RowdyRebel Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Meet the college edumacated know-nothing "engineer" who designed the 2000 Chevy Blazer, I'm gonna punch him in the nose. Who in their right mind locates the motor so that the #3 cylinder spark plug is directly behind the dadgum steering column so you can just BARELY get a socket on the plug, but you can't get the ratchet on the back of it? Seriously, short of pulling the damn motor, there isn't an "easy" way to change the plugs on this POS. No wonder it's still got the OEM plugs & wires. Throwing a code, though, so the wife volunteered me to do the job. #'s 1, 3, & 5 had to go in through the wheel well to get at the plugs...hoping #'s 2, 4, & 6 will be easier. Between the Suburban and the Blazer, I'm starting to question the sanity of everyone who has ever told me GM's were easier to work on...NEVER had these kinds of issues with any of the Ford's I've wrenched on. Distributors right there on the front of the motor, plugs easy to reach...no matter what I was doing, the Fords were SIMPLE to work on. Everything about these GMs leaves me scratching my head trying to figure out what they were smoking when they designed the thing. Absolutely ridiculous... 1 Quote When approaching a 4-way stop, the vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grayhair Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 (edited) Same idiot (or his young protege) who did the early '70s big block Corvettes equipped with a/c and a smog pump. Using a hole saw on the inner fender to access #2 and #4 plugs was a common practice. Chevy dealers routinely "overlooked" #2 when doing a tuneup on these suckers. Edited August 22, 2016 by grayhair 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyGunner Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Probably a specialty tool that makes it easier that'll cost you big bucks or just take it to the dealership (which is what they want) for petty routine maintenance. 1 Quote The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by the people who vote for a living.The government can only "give" someone what they first take from another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyT Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 I believe there was a trade school where you had to have an 82 or lower IQ to qualify.How about a Rambler that you had to pull the a.c. compressor to get at #1 spark plug? Most Taurus v6's are s.o.b.s to remove the one spark plug,also the sensor,between the firewall and block! My 92Izuzu p.u,you have to pull the intake manifold to replace the fuel pump.Just installed an electric pump! I've made all kinds of tools to deal with this nonsense over the yrs The engineers all went to that school! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog13407 Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 (edited) I dunno but my 86 Iroc Z tpi I usually use a short 5/8 by 9/16 wrench to change all the plugs. must bea GM thing but I wouldn't give them up for the blue oval stuff Edited August 22, 2016 by Maddog13407 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m16ty Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 1998 Ford Explorer isn't any better. I sold mine with number six plug in it that was in it as long as I owned it. Wasn't any way to get to it without pulling the exhaust manifold or removing the fender that I could find. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdyRebel Posted August 22, 2016 Author Share Posted August 22, 2016 (edited) Well, ended up sacrificing a 3/4" combination wrench...hacked it in 2 with my Sawmaster power hacksaw. Then, I had a wrench short enough to turn the damn socket. Open end wrenches were too thick...Used a crow foot to break it loose, but couldn't even get enough turn out of it to get another bite on the stupid thing. Absolutely ridiculous. Passenger side went a little quicker, but still had to go in through the wheel well. Next weekend will probably see tie rod ends and steer tires on the Mack, and T-case shift linkage on the F250. If I can get a front tank & straps and a fuel pump, I'll do that too. Also needs a u-joint on the front left steering knuckle and then it'll be ready for winter. That stuff is all pretty easy, though...not like today's BS. Edited August 22, 2016 by RowdyRebel 1 Quote When approaching a 4-way stop, the vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post m16ty Posted August 25, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted August 25, 2016 I'm always getting cheap wrenches for Christmas. They go in the bottom of the toolbox and I'll pull one out anytime I need to make a "custom" wrench. I've cut them all sorts of lengths, bent them in all sorts of shapes, and ground them down to make them thinner to get to that occasional tricky bolt. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyT Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 When I was in the towing and auto salvage business,m16 ty people used to leave all kinda stuff in the junkers.I have an extensive collection of cheap tools,like yourself they are my 1st choice for "custom" wrenches! When I mounted the winch on my new cab and chassis the pto required the thinnest wrench you can Imagine,I ground down a new craftsman wrench to less than 1/8" thick! Was a box wrench. There was a Ford truck a few yrs ago that the plugs used to freeze in the block I forgot which engine it was. Was a v8. Like your explorer the plugs never got changed even at the dealer! My daughter had an explorer 4litre v6. The damn thing had a timing chain in front and one back by the bell housing.as near as I could tell you'd have to pull the engine to service the rear one! Engineering my a..! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 i dont do anything anymore to my newer stuff,,,just send them to repair shop....i used to do it all few years ago,,,now it seems easier to have the work done and just pay the bill.lol but we also have a few honest and reasonable repair shops in town here...bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post HeavyGunner Posted September 6, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted September 6, 2016 1 hour ago, mowerman said: i dont do anything anymore to my newer stuff,,,just send them to repair shop....i used to do it all few years ago,,,now it seems easier to have the work done and just pay the bill.lol but we also have a few honest and reasonable repair shops in town here...bob You have a few honest shops because you have competition down there. I'm literally an hours drive (50-60 miles) or more in any direction from any dealership or mechanics shop and was quoted $1700.00 to change out my ac compressor in my 04 Taurus. I went to great falls bought an ac compressor for around $160.00 and stopped in at a mechanics shop and they had time and installed it for $171.00. 10X less than the damn dealership! There are certainly some downsides to living in the middle of nowhere. 4 Quote The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by the people who vote for a living.The government can only "give" someone what they first take from another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david wild Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 I would not own a GM product, never have never will, really don't like them using bankruptcy to pay off their government bailout. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Ya I know what you mean sometimes you don't really have a choice I used to do it all. Then realized wait a minute I just spent the whole week working on cars and didn't have anytime to myself lol ....it all started one time hadda electronic problem I couldn't figure out I had it towed to a mercury dealer and they fixed it and towed it bill wasn't really that much at all decided wow that was well worth it Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Like most guys on here I don't really mind working on cars at all just don't want to spend all my free time doing it.bob Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Pommerening Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 24 minutes ago, david wild said: I would not own a GM product, never have never will, really don't like them using bankruptcy to pay off their government bailout. Don't know what you are sore about. Taxpayers only gave GM 49 billion for a 28 billion company. Then GM used our tax dollars to pay off it debts to the Canadian government. Then used taxpayer money to pay off some of the first bail out debt. Then the taxpayers assumed union pension pay outs from Delphi and other companies that GM, using bail out money, bought and then sold at a profit. Then Obummer twisted bankruptcy laws so GM can file a loss that allowed them to get a tax refund from us taxpayer of 110 million or so. The unions, which are the major reason for GM's money woes, now owns a major stake in the company. Do you really think this is a done deal? And now you carry a grudge. g 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtymilkman Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Don't forget, Ford took bailout money too. Ford decided to cut their losses earlier and sold off Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar and other subsidiaries. And then there's Chrysler........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david wild Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Ford took bailout money ???? I don't think so. I used to wonder what help my thought when buying a GM product, they come to work, beat the crap out of our Ford PUs and service trucks then jump in their GM, then come to me because they need a ride home cause their junk wouldn't run, I told them that it's funny you bad mouth Ford, beat the crap out of our trucks then need a ride home cause your crap does not run. new or old, trans problem, engine problems seems it never ended, their excuse for GM product was the ride and how nice the interior was, even though the doors rattle and a PU should be able to haul more than a sofa with out dragging the bumper on the ground. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 It would be this way even if they all were building buggies and wagons. They would get the cart before the horse. Have you ever smelled a catalytic converter behind a horse or mule?It's worse than rotten eggs, believe me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 41chevy Posted September 7, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted September 7, 2016 Used to welcome 4100 Caddies for water pumps and Fieros for clutches. The Cadillac was 14 hours book time, $140 for the pump (only from GM) and $18 for the rotted by-pass tube. A 1 inch hole saw to get the 3 bults behind the P.S. pulley cut the time down by close to 4 hours. Fiero clutches were 21 hours book time, made a hanger to support the engine and a set of pins to swing the sub-frame down and got it to 9 hours. Had a few dealers and tranny shops sending them to me. GMs vehicles went to crap in the late 1970's after their corporate engine law suit. Paul 3 Quote "OPERTUNITY IS MISSED BY MOST PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS DRESSED IN OVERALLS AND LOOKS LIKE WORK" Thomas Edison “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy shit, what a ride!’” P.T.CHESHIRE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Pommerening Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 7 hours ago, Dirtymilkman said: Don't forget, Ford took bailout money too. Ford decided to cut their losses earlier and sold off Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar and other subsidiaries. And then there's Chrysler........... Yea I heard they also got some of the money. Guess the difference is they paid it all back plus interest. Ford didn't get a 9.7 billion dollar gift form the taxpayers, to be paid for by our children and grand children when they pay back the national debt. They will pay a lot of interest on that money too! I wish Ford could have hung on to Volvo and Jaguar also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965 Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 I havnt bought new truck since 06; probably never will again; always GM man; never seen a Ford that would out do them in any way; I don't like the problem that GM did; probably wouldn't buy a new 1 because of it; but I never seen a Ford that could run or haul what a Chevy could; there front ends were terrible; you can ride in a Chevy loaded or unloaded & you got to drive a ford!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtymilkman Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 3 hours ago, 1965 said: I havnt bought new truck since 06; probably never will again; always GM man; never seen a Ford that would out do them in any way; I don't like the problem that GM did; probably wouldn't buy a new 1 because of it; but I never seen a Ford that could run or haul what a Chevy could; there front ends were terrible; you can ride in a Chevy loaded or unloaded & you got to drive a ford!! Isn't that true.......I can't believe how bad a solid front axle handles and how expensive they are to maintain till we bought a new one. I remember saying when GM came out with independent front suspension how it'd never hold up, but wow was I wrong. I don't think we ever had a front axle make 70,000 miles without needing ball joints and knuckles. I give GM a ton of credit there. We've owned them all. Ford, dodge, Chevy and we are done with dodge for sure. The new super duties are a nice and technologically advanced but I think a guy has to trade them before 50,000 miles. Read this about Ford and government money. http://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2012/08/29/automakers-report-card-who-still-owes-taxpayers-money-the-answer-might-surprise-you/#3fea3b86a8cd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
41chevy Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 (edited) 19 hours ago, Keith Pommerening said: Yea I heard they also got some of the money. Guess the difference is they paid it all back plus interest. Ford didn't get a 9.7 billion dollar gift form the taxpayers, to be paid for by our children and grand children when they pay back the national debt. They will pay a lot of interest on that money too! I wish Ford could have hung on to Volvo and Jaguar also. Ford "borrowed" $5.9 billion in June 2009. (the same month GM filed for bankruptcy.) Ford started paying that money back in $577 million dollar increments in 2011, with the full amount to be paid off by June 15, 2022. As of now Ford has paid off just under 3/4 of the money. The Obama Administration in 2009, dreaming of a million electric cars on the road by 2015, loaned Ford the money to help it pay for development of hybrids and EVs, and to retool its factories to produce smaller, cleaner vehicles. While not characterized as a “bailout” by any the Feds, IT was given to Ford at a critical time when other sources of financing weren’t available to automakers or their suppliers. Ford is the only auto maker that has not used creative methods to pay the monies back. The Feds still own as of today, 74% of Ally Bank, formerly known as GMAC. The relatively unknown "stimulus" ATVM recipients were Nissan ($1.6 billion), Tesla Motors ($465 million), Fisker Automotive ($529 million) and the Vehicle Production Group ($50 million), a start-up company promoted a handicapped-accessible van that ran on natural gas. None of those mentioned have paid back one cent of the monies. The DOE also spent another $2.4 billion in stimulus money in Michigan, to provide matching grants to help companies build manufacturing facilities for advanced batteries and EV components. 98% have filed bankruptcy or sold the developed technology that we paid for, to China. Edited September 8, 2016 by 41chevy 2 Quote "OPERTUNITY IS MISSED BY MOST PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS DRESSED IN OVERALLS AND LOOKS LIKE WORK" Thomas Edison “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy shit, what a ride!’” P.T.CHESHIRE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outbehindthebarn Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 Having an education doesn't make you smart, it makes you 'educated'. Quote Fun is what they fine you for!My name is Bob Buckman sir,. . . and I hate truckers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Pommerening Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 20 hours ago, Dirtymilkman said: Isn't that true.......I can't believe how bad a solid front axle handles and how expensive they are to maintain till we bought a new one. I remember saying when GM came out with independent front suspension how it'd never hold up, but wow was I wrong. I don't think we ever had a front axle make 70,000 miles without needing ball joints and knuckles. I give GM a ton of credit there. We've owned them all. Ford, dodge, Chevy and we are done with dodge for sure. The new super duties are a nice and technologically advanced but I think a guy has to trade them before 50,000 miles. Read this about Ford and government money. http://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2012/08/29/automakers-report-card-who-still-owes-taxpayers-money-the-answer-might-surprise-you/#3fea3b86a8cd How big of a truck are you talking about. Back in the 60s I worked for a company that had a 2.5 ton Cheby with an "A" arm front axle. How many years did they make them before going back to straight axles. Drove around many Chebys sitting low in the front. Most had one tire vertical and one horizontal on the front axle. Most Cheby p/us of that era had cracked windshields. I thought that was stock but a friend said it was caused by weak frames and flimsy cabs. Which is it? Know the local shop had a never ending stream of work rebuilding TH350s. Do recall having to replace the steering shaft that ran all the way from on wheel to the other on an old twin I beam. Didn't have screw-in ball joints. Made me mad and cost so much I took it to a blacksmith and had him bend it into a crow bar. The link is old and outdated. Thanks, Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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