Stupid maintenance requirements
Discussion
kev b said:
I am surprised there has been no mention of Ducati so far, let me nominate, well any job really!
Earlier ducatis, not so bad I dont think. Setting the valve clearence on the desmo system is a bit of a job though. But oil changes etc, not so bad. I'm going to throw in the Yamaha FZ1 here, because changing the spark plugs means removing the radiator. I tried simply shifting the radiator forward without disconnecting the coolant hoses, but thre still wasnt enough room.
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.
K-series engines need frequent cambelt changes. On the F and TF the cambelt runs AROUND an engine mount. So, to replace the cambelt (every 2 or 3 years on the VVCs) you need to unbolt the engine mount and jack the engine up so you can post the belt through the gap.
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.
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.
K-series engines need frequent cambelt changes. On the F and TF the cambelt runs AROUND an engine mount. So, to replace the cambelt (every 2 or 3 years on the VVCs) you need to unbolt the engine mount and jack the engine up so you can post the belt through the gap.
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.
CambsBill said:
Had to get the brake light switch replaced on my Atom last year. Given how open the car is you'd think you could just reach in and do it, no problems but no, the windscreen had to be taken off! 
Another reason not to have a windscreen. It was really easy when I had to do it on my Atom, just had to remove the front panel / wing mirrors.KTF said:
LochTay said:
Does this mean it would be quicker to use supports and hoist to lift body off engine to do some major work now?
I would assume the body is welded on to the floorpan after being married so good luck with that 
The hitch in this plan would be that the factory has the drivetrain and suspension all on a dedicated jig so as to position everything so the holes line up and everything just slots together. If you attempted the reverse in a garage you'd end up with a load of discombobulated drivetrain and parts all flopping around with no way to post them all back in where they need to go all at the same time. Also all the interior trim etc is added afterwards covering up fixings and such, it would not be the simple way forward.
TurboHatchback said:
I think you assume wrong, I've not watched that exact video but I've seen many similar and they tend to weld the entire bodyshell, then paint it and then marry it to the drivetrain and suspension.
The hitch in this plan would be that the factory has the drivetrain and suspension all on a dedicated jig so as to position everything so the holes line up and everything just slots together. If you attempted the reverse in a garage you'd end up with a load of discombobulated drivetrain and parts all flopping around with no way to post them all back in where they need to go all at the same time. Also all the interior trim etc is added afterwards covering up fixings and such, it would not be the simple way forward.
I looked at the video again and it is the drivetrain and suspension that is offered up where I thought it was also the floorpan as well.The hitch in this plan would be that the factory has the drivetrain and suspension all on a dedicated jig so as to position everything so the holes line up and everything just slots together. If you attempted the reverse in a garage you'd end up with a load of discombobulated drivetrain and parts all flopping around with no way to post them all back in where they need to go all at the same time. Also all the interior trim etc is added afterwards covering up fixings and such, it would not be the simple way forward.
There's a difference between the lengths one has to go to in order to carry out maintenance (see the F50) and what manufacturers want you to do during a service.
Selling Hyundais many years ago, we were pulling brake pads out of cars with well over half their friction material left and replacing them, because Hyundai set ridiculous service limits and were very sniffy about claims on the 5 year warranty if corners were cut.
Selling Hyundais many years ago, we were pulling brake pads out of cars with well over half their friction material left and replacing them, because Hyundai set ridiculous service limits and were very sniffy about claims on the 5 year warranty if corners were cut.
The one thing that Europe could have done for us when we were a member, would have been to mandate that all new cars have to be able to have headlight bulbs changed on the roadside with reasonable access.
Going back to s
te maintenance requirements - one of my friends had a French car where to replace the brake lines, you had to break the clips holding them in place (rather than reclipping them back on). That faff and a few other things made him write the car off.
Going back to s
te maintenance requirements - one of my friends had a French car where to replace the brake lines, you had to break the clips holding them in place (rather than reclipping them back on). That faff and a few other things made him write the car off.Little Pete said:
This brings back unhappy memories of my daily driver, which suffered the one and only problem it ever had, and which had the entire dash removed (for nothing) 
The mechanics eventually discovered the cause of an electrical problem, was the freak occurrence of a flint which had been thrown up from the road fast enough for it to penetrate the plastic sheathing on one of the main cables (in the engine bay FFS!) which shorted it out.
Took them quite a while to find it, but they took it as a personal challenge, and did not give up until they had it sorted.
Took my hateful Disco 3 to my local LR indy (it was 3 years old at the time) - the power tailgate release had failed.
The conversation went along the lines of:
'good news is that its only a £17 part...
Bad news is there's no way to access it without being able to open the tailgate. To do that we need to remove the interior trim, but to remove the interior trim you need the tailgate open.
So we'll need to break off the trim.
Cheers Landrover. You really thought that one through.
The conversation went along the lines of:
'good news is that its only a £17 part...
Bad news is there's no way to access it without being able to open the tailgate. To do that we need to remove the interior trim, but to remove the interior trim you need the tailgate open.
So we'll need to break off the trim.
Cheers Landrover. You really thought that one through.
vikingaero said:
The one thing that Europe could have done for us when we were a member, would have been to mandate that all new cars have to be able to have headlight bulbs changed on the roadside with reasonable access.
Agreed. I suspect that the manufacturers have/would resist it. If the EU mandate it, the UK will still Comply, though.
MC Bodge said:
vikingaero said:
The one thing that Europe could have done for us when we were a member, would have been to mandate that all new cars have to be able to have headlight bulbs changed on the roadside with reasonable access.
Agreed. I suspect that the manufacturers have/would resist it. If the EU mandate it, the UK will still Comply, though.
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