"Big Bubba Ray" (eganward01)
04/13/2014 at 13:28 • Filed to: None
5
8|
"Big Bubba Ray" (eganward01)
04/13/2014 at 13:28 • Filed to: None | 5
| 8 |
I spent all day yesterday working on my car and my family's cars, starting with work on my dad's '99 Suburban. Over the past couple months, the car had developed a horrible misfire in one of the cylinders, the oil was black from not being changed in so long, and the air filter looked like somebody took a shit on it.
I'd been trying to convince my dad to let me fix the problem, but he always refused because "Oh it doesn't matter, I'm getting rid of the car next month!" He has said this every month for easily 6 months, so yesterday I took initiative and diagnosed the problem. That terribly fouled plug you see above is what I pulled out of the number 4 cylinder. The picture doesn't quite do justice as to how fouled it really is.
I swapped in all new plugs then put in a larger air filter from a 2500 Suburban so the car can breathe a little easier and then moved on to change the oil. After draining the oil, I went to remove the oil filter, but it wouldn't budge. Whoever changed the oil last (definitely not me) forgot to apply some oil to the gasket on the filter, so the filter was basically welded to the block. I spent a good 30 minutes trying to break it free, but had no luck with my bare hands. As of yesterday, I didn't own an oil filter wrench simply because I'd never needed one.
I'd struggled with the oil filer for too long and had given up on trying to break it free, so I decided to walk down to my neighbor's house to ask if he had a filter wrench that I could borrow. This neighbor is a total gear head and he's unbelievably nice so I knew that he would have the tool and let me borrow it. Now the reason why he is so cool is that he owns TWO Dodge Vipers. The first Viper is a '99 and looks just like the one pictured below, but it's fully caged and he uses it for racing!
His second Viper is a white 2008 convertible that looks just like the one picture below.
I knew that he would be in his garage admiring/working on his cars so I walked down the driveway and rang the doorbell on his garage. Yes, he has a doorbell on his unattached, two story, Viper filled, cleanest motherfucking space you've ever seen - garage. Sure enough, he answered the door and I humbly asked if he would lend me an oil filter wrench. He disappeared for a moment while I basked in the beauty of his flawless garage.
After a minute or two he reappeared, oil filter wrench in hand and told me to keep it! He said he had four oil filter wrenches and he wouldn't need this one so I could keep it. It was a small gesture, but I was ecstatic. My neighbor confirmed for me the fact that gear heads are the nicest people around. Yesterday I proudly added an oil filter wrench to my ever expanding collection of tools!
jkm7680
> Big Bubba Ray
04/13/2014 at 13:32 |
|
Dammit, He is.
My neighbor has a F150, the other one a Civic.
Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
> Big Bubba Ray
04/13/2014 at 13:35 |
|
Had a similar occurrence yesterday. Friend's neighbor is a huge gear head, Pantera, 930, E46 M3, and two X5s. Anyway, went to his house to change my plugs and wires. I know how, but he offered to help and has all the tools I don't. Anyway, he ended up adjusting my carb for me and a few other minor things. Car people are the best.
dogisbadob
> Big Bubba Ray
04/13/2014 at 13:36 |
|
Awesome story! Glad to hear about cool neighbors with Vipers.
The hammer and screwdriver trick works too haha
|
Big Bubba Ray
> dogisbadob
04/13/2014 at 13:39 |
|
I almost had to resort to the hammer and screw driver method, but I was scared the entire top of the filter would be ruined and I wouldn't be able to get the base of it off. Thank sweet baby Jesus for neighbors with tools haha
|
Big Bubba Ray
> jkm7680
04/13/2014 at 13:44 |
|
Your neighbor game is slippin.
|
jkm7680
> Big Bubba Ray
04/13/2014 at 13:49 |
|
One of them also has a Cruiser of some sort.
yamahog
> Big Bubba Ray
04/13/2014 at 14:22 |
|
The universal oil filter wrench hasn't failed me yet, car or motorcycle!
|
Big Bubba Ray
> yamahog
04/13/2014 at 14:42 |
|
Haha I saw this post the other day and I was scared I'd have to resort to this method! I'm so glad my neighbor hooked me up with the wrench!