Nenw
Well-Known Member
As a backyard mechanic, admittedly a mediocre one, I was thinking about all the wrenching that I've done over the years, all the extra nuts and bolts I've been left with, and all the things I've had to do at least twice before getting it correct.
In the moment this can feel like time wasted. However, these are valuable lessons that we likely won't make a second time. They may be a cautionary tale for others, or one to share laugh about and shoot the shit over. Either way it's very much a part of what we do and an experience we all have in common.
I figured this could be a fun thread for us all to share these fails. Give us an opportunity to relate, pass on wisdom and perhaps help encourage others. Show that there is not much to worry about, that we all make mistakes and there is nothing that can't be fixed with this fantastic community at the ready.
Without further ado our first and my first fail with the Delica.
Nov. 2019 – That time I decided learning how to do a timing job on the van was a good idea. My first timing job no less...
Everything came apart and went together well enough, albeit a little bit slowly. Once it was all assembled, I started the van and within a minute of it idling my accessory belts started whittling away and blew off the crank pulley.
It turns out they were not running in a straight line. I have no idea how I caught this. I think I replaced the belts then noticed they were not straight. I consider that a very lucky catch.
I ended up having to tear the whole front end down again to figure out why this was happening. And realized that during reassembly I put the main timing gear on backwards causing the crank pulley to sit too far outboard.
I made the fix and have gone on to do 2 other timing jobs since, 3 if you count the redo. Neither time making that mistake again.
In the moment this can feel like time wasted. However, these are valuable lessons that we likely won't make a second time. They may be a cautionary tale for others, or one to share laugh about and shoot the shit over. Either way it's very much a part of what we do and an experience we all have in common.
I figured this could be a fun thread for us all to share these fails. Give us an opportunity to relate, pass on wisdom and perhaps help encourage others. Show that there is not much to worry about, that we all make mistakes and there is nothing that can't be fixed with this fantastic community at the ready.
Without further ado our first and my first fail with the Delica.
Nov. 2019 – That time I decided learning how to do a timing job on the van was a good idea. My first timing job no less...
Everything came apart and went together well enough, albeit a little bit slowly. Once it was all assembled, I started the van and within a minute of it idling my accessory belts started whittling away and blew off the crank pulley.
It turns out they were not running in a straight line. I have no idea how I caught this. I think I replaced the belts then noticed they were not straight. I consider that a very lucky catch.
I ended up having to tear the whole front end down again to figure out why this was happening. And realized that during reassembly I put the main timing gear on backwards causing the crank pulley to sit too far outboard.
I made the fix and have gone on to do 2 other timing jobs since, 3 if you count the redo. Neither time making that mistake again.
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