Tyre Pressures

[nilagin]

yes but what he is saying is a lot of cars tell users when things are low so people percieve they dont need to check all the time.

My post was more in reference to this remark. ".......and almost to prevent it now......"

Us of an older generation would always make sure our cars oil level was hovering just under the max mark.
It seems these days its better to have the oil level somewhere between Min & max.

I've never had my oil above half, always somewhere between Min and half way. Too much oil saps power, uses more fuel and raises emissions.

 

[Cobra]

Too much oil saps power,

Not even noticeable on the cars I drive Don't forget we drive the things not stick them on a test bed and worry about a couple bhp or a couple of lb/ft torque

uses more fuel

Fuel was really cheap at that time ( over 3 gallons / quid) so wasn't an issue

and raises emissions

And that was never even heard of!

 

[nilagin]

Not even noticeable on the cars I drive Don't forget we drive the things not stick them on a test bed and worry about a couple bhp or a couple of lb/ft torque

Every little bit adds up. and it's PS and NM now,

 

[Cobra]

and it's PS and NM now,

I rest my case
Bring back the V6 Essex Capri, one of the best cars ever made

Well OK the 2.8is Clone engine was a totally different animal, but no where near as much fun in the wet

 

[nilagin]

I rest my case
Bring back the V6 Essex Capri, one of the best cars ever made

Well OK the 2.8is Clone engine was a totally different animal, but no where near as much fun in the wet

I think you mean Cologne. Imagine how much power those engines would have with modern technology.

 

[Cobra]

I think you mean Cologne.

Poxy spell check

Imagine how much power those engines would have with modern technology.

TBH I liked the Essex so easy ( and cheap) to work on and tune with air filters, exhaust pipes Webber(s)
replacement heads etc etc.
Now you can't touch the damned things unless you have a degree in electronics / computers

 

[nilagin]

Poxy spell check


TBH I liked the Essex so easy ( and cheap) to work on and tune with air filters, exhaust pipes Webber(s)
replacement heads etc etc.
Now you can't touch the damned things unless you have a degree in electronics / computers

They're still not that complicated. Just more efficient.

 

[Cobra]

They're still not that complicated. Just more efficient.

And almost impossible to work on with your average set of tools, as above bring back the X-flows and Essex V6

 

[nilagin]

And almost impossible to work on with your average set of tools, as above bring back the X-flows and Essex V6

No special tools in my toolbox. It's that scary engine cover that puts people off. Dismantling and rebuilding is still the same.

 

[OldCarlos]

No special tools in my toolbox. It's that scary engine cover that puts people off. Dismantling and rebuilding is still the same.

My whitworth tools still ok then?

 

[nilagin]

My whitworth tools still ok then?

Probably not. I've worked for Ford for 34yrs as a toolmaker and 3yrs in engine development and only ever used metric.

 

[OldCarlos]

Probably not.

Ahhh, they'll have to stay in the garage then.

 

[Tori_T]

I guess I am the only one who has top up oil, anti freeze/ coolant and a battery charger in the garage just in case? Always be prepared..

 

[ancient_mariner]

My comment about discouraging home users was based on the way various bits of the car are made difficult to access (like spark plugs on peugeots). I couldn't even find the battery on my mini countryman a couple of weeks ago, and the manual wasn't helpful. I hate the feeling of being blocked from doing normal service stuff.

Reference the comment about a renault without any warning sensors, some cars may have been produced recently, but that does not make them a modern design.

 

[nilagin]

My comment about discouraging home users was based on the way various bits of the car are made difficult to access (like spark plugs on peugeots). I couldn't even find the battery on my mini countryman a couple of weeks ago, and the manual wasn't helpful. I hate the feeling of being blocked from doing normal service stuff.

Reference the comment about a renault without any warning sensors, some cars may have been produced recently, but that does not make them a modern design.

TPMS became mandatory on all cars in 2012. If the car was built before that it didn't have to have it. I googled the mini battery location, came up straight away, removing the windscreen wiper to remove the battery is a bit extreme but still doable. No idea why Peugeot spark plugs would be hard to get at I'm not familiar with their engines.

 

[gman]

I think perhaps modern cars are a little more difficult to work on for the regular person because of the extra electronics and sensors which are now in today's cars, especially when it comes to diagnostics and requiring more specialised and usually very expensive obd2 equipment. Also what with all the advancements you probably need to constantly keep your hand in so as to keep up-to-date.

 

[nilagin]

I think perhaps modern cars are a little more difficult to work on for the regular person because of the extra electronics and sensors which are now in today's cars, especially when it comes to diagnostics and requiring more specialised and usually very expensive obd2 equipment. Also what with all the advancements you probably need to constantly keep your hand in so as to keep up-to-date.

OBD's have been on cars for 20yrs at least. A simple OBD code reader/ engine management light reset, can be bought for less than £20 as can more advanced diagnostic software which you can load onto a laptop. The extra electronics and sensors don't prevent people from changing spark plugs, oil, oil or air filters, brake pads or discs or doing the checks anymore than on older cars.

 

[andrewc]

The full diagnostics equipment is expensive, but as nilagin says, you can buy a ODB2 code reader which will allow you to interrogate engine fault codes and reset a number of them is cheap.

I'd say that a greater problem than a code reader is easy / affordable access to factory workshop manuals

 

[nilagin]

The full diagnostics equipment is expensive, but as nilagin says, you can buy a ODB2 code reader which will allow you to interrogate engine fault codes and reset a number of them is cheap.

I'd say that a greater problem than a code reader is easy / affordable access to factory workshop manuals

No idea if other car manufacturers have something similar, but Ford have their ETIS site https://www.etis.ford.com/ which the dealers use, People can pay for access to the manuals.

 

[gman]

OBD's have been on cars for 20yrs at least. A simple OBD code reader/ engine management light reset, can be bought for less than £20 as can more advanced diagnostic software which you can load onto a laptop. The extra electronics and sensors don't prevent people from changing spark plugs, oil, oil or air filters, brake pads or discs or doing the checks anymore than on older cars.

I know, I've got one but more and more I've found it won't pick up codes because they are manufacture specific ones. I agree that the basic stuff is still generally the same on modern cars but not always, take my car for example, it has no dip stick for the oil and uses electronic measurement so an oil change isn't quite so easy and quick as you have to run an oil level check via the idrive because I wouldn't trust pouring in an exact measurement when filling up the oil.

Then there's Peugeot where jump starting some of them can (usually) scramble the electronics requiring specialist kit to reprogram. There's also a special shut down procedure just for removing the battery.

If I change the battery in my car I have to get the thing reprogrammed also.

But I'm mainly talking about diagnosing faults which was more accessible to the home mechanic with older cars but now there are sensors for everything.