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Well, it is a 43-year-old unrestored engine compartment.
Not only can the spark plugs be seen easily, they can be changed easily!
And look at that alternator... that can be removed in about 5 minutes! Probably can do it standing in the engine compartment!
true, true. although, here's mine:
starter, alternator, battery, air filter, and spark plugs are all right there. i don't know what other self-professed DIYers do, but that covers about 95% of the jobs i would tackle under the hood.
starter, alternator, battery, air filter, and spark plugs are all right there. i don't know what other self-professed DIYers do, but that covers about 95% of the jobs i would tackle under the hood.
Mike
When comparing both photos, it is obvious which engine compartment has more room (the '60s one). Although I have seen ones more crowded than the one you posted. Here is another example with my '69 Cadillac.
Note all four spark plugs can be seen in the photo below:
And in this photo, several components are easily visible... air cleaner/filter (which can be changed in about 30 seconds), a/c compressor, distributor, coil, fan belts and power steering pump.
When comparing both photos, it is obvious which engine compartment has more room (the '60s one). Although I have seen ones more crowded than the one you posted. Here is another example with my '69 Cadillac.
Note all four spark plugs can be seen in the photo below:
And in this photo, several components are easily visible... air cleaner/filter (which can be changed in about 30 seconds), a/c compressor, distributor, coil, fan belts and power steering pump.
The problem with that car is that all the money you save on do it yourself repairs, will go right into the gas tank instead. I once owned a 1973 Sedan De Ville, and I never managed over 9 mpg in it
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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I think most newer cars aren't as repairable as pre 1979 ones, but it does vary somewhat by make. I had a 1994 Oldsmobile Acheiva that required a trip to the dealership just to access the spark plugs. By comparison the engine on my 1991 Toyota Camry has most parts easily accessible
I'm going to have to get a pic of our 2007 Honda CRV's engine compartment. It would be very interesting trying to change the alternator or plugs on it.
I will say this much....I once owned a 1995 Cavalier, the distributor was on the fire wall side of the engine and looked very difficult to get to, in fact that's the only reason I never changed the plug wires. Also had the alternator ever gone out it would have been a nightmare to replace. Even more interesting is how the engine was mounted in the car....motor mounts were at the tops by the shock towers and the engine sort of just hung in there.
It's apparent that GM did not design this car to be tuned up/repaired by anyone other than a professional shop that could remove the engine to swap the parts out then charge you an arm and a leg for it. Well you could do it yourself if you didn't mind a lot of work and the use of many a choice words in doing so. This car alone has changed my mind about ever owning another RWD car again if I can help it.
Thankfully I didn't have that car long and sold it after the head cracked on it. A common problem on the 2.2 liter engines.
Now this isn't the most spacious engine compartment but it's fairly easy to work around in:
The problem with that car is that all the money you save on do it yourself repairs, will go right into the gas tank instead. I once owned a 1973 Sedan De Ville, and I never managed over 9 mpg in it
That would be a problem for me except that I drive that Cadillac only 2-4 times per month. I don't even remember when I put fuel in it! When I do, it last about two months (and I only put $20-$25 in at each refuel).
A '73 Sedan de Ville should get well over 9 for the maximum figure. My '76 limo once to 12.5 mpg with about 85% highway driving.
I'm going to have to get a pic of our 2007 Honda CRV's engine compartment. It would be very interesting trying to change the alternator or plugs on it.
I will say this much....I once owned a 1995 Cavalier, the distributor was on the fire wall side of the engine and looked very difficult to get to, in fact that's the only reason I never changed the plug wires. Also had the alternator ever gone out it would have been a nightmare to replace. Even more interesting is how the engine was mounted in the car....motor mounts were at the tops by the shock towers and the engine sort of just hung in there.
It's apparent that GM did not design this car to be tuned up/repaired by anyone other than a professional shop that could remove the engine to swap the parts out then charge you an arm and a leg for it. Well you could do it yourself if you didn't mind a lot of work and the use of many a choice words in doing so. This car alone has changed my mind about ever owning another RWD car again if I can help it.
Thankfully I didn't have that car long and sold it after the head cracked on it. A common problem on the 2.2 liter engines.
Now this isn't the most spacious engine compartment but it's fairly easy to work around in:
Yes, in general, the further back you go, the easier access there is to the engine.
That one you posted looks pretty easy to work on. Is it a 1970 454 engine?
Although it was good to have a 1970 engine to work on, the advantages we gained with the advancements in automotive technology outweigh the disadvantages. You may not be able to do your own tune-up on a 2009 automobile, but at least tune-ups are not required as much as they were with older engines.
Although it was good to have a 1970 engine to work on, the advantages we gained with the advancements in automotive technology outweigh the disadvantages. You may not be able to do your own tune-up on a 2009 automobile, but at least tune-ups are not required as much as they were with older engines.
It would depend on how much a car is driven.
And tune-up for a 1970 engine were not required that often.
And, when necessary, things like changing the plugs or points were easy to do. For instance, I could remove the old plugs from my former '66 Dodge Dart GT (V-8), gap the new ones and install them in 45 minutes or less.
It was also possible for the owner to do some simple mods like a shift kit for the auto transmission, electronic ignition conversion or an aftermarket aluminum intake manifold (I did all that on my Dart).
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