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

[abscate]

Humility today.

Went to change serp belt on my VW T4 - tensioner released, belt off. Used by ABN serp belt tool, and suddenly found the tensioner pulley had stripped out.

RTFM

"Do not use the tensioner pulley to install belt. Insert an M8-50 bolt into threaded insert to release tension."

Cost of humility, $227

Doh!!!

[MoVolvos]

*
Saw a guy on Youtube reviewing the Atlas at an auto show. Showed how cavernous the 3rd row was with a ton of leg and headroom for adults. Not too difficult to get into also and much more room than the Odyssey's 3rd row which sat 3 persons. My parents were in the middle row buckets and the 3 kids in the back when in the Odyssey.

Fast forward 1.5 years after purchasing. Son and I were discussing a family road trip with their Gramps with one additional guest. "Dad, the 3rd row is for 2 not 3. There is no middle shoulder belt let alone a seat belt. It's like the 2 seater in the back of the C30."

The primary reason for buying was it sat 8 (Not ). "It's okay Dad, brother and I both drive now so we'll take 2 cars. Don't really want to be in the 3rd row."

*

[smacknab]

Developed a noise in my right axle after dropping my oil pan, later read clear as day in my haynes to be careful when jacking up engine to clear oil pan as not to damage the axle.

Snapped the lower shock bolt on the delta link and ended up replacing the entire assembly with a junk yard unit.

2nd or 3rd time working on the car i replaced the tb and water pump, failed to remove all the old gasket off the water pump seal and had to go redo the job after leaking coolant.

Bought the car with low compression between cylinders (unknowingly). Decided to do the head gasket over Christmas in 15 degree weather with the car half pulled into a unheated garage. A few days later it was high 40's

After ac compressor seized i decided to refresh the entire system including the evaporator since i read it was a known common failure point. After disassembling and reassembling the entire dash i found service receipts for replacing the evap only a few years earlier.

Drilled out rounded caliper bolt i couldn't get off, ended up off-angle and drilled into the knuckle, replaced the entire knuckle with junkyard unit.

Spent months chasing after an ETS light, ended up being caused by the brake pedal position sensor (which i also had a code for).

[BlackBart]

This is the best thread. It makes us all feel better about the stoopid things we've done in the garage, that we're not the only ones, and that we're all in this together.

[abscate]

We’re all in this......

[abscate]

Have to update with my ManBeetle

At 70 mph, the rear wheel locked up, destroying the wheel, two tires, caliper, rotor , amd bracket.

I also had to rosebud the rear axle to straighten the bent bracket attach.

Luckily, no cats were harmed.

[BlackBart]

Might have been another entry to add here......!

badfoot.jpeg (542.32 KiB) Viewed 1352 times

[BlackBart]

^ wait a sec...have we all discussed cause yet and I've missed it? Which piece failed first? The rotor fractured? And why?

[abscate]

Dumba**** failed to torque the caliper attach bracket correctly to the rear axle. It got loose, the caliper swung up and machined out the alloy wheel, which blew the tire, and then caught in the alloy, fracturing the rotor, bracket, and tires.

I suspect I put the bolts in and never got around to torquing them, due to a long day and user fatigue. They drove for about two months/900 miles

I like welding in bare feet - it keeps you aware of where the metal is going

[BlackBart]

Wow, that could easily have been way more catastrophic. Lucky you could stop it straight. And that it didn't lock up in a downhill turn on a 2-lane. Whew!