Gather round for a story of mechanical ineptitude and blisters.

[George B]

Blood is a badge of honor for sure. I am just thankful I have all my fingers in tact.

No kidding. Wrapped my fingers around the fan shroud on an 82 Caprice and promptly removed all four fingernails!

 

[S33k3r]

Please enjoy the following story at the full expense of the skin on my thumb and pointer fingers. TLDR at bottom:

A few months ago speeds 1-4 on my AC/Heat stopped working. I didn't think too much of it at the time as speed 5 still worked and lets be honest--- if I am going to do anything I do it full sendso speed 5 is good enough amiriate? Some time passed and I again became interested in making my Tahoe less of a shitbox. A week or so ago I changed the high/low beam bulbs in my Tahoe so that basically makes me a certified master technician.

I researched what might be wrong with my AC system and settled on a blower motor resistor and watched a baller video on 1A auto's youtube channel on how to change it and figured it was a drop in the bucket compared to my vast mechanical skills (heh). At the same time I decided that I would change some of my interior bulbs over to LED bulbs. I had already changed the front map light bulbs to LED along with the license plate bulbs. All that remained as the middle and rear dome light bulbs.

Today my resistor came in the mail and I was super excited. My wife watched the boy this evening while I grabbed a knee pat and headed out to the driveway with my flathead and 7mm ratchet to change the blower motor resistor. To my horror I found that the 7mm socket was slightly too large for the bolts holding the kick plate up? 6mm was too small. I tried almost every socket I had around that size and none fit! I tried the 1/4 and so on. Like I said I am basically a mechanical genius so I knew what sizes to try (sarcasm).

Defeated and deflated I decided to change the bulbs in my dome lights for an easy win before giving up for the night as it was getting dark. Do you see where this is going?

I clamber into the back seat ready for an easy changeover and reach up and grip the middle dome light bulb with my right thumb and pointer finger and promptly burn the living tar out of them till they blister cause DUH I had the passenger door open for a long ass time trying to get the kick plate off to change my blower motor resistor.

I change the side switch activated dome light bulbs with LEDS- with all the doors closed and then am able to change the middle door activated bulb after a few minutes with no more skin-searing effects.

I changed the back dome with similar hilarity after leaving the barn doors open and reaching in while the dome light was on before climbing in the back and closing the doors so the bulb would cool off. I had no idea halogen bulbs get so DAMN HOT.

I hope you enjoyed the read and I have a serious question below.

TLDR: What do I do to get the kick plate bolts out to change my blower motor resistor on my 2004 Tahoe when 7mm is too big and 6mm is too small? Also plz send aloe cause I have blisters on both thumb and pointer fingers.

We may be related...

 

[drakon543]

got my hand in a metal fan blade once. i was wearing leather gloves but it hurt so much i wasn't sure if i should even try taking the gloves off. 84 d100 ram i slipped climbing into the engine bay and in went my hand. made it 100xs worse it was like 10 degrees outside.

 

[George B]

got my hand in a metal fan blade once. i was wearing leather gloves but it hurt so much i wasn't sure if i should even try taking the gloves off. 84 d100 ram i slipped climbing into the engine bay and in went my hand. made it 100xs worse it was like 10 degrees outside.

It's gets 1000 times worse when you go inside and it warms up!

 

[OR VietVet]

Properly prepared shops have a form of a catwalk that can roll up to an engine bay and make it safe for the tech to do so while engine is running. I was at a shop that had a 2.5 ton truck pull up for a carb adjustment and the owner wanted me to do it and climb up on the front bumper and reach in. I said, No, it is unsafe to do that". He said do it or you are fired and I said no need because I quit. My tool boxes always rolled out as easily as they rolled in.

 

[Denali Brad]

Great story... I evaluate every job by the number of knuckles lost....

 

[Rocket Man]

Alright gents. Have some updates. I tried a bunch of different sockets and low and behold the third 7mm socket I tried worked on the kick plate bolts. I only took two out and just spent the entire time kneeling on a towel in my gravel driveway hating life and pushing the semi flexible kick plate out of the way. I swear to god if you ever wanted to do the retrofit cabin air filter1- don't, and 2- take out more kick plate bolts. I did watch a youtube video where the guy used a bungie to hold tension on the kick plate but that would still suck in my opinion.

Everything else went smoothly with one exception. The plug that snaked around to the back of the blower motor was a royal ***** to unclip I tried many different angles and screw driver blades to get it to unclip but finally just brute forced it. The new clip went it and clicked so at least I didn't damage the female end on the blower motor. I dont think the video I watched on 1a auto where he changed it in a suburban the blower motor clip location looked the same but maybe it was..

Now every speed on my blower works! A few images for your entertainment.

Look at this crusty boi
View attachment 258297

My handywork on the blower motor clip on the old resistor
View attachment 258298

Lastly a little easter egg found in the kickplate!
View attachment 258299
I cant find a date on it anywhere but id laugh if it was a winner 15 years ago and they lost it and couldn't find it.

Enjoy your day gents!

Either 7mm or 9/32” on those screws will work. The screw to the far left is real hard to get out and I always leave that off when reinstalling the cover. It helps to pull the carpet back.

I am an ASE Master Tech and I have the scars to prove it. You are not Baptized in to the Master realm until you have forgotten how tall you are, I am 6'4", and you have a vehicle on the lift and you stand straight up from being in a stoop over and nail your head on something sharp, like maybe a exhaust clamp or a shock mount bolt, and come out of there bleeding like a stuck pig and holding your head with blood running out between your fingers and the other techs laughing their collective asses off at your stupidity. Then and only then are you allowed to speak of your mechanical prowess.

I must qualify for something because I always bloody my bald head every time there’s anything close enough to possibly hit it on.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yea, it's like your head hunts for that shit.

 

[Rocket Man]

Yea, it's like your head hunts for that shit.

I swear that’s true. Not only that, but if I have a scab on my head from a previous hunt, it finds the exact same spot again and tears the damn scab.

 

[OR VietVet]

I feel your pain, many times in the past.