# Ridiculous automotive engineering



## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

Sometimes I wonder what engineers who design vehicles are thinking.

We have a 2010 Nissan Altima. It is a nice car that is comfortable and spacious enough even for my husky frame. But I tell you, working on this thing is an exercise in patience.

I had to buy a special socket to change the spark plugs because standard spark plug sockets do not fit in the well.

On the rear brakes, there is a suspension arm right behind the lower caliper bolt that stops the bolt from being fully extracted. The only way to completely remove the caliper is to either unbolt and move the suspension arm or remove the brake caliper bracket. Also, torquing the top caliper bracket bolt must require a special torque wrench as there is no way to fit a regular torque wrench in the space.

Another issue is changing the oil filter. The filter juts out horizontally from the passenger side of the vehicle. To get to it, you have to remove the wheel and plastic fender skirt. Even then the seam between the filter and engine sits right over the frame so when you unscrew the filter, oil spills on the frame and down to the lower suspension arm. 

Every time I change the filter, I have to fashion a piece of cardboard over the frame and wedge it so it stays level and the oil flows down either side into the catch container underneath.

On my 2015 Silverado the oil filter hangs down on the passenger side of the engine. There is a polymer shroud that runs from just under the bumper to just past the back of the engine which I imagine is for aerodynamic purposes.

The oil filter sits above this shroud. To access it their is a small opening in the shroud under the filter..., well not directly under it. The filter sits slightly to the right of the opening almost over the frame. If you just unscrew the filter, oil spills down onto the top of the frame and the shroud. To minimize the mess, I have taken to puncturing the middle of the filter with an awl and letting most of the oil drain out before unscrewing it.

Then there is the oil filler cap on the valve cover. On my old 00 Silverado, the filler tube was an angled goose-neck. This permitted you to rest a funnel level and pour in the oil. 

On the 2015 the opening is inline with the valve cover. To put oil in, you have hold the filter at an angle and pour in the oil slowly so as not to have a spill over, not an easy task when trying to hold a 5-quart jug of oil. I ended up buying a special funnel that came with an assortment of caps to fit the vehicle. The bottom of the filter has an angled nipple that connects to the cap and keeps the funnel level.

On of my co-workers had a Nissan Murano with V6 engine. Changing the spark plugs required pulling off the intake manifold. That is almost almost $500 just to replace 6 spark plugs.

I am not sure what is driving such automobile design. I supposed it could be they are trying to maximize cab space. Perhaps they are also trying to force owners to have servicing and repairs done only by professional establishments.

Bad enough any repairs requiring programming has to be done by the stealerships, but it is ridiculous that they are complicating what was once relatively simple service and repairs.

I remembered perfectly setting the ignition points in my 69 VW using nothing more than a piece torn off a Three Stars brand match box.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Ha!


Automotive engineers have never worked on a car. Without question. 

We used to drop the K-member (motor and trans) out of 4th Gen F-body cars to do a tune up. It was faster.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,...... I've been a "Mechanic",.... All my life,...... Welcome to My world,.....

'n it ain't just cars,........

Heavy equipment is Best, followed by heavy trucks,.....

You wanta see "_Holy Ship_",........ Try workin' on Boats, in the 18' to 38' class,....

'n I do that for "_Fun_",......


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

I remember when you could almost sit in the engine bay of a car to work on it.

A friend of mine had a Dodge (97 Intrepid I think) and brought it over to my house for me to see it.

He opened the hood and two things immediately stood out. One, that engine is really stuffed in there. Two, where is the fracking battery? 

Turns out the battery was mounted on the bottom of the bay. To change it, you had to remove the air box, unbolt the brackets holding it down and then lift, twist and wrangle the battery out. You then had to reverse the whole process to put the new one in.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Engineers designed the Chevy V8. They didn't however, plan on fitting it into a 1966 Chevy Nova. It fit, but #8 couldn't be changed without loosening the motor mounts and lifting the engine 4".

On my 2001 Dodge Ram 3500, it has what is called brakes in a hat for parking brakes. Disc brakes all around, but conventional brakes in a "hat" on the rear. They apparently saved a lot of tooling time and money when they chose to use the right backing plate which had the adjustment hole on the bottom for the LEFT plate. There is a frame member right in front of the adjustment hole. No way to adjust the left brake.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I could change the oil while standing on my feet on the dirt straddling the cross member on this 65 with a 240 cui 6 banger. The drain plug was handy at the rear of the oil pan and the filter was on the left side crotch high. Cept for the carb, the 240 was one the best engines ford ever built for a pick-up truck, and well yes a 4 speed you couldn't wear out. 

Horizontal oil filters. On those I loosen the filter until i can turn by hand, drill a 1/4" hole in the top of its butt end through both filter sections, then rotate CCW to put the hole on the bottom. On my lawn tractor i make a throw away funnel of heavy AL foil.

Maintenance, i quit because of all the previous replies.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

Motorcycles too. Harley Davidson has all sorts of specialized tools needed for certain tasks, and they are likely not alone. They even have a little plastic trough for the 'sloppy oil filter removal' problem.


Lift the hood on my new Honda truck and it is pretty much level with shrouds and covers before you get near the actual engine, and it has a battery cooling fan.


We shoehorned North American V8s into some British sportscars back in the day and I swear we had more room.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

Drachenfire said:


> I had to buy a special socket to change the spark plugs because standard spark plug sockets do not fit in the well.


At least you could do it. I've owned several Mitsubishis where literally you have to take 1/4th of the engine apart in order to even reach the plugs. :vs_mad:

All but die-hard DIYers really need to take it to a shop for a not so simple change of plugs. 

But the good thing is the plugs are platinum tipped and last for 100,000 miles. I'm coning up on 200,000 on my 1999 Montero Sport.
.
.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

I had a few GMs that were a pain for oil changes. My S10 I had to remove a plastic shroud to access the filter or oil would dump on the inside of it. After about a dozen changes the bolt holes were shot so I had to tap them larger. Now I have a Ford V8 and it is really easy.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

I found the Altima easy to work on compared to the blame SE R Spec V Sentra I have. I replaced the engine in our grandson't Altima a year or so ago, it was hard but not as hard as this car I have now.

I think the Japanese are trying to get even with us through their cars. lol There is a no rhyme or reason for the way they engineered these cars, it is just crazy.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

BigJim said:


> I think the Japanese are trying to get even with us through their cars. lol There is a no rhyme or reason for the way they engineered these cars, it is just crazy.


I too have often quipped they are getting back at us for losing WW2.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

I'll have to back track on one vehicle I owned. A 1973 Jeep CJ5 Renegade with the 304 v8. We called it the "bastard" engine. Chrysler short block, Delco ignition on a Ford head (sitting up front), Motorcraft starter and solenoid (on the fender well), and a Motorcraft (Ford) carb.

Extremely easy to work on with all the components at arm's length, plus you could sit on the fender well if you needed to for comfort and dangle your feet in the engine compartment.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

All the old rear wheel drive vehicles were easy to work on compared to today's compact front wheel drive vehicles.


My wife used to have a Mercury Mystique. It was next to impossible to drain the engine oil without drowning the exhaust in the process. I tried putting cardboard between the drain plug and the exhaust but that didn't allow enough clearance to remove the plug. Barely room enough for a scrap piece of sheet metal.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Anyone of those cars that is a PITB for an oil change, get a remote oil filter. Dual bypass if you want to be really fancy and have super clean oil forever.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

And then there's the Audi timing chain replacement...on the _back_ side of the engine! 










Pro tip for sideways mounted oil filters: if there's room, squeeze an open disposable diaper under the filter. When you spin it off the mount, the diaper should catch the oil that spills out.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

What a freaking nightmare!!!


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

huesmann said:


> And then there's the Audi timing chain replacement...on the _back_ side of the engine!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I got a headache just looking at that...


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

huesmann said:


> And then there's the Audi timing chain replacement...on the _back_ side of the engine!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good grief, talk about a nightmare, just a little wear in each chain could cause that to be off a tooth or two in timing. Talk about a learning curve, unreal.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

chandler48 said:


> I'll have to back track on one vehicle I owned. A 1973 Jeep CJ5 Renegade with the 304 v8. We called it the "bastard" engine. Chrysler short block, Delco ignition on a Ford head (sitting up front), Motorcraft starter and solenoid (on the fender well), and a Motorcraft (Ford) carb.
> 
> Extremely easy to work on with all the components at arm's length, plus you could sit on the fender well if you needed to for comfort and dangle your feet in the engine compartment.


The Jeep 304 engine was designed and built by AMC; it was not a Chrysler block. The block and heads were cast and machined in AMC’s engine plant in Kenosha, WI. It was a later version of the AMC 290 that came out in 1966. In that era American Motors owned Jeep so they used their own AMC engines including the 232 and 258 6 cylinder models and the 304, 360 and 401 V8 models.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

I may have used "Chrysler" a little prematurely since the purchase hadn't gone through in 1973.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

The other place on vehicles that is getting harder to work is under the dash. As far back as my 00 Silverado, it was a pain removing the under-dash shroud and the (glove compartment) to change the cabin filter. One of the shroud screws was right over the transmission hub. 

The only way to get that screw back in was to use a 1/4-inch drive with a 3-inch extension. You had to put a small piece of tape around the socket and screw to hold it in place while you get the screw started.

I dread if I ever have to get under the dash of my '15 Silverado.

The battery on the V6 '15 Silverado is another PITA. 

To remove it, you have to remove a brace held in place with three bolts. You then have un-clip the massive power distribution panel from the battery and twist it out of the way, unbolt coolant reservoir and move that out of the way and then wrestle out the battery which is struggle if some moron removed the battery carry strap.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

chandler48 said:


> I may have used "Chrysler" a little prematurely since the purchase hadn't gone through in 1973.


Now it's Fiat-Chrysler.

My first car and the only car I've ever bought brand new was a 1978 Fiat 128 SL.

Grand total purchase price: $2,100. :vs_laugh:

I didn't even get my moneys-worth. Broken timing chain ruined the engine after 28,000 miles.

Nowadays, the premium mag wheels / fat tires package on a new car costs $2,100. :vs_laugh:
.
.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

> The other place on vehicles that is getting harder to work is under the dash


Forgot about that. On the Ram, e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g has to come out to service the heater core. Dash cover, dashboard, instrumentation, gear shift lever (5 speed), seats pushed all the way back. How my mechanics ever got it put back in is a miracle.

You want to change the blend doors??? 530,000 miles, I certainly don't want you to tear my truck interior out again, sure !!


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

ZZZZZ said:


> Now it's Fiat-Chrysler.
> 
> My first car and the only car I've ever bought brand new was a 1978 Fiat 128 SL.
> 
> ...


I forgot to mention the reason I brought up my Fiat in the first place.

Those clever Italians put the spare tire in the engine compartment!









.
.


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## u3b3rg33k (Jul 17, 2018)

These were my bmw v8 plugs at 100k miles:


yeah changing them sucks but every 100k? whatever I'm not complaining.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

ZZZZZ said:


> I forgot to mention the reason I brought up my Fiat in the first place.
> 
> Those clever Italians put the spare tire in the engine compartment!
> 
> ...


Subaru was putting the spare tire in the engine bay since 1977.










Both my parents and I each had a 77 Subaru Coupe when we lived in the Caribbean. 

It turned out not to be the best idea, at least not for the cars in the tropics. 

The heat from the engine would cause the tire to develop a bulge in one spot. When you drove on it, there was a pronounced vibration and if you drove on the spare to long, it would blow out at the spot where the bulge developed. We ended up just keeping the spare in the trunk.


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## Seabrook1983$ (Jun 19, 2019)

chandler48 said:


> Engineers designed the Chevy V8. They didn't however, plan on fitting it into a 1966 Chevy Nova. It fit, but #8 couldn't be changed without loosening the motor mounts and lifting the engine 4".


Ouch. How many cars repeatedly had spark plug changes of SEVEN plugs? :vs_whistle: On my 1964 Sunbeam, cannot see the last plug for beans from the engine compartment, but the clever Brits installed a large rubber plug INSIDE the car next to the gas pedal for access to the plug.

OTOH, it's a British car, so you KNOW you're going to have to work on it...:wink2:


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Seabrook1983$ said:


> OTOH, it's a British car, so you KNOW you're going to have to work on it...:wink2:


Lucas electrics ?

You know why the British drink warm beer ? --- Lucas makes the refrigerators.


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## geenowalker (Aug 19, 2013)

As an automotive engineer for a parts supplier for 10 years. I could care less about the future mechanic working on the car. If I had any ability to make their life easier I would obviously, but likely we would use the spare area or design for something better (id more affordable). Sorry...Had a Nissan Maxima 00' that I put 268K on. Their plugs bought from factory were originally made for Nissan (NGK I think). Noticable difference in plugs if you did not buy factory. 

I heard kids talk about the oiled air cleaner (K&N) and how they are better than the factory air cleaner....that was designed on a 100M computer system that considering every possibility of the system breathing. Yet...the K&N kids blow MAS flow sensors regularly. The power system is designed for MPG/HP/Torq compared with engine and trans life expectancy, not future workability.


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## jmig7 (Jul 11, 2017)

Just to ad if you want a movie about how engineers are taken out of the picture due to vanity, greed, and building vehicles on personality of the consumer watch the movie DeLorean - Living the Dream.
Classic example of Delorean whom convinced GM to build cars on vanity. When he left GM to create Delorean he fired his TOP engineers that were once on the Delorean project because they were coming up with the impracticality and faults of the vehicle vs when Delorean wet to bed with Ireland every single car that came off the line had an issue. It could have been a great utilitarian car but again the decisions were pulled by Delorean that had a vision but burned the people (engineers many others whom could make it a vialble reality)Delorean- greed and narcissism.


WE build cars today (many decades prior) on vanity not getting point A to point B or reliability of servicing.


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## geenowalker (Aug 19, 2013)

jmig7 said:


> Just to ad if you want a movie about how engineers are taken out of the picture due to vanity, greed, and building vehicles on personality of the consumer watch the movie DeLorean - Living the Dream.
> Classic example of Delorean whom convinced GM to build cars on vanity. When he left GM to create Delorean he fired his TOP engineers that were once on the Delorean project because they were coming up with the impracticality and faults of the vehicle vs when Delorean wet to bed with Ireland every single car that came off the line had an issue. It could have been a great utilitarian car but again the decisions were pulled by Delorean that had a vision but burned the people (engineers many others whom could make it a vialble reality)Delorean- greed and narcissism.
> 
> 
> WE build cars today (many decades prior) on vanity not getting point A to point B or reliability of servicing.


Most people would rather a Jaguar than a Corolla, but they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. 

When I got out of college, my dad told me to buy a reliable car (cash was very short) and don't look about getting laid because of it. My buddies were buying BMW's, new toys etc. He said that in 4 years, decide to lease a toy for 2 years as a 3rd car. Best decision I every had.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

geenowalker said:


> I heard kids talk about the oiled air cleaner (K&N) and how they are better than the factory air cleaner....that was designed on a 100M computer system that considering every possibility of the system breathing. Yet...the K&N kids blow MAS flow sensors regularly.


I saw on YouTube where Project Farm tested air filters. K&N for sure did flow more air than paper filters. But their ability to filter out contaminants ---- not so good.


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## geenowalker (Aug 19, 2013)

SPS-1 said:


> I saw on YouTube where Project Farm tested air filters. K&N for sure did flow more air than paper filters. But their ability to filter out contaminants ---- not so good.


Good or bad on contaminants aside....more flow is not always better. The system is designed for equilibrium. Everything comes at a cost.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

geenowalker said:


> Good or bad on contaminants aside....more flow is not always better. The system is designed for equilibrium. Everything comes at a cost.


Equilibrium...no. Air flow into the engine should be as devoid of restriction as possible. There is zero necessity for restriction in the Otto 4 stroke. 

Velocity and flow are two different things.


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## geenowalker (Aug 19, 2013)

Windows on Wash said:


> Equilibrium...no. Air flow into the engine should be as devoid of restriction as possible. There is zero necessity for restriction in the Otto 4 stroke.
> 
> Velocity and flow are two different things.


Otto-4 alone in isolation yes. If you are unit testing.

More airflow more power. Seals and bearings designed to last as long with constant more power? Planning keeping same MPG? These are all part of the equilibrium.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

geenowalker said:


> Otto-4 alone in isolation yes. If you are unit testing.
> 
> More airflow more power. Seals and bearings designed to last as long with constant more power? Planning keeping same MPG? These are all part of the equilibrium.



Point being, there is no requirement for restriction out of an air filter. None. The rest of what you reference with regards to power is all based on fuel, volute, and flow controls.


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## geenowalker (Aug 19, 2013)

Windows on Wash said:


> Point being, there is no requirement for restriction out of an air filter. None. The rest of what you reference with regards to power is all based on fuel, volute, and flow controls.



You are the only one making that point. The rest of us are talking about the system of the car and designed as a total purpose, not a standalone part.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

geenowalker said:


> You are the only one making that point. The rest of us are talking about the system of the car and designed as a total purpose, not a standalone part.



Than I am just clarifying the record. Your response to SPS-1 as in direct context to a comment on an air filter. In that case, more air flow through the air filter (i.e. less restriction) is ALWAYS better. Clearly not at sacrificing wear particles into the intake stream, but if the question is whether or not an air filter that flows more is better, the answer is always yes. Air density is always king. Air flow, at least in the last 60 years, was never intended to be modulated via the air filter media. 





SPS-1 said:


> I saw on YouTube where Project Farm tested air filters. K&N for sure did flow more air than paper filters. But their ability to filter out contaminants ---- not so good.





geenowalker said:


> Good or bad on contaminants aside....more flow is not always better. The system is designed for equilibrium. Everything comes at a cost.


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

My F150 has to have the battery removed to change the lamp in the headlight.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

Anyone driving pre-75 Mopar remembers the little L stamped on the ends of the driver-side wheel lugs. This lesson usually came after trying everything to get those lugs off by the mantra rightie-tightie/leftie-loosie.

The L indicated these were left-hand thread lugs.

Before you GM and Ford aficionados start guffawing sarcastically over "Mopar's bright ideas", you may want to know that GM also used left-hand lug nuts on the driver side of virtually all pre-'65 Buick, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile models. Some Ford trucks also used them most notably ones with Dana rear ends.


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## Ruko (Nov 10, 2019)

Windows on Wash said:


> Ha!
> Automotive engineers have never worked on a car.



How true! Changing the oil filter on an 08 V8 Mustang is something you remember for all time. I always remember to take it to Walmart for an oil change. 

Another thing some pseudo Ford intellect designed is the "Courtesy Wipe" windshield wipers. After the washer sprays the windshield and the four or five cleaning wipes the wipers stop and return to their rest position. That's good. Then after about 5 seconds of the cleaned windshield drying at 70 mph the wipers wipe one more time leaving a streaked windshield... Just brilliant Ford! You can't get around this stupidity unless you turn off the key which resets wiper circuit.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Speaking of air flow and equilibrium, I'll revisit the '73 Jeep Renegade with the 304. I had to change the clutch on it, and the book indicated the exhaust system needed to be removed. Well every nut and bolt broke, so I torched it off behind the collector. After the clutch install, I had to do something about an exhaust system. I decided on tuned headers and Hush Thrush mufflers, exiting just behind the door. Installed like a dream. I cranked the engine. It would fire, but die quickly. As it turned out, the headers put the engine in an out of equilibrium situation, so I had to adjust the carb outside the parameters of the stops to make up for it. Man, was that thing bad !!


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Windows on Wash said:


> Automotive engineers have never worked on a car. Without question.


I doubt that is accurate. If they go into that line of work, they are more likely than most people to work/have worked on their cars.

Its a matter of priorities. If an engine bay has more free room around the engine, the car is going to be bigger, heavier, more expensive, and consume more fuel, and you probably won't buy it because the other guy's car is cheaper, lighter, and uses less fuel. Some people will consider serviceability (like the turbo Eclipse I was looking at in the early 90's) and say no way when they open the hood. But not enough to matter. 

Cars are pretty reliable these days. You may have to change the LED headlight once, maybe never. You can be sure the engineer considers how the car will be assembled. Could be that the headlight is installed before the engine is raised into position from below. If you later need to move the alternator to access the headlight --- he just is not going to lose much sleep over it.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

Seabrook1983$ said:


> Ouch. How many cars repeatedly had spark plug changes of SEVEN plugs? :vs_whistle: On my 1964 Sunbeam, cannot see the last plug for beans from the engine compartment, but the clever Brits installed a large rubber plug INSIDE the car next to the gas pedal for access to the plug.
> 
> OTOH, it's a British car, so you KNOW you're going to have to work on it...:wink2:


Lucas Electric, it rarely worked. Long ago I had a Triumph Bonneville motorcycle with Lucas Electrics. I think their motto was, “Don’t rode at night”.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

SPS-1 said:


> Cars are pretty reliable these days. You may have to change the LED headlight once, maybe never. You can be sure the engineer considers how the car will be assembled. Could be that the headlight is installed before the engine is raised into position from below. If you later need to move the alternator to access the headlight --- he just is not going to lose much sleep over it.


The Boeing 777 was the first commercial airliner designed completely on computer. 

One of the issues the engineers addressed was the mechanics ability to get hands and tools into areas requiring maintenance using computer simulations. Based on these simulations, they made modifications to the aircraft's design.

My point is, considering the advancement in computer aided design since the 1990s, there is no reason auto manufacturers could not do something similar today.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

SPS-1 said:


> I doubt that is accurate. If they go into that line of work, they are more likely than most people to work/have worked on their cars.


That was said from a place of exaggeration. 

That said, you show me a person that has busted ANY knuckles on a car that would make it so that you have remove the engine, unintentionally mind you, to properly do a tune up. At least on the flat 6 in a Porsche, they intended for you to drop the motor and trans.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

SPS-1 said:


> Cars are pretty reliable these days. You may have to change the LED headlight once, maybe never. You can be sure the engineer considers how the car will be assembled. Could be that the headlight is installed before the engine is raised into position from below. If you later need to move the alternator to access the headlight --- he just is not going to lose much sleep over it.



An individual engineer or department might care deeply about something, but lose out to the executive design team that signs off on the model.




Old Thomas said:


> Lucas Electric, it rarely worked. Long ago I had a Triumph Bonneville motorcycle with Lucas Electrics. I think their motto was, “Don’t rode at night”.



I must have been born under a star. I had a Bonneville that never gave me a moment of electrical problems and it never leaked a drop of oil. I should have had it bronzed. I read an article many years ago that lay the blame at the connectors used by Lucas rather than the components.


We did a lot of work on British bikes and cars back in the day because they were relatively cheap and easy to work on. The post-war British economy was pretty grim resulting in pretty basic mechanicals and fostered a society of tinkerers (which you had to be). There was a lot of convergence between automotive, industrial and agricultural manufacturing during that era.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

Windows on Wash said:


> That was said from a place of exaggeration.
> 
> That said, you show me a person that has busted ANY knuckles on a car that would make it so that you have remove the engine, unintentionally mind you, to properly do a tune up. At least on the flat 6 in a Porsche, they intended for you to drop the motor and trans.


If I owned a Porsche, and I almost bought one years ago, I wouldn't trust myself to do that complicated a job right. :vs_laugh:
.
.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

lenaitch said:


> I must have been born under a star. I had a Bonneville that never gave me a moment of electrical problems and it never leaked a drop of oil. I should have had it bronzed. I read an article many years ago that lay the blame at the connectors used by Lucas rather than the components.


I spent more time fixing that Triumph than I did riding it. The stator coil was the first of a myriad of electrical component failures. It liked to leak oil, fill it with oil and check the gas. I never knew if I was going to ride or push. I traded it for a 750 Honda that never broke, it was the most reliable machine I ever owned. Sold it in 1975 and that was my last motorcycle.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

I used to rebuild Triumph TR-6's in another lifetime. Lucas was the weak point. HOWEVER, I did find, it you had a broken switch, say, you could pop it open and reverse contacts, or glue broken parts back together in order to make it home. 

Alas, when my son turned 15, my insurance agent gave me a call to warn me that I had 365 days to get rid of my TR's. or pay the price. Sadly the horsepower to weight ratio put the insurance rating right up there with a Corvette.

I still have my Stromberg 175 CDSE carb tuning tools, just as a reminder. Those carbs used no gaskets. All machined parts, and you'd better rebuild one at a time.


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## ZTMAN (Feb 19, 2015)

Replacing a driving light on a 2013 Suburban turned into a ten tool one hour project. Crazy. Have to take half the front end apart to get to it.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

One my pet peeves used to be GM interior trim panels whilst working on stereos and such. They are like an ill fitted jigsaw puzzle and I always seemed to have leftover screws. Then there was the remote mounted oil filter on my 1994 S10 pickup that had these long rubber lines with swaged aluminum ends. They eventually developed leaks and one of them required that the engine be lifted or something to get it off an out. I don't know for sure because that is one of the few jobs in my life I punted to the dealer.

And I have to say that my experience with my Toyota Tacoma is worlds better. The interior comes part and goes back together easily and no built in failure points like those S10 oil lines. Seems a lot more thought went into the design in general.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

ZTMAN said:


> Replacing a driving light on a 2013 Suburban turned into a ten tool one hour project. Crazy. Have to take half the front end apart to get to it.


I can empathize. 

Changing the bulbs on my ’00 Silverado was as simple as pulling two pins, levering out the housing, replace the bulbs and reverse the process. You could do both sides in under 10 minutes. 

While the driver’s side on my ’15 is not too difficult, I have to remove the air-box on the passenger side just to get the dust cover off to access the bulb.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

I just thought of another GM d'ooohhh. To replace a headlight bulb on my Vette, the entire bumper cover has to come off. There are like 30 special plastic clips to deal with and to try not to break. Then the challenge of getting it lined up properly. Sheesh.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

Old Thomas said:


> I spent more time fixing that Triumph than I did riding it. The stator coil was the first of a myriad of electrical component failures. It liked to leak oil, fill it with oil and check the gas. I never knew if I was going to ride or push. I traded it for a 750 Honda that never broke, it was the most reliable machine I ever owned. Sold it in 1975 and that was my last motorcycle.



Ya, those Honda CB in-line fours were tanks. A buddy still has a 550.


I must have been lucky. I took mine on a 2 month trip to the Canadian west coast/Pacific NW and the only ritual was doing a daily circle check with the wrenches to tighten things that loosened the day before. That and chain oiling (it had an 'automatic oiler' from the crankcase but that just misted oil all over everything so I blocked it).


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

chandler48 said:


> I used to rebuild Triumph TR-6's in another lifetime. Lucas was the weak point. HOWEVER, I did find, it you had a broken switch, say, you could pop it open and reverse contacts, or glue broken parts back together in order to make it home.
> 
> Alas, when my son turned 15, my insurance agent gave me a call to warn me that I had 365 days to get rid of my TR's. or pay the price. Sadly the horsepower to weight ratio put the insurance rating right up there with a Corvette.
> 
> I still have my Stromberg 175 CDSE carb tuning tools, just as a reminder. Those carbs used no gaskets. All machined parts, and you'd better rebuild one at a time.


If that Stromberg carb was anything like the ones on a mopar bob truck, it was one tough carb to rebuild. You best be paying very close attention how everything came off. If I remember correctly, that carb had 3 springs on the pump and if they were not put back exactly as they came off, it would fill the crankcase with gas. Ask me how I know this. lol


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Big Jim, you rebuilt the carb with it laying on a white sheet and laid every part out in the order it came off. You're right, it was a precision fit. And being dual Strombergs, they had to be tuned to each other. Another trick those Brits were famous for. Once tuned, however, they purred.


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## FM3 (Aug 12, 2019)

jbfan said:


> My F150 has to have the battery removed to change the lamp in the headlight.


lain: My battery is in the trunk because there's not enough room for it to fit in the engine bay.

Story time... When my friend was looking for a different car, he liked a sporty medium-smallish one with a V6 stuffed in it. I opened the hood, looked at the lack of space, and told him it's a nice car but I won't help him fix anything in the engine bay. So he bought a big Park Avenue with a V6 instead.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

I had one of those for my first motorcycle. A CB550F four cylinder with the single exhaust. Maroon color. Great bike, smooth, solid, and trouble free.




lenaitch said:


> Ya, those Honda CB in-line fours were tanks. A buddy still has a 550.
> 
> .


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## rcpaulsen (Oct 17, 2018)

chandler48 said:


> 1973 Jeep CJ5 Renegade with the 304 v8. We called it the "bastard" engine. Chrysler short block, Delco ignition on a Ford head (sitting up front), Motorcraft starter and solenoid (on the fender well), and a Motorcraft (Ford) carb.



This urban rumor still persists? AMC used a Packard V8 in the first year after the company was formed. EVERY AMC V8 after that was an AMC design. The 327 was not a Chevy. The 390 was not a Ford. The 360 was not a MOPAR. Carburetors, electronics, steering columns, and transmissions were outsourced because it made more sense than investing in designing their own.


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