how about the maserati water pumps, that is the worst collosal design failure I can imagine - I did not wrench on it, but just looking at the execution of how the pump is driven makes you think that cocaine was being snorted on the design board.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

No issues with fasteners on the one I'm playing with - the whole car is just a PITA. Everything is sharp! When they cast the parts, they never took a anything to the sharp edges left over from the process used to cast parts. Edge of the block? Sharp! Sides on the intake manifold? Sharp! Random part of alternator? Sharp! My hands/arms didn't take this much of a beating doing an M103 swap, nor did they take this much of a beating working on an LS1 or on my Miata! Don't get me started on the lack of space either. There's always barely enough space to work on stuff. Need to remove power steering lines? Pull the bumper! Need to pull the radiator? Pull the bumper! Need to replace the serpentine belt? Pull the intake manifold. Complete PITA.

And that's why they dropped the F136R from Maserati, and went to an F136U/Y engine - people weren't happy with having to get a new engine at about 50k miles! Interestingly enough though - the F430/458/California shared the F136, but were an F136 E/I/F. They seem to have a lower occurence of water/oil pump failure, though it might be the more stringent service intervals Ferrari calls for...

Fun... Right?

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Worst one I've worked on is this 2004 explorer. However a lot of that is due to neglected maintenance over the years and not necessarily the model or engineering. Currently sitting next to its engine, STILL trying to get the harmonic balancer off. Blowtorch and puller #2 today.


Sent from an abacus

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

The 5.4 is even harder to get to all of that and I had no issue. Removed with air ratchet, started by hand with a deep socket on a short extension and finished with a 1/4" torque wrench.

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

Problem with the 4.6 in the 96 grand marquis is that the valve cover sits about 3/4 of an inch from the airbox that feeds into the cabin. I was finally able to get a short 8mm wrench in there to do it but it took forever because there wasn't much swing and the bolts are very long.

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

They all suck. Every model has something different that is a total pain in the ass to do. The ford 5.4 is a royal pita to get the power steering pump off. The valve covers are a pain, but doable. It helps having all of the different combinations of swivel head ratchets, short sockets, deep sockets, all different extensions, short wrenches, long wrenches, ratcheting wrenches.


To my surprise, the easiest car I have worked on lately has been an 08 bmw 325i iirc. Spark plugs were a 45 ordeal and a pleasure to do.

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

Pontiac Fiero with the V6. Most of them (that are still around) probably have the original plugs on the firewall side. You just about need to remove the engine to work on it at all.

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AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

Sounds like a challenge

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

Ask Brian Carlton .

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

the Peugot 505(?) not sure of the number. It was a wagon and parts were a real problem to get hold of. I once opened up what I thought was a fuse box and found a tangle of small gauge wires. I looked at that and said "I've gotta get rid of this car while it still runs!" I did a little fixing up of it, mostly cosmetic and sold it on a 95 degree day....(the air conditioning was impressively good)! I think I got my money back and a little profit.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

My family swore by Peugot's. I swear at them. As someone who grew up in South Africa where they were quite common and we had many - I have to ask...
Why in tarnation would anybody living in the Unites States of America, ever own a French car?

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

I don't know. I've become a fan of German cars and Japanese bikes. If I ever get rich I might go for Italian cars (Ferrari) and German bikes (BMW).

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

My dad used to talk about how the peugots were about all they used in Aftica, they were tough, etc. I drove this one and was enchanted by its compliant ride and perfect steering. I was also taken by the large cargo area and the live rear axle....like a pickup truck.

But I only owned it about a month or two. Probably the least I ever owned a car.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

My dad told me that Citroens were the absolute worse. I've not experienced it but he did. His best friend had one.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Not an expert on French cars, but had to work on a few. As mentioned by T. Walgamuth - sourcing parts can be fun.

The Spanish must love them. Last time I was there French cars were everywhere to be seen. Likely easier to deal with over there.

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Mike Murrell
1991 300-SEL - Model 126
M103 - SOHC
"Fräulein"