The great P80 Volvo Bloopers - Idiots - Fails thread - June 2023

[abscate]

I have two sets of plastic Ramps. The rhino set are heavier and better made but I should have known better than trying to drive onto them in wet weather. Live and learn

[befarrer]

I had a metal set, unless I had 2x4s between them and the wall, I would just push them forward, or if fwd, go half way up and one would shoot out. I did Jack up the vehicle and set it down on the ramps though many times.

[abscate]

You have to put the rear timing belt cover on before you install the water pump

Time lost, 15 minutes

Humility gained, considerably more

[DrJammer]

1. I was so proud that I got 32 - 8' 2x4s in my 98 S70 once. When I got the XC70, I could haul so much more! 1st week I owned the wagon, I got a load of lumber and left 1 piece too far back, I dropped the tailgate and shot a 2x4 right through the windshield.

2. Replacing strut seats on XC70 in freezing conditions. I learned to not undo the spring until done 1 side. I undid the clamps to get the other side off. My compressors were not big enough to touch the undone spring. Luckily Father in law worked for a truck fleet and had access to truck tools to compress my mistake.

2. Spent $800+ on my S70 at a dealer before I knew of MVS and drove onto the highway at Friday rush hour when the car died right in front of the dealer and I almost got run over by a semi. The mechanics rushed out and pushed the car into the garage. They actually told me they left a fluid can in the bay and it knocked the battery cable off! My compensation....a free car wash...gee thanks.

4. I once talked about volvos on a COVID thread on MVS

[amblerman]

I bought a Motive power bleeder for my s70. Volvos have a nice secure screw on cap for the brake fluid reservoir.
My 2006 honda accord does not. It's a cap that has 3 or 4 small locking nubs that engage with a slight turn of the cap. Because of this Motive doesn't have a secure adapter for hondas for their bleeder. Instead they offer a flat top adapter that you clamp on.

I decided to make one and it worked fine. What didn't work fine was that I was finishing the bleeding of the brakes on my honda in the dark and I tried to take a shortcut.

I was dissatisfied with how quickly brake fluid was coming out of the bleeder so I decided to pump the brakes a bit. That worked. Fluid now flowed faster.

While I was sitting on ground bleeding the brakes, I shined the flashlight around and noticed a HUGE puddle of brake fluid under the car. When pumped the brakes, the extra pressure over came the seal my home made adapter was making and just poured out of the master cylinder and down the engine bay. On top of the growing puddle on my driveway, I was worried about the effects of brake fluid on my engine and body paint in the engine bay. That stuff can eat paint.
So then my priority became to clean that mess up ASAP. My first step was to swear a lot. That felt good but didn't help much.

I quickly tightened up the bleeder valve, picked up my glass jar full of used brake fluid and stood up. I realized my flashlight was on the ground so I bent over to pick it up.... with the glass jar still in my hand... DOH!

I now swore even more when I realized I just poured another pint (at least) of brake fluid all over my driveway, tools and shoes.
That stuff got everywhere. On top of everything, I had to wash the driver's side of the car to remove any brake fluid that might have splashed onto it.

lesson learned. Don't do brake jobs in the dark in the driveway.

The first mistake I made was not moving the cars first. I figured I had time to finish the job without issues so I didn't move the cars around before starting. The car I was working on was now blocking all the other cars in the driveway and I didn't want people stranded just because I had to let the brake job continue the next day. Poor planning on my part.

[Fiodor]

Today I split my torque mount in half trying to remove the bushing...
I'd strongly advise against using the vice method for this one

[abscate]

Finished the timing belt,water pump ,and intake cam seal on the 1999

Start her up, chuff chuff chuff...running in4 cylinders.

Always a bit scary after a TB job.

Pull number one coil plug, no change.
Swap in spare coil no change
Swap in new spark plug , no change


Sinking feeling that I’ve bent valves somehow



Pull number 2 coil plug, no change



Swap number 1 and 2 coils

Purr purr purr



Relabel coils

[Goupil]

I might know a guy who put the exhaust hanger upside down, spent half an hour modifying the top hanger to make it work before realizing its mistake
That guy conveniently put a picture of it on my phone as well

[abscate]

That guy visited me up thread and put my center carrier bearing on upside down, too

[volvolugnut]

When I was growing up, there was a fictional member of our household - Elmo. Elmo would break things and hide things. Elmo got blamed for many things, but never was around for punishment.
Seems Elmo now moves around the country.
I think he was part of the Murphy family.
volvolugnut