Repairing a Flooded Tesla Model S : HOW-TO

[Btr_ftw]

@Btr_ftw If you ever run out of your tireless energy and wit and end up needing a hand, this WPI student would be happy to help...

I may take you up on that.

The reason why my posts have slowed down is that I don't have the luxury of storing 2 cars at my house ( I already have others taking up space ) In order to take parts from the P85 I have to drive an hour to where the tow yard has the vehicle... and if I drive all that way and don't have the right tools to remove something specific??? Welp.................... see ya later!

 

[satoshi]

I may take you up on that.

The reason why my posts have slowed down is that I don't have the luxury of storing 2 cars at my house ( I already have others taking up space ) In order to take parts from the P85 I have to drive an hour to where the tow yard has the vehicle... and if I drive all that way and don't have the right tools to remove something specific??? Welp.................... see ya later!

And I complain about walking from the backyard toolshed to the front driveway when I forget a tool...

A whole friggen hour if you forget a tool, geez... That sounds painful.

 

[MP3Mike]

The reason why my posts have slowed down is that I don't have the luxury of storing 2 cars at my house ( I already have others taking up space ) In order to take parts from the P85 I have to drive an hour to where the tow yard has the vehicle... and if I drive all that way and don't have the right tools to remove something specific??? Welp.................... see ya later!

Wouldn't it be better to pay to store one of the other vehicles somewhere for a month or two while you transfer parts from the donor car? (Driving an hour back forth seems like a big waste of time and money.)

 

[satoshi]

Wouldn't it be better to pay to store one of the other vehicles somewhere for a month or two while you transfer parts from the donor car? (Driving an hour back forth seems like a big waste of time and money.)

I can't imagine the tow yard is stowing that vehicle for free either...

 

[Btr_ftw]

Wouldn't it be better to pay to store one of the other vehicles somewhere for a month or two while you transfer parts from the donor car? (Driving an hour back forth seems like a big waste of time and money.)

There are a lot of logistics going back and forth to take parts off of a car. I have to think about priority of part removal as well as space within my truck. In order to transport tools back and forth, I had to purchase one of these..

VERY cool by the way. Its on wheels and has TONS of storage.

It would make more sense if the car was in my driveway, yes. However.....

#1.... in my neighborhood the villagers will happily let me know their dissapproval if it looks like I'm running a chop shop out of my house.

EXAMPLE

Unfortunately I do not have a backyard that I can store these toys without anyone seeing.


#2 I have a paved driveway and the drive unit differential fluid and battery pack coolant has already done a number on it in terms of staining, I have to redo the driveway and the Tesla shell cannot sit there for the entire summer (which it might, who knows)

#3 Its being stored at my friend's storage yard for FREE! The drive sucks but in the northeast you will pay 100s of dollars a month to store a vehicle, and most places DO NOT allow "in and out" access for you to work on the car

#4 wife says "NO MORE PROJECTS UNTIL YOU FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED"

 

[CuriousG]

#4 wife says "NO MORE PROJECTS UNTIL YOU FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED"

Time to trade up that salvage wife.

 

[Edmond]

#1.... in my neighborhood the villagers will happily let me know their dissapproval if it looks like I'm running a chop shop out of my house.

EXAMPLE

Hmm. That's what I get for sharing. Made the bad example.

My neighbors think I'm building some hot-ass dragster. Depends on whether you have frightened judgmental neighbors or not I guess.

 

[Btr_ftw]

Hmm. That's what I get for sharing. Made the bad example.

My neighbors think I'm building some hot-ass dragster. Depends on whether you have frightened judgmental neighbors or not I guess.

Not knocking you. I just cant do what you are doing. I have "easily frightened and judgemental neighbors."

To put it nicely.....most of My neighbors are very very very old and do not have an appreciation for new/cool technology or cars, nor do they know how to mind their own business.

I remember a few years ago, I had my Z06 in pieces in my driveway and the very next day the police showed up to "investigate" they checked the vin, made sure it was mine, then we shot the breeze for 30 mins and they helped me with my clutch!

Its one of those "dont want to rock the boat" situations. As you all know, neighbors can make or break you, for a period in time I had tow trucks drop off wrecked cars and then a week later a flatbed loading up the strippped carcasses (pics to come) they thought I was running a business out of my house and.... Well. Thats another story.

Not moving anytime soon. The endgame is to wait it out. One of my neighbors has already died in the last 6 months or so.

 

[JRP3]

One of my neighbors has already died in the last 6 months or so.

That's the way to stay positive!

 

[Italio]

I may take you up on that.

If you're serious, I'll send you my info.

Best of luck with the logistics - too bad the tow yard is so far away, but great that it's free. Looked for a place to store a car near Worcester last year and at the monthly rate most companies wanted, I could nearly have been leasing a Model S...

(okay, not quite... but still a crazy amount to store a car)

 

[K5ING]

Hmm. That's what I get for sharing. Made the bad example.

My neighbors think I'm building some hot-ass dragster. Depends on whether you have frightened judgmental neighbors or not I guess.

No offense intended, but when I first saw that picture, I couldn't help but think "ahhh....Silicone Valley hillbillies!"

I'll see myself to the door.

 

[Mike K]

Not knocking you. I just cant do what you are doing. I have "easily frightened and judgemental neighbors."

To put it nicely.....most of My neighbors are very very very old and do not have an appreciation for new/cool technology or cars, nor do they know how to mind their own business.

I remember a few years ago, I had my Z06 in pieces in my driveway and the very next day the police showed up to "investigate" they checked the vin, made sure it was mine, then we shot the breeze for 30 mins and they helped me with my clutch!

Its one of those "dont want to rock the boat" situations. As you all know, neighbors can make or break you, for a period in time I had tow trucks drop off wrecked cars and then a week later a flatbed loading up the strippped carcasses (pics to come) they thought I was running a business out of my house and.... Well. Thats another story.

Not moving anytime soon. The endgame is to wait it out. One of my neighbors has already died in the last 6 months or so.

I know this pain. I came from the midwest but live in the Hollywood Hills. When we first moved up here my BMW had an incident with an old man forcing me into a parking cone. I came home and popped the bumper cover off the car to re-align it. A few of my neighbors looked at me as if I was some sort of wizard that had just completely disassembled his vehicle in his driveway. The concept of someone working on their own car, let alone popping off a major body component was so foreign to them and so normal to me.

As they asked about the car one by one I had a fun time explaining to them what it was and what I paid for it and then popping the hood to show them the frunk-liner-less guts. Surprisingly, they all seemed to dig it. But I'm a realist. If I couldn't pull a bumper cover off without gasps, there's no way I'd be able to work on a car like yours. My salvage buys must be limited to aesthetically pleasing cars.

 

[satoshi]

Its one of those "dont want to rock the boat" situations. As you all know, neighbors can make or break you, for a period in time I had tow trucks drop off wrecked cars and then a week later a flatbed loading up the strippped carcasses (pics to come) they thought I was running a business out of my house and.... Well. Thats another story.

*Feels lucky that my neighborhood is full of people who rebuild cars and don't report this kind of stuff*

 

[JRP3]

There is a reason I moved to a wooded area with a 150 acre farm across the road, the corn doesn't seem to mind whatever I do.

 

[Johan]

I had a thought: Since you sold off all the working battery modules, why not make it a true plug-in car, i.e. get long power wire that reels in and out (long enough for your commute) and have it plugged in at all times. No degradation!

 

[Btr_ftw]

I know this pain. I came from the midwest but live in the Hollywood Hills. When we first moved up here my BMW had an incident with an old man forcing me into a parking cone. I came home and popped the bumper cover off the car to re-align it. A few of my neighbors looked at me as if I was some sort of wizard that had just completely disassembled his vehicle in his driveway. The concept of someone working on their own car, let alone popping off a major body component was so foreign to them and so normal to me.

As they asked about the car one by one I had a fun time explaining to them what it was and what I paid for it and then popping the hood to show them the frunk-liner-less guts. Surprisingly, they all seemed to dig it. But I'm a realist. If I couldn't pull a bumper cover off without gasps, there's no way I'd be able to work on a car like yours. My salvage buys must be limited to aesthetically pleasing cars.

Spot on!

Cars have to be visually appealing. If it has its wheels and the body looks good then its fine!

 

[Edmond]

Several of my neighbors are aged, but all are cheerful and curious about these weird cars, as is typical with Nor'Westerners. One asked to watch me work, but I told him there is much profanity, drowning out the classical music.

Neighbors had never heard of a "Tesla", and since I have two wrecked ones they asked me if these cars are particularly prone to accidents! My cars were 100% of their solution-set after all. But after the M3 announcement, which even they had heard about, they then understood what this is all about.

No offense intended, but when I first saw that picture, I couldn't help but think "ahhh....Silicone Valley hillbillies!"

If this were a permanent display I'd have to agree. The parts car (left) looks even worse now since the front motor is dropped and left frame rail removed ('it has a missing toof'), but this week the P85D (right) goes to the frame man, after which I can reassemble.

 

[Btr_ftw]

Im facing extreme jealousy right now. If I could go back in time I would have bought a P85D with AP.

It was just too rich for my blood at that time.

 

[Btr_ftw]

Several of my neighbors are aged, but all are cheerful and curious about these weird cars, as is typical with Nor'Westerners. .

The northeast is not the least bit friendly. We have a term called "massholes" over here. And everything you may have heard about it is absolutely true.

Space is at a premium, and if someone is doing something with their property that you dont like, then like a typical "masshole" just call the cops!

I see at least 4 middle fingers directed at other people every day while driving into work, and to add insult to injury, if I want to park in the same building I work in, Id have to part with 675$ of my own money every month.

But we have nice schools so we have that going for us.

 

[Italio]

The northeast is not the least bit friendly.

I'm glad you said it. My friend drove by someone last winter who was in a tiny car trying to drive up a steep incline covered in ice. The car kept sliding back into the intersection, several times nearly hitting other cars. Mass drivers are not friendly.