Escort - good MPG |
#10
|
||||
|
||||
I feel your pain Tyler!
When I replaced the AC compressor on the wagon, I wasn't careful about the solvent that I flushed through the suction line and it got on a bedsheet I had on the fender. The solvent in the sheet sat on the fender while I worked, and ate away a big chunk of paint. It was a hazy white ugly spot! I almost cried, and it certainly diminished my victorious feeling about restoring frosty cold R12 AC for the family car. I used some polishing compound and it got rid of the haze and evened it out....you can still see it, but it isn't too bad. Probably only you and those you point it out to will ever know the flaw is there.
__________________
Current Mercedes 1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed Gone and fondly remembered: 1980 orient red 240D 4-speed Gone and NOT fondly remembered: 1982 Chna Blue 300TD Other car in the stable: 2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT |
#11
|
||||
|
||||
Touch up paint man. No one will notice. Well most wont. I would try cutting the terminal not the bolt. Lead is much easier to cut than steel. No dremel tool? Bolt cutters?
__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg 1995 E420 Schwarz 1995 E300 Weiss #1987 300D Sturmmachine #1991 300D Nearly Perfect #1994 E320 Cabriolet #1995 E320 Touring #1985 300D Sedan OBK #42 |
#12
|
||||
|
||||
Sorry Tyler. Touch-up paint will help and over time the sting will fade.
I've had the nut/bolt on a post clamp strip before. Just use a slip-joint pliers and unscrew it. Use some penetrating oil first and then have at it. Here's a link to show what type I'm referring to: http://www.buy.com/prod/prima-tools-30184-slip-joint-pliers-6/q/loc/111/90140448.html There are teeth in the jaws that will grab the head easily.
__________________
Chad 2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE 1998 Acura 3.0 CL OBK#44 "Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) SOLD 1985 300TD - Red Dragon 1986 300SDL - Coda 1991 - 300TE 1995 - E320 1985 300CD - Gladys |
#13
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Nice recovery, though. Manhood restored. Just remember, there's no crying in auto repair. Or was that baseball?
__________________
1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15 '06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod) |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
Time for Oktoberfest. Put the past behind you. It will be ok.....
__________________
92 300D 2.5L OM602 OBK #59 |
#15
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Thats the funniest thing I have heard all day! But its so true! Which bolt is stripped the one on the battery tray? Thats nothing, drill it out or get a new tray.
__________________
1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
Bookmarks |
|
|