Stupidest Designs.......

Status
Not open for further replies.
Here's one for the old guys.
Remember when windshield wipers were run by engine vacuum?
I had an old truck with 3 on the tree.
As you accelerate the wipers stop and you get a wipe or two while shifting gears.
Sometimes it rained so hard that while accelerating I would slow a bit to get a wipe.
Why was this done?
They were 6 volt systems.
 
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
The stupidest design award imo is the Ford automatic transmission that has no dipstick,no drain plug,no fill plug,and can only be serviced by the dealership.


Isn't that pretty much every car automatic transmission made for quite some time now?
 
Originally Posted by zzyzzx
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
The stupidest design award imo is the Ford automatic transmission that has no dipstick,no drain plug,no fill plug,and can only be serviced by the dealership.


Isn't that pretty much every car automatic transmission made for quite some time now?


Especially the FWD vehicles …

My SUV and LT still have the dipstick in the fill tube and steel pan.
If you park overnight on the same concrete you will catch a leak earlier
If you park on pea gravel, leave cardboard under it Saturday or Sunday night
 
Hi
Mercedes OM642 Diesel that has the oil cooler at the base of the 'V'. Then use crappy seals so it leaks. Many hours involved to replace a $15 seal. Just crazy!
EGR valve that on the Jeep is next to impossible to get at.
As said before, removing whole dash to get at a leaky heater matrix.
 
I thought it was dumb at the time but now it's the norm.

1992 Mitsubishi Expo. They had to remove the engine to do the timing belt change. Almost $1000 service for a $30-40 belt.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Black_Thunder
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
The stupidest design award imo is the Ford automatic transmission that has no dipstick,no drain plug,no fill plug,and can only be serviced by the dealership.



Just wondering what transmission this is


My gf's 07 Mustang.
 
Originally Posted by zzyzzx
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
The stupidest design award imo is the Ford automatic transmission that has no dipstick,no drain plug,no fill plug,and can only be serviced by the dealership.


Isn't that pretty much every car automatic transmission made for quite some time now?


My Accord has a drain plug and a fill tube with dipstick. Easier than changing the engine oil.
 
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Originally Posted by Black_Thunder
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
The stupidest design award imo is the Ford automatic transmission that has no dipstick,no drain plug,no fill plug,and can only be serviced by the dealership.



Just wondering what transmission this is


My gf's 07 Mustang.




Should be the same as the explorers. Fill from the bottom with a brass or plastic nipple through the plug. Not as convenient as a dipstick but still doable
 
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
The stupidest design award imo is the Ford automatic transmission that has no dipstick,no drain plug,no fill plug,and can only be serviced by the dealership.


Not a Ford invention....X-business partner had a sealed tranny in a 2000 Mercedes Benz
 
Originally Posted by 69Torino
When Blue Bird builds school buses, they run the interior wiring and THEN paint the whole interior white. So all of the interior wiring is painted. Makes tracing circuits an intolerable nightmare.

Even to this day with multiplexed electrical systems they do that? I peeked a gander at the wiring on an MCI D4500/J4500 series tour bus(well, the D4500 was in transit config as a commuter coach) and that wiring in the area of one of the multiplex modules is to die for...
 
Toyota 1UZ-FE EGR pipe on the 1990-1997 Lexus LS and SC400. If that pipe cracks, it's [censored] near impossible to get to without losing skin and blood. The 1994-1997 engines have two pipes. It makes the starter replacement on these become a walk in the park.

VW 2.0TSI EA888 engine with a timing chain - it's an elegantly stupid design with 3 different chains for the cams, balance shafts and oil pump. Tensioners are a weak point and there's lots of one-time use bolts along with a easily destroyed lower timing cover.

GM's CPI/CSFI systems. I'm no professional mechanic and I don't wrench on too many American products, but what was GM thinking? Supposedly the CSPI system used on the 96-2000 Vortec 4.3 and 350 was much improved over the CPI system. I encouraged an ex-friend to upgrade to the MPI spider for his 1998 Tahoe when I was in there replacing the intake manifold gaskets.

Ford SOHC Cologne V6 - stupid, stupid, stupid. Overly complex chain drive for what seems like a hastily-engineered modernization for that engine. Engine has to come out to service the rear timing chain cassette. Unless one can do a cab-off or body-off on an Ranger or Explorer.
 
Originally Posted by nthach

GM's CPI/CSFI systems. I'm no professional mechanic and I don't wrench on too many American products, but what was GM thinking? Supposedly the CSPI system used on the 96-2000 Vortec 4.3 and 350 was much improved over the CPI system. I encouraged an ex-friend to upgrade to the MPI spider for his 1998 Tahoe when I was in there replacing the intake manifold gaskets.


Not much of an improvement....Just sequential firing of the injectors vs the Batch Fire system. GM did eventually install MPI injectors on the later Gen 1 4.3L production engines.

Cleaning the Poppets yearly with GM Top Engine Cleaner can keep them serviceable for a long time, But the concentration required to effectively clean them requires a air operated pressure vessel at @75 psi. Nothing that in tank additives can do.

The Fuel Pressure Regulator leaking causes many issues & is what takes out many "Poppet" spider assemblies via a backfire causing an literal fire under the upper plenum, Melting the plastic lines.
 
Oh my god I've seen so many.

Ford 500 had the alternator on the bottom passenger side. Need too remove the tie rod to fit it out.

Toyota used to place their evap canisters and vent valve in the rear wheel well, where it was splashed with salt and sand.

GM 3.4— enough said

Dodge Ram rust over rear wheel wells...every....single...time

Honda Accord dumping their evaporator drain directly into the front cradle. Rotting them out.

I literally could go on for days...oh! Just yesterday! Chrysler 3.7 engine. Lifter collapses, rocker falls out and valve drops into the cylinder. I've seen this several times. Several. Doesn't matter how many oil changes you perform...how easy you drive. It just could happen. Poor design. People don't deserve this one.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top