Big hands are a pain

[capt. apathy]

Originally posted by rpm371
The idea behind this is to eliminate the ability to repair outside of a Factory Authorized repair facility. It's not far from happening either.

I bought a ford escort in 86.  for just about any repair you had to make on that car there was a special tool required.

the price of these tools was almost always $20 more than the dealers labor cost to do the same job.  the price had no relation to the price of very simular standard tools, but was consistant with the labor cost.

so that when faced with what should be a fairly simple job, it's actually cheaper to just pay the shop to do it.

so the end result was my car was fairly affordable to buy, but they make all their money back on repair or tool sale.

btw- I read a story on one of the new Volvos coming out.  it doesn't have a hood.  aparently the it's only designed to be accessed at a service center.

[pugg666]

Have you tried to change the plugs on ANY V-8 built since 1990? Granted there have been vast improvements in engine design (serpentine belts, ect) that have cleaned up the looks, but they managed to make some simple projects like changing a timing belt and made them like building a nuclear reactor. The idea behind this is to eliminate the ability to repair outside of a Factory Authorized repair facility. It's not far from happening either.

Tell me about it. On my old 91 accord it took about 5 minutes to change the plugs, every thing was in plain sight, all you had to do was unplug em then unscrew em.

this is the engine in my new car, can't even change the plugs with out taking parts of the damned thing

[lazs2]

I don't believe I have ever changed a "timing belt' on a V8.

lazs

[storch]

It's their way at getting even with us (collectively speaking) for all the times that we picked on/humiliated them in highschool.  They just knew that us lowbrows would be working on our cars.  I can see the evil grin now.

[AdmRose]

Originally posted by pugg666
Tell me about it. On my old 91 accord it took about 5 minutes to change the plugs, every thing was in plain sight, all you had to do was unplug em then unscrew em.

this is the engine in my new car, can't even change the plugs with out taking parts of the damned thing

Thats an engine out of a '99 Grand Am, I have the same thing and I praise GM for making an engine with an easy to access oil filter.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by medicboy
I was doing the 60,000 mile service on my 4-runner today and decided that whoever designed the engine layout had very small hands.  Im 6'3", 210lbs, and have size 13 feet.  xl gloves are too small for me, so needless to say I don't have any skin left on my knuckles.....

And why the he!! do you have to take most of the intake system off to get to the spark plugs???????????????????????????????

You have my curiousity up now, I just measure my hand spread, 9" from the base of the palm to the tip of my middle finger.

[pugg666]

AdmRose, same engine, only it's from a Sunfire GT.

[medicboy]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
You have my curiousity up now, I just measure my hand spread, 9" from the base of the palm to the tip of my middle finger.

8 3/4" and wedding ring is 13 1/2. (ring size)

[gofaster]

Originally posted by medicboy
I was doing the 60,000 mile service on my 4-runner today and decided that whoever designed the engine layout had very small hands.  

You do the belts yet?  Its not so bad but getting the belts around all of the pulleys can be a trick - not much needed to tighten'em up!  Just remember to tighten all of the fan blade bolts when you're done.

The 4-runner engine bay had more room than my old '93 Civic bay did.

[2stony]

That's nothing medicboy, my doctor has "huge" hands and I have to get a physical from him once a year.