Maybe I don't want to work on my cars anymore.

[bing_oh]

They're not too terribly sucky, but the wiring it routed under part of the intake. I guess I'm used to the MG, where it's all right there.

Say anything you want about shitty engineering on old cars, at least they're easy to work on. That's what I can't stand about modern cars and trucks...you practically need to pull the whole frickin motor to change the oil. Every time I try to do something on my truck, I end up swearing that I'll kill the engineer who designed it if I ever find him.

[S204STi]

My dad has become the same way.  Well that and his entire drive way is gravel...  not much fun to get down on that stuff to do things to your car.

[Rupert]

Say anything you want about shitty engineering on old cars, at least they're easy to work on. That's what I can't stand about modern cars and trucks...you practically need to pull the whole frickin motor to change the oil. Every time I try to do something on my truck, I end up swearing that I'll kill the engineer who designed it if I ever find him.

I don't even think the engineering was shitty. They're just old...

[SVT_Power]

Say anything you want about shitty engineering on old cars, at least they're easy to work on. That's what I can't stand about modern cars and trucks...you practically need to pull the whole frickin motor to change the oil. Every time I try to do something on my truck, I end up swearing that I'll kill the engineer who designed it if I ever find him.

You need to try working on my car. Kill the engineer? You'll want to kill the sales guy who sold it to you first.

[JWC]

Wasn't it BMW that made their engineers work on the cars before they were allowed to design anything?  Who ever it was, it made sense.  If engineers had to work on their own designs to repair or service them, cars would be a piece of cake to maintain.

Instead, engineers design new cars and then buy old cars as a hobby.

[sportyaccordy]

I spent the better part of today installing front speakers and a radio. I will make sure my next car has these things at a level of quality I will be happy not having to replace.

[Rupert]

I also did stereo things today, but I mostly just had to plug connectors in to each other.

[Raza]

I changed my mom's tire yesterday.  It was actually one hell of an ordeal.  At first, I used a hydraulic universal jack, but that couldn't get the car high enough to put the spare on.  Then when I used the Mercedes provided jack and took the hydraulic jack out, the car started leaning forward on the jack and the jack wouldn't support it.  I had to hold the car up by pulling on the jack, until my brother could get the hydraulic jack back up to support the Merc jack.  We had to support the Mercedes jack with the other jack to keep the car up.  When we finally got the spare on and removed both the jacks, we saw two big divots from the wheels of the hydraulic jack, and one depression from the Merc jack in the pavement.  It couldn't get high enough because the fucking jack dug into the driveway!  I've never had that happen before. 

[giant_mtb]

Sucks when nothing goes right.

Is your driveway blacktop?  When I was a kid, I remember on very hot days, my bike's kickstand would dig into the blacktop driveway because it was so hot under the sun. 

[Raza]

Sucks when nothing goes right.

Is your driveway blacktop?  When I was a kid, I remember on very hot days, my bike's kickstand would dig into the blacktop driveway because it was so hot under the sun. 

Yeah, it is.  We figured heat was the reason. 

If the sun's still up when I get home, I'll take some pictures.  It's pretty deep.

[r0tor]

i kinda remember my fathers 95 explorer being relatively simple to chage oil on... in fact its retty much what vehicle i learned to change oil on.  If you wan to see a disaster, try the 1st gen RX-8 as it has a top mounted filter cramped between the back of the intake manifold and the firewall under the windshield cowling


anyway, I compression tested the RX-8 yesterday which is no simple task since the sprak plugs get accessed through the drivers side front wheel well and requires a combination of like 3 extentions and a swivel or two to get a wrench on them... and then to disable the fuel system you have to crawl all the way under and find the crank sensor which is on the bottom of the engine behind the front skid pan.... ugh, not fun without a lift

[S204STi]

How where the results of your compression test?

[J86]

I always put the jack on a decent sized sheet of plywood....prevents it from sinking into the drive.

[Raza]

I always put the jack on a decent sized sheet of plywood....prevents it from sinking into the drive.

I've changed a few tires, using both a provided jack and a hydraulic jack, and I've never had this happen before. 

[J86]

Pavement on my parents' driveway must be shitty

[Raza]

Pavement on my parents' driveway must be shitty

Well, this is the first time I've ever changed a tire on my own driveway, though.

[r0tor]

How where the results of your compression test?

borderline qualifying for a new engine from mazda... have a year left on the engine warranty so i will retest it in the spring and see what it looks like

[S204STi]

borderline qualifying for a new engine from mazda... have a year left on the engine warranty so i will retest it in the spring and see what it looks like

Wow.  Not real durable, are they?

[sportyaccordy]

Raza... investing in a nice hydraulic floor jack would be a good idea. You never know when you'll have to change a tire, and if you're not gonna be under the car it's way safer than whatever shitty jacks cars come with.

My rear speakers don't work. Wiring on Hondas, even old ones, usually isn't bad so I don't know what it could be. I will tear into it this weekend.

[Raza]

Raza... investing in a nice hydraulic floor jack would be a good idea. You never know when you'll have to change a tire, and if you're not gonna be under the car it's way safer than whatever shitty jacks cars come with.

I have one. 

[r0tor]

Wow.  Not real durable, are they?

it looks like real early first gens have their problems with mazda initially not setting the oil injection pump to high enough rates... but hell, the rest of the car is in great shape - if i get a new engine for free i'll keep the sucker for 5 more years easy

[Raza]

it looks like real early first gens have their problems with mazda initially not setting the oil injection pump to high enough rates... but hell, the rest of the car is in great shape - if i get a new engine for free i'll keep the sucker for 5 more years easy

Put three turbos on it.

[S204STi]

it looks like real early first gens have their problems with mazda initially not setting the oil injection pump to high enough rates... but hell, the rest of the car is in great shape - if i get a new engine for free i'll keep the sucker for 5 more years easy

Ah, yes, now I remember you mentioning that oiling issue in the past.  I think you're correct though, the car is probably worth keeping for another several years.  Having an updated motor might help when you sell it as well.

[S204STi]

I have one. 

Are you thinking of a bottle-jack, or a professional style floor jack?  I think Sporty was talking about the latter.

Also, get some jack stands and wheel chalks.

[sportyaccordy]

Put three turbos on it.

This might be the first time I've agreed with you on anything in 4 years.

[Raza]

Are you thinking of a bottle-jack, or a professional style floor jack?  I think Sporty was talking about the latter.

Also, get some jack stands and wheel chalks.

It's a floor jack, I think.  It's on wheels and everything.  Big, flat, rectangular surface. 

[S204STi]

It's a floor jack, I think.  It's on wheels and everything.  Big, flat, rectangular surface. 

Oh right, you're good then.

But still consider those jack stands and chalks.  A couple of metal plates placed below the jack stands also might keep them from sinking into your asphalt driveway.

[93JC]

chalks.

Chocks.

[Raza]

Oh right, you're good then.

But still consider those jack stands and chalks.  A couple of metal plates placed below the jack stands also might keep them from sinking into your asphalt driveway.

Yeah, I've been meaning to get jack stands for a while.  Do I really need the wheel chocks though? 

[S204STi]

Chocks.

No, I mean colored chalks.