Quote from: BeerBeard on August 19, 2015, 12:15:28 PMQuote from: Syonyk on August 19, 2015, 11:46:37 AMQuote from: BeerBeard on August 19, 2015, 07:03:50 AMI suspect because torque specs are going higher and tolerances are getting smaller, new cars are getting harder to work on without buying high quality tools.A torque wrench is not particularly obscure... though finding the torque specs can be tough. For a lot of stuff, a good feel for it suffices.I think you missed my point. Cars are being assembled by robots, bolts are getting tighter and the space to get to them is getting smaller, year by year.Why do you say that fastener torque (specific ones? in general?) is higher than it used to be?
Quote from: Syonyk on August 19, 2015, 11:46:37 AMQuote from: BeerBeard on August 19, 2015, 07:03:50 AMI suspect because torque specs are going higher and tolerances are getting smaller, new cars are getting harder to work on without buying high quality tools.A torque wrench is not particularly obscure... though finding the torque specs can be tough. For a lot of stuff, a good feel for it suffices.I think you missed my point. Cars are being assembled by robots, bolts are getting tighter and the space to get to them is getting smaller, year by year.
Quote from: BeerBeard on August 19, 2015, 07:03:50 AMI suspect because torque specs are going higher and tolerances are getting smaller, new cars are getting harder to work on without buying high quality tools.A torque wrench is not particularly obscure... though finding the torque specs can be tough. For a lot of stuff, a good feel for it suffices.
I suspect because torque specs are going higher and tolerances are getting smaller, new cars are getting harder to work on without buying high quality tools.
I have no idea. Can't say I've seen fastener torque going up with time. There's a limit to what the metal can take.There might be an increase in torque-to-yield bolts, but that's mostly only for things like head bolts.
First, since you say you don't know what you need to do to maintain your car, look in the owner's manual (get one if you don't have one) at the scheduled maintenance chart (fluid changes, filter changes, spark plugs, belts, etc). If you don't know when any of it was done last, do all of it. It'll be a great learning experience, and it'll give your car a nice "reset" so every major wear item and fluid is new. Unless you have a weird car (usually European), parts should be cheap and you'll mostly pay with time, which will reward you with satisfaction and knowledge.You mention having a "junky" car. Most would probably consider both of my cars "junky." They're not worth more than $2k combined, have their share of brown, or uh, "rust coloration" and neither were made this century. I don't maintain them any less than I would if they were "nice" cars. If you treat a "junky" car like it's a junky car, it'll bite you in the butt eventually, leading everyone to berate you for driving a "junky" car and getting screwed. If you're nice to a "junky" car, that scrapheap can last you years and tens of thousands of miles to the bewilderment of those around you (I find great pleasure in this).With the what-to-do in hand, look online for the how-to-do in make/model-specific forum or YouTube channel that has people on it that know your car inside and out. Chances are, there will be tutorials for most of the basics of any reasonably common car. You could then also purchase a factory service manual (can usually be found online anywhere from $40-100 depending on the car) that will lay out everything (it's what the mechanics at the dealers use for reference). Ask any "car guys" you know for help. They tend to enjoy explaining things.Buy tools as you go, as you need them. Don't get some giant 54,361-in-1 set for $19.95. If you're unsure whether it's warranted to get the pricier "good version" of a weird tool, buy the el cheapo Harbor-Freight one, and if you use it enough to break it or get annoyed at how awful it is, replace it with a quality one (anything with a lifetime warranty is a good bet); otherwise just hold onto the cheapy tool. Quality tools will last forever, and save you money equally as long.
I would dare say, that the spaces are getting smaller because the frequency of required access is going down as cars get more reliable with newer technology.
Terrible to work on, anything with a turbo comes to mind, also v6 front wheel drive cars. On the other end, my Ford ranger 4 cyclinder, I feel like I could crawl in the engine bay with it, cause there is enough room for the v6 big engine version.
I've learned to restrict my hatred of V6 to specify "transverse mount V6 engines." I've worked on one vehicle (and I can't recall what it was) that was FWD with a longitudinal mount V6.
Longitudinally-mounted engine in a FWD car? That's a rare bird indeed.