EdwardNorth
15+ Year Contributor
- 292
- 1
- Dec 20, 2003
-
Waterford,
Michigan
Hey all,
After watching last night's UIC S-pipe install turn into a 5+ hour nightmare experience, I started thinking about what other "simple" installs could go south in a heartbeat. I mean, I've done quite a few things under the hood in the past, including my E316G upgrade, Intercooler upgrade, fuel injectors and pump, a transfer case swap on my Cherokee, and even the dreaded fuel filter change on my FD. So a simple IC pipe swap should be cake, right? WRONG. I got my butt kicked and the paint on the pipe got scruffed up pretty good in the process, and I'm feeling pretty stupid right now. So I thought it might be fun (and theraputic ) to post stories of installs that unexpectedly took a turn for the worse. Here's my account of all the drama that went down last night:
I bought a Hahn Racecraft Stage II UIC S-pipe to complete my hard pipe set (already had the Hahn BOV pipe). From what I understand, they've been discontinued so I got the last one. The stock TB Elbow and rubber IC hose came off without a hitch. When I went to install the Hahn pipe, however, things went downhill fast!
First I tried connecting the 2 UICP's with the silicon coupler, then connecting the TB end to the TB. No dice. Try as I might, I could not position the flange to slide over the studs on the TB with the pipe coupled at the other end. So next I tried putting the silicon coupler on the existing BOV pipe, then connecting the TB end of the S-pipe to the studs and trying to slide the other end into the coupler after. That didn't work either. The coupler would always be rolled where the pipe was pressing into it, and even with a screwdriver I couldn't roll it out to cover the edge of the pipe. I fiddled with these 2 methods for roughly an hour but it wasn't going to happen.
I then got the idea of sliding the coupler up onto the bottom of the S-pipe, and then sliding it over the other pipe after connecting it to the TB and lining it up with the BOV pipe. That worked, except for one big detail -- I couldn't get the coupler to move or slide back down the pipe at all!! It was way to sticky and tight. I tried to twist and turn it and it seemed that the flesh would rip from my hands long before the coupler would move, so I gave up. I was now well over 2 hours into the project, the pipe was getting scratches all over it from my attempts at installing, and I was dirty, bleeding, and beat. I needed a break.
I came onto the forums here and got a few good suggestions, but I went with using soap & water as a lubricant so the coupler would slide down the S-pipe. Long story short, using this method, I finally got the pipe installed. However, the fun wasn't over.
As I was reinstalling the bolts on the TB studs, I dropped a washer down into the engine bay. I was unable to retrieve it, so I went fishing through my bags of spare parts and found a replacement. As a final kick in the balls, as I was doing the final tightening of the stud bolts, the small socket wrench I was using wound up slipping from my grip and falling way down into the bay. I used another to finish torquing the bolts, and though I could see the one that fell, it was down in the bottom of the bay and out of reach. I started the car and drove it up onto ramps, went underneath, but could not find a way to get at it or even see it from down below. Now I have to wait until tonight when I'll borrow a magnetic wand used for retrieving stuff like this, to even test-drive the car with the new pipe on. *sigh*
The only saving grace with this is that the worst scratches in the pipe's paint aren't visible with it installed, as they are basically underneath the pipe. Just knowing I scruffed it up like that will drive me crazy though.
So, that's my nightmare of a story. A seemingly simple 30-minute task turned 5+ hours of hell.
I'd love to read any stories that you guys would like to post. Thanks!
After watching last night's UIC S-pipe install turn into a 5+ hour nightmare experience, I started thinking about what other "simple" installs could go south in a heartbeat. I mean, I've done quite a few things under the hood in the past, including my E316G upgrade, Intercooler upgrade, fuel injectors and pump, a transfer case swap on my Cherokee, and even the dreaded fuel filter change on my FD. So a simple IC pipe swap should be cake, right? WRONG. I got my butt kicked and the paint on the pipe got scruffed up pretty good in the process, and I'm feeling pretty stupid right now. So I thought it might be fun (and theraputic ) to post stories of installs that unexpectedly took a turn for the worse. Here's my account of all the drama that went down last night:
I bought a Hahn Racecraft Stage II UIC S-pipe to complete my hard pipe set (already had the Hahn BOV pipe). From what I understand, they've been discontinued so I got the last one. The stock TB Elbow and rubber IC hose came off without a hitch. When I went to install the Hahn pipe, however, things went downhill fast!
First I tried connecting the 2 UICP's with the silicon coupler, then connecting the TB end to the TB. No dice. Try as I might, I could not position the flange to slide over the studs on the TB with the pipe coupled at the other end. So next I tried putting the silicon coupler on the existing BOV pipe, then connecting the TB end of the S-pipe to the studs and trying to slide the other end into the coupler after. That didn't work either. The coupler would always be rolled where the pipe was pressing into it, and even with a screwdriver I couldn't roll it out to cover the edge of the pipe. I fiddled with these 2 methods for roughly an hour but it wasn't going to happen.
I then got the idea of sliding the coupler up onto the bottom of the S-pipe, and then sliding it over the other pipe after connecting it to the TB and lining it up with the BOV pipe. That worked, except for one big detail -- I couldn't get the coupler to move or slide back down the pipe at all!! It was way to sticky and tight. I tried to twist and turn it and it seemed that the flesh would rip from my hands long before the coupler would move, so I gave up. I was now well over 2 hours into the project, the pipe was getting scratches all over it from my attempts at installing, and I was dirty, bleeding, and beat. I needed a break.
I came onto the forums here and got a few good suggestions, but I went with using soap & water as a lubricant so the coupler would slide down the S-pipe. Long story short, using this method, I finally got the pipe installed. However, the fun wasn't over.
As I was reinstalling the bolts on the TB studs, I dropped a washer down into the engine bay. I was unable to retrieve it, so I went fishing through my bags of spare parts and found a replacement. As a final kick in the balls, as I was doing the final tightening of the stud bolts, the small socket wrench I was using wound up slipping from my grip and falling way down into the bay. I used another to finish torquing the bolts, and though I could see the one that fell, it was down in the bottom of the bay and out of reach. I started the car and drove it up onto ramps, went underneath, but could not find a way to get at it or even see it from down below. Now I have to wait until tonight when I'll borrow a magnetic wand used for retrieving stuff like this, to even test-drive the car with the new pipe on. *sigh*
The only saving grace with this is that the worst scratches in the pipe's paint aren't visible with it installed, as they are basically underneath the pipe. Just knowing I scruffed it up like that will drive me crazy though.
So, that's my nightmare of a story. A seemingly simple 30-minute task turned 5+ hours of hell.
I'd love to read any stories that you guys would like to post. Thanks!