Most difficult project you have done on your C4?
05-07-2012, 04:07 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Most difficult project you have done on your C4?
I've basically done everything on my 86 since I got it. Cam and heads, headers/exhaust, brakes, transmission, rear gears, etc, but I have to say the project I did this past weekend was the one that kicked my butt the most. I replaced the upper and lower ball joints and I have to say I was to the point of putting a torch to the car to put me out of my misery. Anyway it's done and back on the road and riding much better.
So what has been everyone else's PITA?
So what has been everyone else's PITA?
05-07-2012, 04:18 PM
#2
Melting Slicks
Right rear wheel hub, hands down! Biggest PITA I had to deal with, not once, but twice. Moral of that story, just take the rear knuckle off and save yourself the cursing of getting in behind to remove those 3 torx bolts.
05-07-2012, 04:35 PM
#3
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
05-07-2012, 04:47 PM
#4
Le Mans Master
the motor, 
Ive got it out now, and I really worry about getting all the connectors, hoses, etc, back where they came from. Years ago, i did the heads and cam, transmission twice, and that stupid rearend at least 5 times.
Ive got it out now, and I really worry about getting all the connectors, hoses, etc, back where they came from. Years ago, i did the heads and cam, transmission twice, and that stupid rearend at least 5 times.
05-07-2012, 05:47 PM
#5
I've done all the usual stuff bearings suspension ujoints wp rad intake etc...
But the single biggest PITA was cat pee.
I once parked my car outside with the targa panel removed. I returned to find that a tom had sprayed the passenger side footwell with mutant cat musk from krypton and our yellow sun endowed it with super funk powers.
Each weekend for a cuple of weeks I tried the traditional remedies. They all failed.
After putting up with the smell for weeks I was ready for new carpet or something drastic.
What worked:
Remove the carpet and lay it flat on the garage floor.
Wearing gloves! scrub with purple degreaser cleaner and small stiff brush. (really wear the gloves)
Pressurewasher rinse until no soap bubles formed.
Sun dried and reinstalled.
But the single biggest PITA was cat pee.
I once parked my car outside with the targa panel removed. I returned to find that a tom had sprayed the passenger side footwell with mutant cat musk from krypton and our yellow sun endowed it with super funk powers.
Each weekend for a cuple of weeks I tried the traditional remedies. They all failed.
After putting up with the smell for weeks I was ready for new carpet or something drastic.
What worked:
Remove the carpet and lay it flat on the garage floor.
Wearing gloves! scrub with purple degreaser cleaner and small stiff brush. (really wear the gloves)
Pressurewasher rinse until no soap bubles formed.
Sun dried and reinstalled.
05-07-2012, 06:48 PM
#8
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Has to be a toss up for me. I'd say replacing all my suspension bushings as well as upper and lower ball joints, OR Changing the Heads and making long tube headers fit. Both sucked.
05-07-2012, 07:06 PM
#9
Race Director
Like the OP I have done about all the work on mine to include the 700R4. For sheer unending work prepping it for paint has to be the most demanding. Putting it all back together was tedious but you could see progress.
05-07-2012, 07:38 PM
#10
Instructor
Biggest PITA: getting my tall sheet metal valve covers to fit.
Most scariest: removing the engine cradle for paint and replacing it.
Most difficult: I removed my hood when I disassembled the car. While cleaning, I removed both cables that actuate the latches for the hood. I forgot to replace them. Months later I had to transport the car. I sat the hood back on and latched one side to secure it. Two weeks later I went to work on the car and the hood wouldn't open. I tried to latch the other side down thinking it was binding somehow. It finally hit me as to what I had done. It took three weeks with a coat hanger to get both sides open. At my lowest point, I stood with a cut off wheel and was seconds away from cutting the hood off. Glad my wife stopped me. I never want to do that again. Ever.
Most scariest: removing the engine cradle for paint and replacing it.
Most difficult: I removed my hood when I disassembled the car. While cleaning, I removed both cables that actuate the latches for the hood. I forgot to replace them. Months later I had to transport the car. I sat the hood back on and latched one side to secure it. Two weeks later I went to work on the car and the hood wouldn't open. I tried to latch the other side down thinking it was binding somehow. It finally hit me as to what I had done. It took three weeks with a coat hanger to get both sides open. At my lowest point, I stood with a cut off wheel and was seconds away from cutting the hood off. Glad my wife stopped me. I never want to do that again. Ever.
05-07-2012, 07:59 PM
#14
Race Director
Replacing the CDM controller for the stereo on my 91.Ive been working on my own cars as long as Ive been driving and I can honestly say this was the single most difficult job Ive EVER done!
05-07-2012, 10:06 PM
#16
Instructor
I took it over from a guy who gave up halfway through replacing the engine. Half the engine was in a box. Since I didnt take the parts off, I had no idea how they went back together. To make things worse, a lot of them were missing (and how would I know whats missing when I never saw it whole?) or broken. That it "only" took three months to get it on the road was amazing.
05-07-2012, 10:52 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
Believe it or not, weatherstripping...ball joints, bushings, hubs and Opti I can handle. Stripping off old weatherstripping sucks, installing ill-fitting stripping even more so. Who would ever think strips of spongy rubber could be so aggravating? 
05-07-2012, 11:00 PM
#20
I've always been told that tearing stuff up was the easy part. So probably when I go to put things back together.
Prior to this i would say replacing the tranny-although that wasn't really that bad, just kind of awkward.
Prior to this i would say replacing the tranny-although that wasn't really that bad, just kind of awkward.