Whatever!!!!!!!!! Gearhead-EFI Edition

[CamaroDude]

New cars are such a PITA! I've been doing pm's and tires for a large rental car company and some of the things the engineers thought up on these cars are insane.

Volvo VW and Fiat all use lug bolts, when the last one comes off the wheel will fall off the car unless you have hold of it.

Then theres oil filters, most of the manufactures put them in a pretty easy spot but the Jeep Liberty, Chevy Equinox and Fiat 500(worse car ever, I accelerate faster when walking) there next to impossible to get to and drip oil all over the crossmember. Oh yeah and engine covers I guess they do it for aerodynamics, the Ford's will have a little cover that snaps in to get to the drain plug/filter but most of them you have to remove about 10 screws just to get to the drain plug/filter.

For the life of me I will never own a new car! I like older ones better anyways because to me depending on the car I see it as an investment. Anytime I fix anything it'll increase the value of it versus depreciating my wallet with no return lol

[RobertISaar]

depends on what you're dealing with....

i like the W platform for a lot of the more common maintenence tasks. example being the oil filter on the 60V6 engines is in a nice accessible place that you can remove by hand from either above or below. then again, the last Ws(only the impala left) are going to be the 2013 model year.

[EagleMark]

I rented a new Dodge Charger once, front right tire was low on air as indicatede by the dashboard? Kept putting air in by no go, light still on? Till I realized the right rear tire was flat? They had rotated tires but not changed sensors...

[CamaroDude85]

Apparently I posted from a old account I had on here that I forgot I had? I dunno I've been up since 3:30am(gotta be at work at 5am) and am half asleep now lol

Yeah the Impala's are easy for the filter they even have a nice little spout to direct the oil away from other stuff.

All the TPMS stuff is new to me. I always thought you had to reprogram them when you rotate the tires but they don't have me do it. Only time I've had to use the TPMS tool is when a Chrysler, Nissan and some Mazda's is low on air and the tire light comes on. On some of the Chrysler's and Nissan's if you leave the ignition on the light will go out without the tool.

Speaking of Mazda's had one today that was making all kinds of racket out the top end the engine. Check the dipstick, it's dry, drain the oil and maybe 2 qts came out! No leaks anywhere and it only had around 15k on the odometer so I guess who ever changed it before me didn't fill it up.

[JeepsAndGuns]

Had another demo day for the gators yesterday (saturday). Mainly to show off and let people drive the new RSX 850i. We had a total of 9 gatorss there. One XUV 550, a 855D, 825i, and the rest were RSX 850i's. Had some fun tearing it up on the track. But they had re did the track from last time I was there and cut down the jump, it was really hard to catch any air where they had them cut down.
New gator was fun. 63 HP paiggio V-twin motorcycle engine. They will throw you back in the seat and spin the rear tires on dry pavement.
Had a co-worker record a lap around the track, it did not turn out good. In person you could see everything real good and see the air, but on the video you couldnt see it. I did hit 46 MPH on the back straightaway. Top speed for these is 53 MPH.
I then took our deliver driver out for a couple laps, then we switched and he drove a couple. I decided to try and record it from the passenger seat. My first action video...lol All shot with my phone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83NVIEsZY1Q&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSsdo9fXQag&feature=plcp

[Six_Shooter]

I take it you didn't help anyone with their car this time around, eh? ;)

[1project2many]

I haven't lived near a rusty car since I was 21 and can't imagine owning a vehicle that has been driven in salt...

I know. I miss MT. It sucks when a car rusts away before I cen get enough parts and money together to do what I want with it. When this Mercedes diesel rots out (if I'm in a position to get a replacement) I'm going to be looking at one from salt free territory.

Volvo VW and Fiat all use lug bolts, when the last one comes off the wheel will fall off the car unless you have hold of it.

Same thing with the Benz. I'm still not sure what the thinking is behind that. My '36 Plymouth uses bolts but by 41 or so they'd switched to studs so Americans figured it out long ago. If you want a real fun experience, try changing a wheel on a lug bolt car at night, in the rain, with only a small flashlight.

[Six_Shooter]

My '81 Honda Prelude originally used lug bolts, but at some point someone had installed studs to use aftermarket wheels on it.

[1project2many]

And on another note...

Grandfather passed away on Oct 16th. We went to the service yesterday. Now I just heard about another friend:
http://billingsgazette.com/news/loca...cfd7b6342.html

[jim_in_dorris]

Bummer. Sorry to hear that. On the car side of things, if a Mercedes diesel doesn't rust away, they never die. Mine has (what I estimate to have sans odometer) +7000,000 miles, and I still drive it daily. I only hope that I can finish the wifes Blazer before winter, as it doesn't do snow well. Then I can sell it to the first person to come up with $500.

[JeepsAndGuns]

Went to bed last night in my 20's, woke up this moring in my 30's. Yep, I turned 30 years old today. Ugh..
I know you older member will scoff or laugh, but I've never been this old before!

[1project2many]

Well, happy birthday.

30 seems big for sure. You get to look forward to more pain and less energy and time will pass faster and faster. Oh, sure you'll be fine for a few years but it will begin to show up. A pain here, a muscle that doesn't get better there. Then suddenly you wake up one day and wish you were 30. That's when you'll truly appreciate the significance of this day. :)

I think we should use dog years. I'd be eligible for retirement already.

[EagleMark]

I remember 30! I was so depressed I was getting old... oh if I could only be 30 again...

Happy Birthday!

[RobertISaar]

it's going to take me the better part of a decade to reach the same milestone.

[JeepsAndGuns]

Ever cut a crankshaft in half? I did a couple weekends ago...lol
As some know, I am planning on a northstar dis conversion eventually. Trigger wheel seemed like the biggest hurdle. Well a couple weekends ago I was at the local pull a part to get some stuff, and while walking around I stumble across a engine laying next to a caddy, I look closer and its a northstar. Engine looked to have caught on fire as the intake is melted and a few other spots burnt, also looks high mileage. Looks like someone pulled it out to get the trans, and left the engine setting there. It was just too tempting, they only charge $27 for a engine crankshaft....lol
You can figure out the next part. Glad I come prepared. Rolled the engine over and have the crank out in a little over a hour. Brought it back home, buy a pack of meatal cutting sawsall blades and go at it with some cutting fluid. Now that took some time, went through about 4 blades, but got it cut in front of and behind the trigger wheel.
Now just some easy lathe work will get it ready to use. I will probably come out way cheaper than having one custom made from scratch.