Dumb Things I've done to my Camry

[bigfootbryce]

Hello.

These are funny. Now.

1. When I was replacing my brake shoes (89 2.0 liter auto) I kind of put both of the rear shoes on one side, and both of the front shoes on the other. Oh yea, it will come together that way. Didn't know it for a while. If you hit the brakes hard, you would get the "overheating sound". Kind of like a roar from the back.

2. Replaced the struts, but I put the spring upside down on the driver's side.
Rode very funny. Rides like dream now. Especially with 4 new struts and new wheel bearings.

3. Used a regular box end instead of a flare wrench on my back brake line.

4. Blew out my driver rear speaker listening to Tone Loc's funky cold medina.

That's all I can think of right now. What's yours?

[TBayToyotaBoy]

I have to respect anyone who can own-up to their goofs. I haven't logged too many of those, but I am a lazy bastard most of the time, and my eternal search for shortcuts has caused me some chuckles.

I had two spare l4 front struts in the basement, and put them on my V6 to save cash. I had forgotten that the previous year I put rear wagon struts on the car to compensate for all the weight I was carrying around in the trunk (rural paper route=200 to 300 extra lbs). End result: for about two months my humble 1990 Camry sedan looked like I had it raked for drag comp. The front sat over an inch lower than stock (and handled like shat), while the rear sat almost 1.5 inches higher than stock. Picture an elephant sitting on your hood as you drive around. With the highbeams on, I could see about 40 feet up the road.

Now c'mon, everyone else. I know you guys have some funny stories. Let it all out!

[jasonck08]

Mine would be: Snapping off the blinker shifter when a cat suddnely came out of nowhere (at night) and caused me to jerk back and snap it off. The solution was epoxy.

[Doctor J]

Mine would be using raybestos prostop brake pads for my Supra [ dirty and noisy];
letting few idiots to diagnose my cars; using pass or free retest smog stations;
letting 21st Century to handle the the Supra after thieft recovery [ the lock and key shop messed up with ign. lock, that even thief left intact using shaved key]
getting new lower control arms from E-bay [looked good but were pieces of cheap imitation]

[Musikmann]

Some of my friends think I'm dumb (or crazy) to use a Toyota dealer for service. The shop foreman has been with Toyota (started as a tech) for about 25 years and he knows these beasts quite well. I'm undoubtedly paying more than I have to for labor/parts but the job is done right the first time and they guaranty their work.

[jcb62988]

i had my engine fall out while driving my car. this happened to my 91 olds, not my camry, but its still funny

[malayan]

I was going to DEQ or Emission testing and couldn't figure out why I failed and my 3sfe was stuttering and the idle was oscilating about 300 rpm.

I advanced the timing, changed the air flow sensor, plug wires, plugs, distributor, and finally swapped out all 4 of the Fuel Injectors without the symptom changing.

WOW!.. What the hail is it?

I was discouraged. So I poceeded to read for about an hour in the (original) toyota manual that I have for my GEN2's.

After failing the first test...Feeling defeated I just took my loooong nose needle nose and started checking my vaccum hoses by squezing each hose while it was running to see any change.. Nothin!

Then I started to unplug stuff to see what happened.

Well there is a few things that you SHOULD NOT UNPLUG while the car is running.

Anyway.... I finally got to the Thottle Sensor ( on the other end of the throttle cam that the cable hooks to) and unpluggd it!...

WAAA LAAA Started running Great!

I left the plug undone and went to the DEQ center...PASSED!

I did not notice anything till the car was cold and I started it!

The RPM went to about 1900 WOW!

I plugged the Throttle Sensor Back in and the RPM went back down to 900.

I noticed that the sensor could be adjusted. So I tried pushing it all the way to the pass side.

The car acted funny from 0 throttle to 1 %. So I moved it all the way toward the drivers side...Great response now!

The Idle was a little low and it sputtered and hesitated while accelerating so I moved the distibutor(counterclockwise) up a little and retorqued the bolts.


WOW! I have a Car with a new DEQ PASS Slip and doesn't Sputter!

Sounds like a TS is in order!

$80 at the Auto Parts

so I should do the U PULL IT Shop. ALL OK NOW...he he

[Kingdom934]

My dad was doing some stuff to his '86 Camry. It was something to do with the spark plug wires. Since he was checking it up, he pulled one of the wires with the car running and stuck in this spark plug pen checker in it. Low and behold, he shocked himself and the pen lit up O_O.