How many of you hate V-engines? - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

equipmentjunkie · #31 12-31-2008, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marybeth

I went to replace a water pump on my wifes Lexus. You know its going to be tough when the first line of the instructions is :

#1-Disconnect hoses/wire harnesses & Remove Engine

You are joking, right?

Mark DiSilvestro · #32 12-31-2008, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marybeth

I went to replace a water pump on my wifes Lexus. You know its going to be tough when the first line of the instructions is :

#1-Disconnect hoses/wire harnesses & Remove Engine

Three years ago, I did some research on typical maintenance & repair issues with Hondas, Toyotas and Nissans, before deciding on a '98 Nissan Altima as a replacmebnt for my deteriorating '84 Honda Accord.
Unlike late-'90s Camrys and Accords, my Nissan has a timing chain, and the electric fuel pump is replaceable from inside the car, without having to drpp the gas-tank. Waterpump replacement is a bit tight, but doesn't require engine removal, and there's no timing belt in the way.

Happy Motoring, Mark

kerry · #33 12-31-2008, 06:27 PM

A colleague of mine with an Audi (A4?) asked me to look at her car since the coolant light was on. Coolant was low and I said it probably had a small leak somewhere. Sure enough, the auxilliary water pump was leaking. Audi charged $1700 to replace it.

rwthomas1 · #34 12-31-2008, 06:28 PM

I have found that the "manufacturer method" for doing things and reality are often very, very different. I recently had to change the pulley on the alternator on my VW Jetta TDI. Newer cars are starting to use a strange one-way clutch on alternator pulleys, not just VW, Ford, Volvo, etc. I have no idea why but there it is. The "manufacturer" procedure is to remove the front bumper cover, etc. to get at the alternator to remove it. I checked on the TDI forum and found out that removing the serpentine belt, lower intercooler pipe, electric fan and AC compressor is all thats needed. 45 minutes to get it out, to do what the dealership wanted was 2hrs each way. I would be very surprised if you actually have to remove a Lexus engine to do a waterpump but then again, who knows. I do know that Toyota had the brain fart idea to put the starter on the V8 Tundra in the valley of the V, under the intake manifold. Apparently they make a very reliable starter.... RT

Mark DiSilvestro · #35 12-31-2008, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by equipmentjunkie

You are joking, right?

Manufacturers, at least of some luxury marques, are way past concerning themselves with how difficult their cars are to repair. I've read that certain Lexus V-engines require intake manifold removal to change the starter. By the time some of these components fail, the car will probably be out of waranty.

Happy Motoring, Mark

equipmentjunkie · #36 12-31-2008, 06:32 PM

I do NOT care for V-8 diesels. The best V-8 diesels of all time are only so-so in my book (7.3 Power Stroke, 6.6 Duramax, and 2-stroke Detroit Diesels). History's worst V-8 diesels should not even be named...and there are plenty of those clunkers. V-6 Diesels just don't seem to be nearly as bad.

The bottom line for my opinion on V diesel engines is the longevity, pulling power, fuel efficiency, and reliable performance...I've never had to wrench on a V engine so my dislike is probably tempered by the lack of personal experience. (Six-in-a-row is the only way to go!)

OK, I'll name those on my V-8 diesel scrap heap: Cummins 555 & 903, Cat 3408 & 3208, GM 5.7 & 6.2 & 6.5, IH 550 & 800, John Deere 955, Ford 6.0, Detroit Diesel 8.2, Perkins 540 & 640.

pmckechnie · #37 12-31-2008, 06:39 PM

I also have a Malibu. Vary easy to work. Oh, I forgot, mine is a 1964 (first year of the Malibu), RWD 283 V8. You can see all 8 spark plugs just by looking. Water pump only has 4 bolts. Valve covers are 4 small bolts on each one and then they just lift off, nothing else to remove. I can't think of anything thats hard to do. You can even have the engine out in less than one hour. By the way, I bought this car new and my wife and I went on our honeymoon in it 45 years ago. It is currently being restored. Best car I have ever had.

Paul

equipmentjunkie · #38 12-31-2008, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark DiSilvestro

Manufacturers, at least of some luxury marques, are way past concerning themselves with how difficult their cars are to repair. I've read that certain Lexus V-engines require intake manifold removal to change the starter. By the time some of these components fail, the car will probably be out of waranty.

I don't doubt what you are saying...I just wish that it wasn't true.

I just finished doing the glow plugs in my 606 on Saturday. It was not an easy job to remove all the stuff to get to them, but overall it wasn't that bad. I find working on my Mercedes to be a refreshing change from other vehicles that I have owned. To quote my brother as he peered underneath my Mercedes for the first time when it was up on the lift, "It looks like it was designed by people who actually care."

argus445 · #39 12-31-2008, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flounder

I swear, I'm only buying cars with in-line engines from now on, like my wonderful W123. So easy to work on.

Rant: I had to change the spark plugs on my daughter's Malibu yesterday, with the transverse V6 and front-wheel drive. Bastard offspring of GM and Satan. (the Malibu, not my daughter). Here they have a car that measures about 13 feet long x 5 feet wide and what do they do? Shove the engine, trans, axles, and everything else in a 2ft x 3 ft. area so you can't access anything. It took me 3 hours and I scraped up my hands something awful getting at the rear spark plugs.

Every car I ever owned that had a straight engine was just a joy to work on. A couple of BMW 6's come to mind, plus an Alfa, Fiat, TR-6 going back to the 70's. Plus isn't smoothness one of the supposed advantages of V-engines? All the straight-4 and 6 cars I've owned have run equally smooth in my opinion.

I sure hope some of these new diesels coming out will have in-line engines, and ideally longitudinal, although I guess I could live with transverse if I had to.

V engines are great at what they do some things Inline engines cant it's simple as that.. i hate them both i'd just opt for a W configuration and be done with it and add 4 turbos on side call it a day..

Stevo · #40 12-31-2008, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmckechnie

I also have a Malibu. Vary easy to work. Oh, I forgot, mine is a 1964 (first year of the Malibu), RWD 283 V8. You can see all 8 spark plugs just by looking. Water pump only has 4 bolts. Valve covers are 4 small bolts on each one and then they just lift off, nothing else to remove. I can't think of anything thats hard to do. You can even have the engine out in less than one hour. By the way, I bought this car new and my wife and I went on our honeymoon in it 45 years ago. It is currently being restored. Best car I have ever had.

Paul

Very cool, congratulations on the longevity of your marriage and car. We still have my wifes 64 VW we went on our honeymoon

in 35 years ago.

OldPokey · #41 12-31-2008, 07:53 PM

My favorite engine to work on is my 52 Allis Chalmers CA. Everything is right there in front of you!

LUVMBDiesels · #42 12-31-2008, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmckechnie

I also have a Malibu. Vary easy to work. Oh, I forgot, mine is a 1964 (first year of the Malibu), RWD 283 V8. You can see all 8 spark plugs just by looking. Water pump only has 4 bolts. Valve covers are 4 small bolts on each one and then they just lift off, nothing else to remove. I can't think of anything thats hard to do. You can even have the engine out in less than one hour. By the way, I bought this car new and my wife and I went on our honeymoon in it 45 years ago. It is currently being restored. Best car I have ever had.

Paul

Nice! That us pretty much the same engine as in my 1957. What size carb are you running? I found the best performance and economy with a 350cfm Carter 4bbl. The car came with a 750 Holley which was way too much carb for the small V8

asnowsquall · #43 12-31-2008, 09:19 PM

GM 6.5 suck to work on IMO. Favorite inline 6 that I've owned= International DT466. Beautiful machine. Longest owned and also really nice was the 535i which never really changed in the 70K that we drove it, cap and rotor sucked to change.

Hatterasguy · #44 12-31-2008, 09:29 PM

I prefer an I6, I love the silky way they deliver power, the low end torque, and most of all the exhuast rasp.

IMHO Mercedes and Jag going away from I6's was a big mistake. V6's belong in cheap cars because they are cheaper to make and package, but high end cars should get the better motor. BMW agree's and as a result they have the best motors out of all of them today.

However as long as the car is RWD the engine isn't to hard to work on, better yet a Mercedes. My friends S600 isn't that bad to work on, remove the air box's and you have the room you need. Mercedes made it so the front crossmember comes right off if you need to get to the front of the motor.

Even I4 engines can be a PITA to work on. The junk motor in my 1997 VW Golf needs the intake manifold removed to get to the spark plugs.

German engineering my ass, all the **** up engineer's who couldn't make it with Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, and Audi work for VW.

rcounts · #45 12-31-2008, 10:37 PM

I owned a 92 Taurus SHO. Nice motor, the way the variable intake runners were interleaved looked like a piece of art. BUT, since it was a transverse mounted V6, and a lot of motor in a small space, the easiest way to change a couple of the rear plugs was the V8 Monza method - unbolt one motor mount and jack the engine up to tilt it forward.

Worse yet, to change the heater core you had to remove the ENTIRE steering column and dash. Thankfully I never had to do that.

The aforementioned escort inline 4 had the PS motor mount THROUGH the timing belt, so to change it you had to support the engine and completely remove the motor mount and bracket to be able to thread the belt into place, then put the motor mount and bracket back in.

On the other hand, my 6.9 V8 in my Ford F250 isn't too hard to work on. There are a couple of odd things - like having to remove the fuel filter bracket and filter to remove the PS valve cover, and to remove the IP you have to remove it and all 8 FI lines together...

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