I really hate working on transverse mounted V8's!

[John Rogers]

My wife's 2003 Deville has one of those sideways V8 engines and it started missing a short while ago and the CEL lit up so I got around to plugging in the ODBII scan tool and got a P0301 which told me a miss in #1 cylinder. Of course it was the rear of the engine on the passenger side so I figured I'd start with new plugs as they were several years old. To get to them you have to pull the one piece coil pack assembly and all were burned down and to go. After finishing the from 4 I remembered how I used to work inside the 914 race car and went and got several pillows, laid them on the engine and laid down which made the work bearable. There was some smog stuff that had to come off in back and of course you can not see the nuts and there was not enough room for a mirror but finally the rear coil pack came off. #1 area had a crack in the insulation, a couple burned places and the tip that goes to the plug was burned away! Got a new one at the local FLAPS (dealer wanted $350 for it) for $140 and after an install the miss has gone away and the codes have cleared! My body only took 3 days to get over the bending, laying and flailing around when it used to only take 1! Still better than $250 and hour for the Caddy dealer or $150 and hour for private shops!

[MikeD930]

I can't stand transverse v8's, too! I changed the spark plugs on my wife's '89 Deville when she used to own it. I refused to changed the plugs on my wife's '99 Deville so she took it to an indy shop...cost $500 to replace plugs and other related ignition stuff.

[flatbutt]

Designers should be forced to do repairs on their work before it is finalized.

[yetibone]

John, I hope your wife's Cadillac doesn't ever need a new starter.

[Tobra]

Working on my Miata is like working on a lawnmower.

I took one look under the hood of a MINI and crossed it off my list.

[John Rogers]

Way back in 1988 we bought a Hyundai which at the time was the cheapest car you could get that would carry 5 people. In 1991 I burned out the clutch trying to pull out a short stump of a palm tree so the dealer wanted more than the car was worth to replace it! A guy at a shop I still use said to undo half a dozen nuts that hold the smog stuff on top of the engine and just flip it out of the way so I figured, what the hell I'll try it. What did I find......the smog junk that hid the engine all flopped over onto the cowl and there was the engine with nothing in the way! There were 4 studs holding the transmission onto the side of the engine, just like a VW Bug and after pulling the right side drive shaft, loosening the clutch and shifter and undoing 4 nuts, the transmission slid back just enough to pull the clutch! Never got a scratch, can't say that about the Caddy though as my double blood thinners make for some colorful engine parts!

[Rick V]

Every auto designer has come home and found his wife in bed with a mechanic,
Actually when I worked on Caddy in the early 90's I was told by the field rep they were designed to be manufactured and not repaired. Thus begun my hatred for domestic vehicles

[Alfasrule]

Yousss Guys got to look at this stuff before you BUY, instead of looking at all the JUNK it comes with. Which in turn will be obsolete in 5 years. That's why I drive 30 year old cars!! I'd rather deal with the problems that may arise. Don't worry I hear your cries cause me wife has a modern mode of transportation(I can't call them automobiles or cars, they are just JUNK) and I understand!! Whatever you buy Today get rid of it after 7 years of owning it!! Or just open DA WALLET!!

[fastfredracing]

Man, I always hated working on those cars. yukkkkkk!

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by MikeD94

I can't stand transverse v8's, too! I changed the spark plugs on my wife's '89 Deville when she used to own it. I refused to changed the plugs on my wife's '99 Deville so she took it to an indy shop...cost $500 to replace plugs and other related ignition stuff.

That 4.5L engine put me through college turning wrenches doing "heavy line" for a GM dealership. Aluminum heads and a cast block, once they overheat it's chocolate milk and the motor is finished.

In 1992 we were turning 1 abd 1/2 4.5L replacements a day between two techs. It was like a drive through restaurant. Pull the motor, crate it, pick a new one from another plastic crate. Day after day, after day. GM would pay parts, customer pay on labor which was a great deal for the tech.

Ah those were the days. Then came the Northstar after the 4.9 and life turned to crap. Anyway, don't ever let that guy overheat!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Designers should be forced to do repairs on their work before it is finalized.

YES! I used to be an engineering manager at an aircraft company, I LOVED bringing our mechanics in on design reviews to help take the "I'm an engineer so I'm smarter than you" types down a notch or two. The absolute best designers that I have ever met were either former mechanics that had gone back to college or hardcore DIY types that had lots of experience getting their hands dirty.

[yetibone]

Originally Posted by Rick V

Every auto designer has come home and found his wife in bed with a mechanic,
Actually when I worked on Caddy in the early 90's I was told by the field rep they were designed to be manufactured and not repaired. Thus begun my hatred for domestic vehicles

You could never say a more truthful statement than this. American cars are engineered for easy, and inexpensive manufacture to cut build costs, and boost the meager manufacturing profit margin as much as possible.

I firmly believe American auto companies have it within their marketing scope to build cars that require long labor times to repair, require specialized tools to work on, and utilize electronics with proprietary software that will require manufacturer specific contingencies to service, simply to insure that nobody but the dealer will be able to competently fix their cars. Engineered obsolescence, and engineered failure (GM intake manifold gaskets come to mind) also insure a steady stream of broken cars to fix, because there's greater profit in repair than there is in the manufacture of cars. Ford dealers love the 6.4 diesel Super Duty...

By law, private shops do have access to the same special tools and software that the dealers have, but they are offered at an enormous, almost prohibitive cost. I spend thousands every year on Ford IDS, GM SPS, and Chrysler WiTech subscriptions and product support, but I can't remember when was the last time that I needed that level of toolage on an Asian vehicle. For those, a Bosch Mastertech, Autel MaxiDAS, or a G-Scan will cover all you'll ever need for diagnostics and simple programming. Even then, they only need services like zero point calibration for traction control systems after alignment, and initialization of TPMS sensors after replacement. Comparatively small stuff next to American cars' needs.

[Bugsinrugs]

Changing coil packs and plugs on a Ford Expedition 5.4 liter was quite the adventure. I was sore for days.

[yetibone]

Originally Posted by Bugsinrugs

Changing coil packs and plugs on a Ford Expedition 5.4 liter was quite the adventure. I was sore for days.

The 24 valve ones are a real treat to change spark plugs.

[notfarnow]

Yeah, these crap cars.

Not like adjusting valves on a 911. They made that sooooo easy