shabacash

first diy was installing my V2 in mygsr. Bitch!

midwestgsr

i always heard that DIY stuff takes twice as long and always ends up costing twice as much as anticipated... i new believe that...

i've spent thousands of dollars on my integra "learning lessons". though it pisses me off, i've learned a valuable lesson. my next car will be a stock DD and then when i can afford a project car again if/when i fuck up on DIY projects it won't be that bad because i'll still have transportation

JimBlake

In college, it was far from being my first DIY project, but it should've been simple. Wiring the illumination for some gauges in the dash, I was laying on my back reaching up under the dashboard. I forgot that in that car the cigarette lighter was live ALL THE TIME. I shorted it out with my wristwatch. Just about welded that thing right across the lighter terminals. It got really hot too. When I finally yanked it free, I discovered how many sharp edges are in there.

Years later I did it again. How hard is it to change oil, right?

First oil change on our new 1989 Saab 900 got me. The oil filter is right alongside the back of the alternator. Who disconnects their battery for an oil change? I should have. I managed to get the oilfilter wrench up against the big power terminal on the alternator.

Omniscient

My first DIY was my system. Went perfectly. Did the Hu fronts, rears, sub and amp in about a day from 10 am to 9pm. Then my next DIY was my b16 swap. Went smoothly minus some bitching I did here on the forums.

civicandtegra

my first diy was a homemade cold air for my sisters civic, used cheap dryer pipes with holes and a crappy filter. it was great till i ripped the pipe and slipped on a rock and broke my @$$

95civiclx

my first DIY was the fuel filter on a 1990 saab 900 turbo that i bought for $500. The fuel filter had NEVER been replaced. the banjo fittings were rusted, as well as the bracket holding the filter to the car, and there was a hole rusted right out through the filter. So after lots of wd-40 and some cranking with the vice grips, i finally got the bracket, and both banjo fittings off. Put the new filter on and perfect.....execpt that there was a hole in the high pressure fuel line, and it sprayed everywhere. and saab no longer makes a fuel line running from the filter to the engine bay, so i sold it. (i had it repaired but that only held for 3 days)

eonsx311

first DIY was on my 78 buick riviera coupe. rear coil springs were shot so me and a buddy decided to replace them. got the parts and started following all directions. when it came time to remove the springs (which were not compressed) we just kinda knocked them out with a hammer and the first one rocketed past my friends head. lesson learned, buy a spring compressor and dont act like a retard. people can die.

tegdude7

At 40 yrs.old now, my 1st DIY at 16 was to help my Dad save $ by doing waterpump replacement for him on his Lincoln.
Me and a friend did it all night one night, gettin' silly listening to Gloria, by whatshername, then had several bolts left over after.
It seemed to work fine, and nothing else came loose or didn't work, so we did save him at least $200.

Replaced ignition cylinder in 280ZX column once in middle of frozen winter in Dallas. Snow on the ground, car parked on street cuz key was
so worn it wouldn't unlock cylinder and turn, allowing me to go to work, worklight wired 100 ft. across lawn. It's like 30 degrees, I'm in
big-ass coat, drilling out pin in cylinder. Replace new, $12.00 cylinder. Car starts right up. YEAH !!! Then go to test drive, pull off curb,
and steering wheel locks into place. I'd put cylinder in 180 degrees wrong(upside-down), so steering wheel was locked only when car was running.
Had to do whole thing over again.

Later, I replaced leaky fuel injectors on my 280ZX. Pools of gas were collecting on top of the manifold. So I carried a fire extinguisher around
for awhile. Bought new injectors and rubber grommets(washers), then proceeded, marking everything as I went, unlike 1st DIY. Car has
overhead, metal fuel lines, which have to be cranked back after MANY bolts, so that wuz fun. Replaced injectors, started her up, and it still leaked!
WTF......I hadn't put in new rubber washers. Had to do the whole thing over again. In 1/2 the time, tho.

Friend was putting Pioneer SuperTuner in his auto during lunch break at work. Said it wasn't working after installation, could I take a look.
He said the in-line fuse kept blowing, so he just put a piece of foil in there instead. New radio....now trash.

AND THE PIECE DE' RESISTANCE - (scariest) - Stopped for gas on my lunch break in current love, 92 Teg RS. Put $10.00 in, then drove away.
But car just sputtered, and ran worse with acceleration? Idling was only luck, so at 3 mph, I returned to station. Barely made it up incline,
needing the one shot to do it across oncoming traffic. Examining situation, seems I'd grabbed the diesel handle by mistake, right next to the
unleaded ones (same bank). Called dealership, and told them about dumbass friend, and asked what would happen if so-and-so had happened.
After polite chuckle, guy explains how diesel explodes under pressure, and how it could be bad. I'm almost cryin' now.
Says I should be able to drain diesel through drain plug on bottom of tank (excellent device), then run perhaps some
Super Unleaded through there, maybe flush system later, and it could be fine....no telling. So in broad daylight, I pushed car over rain grate in
their lot, and drained that muther. Pushed back, put only $3 I had in there, and after lengthy start, and 5 min. of sputtering, car ran fine. Flushed
and changed fuel filter later, and all was/is great, 6 years now. Even made it back to work on time. Sometimes learning the hard way is best. Many other DIY's, and I'm at least $2000 ahead on labor charges. Cool.

Gno95

My first DIY ..was uh ..difficult.. I had just bought ma 95 civic ex ...and was waiting for my exhaust. Ordered a V2 AEM intake...my car is an automatic..? any one laughing right now lol...well...i parked the car in the garage....jacked up the car...took the right tire out...slid it underneath the sides ...just incase the car decided to colapse on ma head lol...As i followed the directions..i took out the stock air filter....wires ..etc...my first problem was the coolant...that shit went all over...green hot fluids...my god i must of squeeled like a girl when that crap hit ma skin.. Then as i followed to read the instructions...i got under took all the protective plastic under the bumper..as i looked were to install "the transmission mountin plate" i figured..man..this shit dont fit...i tried taking out my stock one ..but dude a wrench only goes so far lol...so i call my expert buddy..he shows up ..goes..u idiot..this is for MT only...but he says..we might be able to rig it. He pulls out my tran plate n hammers that sucker down a bit..to this day..my Intake is only been held by the rubber cuppler that goes from my intake mani to the intake it self lol...its not screwed to the chasis..or anything lol..

afte that..i done my system.. n stuff..but nothing that requires the car been takin apart engine wize.

imnot4n

Ahh yes...installing my KYB AGX shocks with my skunk2 coil overs. I put the stuck rubber bumper from the oem strut on the kyb shock which resulted in the thumbnail. Like a 64 impala with hydrals. The car could not adjust to hightening because the rubber stop was jammed between the strut and the fender. Obviosuly you need the correctly fitted rubber stops for all the different kinds of shock/struts.

*Note* That was after the car was lowered and jack removed/emergency brake disengaged. LOL funny shit