[V8] fuel tank... *sigh* does it ever end?

[dsaad at icehouse.net]

While some jobs are harder than others, I find that anything I want to on the V8
is reasonably straight forward. Unlike anything I do on my Fords.
A few examples:
- you have to remove the gas tank to change the fuel pump. They don't leave any
reasonable way to deal with the fuel lines. The replacement part comes with a
new guage sender. You cannot buy a guage sender without the pump. Pure genius.

- to change the climate control flap motor, you have to pull the entire dash
board - not the cluster, the whole dash from door to shining door. This could
have been totally avoided if they made the rear screw to the motor snap into
place. A motor replacement would then take all of 10 minutes.

- to change the plugs on an Expedition, you remove the body from the frame.

- to change the spark plugs on an Explorer, you pull a fender well.

- electrical connectors and plastic thingamawhoppers always break when you
dis-connect them

All of these common repairs are pretty simple on the V8.
Although the timing belt is complex and takes time, it is pretty easy - there is
a good factory procedure, and they provide a way to get to everything that needs
to be got to.
If you follow the procedure line by line, you will be fine. Same goes for the
clutch replacement, and steering rack.


Dave


Quoting Ed Kellock <ekellock at gmail.com>:

> An rant in re: fuel tanks, etc. ...
>
> My girlfriend's '92 Firebird decided to not start on Friday.  I checked the
> usual stuff and came up with fuel pump but didn't know how to be sure if it
> just wasn't being triggered for some other reason, blah blah.  Bought and
> RTFM, the Chilton edition, and when I got to "remove gas tank", I quit
> reading.
>
> I have spare cars but she doesn't so it went in to the local garage which is
> good but not a whole lot less than a dealer.  $650 estimate.
>
> Crap weather and the lack of a spare running automatic car.  Dammit.
>
> The timing belt job on an Audi V8 may seem a needlessly complex and
> sometimes hopeless challenge, but at least they could figure out how to cut
> a fugging hole in the floor over the GD gas tank.   (MAC)
>
> Ed
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