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What's your most embarrassing Legacy DIY mistake?


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I'm sure we have all made mistakes, but hey, we all learn from them, right?

 

Up until last year, I had never changed the oil in anything besides a go-kart.

 

In the photo below I was changing the oil... tell me what is wrong with what I had actually "changed". (I've since learned from this mistake and I don't even get a drop of oil on the ground.)

 

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b241/RadioFlyer1998/Subaru/IMG_0179.jpg

Hint: Where is that drain pan located?

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^^^ I did that on my old jeep cherokee several years ago, only I forgot to put the drain plug back and I lost 6 quarts of castrol syntec. What a mess!

 

On my LGT, I messed up the chrome rings around the projectors when I blacked the headlights out. I ended up painting over everything in black.

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When I went to install the exhaust...I had tried to put the midpipe on every single way except the right way. Didnt realize it till the next day. Either that... or I ordered an Afta Maf from Mike... and somehow AVO sent me the Throttle hose instead. I spent the next 1/2 hours trying to fit the throttle hose onto either the intake or the inlet. Only to come and realize it was the wrong part.
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When I pulled my downpipe out I was having trouble pulling it out from underneath. I pulled on it for about 30 mins before it finally came out. Only to have broke a seal and push the "half moon" seal (don't know the real name) that is near the heads into the engine causing an oil bath. :redface:
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Id be way more interested to see a photo of the look on your face when you popped the oil filter off :lol:

 

If you think that would have been good, then you would have loved to see my face when I suddenly realized that I hadn't emptied my oil at all. What I had done was empty out the entirety of my transmission fluid...

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I purchased a used starter here as mine was giving the dreaded squeal on cold mornings as it wasn't releasing from the flywheel as it should. I took the starter apart, cleaned and greased it up then installed. Car started up and I drove home. (was at a friends as I don't have a garage)

 

I didn't go anywhere the next day, but at about 8:30pm I went into my office and stepped on something... It was the spring that goes on the plunger... Was a simple fix, but I fixed it out in the cold in the dark. Thankfully, I replaced the two philips screws with bolts so I could remove the selinoid without removing the starter!

Current: 16 Crosstrek Premium w/ Eyesight & 05 Outback XT 5MT

Past Subies: 14 FXT Premium, 14 WRX hatch, 06 Legacy 2.5i SE 5MT, 98 Outback wagon

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Mine was the first time I tried to change oil using a lift. I failed to realize that when you are laying down and removing an oil filter your arm is at a very different angle. When standing up, you get a nasty lesson in fluid dynamics when you pop the filter off.
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On my old Taurus SHO. I changed the front brakes and drop it off the jack-stands. I started my test-drive in reverse but never pumped the brakes to re-establish pressure. So I rolled backwards, put the brake pedal all the way into the firewall with no result and BAM! smacked into my dads 1984 f250. Broke my tail light. Pops thought it was hilarious.
"Striving to better, oft we mar what's well." - Bill Shakespeare - car modder
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Ouch!

 

On my old 2000 LGT I had a remote starter. One night I must've left it in reverse after I backed into my old condo's garage. Started it the next morning and it backed right into my workbench and pushed the back wall of the garage off the foundation. I tried in vain to fix it myself but eventually had to go fess up to the building manager. :redface:

 

On my Altima before that, I lifted the hood too high and the back corners hit and cracked the windshield. :rolleyes:

 

Not much so far on my wagon, probably the most embarassing things so far are that I missed a couple things on my pre-purchase inspection - Invidia UP and aftermarket grill...

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Putting a short shifter in my last legacy...I set the basket bushing that sits at the bottom of the lever on the ground and eventually stepped on it like an idiot. Car ended up sitting while I waited for the dealership to order a part, find out it was the wrong part, and then order the right part and get it sent to me over the next two weeks. All because I stepped on a little tiny $5 plastic part.

"Bullet-proof" your OEM TMIC! <<Buy your kit here>>

 

Not currently in stock :(

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first time ever doing front brake pads...looking back, i was entirely too noobish to do the job based on my troubleshooting techniques. I was doing the fronts, and found a walkthrough on this site. i did the drivers side with no problems one night after i got home from work, and finished it with no issues (besides trying to slide up the rusty caliper). The pistons were easily able to be drawn in on the drivers side...I got up at the crack of dawn to do the passenger side before heading into work. getting to the pads on this side was a breeze, and literallty took a third of the time because i was familiar from doing the other side the day before. the pistons on this side would not press in no matter what. so being the noob i am, i thought maybe pumping the brakes would help get it back in...instead, it forced the pistons way too far out due to the pressure, and when i tried pushing them in again, i got a brake fluid facial. not a good way to start the day. luckily a shop down the road was able to tow me and replace it and i was only out of a ride for the day. i did get a relaxing day off work though!
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Put the clutch disc in backwards.

 

In my defense Spec labeled it backwards.

 

 

Wasn't my legacy nor my RS but rather a friends car. Completed a realitivley demanding swap. WRX motor, transmission into an RS completely by ourselves. Wiring and everything. Car starts up on the first try, when we went to back it out of the garage nothing.

 

We look over to the work bench to see the brand new Act clutch still in the box. Completely forgot to install the clutch. :lol:

 

We still laugh about this.

Slammed more than your girlfriend.
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Too many to list, but I'll try any way

  • Filling the oil after forgetting to re-install the drain plug
  • Backing out of the garage, hitting the side breaking the passenger side mirror
  • Installing FMIC without getting a clamp tight and having a friend come over at 10:30 PM to help diagnose why the car was running like crap
  • Shortly after buying the Legacy attempting to refill the washer reservoir but getting the coolant one instead
  • Swapping the turbo without draining the coolant/clamping the lines
  • Getting sprayed with fuel while finding out that you cannot use the factory fuel rails and bypass the factory fuel pressure regulator

I'm sure there's many more

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Putting sway bars on my 74 Vette. I tried to do everything perfectly. I misread the instructions and tightened the bolts down for Foot Lbs. The instructions were in inch Lbs. I kept thinking the bolts were defective when they would just snap off.
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