Stupid maintenance requirements
Discussion
Thermostat on the Audi B5 S and RS4, 2.7 biturbo. Some t
t put it under the cambelt. Many more tts did the cambelt and didn't change the thermostat. Poor suckers buying them had to remove a 12 month old cambelt to change a thermostat, with both jobs requiring the significant disassembly of the entire front end of the car.
t put it under the cambelt. Many more tts did the cambelt and didn't change the thermostat. Poor suckers buying them had to remove a 12 month old cambelt to change a thermostat, with both jobs requiring the significant disassembly of the entire front end of the car.Every day a journey said:
Chubbyross said:
Every day a journey said:
I can't remember which of the V8 Ferraris (might have been the 348) was an engine out job to do the belts which needed doing at ridiculously short intervals.
Happy to be corrected but I believe it was the 355. I was thinking of getting one and that put me right off. Rubbish automotive engineering imho if you need to remove a whole engine. 
"One of the most common hurdles associated with the maintenance of most older Ferraris is the need (and expense) to replace the timing belt every 30,000 miles or 5 years. For most models prior to and including the F355 (1995-1998), replacing the timing belt(s) requires that the power plant be completely removed and reinserted into the engine bay."
from 'ere
https://www.affordablesupercar.com/post/ferraris-m...
348 is engine out I think.
donkmeister said:
W211 Mercedes E-classes with the SBC braking system - if you don't have a scanner to deactivate the braking system there's a whole procedure to go through involving disconnecting batteries (plural) and/or not opening doors for a particular length of time so that the brake system doesn't engage by itself and push the pistons out. However, to balance the brake stupidity the oil changes are ridiculously easy as it's all done from above.
If you lift all 4 wheels in the air I seem to remember it goes into "workshop mode" and won't activate to avoid doing exactly that.
finlo said:
MXRod said:
Has anyone mentioned the bypass hose on an "A" series BMC engine, MINI etc , cylinder head off job
Poor design I grant you but resolved years ago with a concertina hose.But British Leyland trumped it with the MGB GTV8 starter motor.
Then Lotus threw down the gauntlet with the Esprit petrol tank.
Generally, though, 1960s and 1970s stuff is a pleasure to work on.
Modern cars and bikes are a viper's nest of pipes, wires and sensors which are far too fiendish for my simple brain.
OllieJolly said:
Many Insignias with the 2.0 CDTI need the gearbox removing to take the sump off and replace the oil pickup O-ring.
Some have cutouts in the gearbox housing to access bolts without removing, as did our Astra, fortunately, but it's still a royal PITA to do.
My Focus is the best car I've had for changing bulbs, one screw, headlight pops out, free bulb access!
March issue of Car Mechanics magazine, titled 'O the o-ring'.Some have cutouts in the gearbox housing to access bolts without removing, as did our Astra, fortunately, but it's still a royal PITA to do.
My Focus is the best car I've had for changing bulbs, one screw, headlight pops out, free bulb access!
Muddle238 said:
I don’t know if this counts because it’s so old, but to replace the clutch on a Series Land Rover involves removing the gearbox and transfer box, through the cabin and out via the passenger door. This involves removing the floors, transmission tunnel and seat box...
No it doesn't.The seat box, floors and transmission tunnel come out, you unbolt the gearbox from its mountings and split it from the engine. The gearbox can more or less stay where it is, you just move it far enough back to get to the clutch assembly. It will take a few hours if the bolts aren't too rusty.
My clutch was last changed in about 1975, several years before I was born. I had to access the clutch to replace a clutch linkage pin in 1995 or thereabouts and found no significant wear so put it back in, it's still in there now.
Pat H said:
The A Series bypass hose wasn't great.
But British Leyland trumped it with the MGB GTV8 starter motor.
Then Lotus threw down the gauntlet with the Esprit petrol tank.
Generally, though, 1960s and 1970s stuff is a pleasure to work on.
Modern cars and bikes are a viper's nest of pipes, wires and sensors which are far too fiendish for my simple brain.
Triumph spitfire is an absolute joy to work on - bonnet and wheel arches lift all the way up and forward leaving the front wheels as comfortable seats to sit on whilst tinkering.But British Leyland trumped it with the MGB GTV8 starter motor.
Then Lotus threw down the gauntlet with the Esprit petrol tank.
Generally, though, 1960s and 1970s stuff is a pleasure to work on.
Modern cars and bikes are a viper's nest of pipes, wires and sensors which are far too fiendish for my simple brain.
I did a fuel pump replacement on a friend's SAAB 93 a few years back. I briefly checked under the back seat to ensure there was a removable plastic inspection cap. There was. I didn't remove it.
Ordered and received the new pump.
Removed the back seat, prised off the cover, expecting to see the top of the fuel pump in the tank...
I saw half the pump, with the other half hiding under the steel of the floorpan!
Turns out that between SAAB and their then owners GM, there was a discrepancy between the inspection hole and the location of the pump in the tank. Looking online, it's a well-known issue, and to replace the pump involves removal of the exhaust system, fuel lines and cables, tank clamps then drop the entire assembly down. WHAAT???!!!
I discussed the options with my friend, and we decided as it was a shed not worth much, to use tin-snips on the floorpan to cut a huge extension flap to the existing hole. Once I had replaced the pump, I just folded the huge flap back down, sprayed some zinc on the exposed steel, then replaced the carpet and the back seat.
Where there's a will, there's a way! Madness though
Ordered and received the new pump.
Removed the back seat, prised off the cover, expecting to see the top of the fuel pump in the tank...
I saw half the pump, with the other half hiding under the steel of the floorpan!
Turns out that between SAAB and their then owners GM, there was a discrepancy between the inspection hole and the location of the pump in the tank. Looking online, it's a well-known issue, and to replace the pump involves removal of the exhaust system, fuel lines and cables, tank clamps then drop the entire assembly down. WHAAT???!!!
I discussed the options with my friend, and we decided as it was a shed not worth much, to use tin-snips on the floorpan to cut a huge extension flap to the existing hole. Once I had replaced the pump, I just folded the huge flap back down, sprayed some zinc on the exposed steel, then replaced the carpet and the back seat.
Where there's a will, there's a way! Madness though
gforceg said:
donkmeister said:
RazerSauber said:
Calibra V6, removing inlet manifold to change spark plugs on left bank. That is always quite annoying.
Isn't the Calibra transverse-engined? Every day a journey said:
gforceg said:
donkmeister said:
RazerSauber said:
Calibra V6, removing inlet manifold to change spark plugs on left bank. That is always quite annoying.
Isn't the Calibra transverse-engined? I owned a Honda CB1300F, being a naked bike generally it was very easy to work on, except for the throttle cables, I was riding down to the NEC for the bike show and one of the two cables snapped, got recovered home and the following morning made a brew and set to a job that I thought would be 30 mins at the most............ Oh no get this this is the sequence from memory
Seat off, Side panels off, tank off, has look and there's absolutely no room to get the cable off the throttle body spool, So decides to consult the workshop manual, Sighed! and though just get stuck in,
So remove the tail piece, unhook all of the electrics at the back of the bike, remove both pieces of the rear mudguard, ECU, underseat storage box, battery and battery box, then rear part of the air box, except you can't because the main part of the wiring harness goes under part of the frame and because it's about an inch in diameter the rear part of the airbox is jammed.
Disconnect every electrical connector under tank and draw the harness through the frame and drape over the front of the bike, basically every connector from the headstock back is now disconnected!
slide the air filter chamber out through the middle of the frame, then the inlet plenum comes out in two pieces and you then have access to the throttle bodies, ten minutes later new cables are on and adjusted.
And then the reverse sequence to put it all back together.
Time? seven and a half fookin hours!
Back in the late '70's/ early '80's i'd owned several bikes Z650, CB900F, GS1000 and did the throttle cables on those in 30 mins or less..
Honourable two wheel mentions.
First gen Hinckley Triumphs Air filter replacement, carbs off and replace the whole air box as the filter is built in to the box.
Had to take the carbs off my CBX1000 to clean them would you believe exhaust system off then, remove front sprocket after slackening the chain, then remove all engine bolts with the exception of the rear lower and with a jack under the sump lower the engine so it pivots forward to give you access to the carbs.
Seat off, Side panels off, tank off, has look and there's absolutely no room to get the cable off the throttle body spool, So decides to consult the workshop manual, Sighed! and though just get stuck in,
So remove the tail piece, unhook all of the electrics at the back of the bike, remove both pieces of the rear mudguard, ECU, underseat storage box, battery and battery box, then rear part of the air box, except you can't because the main part of the wiring harness goes under part of the frame and because it's about an inch in diameter the rear part of the airbox is jammed.
Disconnect every electrical connector under tank and draw the harness through the frame and drape over the front of the bike, basically every connector from the headstock back is now disconnected!
slide the air filter chamber out through the middle of the frame, then the inlet plenum comes out in two pieces and you then have access to the throttle bodies, ten minutes later new cables are on and adjusted.
And then the reverse sequence to put it all back together.
Time? seven and a half fookin hours!
Back in the late '70's/ early '80's i'd owned several bikes Z650, CB900F, GS1000 and did the throttle cables on those in 30 mins or less..
Honourable two wheel mentions.
First gen Hinckley Triumphs Air filter replacement, carbs off and replace the whole air box as the filter is built in to the box.
Had to take the carbs off my CBX1000 to clean them would you believe exhaust system off then, remove front sprocket after slackening the chain, then remove all engine bolts with the exception of the rear lower and with a jack under the sump lower the engine so it pivots forward to give you access to the carbs.
I sympathise TDM, adjusting the carbs on a CBR600 is enough to bring you to tears.
Unlike most PHers my arms are like pipe cleaners and I resorted to greasing my hands and sliding them into place to access the screws, still ended up shredding my skin.
Cant think why anything like this would get approval for production especially as Honda seem to like spending money altering random bits year on year.
Unlike most PHers my arms are like pipe cleaners and I resorted to greasing my hands and sliding them into place to access the screws, still ended up shredding my skin.
Cant think why anything like this would get approval for production especially as Honda seem to like spending money altering random bits year on year.
Miserablegit said:
Pat H said:
The A Series bypass hose wasn't great.
But British Leyland trumped it with the MGB GTV8 starter motor.
Then Lotus threw down the gauntlet with the Esprit petrol tank.
Generally, though, 1960s and 1970s stuff is a pleasure to work on.
Modern cars and bikes are a viper's nest of pipes, wires and sensors which are far too fiendish for my simple brain.
Triumph spitfire is an absolute joy to work on - bonnet and wheel arches lift all the way up and forward leaving the front wheels as comfortable seats to sit on whilst tinkering.But British Leyland trumped it with the MGB GTV8 starter motor.
Then Lotus threw down the gauntlet with the Esprit petrol tank.
Generally, though, 1960s and 1970s stuff is a pleasure to work on.
Modern cars and bikes are a viper's nest of pipes, wires and sensors which are far too fiendish for my simple brain.
Spitfires and the other Herald based cars are awkward to work on in some areas as they don’t have many captive nuts meaning you need to hold a spanner at the back of the part, often tricky on your own.
I removed the seized diff from my Mk2 Vitesse in a gravel car park, that was fun but not really a regular maintenance requirement so I can forgive Triumph for that.
I removed the seized diff from my Mk2 Vitesse in a gravel car park, that was fun but not really a regular maintenance requirement so I can forgive Triumph for that.
donkmeister said:
Ian_sUK said:
donkmeister said:
Vectra C with the Z28 engines... Changing the headlamp bulbs involved removing the headlamp unit, which involved removing the front bumper (or at the very least, removing enough fixings to bend it down to the ground). Why? Some bugger had put engine right where the bulbs go in and out.
Another one for the Vectra C that caused some disagreement when I posted it before... Removing the rear bank of sparkplugs involves removing the inlet manifold. I think someone claimed they'd managed without, but I can't see how. I know Vauxhall had to remove mine as they forgot to do up the clips on the boost pipe leading to a thrilling "limp home" moment as I pulled onto a busy DC and went N/A.
It's quite doable on the Saab 9-3 version having done it myself.Another one for the Vectra C that caused some disagreement when I posted it before... Removing the rear bank of sparkplugs involves removing the inlet manifold. I think someone claimed they'd managed without, but I can't see how. I know Vauxhall had to remove mine as they forgot to do up the clips on the boost pipe leading to a thrilling "limp home" moment as I pulled onto a busy DC and went N/A.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8rmH-9CS5A
Agree the bulbs were a tad tight at times, OSF I'd remove the secondary air hose from the airbox to give more room, and NSF would just remove the filler neck from the washer bottle to get in.
I did like that engine though, despite it being not particularly efficient/clean (my XFR puts out 270g/km CO2 whereas the Vec was 262g/km with half the power!) it did sound great and made for a very relaxed drive.
Lotus Europa door droops. An absolute abortion of a design which, after a short space of time allows the doors to droop by about an inch or two. The hinges are hidden in the corner of the door pockets which means that you have to saw spanners in half to get some 20 degree purchase. There are two locknuts which rust together at top and bottom. Some people have taken 6 months of adding penetrating oil every day to loosen them....
I am a legend in Europa circles because I devised a way of loosening the nuts in less than one second! There is an answer to every engineering problem!
I am a legend in Europa circles because I devised a way of loosening the nuts in less than one second! There is an answer to every engineering problem!
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff