[AT] Autos-Was:refusing to replace old equipment-OT

[Steve W.]

Cecil Bearden wrote:
> Charlie:
> I might agree with you on the reliability, but I can't on the ease of 
> working on them.  Ford keeps moving the engine further under the cowling 
>   so that you have to have a special topside creeper to change the spark 
> plugs.  They have individual coils that will go bad if the plugs are not 
>   just the very best $5 each ones you can find.  I have both Ford 
> Chevrolet and Chrysler from 95 to 2002, what I consider to be late 
> model.  Forget about working on that Dodge mini van. You have to pull 
> the engine down or raise the body up just to change the alternator... 
> Same thing with changing the back 3 spark plugs.  I got good mileage 
> with my 70's cars and trucks and they were just as reliable.  We are 
> paying for a lot of pollution controls and government controls that just 
> make big shots managers more money.
> 
> One of my goals aftrer retirement was to have a shop to rebuild the 
> older trucks and tractors.  Parts for the industrial engines are so hard 
> to find that It looks like that dream is shot too...  Not all of my toys 
> are tractors.  Sending all our manufacturing overseas has created a 
> nation full of unserviceable junk...
> 
> The younger folks I talk to just tell me that is the cost of doing 
> business...    Looks like that cost has put a lot of businesses out of 
> business...
> 
> Cecil in OKla
> 

Cecil, The rear plugs on a Caravan are easy to change, Just put it on
the lift and change them from underneath...

$5 bucks a plug, where are you getting the cheap ones. ;-)
The only good thing is that unless you physically damage them or engine
damage forces a need to change them a set of platinum plugs will go 100K
without any problems.

Actually from a technicians viewpoint todays engines are actually easier
to work on for the most part.

The TRICK today is knowing what the computer is telling you and actually
comparing that to what you see, not just swapping out a part that the
computer says is bad. That is the problem with many places. The
computers says a part is bad and instead of testing the system to see if
it is they just throw parts at it. That can get very expensive QUICK.


-- 
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York