During my recent engine swap bonanza involving my 1979 Dodge Power Wagon, I had an interesting conversation with some friends. Although we all consider ourselves handy with a wrench, we each have something that we are absolutely terrible with.
For me, it's timing-related components. I have a rich history with failed timing parts, from the time my Trans Am caught fire from me using the wrong ignition module, to the most recent episode of me stabbing the distributor in my new engine 180 degrees out. One friend is notorious for snapping spark plugs, to the point where he buys an extra plug or two each time he does a tune-up. Another is infamous for blowing up rear axles, and has at least 4 that he has grenaded, including one he rebuilt!
So, what's your "kryptonite"? Do you have a reputation for royally messing up something every time you go near a vehicle with a wrench?
Secondary air systems on my wife's Smart Fortwo. Brings me to my knees like Lex Luthor giving it hard to Superman.
Burnouts. Every damn time i scatter parts. Wether its clutch and bellhousing, input shaft, driveshaft, or most recently the rear differential and housing in the miata.
Dusterbd13-michael said:
Burnouts. Every damn time i scatter parts. Wether its clutch and bellhousing, input shaft, driveshaft, or most recently the rear differential and housing in the miata.
There may be some sort of a lesson in that. 
Everything. All of it.
When is comes to wrenching I have Russian military levels of ambition, but also Russian military levels of ability.
Body Control Modules...... F GM and Audi both on those things.
Coil on Shock absorbers. Did you get the sandwich of parts right? You won't know until it's is com-pa-####ing-letely installed, And tires on the ground. And it's usually "just a few MM off", so then you go for a drive. Then go for another drive, and then go for a weeks worth of drives until the suspension differences bug you enough to tear the car apart and find out why the front driver's side is 1/4" lower than the passenger side. And the driver's rear is .5" higher than everything else!
Anything involving paint or metal forming with the intent of looking good with paint on it.
That stuff is pure voodoo, and I gladly shell out hard earned dollars when it needs to be done rather than tackle it myself. Or just leave well enough alone.
I hate tin work, welding in panels. Rust sucks and I hate it.
I can roll paint on a bedroom wall like nobodies business. I can weld new panels in rusty holes. Sprayed paint going on metal runs, or wrinkles or falls off.
No car painting for me.
Ill pay for bodywork, as I have neither the time nor the patience to do it to my exacting standards.
Everything else is on the table.
buzzboy
SuperDork
7/14/22 9:44 p.m.
Welding sheet metal. You want me to burn together 1/4" plate? I'll send it. Patch a floor pan? The backside will look like a porcupine in no time.
Duke
MegaDork
7/14/22 9:53 p.m.
Electrical connectors. You need to be able to:
- Reach them.
- Figure out how they unlatch.
- Have enough feel and leverage to unlatch them.
You get to pick two.
My back and crippled hands. Thanks military!
Dash removal does it for me. I build lots of roll cages and now I require customers to bring me the car with the dash and all ancillaries disconnected.
Automatic temperature controls
Duke said:
Electrical connectors. You need to be able to:
- Reach them.
- Figure out how they unlatch.
- Have enough feel and leverage to unlatch them.
You get to pick two.
And hope they are not so old and brittle that they break as soon as you touch them.
Sonic
UberDork
7/14/22 10:44 p.m.
Drum brakes. So many stupid springs.
Tom1200
UltraDork
7/14/22 10:47 p.m.
Sonic said:
Drum brakes. So many stupid springs.
Yup; mine is even more specific, the springs. I even have the proper tool.
Sonic said:
Drum brakes. So many stupid springs.
That's what I was going to say. Don't forget the GM parking brake mini drums that also suck.
Drum brakes and hot weather are two things I don't mind at all, and they drive a lot of people nuts.
Except the GM drums with the giant horseshoe spring. Those suck donkey balls almost as much as the one piece spring loaded GM park brake shoes. Somehow, over the axle, but it always takes way too long to figure it out.
