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Idiot Mechanics - what's your story?

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matthew1
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Year and Model: 850 T5, 1997
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Idiot Mechanics - what's your story?

Post by matthew1 »

This topic has a few good ones*, and inspired me to post this topic. What's happened to your Volvo at a shop? What have mechanics done to your car that defies logic?

* FWIW, I have been finding that general shops can screw up greasing a bicycle chain. -rmmagow
:lol: :lol:
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1998 V70, no dash lights on

1997 850 T5 [gone] w/ MSD ignition coil, Hallman manual boost controller, injectors, R bumper, OMP strut brace

2004 V70 R [gone]

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Gwiz3879
Posts: 10
Joined: 27 April 2016
Year and Model: 1995 850 glt
Location: Everett Washington

Post by Gwiz3879 »

Forgot to put my car at TDC before taking the timing belt off

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850 LPT
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Year and Model: 96' 850
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Post by 850 LPT »

Had my parking brake cables replaced on my old 850, and the parking wasn't working afterwards - at all :shock:
I just rolled my eyes and adjusted the parking brake shoes myself.

And, when I picked up the car there were black grease smudges on the interior everywhere, even on the carpet.
98' S70, base, 5-speed manual, pewter/ tan, 145k miles
99' S70, base, 5-speed manual, nautic blue/ tan, 225k miles, currently inop
06' V70, auto, willow green/ charcoal, 147k miles
79' Ford Capri S, Euro Spec 2.8 V6, T9 5-speed manual, owned since 1986
58' Porsche Diesel Junior
13' Honda Odyssey :oops:
84' Mercedes 300 D, gold/ tan, 420k miles (retirement project :D )

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mrbrian200
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Post by mrbrian200 »

Many, many stories I can recall from over the years. I'll tell the one that got me started working on my own cars.

'76 Mercury Montego, I was in high school. Engine shot (high mileage), acquired a low mileage used motor, had a local mechanic drop it in. Picked up the vehicle, ran great for about 5 miles, then would start hard (cold or hot), idle rough, and run hot with poor power. Dropped it off to have them take a look. They wanted to rebuild the carb. I had them do it. Picked up second time same thing- ran good for just a few miles. I opened the hood and started poking around. Though at the time I barely understood what it did, I caught that the distributor set bolt wasn't tightened down and the distributor could be rotated freely, and the idle would smooth out at a certain spot. Hence my first chiltons manual and a timing light. I never used that shop again. They went out of business sometime around 8 years later.

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