Rob W. Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Today while I was jonesin for Ratsun after I finished fixing some stupid crap the previous owner did to my truck I thought it would be interesting to see just exactly how stupid people manifest themselves in bad "fixes". So post them here what did they do to your ride??? Here's mine. First thing, last week I found the passenger door handle I thought I was missing under the seat with two 2 1/2" sheetrock screws sticking out of it. The original bolts were still there but no nuts guess he thought that would hold it. Failed. Since it started warming up out here the truck started loosing power once it was warm and I couldn't figure out what was going on. So I start looking at vacuum hoses sparkplug wires you know the usual suspects. Couldn't figure it out. Well I was looking at the fuel line and its brand new then I notice another fuel line by the fuel pump and the fuel return line. Hmmm... Why is there a brand new rubber line hooked up instead of it running through that perfectly good metal one? Took the air cleaner off and the inlet pipe is in the wrong position (too close to the carb body) and no longer inline with the other side of the steel fuel line. So instead of realigning the fuel inlet pipe he just ran a rubber line. Bad idea, I guess now that the weather is warmer the rubber line must have been expanding too much under pressure and starving the carb for fuel since the pressure wasn't enough. Put everything back to stock arrangement and it runs fine now. Oh and you should have seen the hokey crap he did to "fix" the exhaust. Anyway enough for now. What did the "thinkers" do to yours?? Quote Link to comment
Laecaon Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Um, mine was smart. He at one point swapped in a L16 from a "a datsun truck." He had driven the car to New York and back. On the road he blew the Head Gasket. He kept a wood block in the car for the timing chain. I have torn my car apart, besides actually fixing the non important things (weatherstripping), he had everything working correctly. This guy was very clearly not a Datsun guy. Just a guy who happened to buy one and keep it for a good many years. He bought it in California from a dealer used. Quote Link to comment
bonvo Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 nothing for my datto but my chevy has some serious issues who connects wiring that lives under the truck and is exposed to the elements with wire nuts then runs the wires underneath the axle Quote Link to comment
SHAMUS'WAGON Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 My dad used to do valve adjustments with the engine running. I spent a lot of time unlearning most of what he taught me about my car. Quote Link to comment
Rob W. Posted March 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 My dad used to do valve adjustments with the engine running. I spent a lot of time unlearning most of what he taught me about my car. I'd like to see that I bet its fun to watch. Who knew it was even possible??? Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 On some engines you are to do valve adjustments running. When I first got my Datsun 521, I was taking auto mechanic classes at Clackamas Community College. The instructor called everybody over to watch him do a valve adjustment on an overhead cam engine, my l-16. I already had the cam cover off, and upon seeing the specification was for a hot engine, he was standing by the side of the engine, with feeler gauges, and the 14 an 17 mm wrenches, and told me to start the truck. I did, and then I hear the frantic shouts to turn it off. He had several vertical stripes on his white shop coat, where the oil from the camshaft had got him. Quote Link to comment
NWOleman Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 yeah you can adjust the valves on a chevy v8 while it's running. it's alil messy but not to bad. Quote Link to comment
yellowdatsun Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 PO fails are ALWAYS better with pictures. Quote Link to comment
Rob W. Posted March 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 PO fails are ALWAYS better with pictures. I knew that was coming too lazy last night to do it here's the exhaust I think that piece of coffee can was supposed to keep it attached. Who needs a welder right? here you can see the repairs he made to the outlet side I think that is Autozone exhaust repair tape but it might be foil and bubble gum I was afraid to touch it looks like tetnas lives there Here you can see the new fuel line I mentioned above even zip tied it for that from the factory look Quote Link to comment
DRIVEN Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 How many can you spot in this "just got it home" photo? -Rally springs in the front (yeah, the engine is still in it) and 2" lowering blocks in the back. -Alignment more than 1" toed out. Tires were past steel belts on the inside edge. Remaining tread @95%. -Cavalier seats using only 2 mounting bolts each. They were both sideways and crooked. -Fresh looking engine with severely blown head gasket. -Coil mounted with plumber's tape and wired directly to the back of the ignition switch bypassing resister block. -Exhaust system welded directly to the body. No rubber hangers. -Creative wiring that caused dash harness "thermal event". -Front bumper and brackets missing. -Front valance used as tow hook pickup point. Only 1 screw holding the grill in. -Last but not least...fighting dragons :no: . Of course, the next owner will probably think I fucked it all up and have their own list ;) . Quote Link to comment
Rob W. Posted March 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Of course, the next owner will probably think I fucked it all up and have their own list ;) . He won't mind at all as long as you leave those fighting dragons Quote Link to comment
DRIVEN Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 He won't mind at all as long as you leave those fighting dragons Too late: -Dragon...gone. -Valance...straight-er. -Grill...replaced and bolted down. -Front bumper replaced. -Wiring...repaired. -Exhaust...isolated. -Underhood wiring...repaired. Coil...replaced. -Engine...repaired and running fine. -Cavalier seats...gone. Replaced with stockers. -Wheels and tires...replaced. Properly aligned. -Ride height...corrected. Shortened struts and clipped springs. Better? Quote Link to comment
metalmonkey47 Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 (edited) HMMM..... where to start! 1. PO botched the wiring ALL over the car! He chopped it up. I'm still to this DAY finding wires that don't belong in some places and correcting them via wiring diagram. Theres a drain on the battery thats on the alternator signal I haven't found. When I got the car the charge light was off. Because the PO removed the bulb from the gauges 2. Stripped the interior. Seriously? Why in fucks name would you rip out all the interior trim and then try to sell the car? It wasn't worth what I payed for it. 3. The exhaust was hung with chicken wire and rattled all day long. 4. The timing was at about 40 degrees BTDC. And I wondered why I could never get the damn thing to idle right. 5. Over all the rusted areas, he totally destroyed it with large amounts of bondo. As I found yesterday, my car has more holes around the doors then swiss cheese. 6. Had vac lines all running together. Manifold vac on carb vac, emissions was all sorts of fucked up. 7. Chains tied to the front toe hooks. Wonder what those were for I'll add to this as I continue thinking. ETC... Edited March 15, 2011 by metalmonkey47 Quote Link to comment
Farmer Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 This one doesnt count as Stupid things previous owner did, but more like" Stupid previous Owner. While I was test driving, he tod me that the fan for defrost never worked. One of the reason he was selling. So I reached over and pulled out the lever and air began to flow. He was dumbfounded. He drove all winter like that. Larry Quote Link to comment
metalmonkey47 Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 This one doesnt count as Stupid things previous owner did, but more like" Stupid previous Owner. While I was test driving, he tod me that the fan for defrost never worked. One of the reason he was selling. So I reached over and pulled out the lever and air began to flow. He was dumbfounded. He drove all winter like that. Larry Quote Link to comment
erichwaslike Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 This one doesnt count as Stupid things previous owner did, but more like" Stupid previous Owner. While I was test driving, he tod me that the fan for defrost never worked. One of the reason he was selling. So I reached over and pulled out the lever and air began to flow. He was dumbfounded. He drove all winter like that. Larry i wood have shown him after i bought it so he didnt change his mind Quote Link to comment
metalmonkey47 Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 i wood have shown him after i bought it so he didnt change his mind I would have mentioned how "expensive" of a repair those parts are so you can justify asking less Quote Link to comment
Dirk Diggler Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 PO that was going to fix it up replaced the bad mechanical fuel pump with one of those $10 cheap electric ones from an auto store. He connected it straight to the battery and rigged in a toggle switch by cutting the wires, twisting them together, and taping them with electrical tape. He also made a fuel pump block off plate out of wood and put it where the mechanical pump goes. When I went to buy it, he showed me how you would have to flip the toggle switch to turn on the fuel pump before starting, and during the time that you got around to the drivers side to start it and to the passenger side to turn it off, fuel was pumping in. The fuel pump was so small that it would barely run under any kind of load. I wish I had a picture of the pump on the car, but I couldnt stand that being on there and tore it off the day I got it. Quote Link to comment
Rob W. Posted March 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 This one doesnt count as Stupid things previous owner did, but more like" Stupid previous Owner. While I was test driving, he tod me that the fan for defrost never worked. One of the reason he was selling. So I reached over and pulled out the lever and air began to flow. He was dumbfounded. He drove all winter like that. Larry Boy you think he'd of noticed the little fan picture on the lever and got curious or maybe googled up an answer. Well he deserved to be cold. Quote Link to comment
motavated Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 My truck had no brakes. The PO didnt want to sell me truck because he could not figure it out. Well when I drove it around it stopped ok... It had not much power and it smelled like shit. So Its weak, it smells like shit and it sorta stops. I check the compression and piston #2 was dead. So I take off the head and the head was cracked in half and badly repaired by a machine shop before. The reason it smelled like shit is the PO used 3 cans of head gasket repair. And it clogged the rad the water pump and the heater core. So I get a new head and repair the cooling system. Turn the fucken on and it felt STRONG! So off I go and take it around the block. And I just hauled so much ass! I fucken punched it as I pulled into the drive way. Pressed the brake pedal... NO BRAKES! knocked over the neighbors fence to stop it. Fucked my truck... DERP! Quote Link to comment
bilzbobaggins Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Lets see.....At some point, someone has sprayed everything under the hood and the interior black, which makes it tough to i.d. wires and such....oh and my favorite...the rockers went bad, so they pulled duct tape over them and painted the truck! Awesome bodywork... jeff Quote Link to comment
Guest kamakazi620 Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 The stupidist thing the PO did to my dattos was sell them to ME!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment
Rob W. Posted March 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 The stupidist thing the PO did to my dattos was sell them to ME!!!!!!!! Do we need another thread that goes the stupidest thing I did to my Datsun?? Quote Link to comment
Dirttrack510 Posted April 3, 2011 Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 how do you like this? the previous owner cut the springs too short and "made" these fancy wooden spacers or bump stops to keep the tires from rubbing the wheel wells. Guess what? they didn't work. lol Quote Link to comment
Burabuda Posted April 3, 2011 Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 the legacy of my car's po continues to p.o. me broke off fender bolts and just used self-tapping sheet metal screws instead :angry: Quote Link to comment
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