What "simple" task is the hardest?

[Dan Thompson]

I hate to change the *I&# PVC.

I have no trouble with the #6 plug, I cut the bolt extensions off.

The rear coil pack bolt is no problem.

Thermostat is okay as I remove the "S" hose and have the billet housing.

FP regulator with no leaks, no problem.

 

[Shane]

Taking something off the serpantine belt when you've never worked on a serpantine car before. That drove me crazy and took forever to figure out. Now I can have in off in like 5 seconds.

 

[smokin'6]

I'll agree with the PCV, in fact this car is the worst to work on. Seems everything was designed to be a pain in the @*$. Right now Im trying to figure how to tighten the lower rear header bolt on pass. side, it came out and no way to get a wrench in there!

 

[bruce]

Oil Changes are a real PITA, when you drive over the crank. Oil just seems to drizzle everywhere.

 

[85HOT-T]

smokin6 I found that it is easy when you go from behind the front wheel. May need to jack the car up a little so you can slide under. I got skinny arms and fingers though

 

[salvageV6]

Stock turbo swaps to a new larger turbo. in under 3 hours.

Ummmm okay.

Can take an hour to get one stud off the 3 lower bolts if rusted on real good, never mind the exhaust housing.

And the new turbo fitting the actuator on, new MAF hoses.....

 

[Fakeyankee]

Changing sparkplugson my 87 Trans Am. I would rather take a beating in a U.S. held Iraqi detention camp !! ( by female soldiers that is !! )

 

[85HOT-T]

Salvagev6 you had to mention the dam turbo exhaust bolts. I tried to drill them out but hardened, so now I am putting the dremmel to it. Takin so f'ing long, sucks.

 

[granatl]

The PCV grommet in the intake!
Reaching up underneath the dash to convert to vacuum brakes, w/o first taking out the driver's seat!
The turbo oil feed tube.

 

[XLR8]

Removing the 100,000 mile rusted end links on the front sway bar. I ended up using a breaker bar and broke one of the bolts. Taking off the turbo shield the first time I broke 2 craftsman 3/8" drive sockets.

 

[Drac0nic]

on the topic of breaking craftsman sockets, I was getting myself another set of "763s" out of a block that was basicly scrap iron, when I break the socket. I shouldn't be telling anyone this for pride's sake, but I worked on the thing for a good 5-10 minutes wondering why the damn bolt wouldn't come out, I already broke it loose afterall (you know, the pop)

 

[85HOT-T]

Originally posted by Drac0nic
on the topic of breaking craftsman sockets, I was getting myself another set of "763s" out of a block that was basicly scrap iron, when I break the socket. I shouldn't be telling anyone this for pride's sake, but I worked on the thing for a good 5-10 minutes wondering why the damn bolt wouldn't come out, I already broke it loose afterall (you know, the pop)

Hey I am sure that it has happened to everyone here. Speaking of bolts though, I was doing headgaskets on my 85. Was torqueing down the headbolts and one just wouldn't tighten. Oppps. Well you know what happens next

 

[Marc87GN]

Originally posted by 85HOT-T
Hey I am sure that it has happened to everyone here. Speaking of bolts though, I was doing headgaskets on my 85. Was torqueing down the headbolts and one just wouldn't tighten. Oppps. Well you know what happens next

Damn I know this one all too well. Dropping a valve really sucks too. A Drill (broke first bit), tap and insert later, I repaired the head bolt hole. Cursing up a storm before hand. The guys at Autozone came through with the right measurements.

I think the only thing that really killed me was sliding the A/C forward to find the bolt holding the bracket to the DS head. One of the guys on the turbobuicks board came through with a tip.

 

[ThikStik]

But these things are sooo much easier to work on than fwd. You cant even see the turbo on the turbo VW whatever its called.(paseo?) How about how cramped a dsm eagle/talon is. UFB.
I wonder how cramped some of the new rwd cars will be. Also a Mustang and Fbodys are really cramped. I think its possible the TR may be one of the easiest to work on overall. Of course , all my jobs have to be done like 3 times.
A 6 going in where a v8 was designed to go is a good thing.

 

[klrv6]

Changing transmission filter in contour

But these things are sooo much easier to work on than fwd

To change the trans filter on the Ford CD4E found in the Contour FWD, you must drop the front half of the car (Engine/Trans, Suspension, Front subframe) then tear trans apart and replace the filter. Ford made the CD4E like a clamshell with the filter in the middle

For some reason, I like cleaning every part I touch. Replacing my valve springs ended up taking me a week, remove all parts while your at it, take out the exhaust. Sand blast/paint all parts, clean and tap bolt holes. The list goes on.

 

[turbot2112]

passenger side valve cover is also a bitch to get off. also agree about the brake pedal swap. oh, the pvc gromet when its hard as a rock from 120,000 miles worth of heat.i could go on. gotta love these buicks

 

[ThikStik]

Re: Changing transmission filter in contour

Originally posted by klrv6
To change the trans filter on the Ford CD4E found in the Contour FWD, you must drop the front half of the car (Engine/Trans, Suspension, Front subframe) then tear trans apart and replace the filter. Ford made the CD4E like a clamshell with the filter in the middle

OMFG!!! That is WFU!