Worst or most problematic car you've owned?

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Originally Posted By: SS1970chrysler


I've let it ride long enough. Still no correct guesses on the '83 MKVI firing order.
wink.gif

The firing order of this particular engine was: 1-3-4-8-6-5-7-2
It also used a weird multi-contact rotor and distributor cap with that order stamped into it. Any other firing order would cause the cats to glow red hot and give lots of misses and backfires. The cylinder numbering was the same so essentially, it fired one side of the engine, then the other. :?


I think you'll enjoy this post from Ford trucks:

Quote:
If it's a California truck it's a good chance the ignition is EEC-III (brown grommet on ignition module.)

The EEC-III distributor rotor fires alternately from both sides of the distributor rotor.

The firing order you listed is correct for a 351w, but the spark plug wires for an EEC-III distributor will be wired counter clock-wise in a different order.

351w firing order, CCW: 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

351w wire order, CCW: 1-5-7-8-6-3-4-2

Similar for the 302:

302 firing order, CCW: 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

302 wire order, CCW: 1-3-4-8-6-5-7-2


grin.gif


So I guess we're both right? LOL!
 
True. You can also see why no one was able to fix this car back then as well.
smile.gif

It did have brown grommet module. The was kind of a transition setup I guess. My '82 T-bird with 255 and 84 CV with 302 were just fine though.
 
33.gif
I remember those caps! It looked kinda' like a Nissan NAPS-Z distributor cap (8 spark plug 4 cylinder in 200SXes, and 720 and D21 Pickups)

I thought they were for the hopeless variable venturi carb'd 302s. We stocked it at Western Auto, but I cannot remember ever selling it
 
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Yeah, weird one-off setup. Typical Ford, LMAO!!!


Knowing Ford ...

It was probably used for a period of 3 months on engines assembled on Mondays and Thursdays, Engines assembled on Wednesdays and Fridays had a different firing order.

Of course, that alll changed for the subsequent 3 quarters.

The only one that shows up in a factory service manual is the configuration that never made it to production.

Gotta love Ford and their running changes.
 
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
33.gif
I remember those caps! It looked kinda' like a Nissan NAPS-Z distributor cap (8 spark plug 4 cylinder in 200SXes, and 720 and D21 Pickups)

I thought they were for the hopeless variable venturi carb'd 302s. We stocked it at Western Auto, but I cannot remember ever selling it


My VV-carb 302 (1982 Marquis wagon) used a regular Duraspark cap with the normal firing order.
 
My 1980 Chevy Monza. I experienced a succession of costly repairs from premature transmission rebuilds, electrical system failures,brake problems etc etc. I don't have enough fingers on both hands to count the number of times I could not operate the car because of mechanical failure. What did I do: Replaced it with another Chevy product that was always in the shop for " unscheduled repairs". I finally learned my lesson and started buying Japanese cars. As expected, all of the vehicles I have owned over the last 20 years have been exceptionally reliable and I have been delighted with the ownership experience.
 
So far 2003 Nissan Sentra with the 1.8L L4 QG18DE, liked its head gasket too much. Other than that nothing really wrong with it. 2009 Smart fortwo shifted terribly if you left it in "auto" mode but I knew that going in...
 
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interesting reads....
to the omni folks (now comes the long-winded story of our largely trouble free Omni), we had one when i was growing up. dad bought it new in 85($5k). It was the basest of base models, no power anything,no A/C, didn't even come w/ a radio. Dad had an AM only unit installed.(still what he mostly listens to)Peugeot 4 cyl, 4 speed manual(computer was set up for a 5 speed... cruisin' along in 4th,occasionally the up-shift light would come on.) dad drove it for a couple years, then mom's car until 90. then went to my older brother(his 79 grand prix had just been stolen), he drove it for a few more years, then loaded it up Clampett style when he moved to Dallas. by the next summer, he figured out that maybe he DID need a/c in N.Texas, and sold it to our cousin in Toledo(whose dad just happened to be in Dallas on a business trip)(approx '93) cousin drove that Omni until the floor pans rusted out. (?'97?)
that was the only REAL problem with that car.other than somehwere around 150k a spark plug had been slightly stripped, and about every 1k mi, you'd have to tighten it back down..
 
on paper, the worst car I've ever had is also one i wish i still had... It was my grandpa's 1987 Olds 98 Regency Brougham.
I inherited it after he passed, He had bought it used (w/ about 60k mi) in '90.
(replaced a 77 Olds 98 with the 400, and well over 200k mi, that had a severe case of bubble cancer all over. )
any how, in the time i had the car...(oct.98-aug.2001)

1)it ALWAYS had a leak (fairly significant) along the top of the windshield that i could never fully silicone closed.(went to work/school on more than a few days w/ wet pants)

2)window motors were ...geriatric... if you tried to use more than 1 @ a time, one of them would crawl to a stop while the other went up.

3)Tapes got stuck in the deck, so i got an aftermarket stereo w/ a cd player, which lead to....

4) car was stolen from me while i was @ a movie theater 100mi from home. only had liability (poor college kid, 12yr old car, w/115k mi...)so after it was recovered had to replace stereo, lower dash panel that they had busted out ripping the stereo out, steering column that they had busted into and started the car w/ a screw driver, and patch up the door skin where they had popped the lock cylinder on the drivers door.

5) various $50-$100 repairs(sensor here, motor mount there)

6) this one at least partly my fault- brakes never thought about 'em untill the wear tabs started chirping, and even then didn't do anything untill i couldn't drown it out w/ the stereo. so when i took it in, not only did it need new brakes all around, but the flexi brake lines up front were pretty rotten, and had to be replaced, and the front struts were shot and needed replacing as well. (totaled over $900)

7)about 120k mi,(maybe mid oct.99) the Timing belt broke. had it replaced($600), but the damage had been done. the oil passages had been blocked, and with in 500mi the engine sounded like a meat grinder.
rebuilt(Jasper) engine installed($2500)

8)Shortly there after, i was clowning around in the college parking lot, and heard/felt a loud BANG!! from under the hood. drove ok, so i ignored it. after a bit, it started chattering/bucking when you first take off from a stop, unless you reallly grannied it. then heading home from work on christmas eve morning, it just would go forward no more. I was able to throw it in reverse, and get into the driveway of a couple from my parents church. after i got it towed to the trusted local trans shop, turns out i had some how snapped the drive band...oops... tranny rebuild ($2000)


9) clutch in the power antenna motor burns out (while i'm on crutches, and in in no position to tear the wheel well apart to try and fix it) causing the antenna motor to run constantly (even with the key out). I discover pulling the radio fuse kills the circuit, so i do that EVERYTIME i turn the car off...after my legs healed up, i bought a "universal" power antenna kit. will NOT fit where i need it to.(darn GM and their structural supports for the fenders!)so just replace it with a standard fixed mast antenna.

10)CAT self destructed, and heat sheild rattled constantly.
solution: a) remove heat shield(just the downward facing part that was doing the rattling) b) later on (since i didn't feel like starting grass fires @ the fairgrounds-"lawn parking"- actually put a universal cat on (~$200)

11) NOT MY FAULT!! - went to the local(corp. owned) goodyear shop to get some new tires. while I'm waiting, i hear this horrendous crash sound. the tech had mistaken the cars second (LEFT)accelerator(grandpa's right leg was amputated) for a clutch or something...slammed the car into the columns between the outer bay doors, right in the center of the Rad, cracking it in 1/2, and bending the frame/unibody...
they paid MY body shop to repair the damage, but for some reason "couldn't" rent me a car, however they could reimburse me for the rental when the repairs were completed. (2 mo, and $900 in rental charges later...)

12)some where in there the rear gas struts (car had "air level ride") went out. i never replaced them ,when i sold it it looked like it was kinda squatting..

13) some idiot tried to roll down the rear drivers side window during the winter months...it popped, and went down about an inch, never to move again...(duct tape to the rescue!)

14) summer 2001, as i started shopping for a new car,the ac started leaking freon (r-12) (14yrs in the rust belt.. not unexpected really)

when i sold it, with 140k mi on the odometer, EVERYTHING forward of the "A" Pillar was less than 2 yrs old
about 20k on rebuilt engine @ trans.
between my dad, and Goodyear, around $10k had been put into the car, that i could only sell for book value ($2000)
(to be fair it still needed a couple grand in repairs...Rear struts, ac leak, window motors, windshield seal,etc.)
I still have a pair of fog lamps i bought for that car, and never got around to installing....
 
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A 1984 Pontiac Sunfire. It had all sorts of problems(overheating, idling, starting.....) but not sure if was the prior owner or just a cruddy car.

It was given to me. I left a airport carpark.
 
74 Delta 88 Royale convertible.

When the ex rammed a truck at highway speed the rear coil springs fell out. Springs shouldn't just fall out like that. Will GM ever learn?

Edit:
Also, it was drafty.
 
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Originally Posted By: earlyre
interesting reads....
to the omni folks (now comes the long-winded story of our largely trouble free Omni)....


I've heard many stories about the Omni/Horizon. Particularly from owners of the early models with the VW engine. Not the GLH. They praise the virtues of this weird American/French/German combination and I wait for the punch-line. It never comes.

I've driven the 2.2 models and I really can't understand why anybody would like this car. But they do.
21.gif
 
Originally Posted By: earlyre
on paper, the worst car I've ever had is also one i wish i still had... It was my grandpa's 1987 Olds 98 Regency Brougham.
I inherited it after he passed, He had bought it used (w/ about 60k mi) in '90.
(replaced a 77 Olds 98 with the 400, and well over 200k mi, that had a severe case of bubble cancer all over. )
any how, in the time i had the car...(oct.98-aug.2001)

1)it ALWAYS had a leak (fairly significant) along the top of the windshield that i could never fully silicone closed.(went to work/school on more than a few days w/ wet pants)

2)window motors were ...geriatric... if you tried to use more than 1 @ a time, one of them would crawl to a stop while the other went up.

3)Tapes got stuck in the deck, so i got an aftermarket stereo w/ a cd player, which lead to....

4) car was stolen from me while i was @ a movie theater 100mi from home. only had liability (poor college kid, 12yr old car, w/115k mi...)so after it was recovered had to replace stereo, lower dash panel that they had busted out ripping the stereo out, steering column that they had busted into and started the car w/ a screw driver, and patch up the door skin where they had popped the lock cylinder on the drivers door.

5) various $50-$100 repairs(sensor here, motor mount there)

6) this one at least partly my fault- brakes never thought about 'em untill the wear tabs started chirping, and even then didn't do anything untill i couldn't drown it out w/ the stereo. so when i took it in, not only did it need new brakes all around, but the flexi brake lines up front were pretty rotten, and had to be replaced, and the front struts were shot and needed replacing as well. (totaled over $900)

7)about 120k mi,(maybe mid oct.99) the Timing belt broke. had it replaced($600), but the damage had been done. the oil passages had been blocked, and with in 500mi the engine sounded like a meat grinder.
rebuilt(Jasper) engine installed($2500)

8)Shortly there after, i was clowning around in the college parking lot, and heard/felt a loud BANG!! from under the hood. drove ok, so i ignored it. after a bit, it started chattering/bucking when you first take off from a stop, unless you reallly grannied it. then heading home from work on christmas eve morning, it just would go forward no more. I was able to throw it in reverse, and get into the driveway of a couple from my parents church. after i got it towed to the trusted local trans shop, turns out i had some how snapped the drive band...oops... tranny rebuild ($2000)


9) clutch in the power antenna motor burns out (while i'm on crutches, and in in no position to tear the wheel well apart to try and fix it) causing the antenna motor to run constantly (even with the key out). I discover pulling the radio fuse kills the circuit, so i do that EVERYTIME i turn the car off...after my legs healed up, i bought a "universal" power antenna kit. will NOT fit where i need it to.(darn GM and their structural supports for the fenders!)so just replace it with a standard fixed mast antenna.

10)CAT self destructed, and heat sheild rattled constantly.
solution: a) remove heat shield(just the downward facing part that was doing the rattling) b) later on (since i didn't feel like starting grass fires @ the fairgrounds-"lawn parking"- actually put a universal cat on (~$200)

11) NOT MY FAULT!! - went to the local(corp. owned) goodyear shop to get some new tires. while I'm waiting, i hear this horrendous crash sound. the tech had mistaken the cars second (LEFT)accelerator(grandpa's right leg was amputated) for a clutch or something...slammed the car into the columns between the outer bay doors, right in the center of the Rad, cracking it in 1/2, and bending the frame/unibody...
they paid MY body shop to repair the damage, but for some reason "couldn't" rent me a car, however they could reimburse me for the rental when the repairs were completed. (2 mo, and $900 in rental charges later...)

12)some where in there the rear gas struts (car had "air level ride") went out. i never replaced them ,when i sold it it looked like it was kinda squatting..

13) some idiot tried to roll down the rear drivers side window during the winter months...it popped, and went down about an inch, never to move again...(duct tape to the rescue!)

14) summer 2001, as i started shopping for a new car,the ac started leaking freon (r-12) (14yrs in the rust belt.. not unexpected really)

when i sold it, with 140k mi on the odometer, EVERYTHING forward of the "A" Pillar was less than 2 yrs old
about 20k on rebuilt engine @ trans.
between my dad, and Goodyear, around $10k had been put into the car, that i could only sell for book value ($2000)
(to be fair it still needed a couple grand in repairs...Rear struts, ac leak, window motors, windshield seal,etc.)
I still have a pair of fog lamps i bought for that car, and never got around to installing....


wow....thanks for that. I don't feel so bad about the money I poured into my '85 Skyhawk.....
 
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: earlyre
interesting reads....
to the omni folks (now comes the long-winded story of our largely trouble free Omni)....


I've heard many stories about the Omni/Horizon. Particularly from owners of the early models with the VW engine. Not the GLH. They praise the virtues of this weird American/French/German combination and I wait for the punch-line. It never comes.

I've driven the 2.2 models and I really can't understand why anybody would like this car. But they do.
21.gif



My mother's got 35+MPG, handled pretty well, ran 200,000+ reliable miles (and she still is not the most diligent about PM), and would, with the seats folded, swallow a freezer. My only real beef was that it had no A/C, and the brakes, while they were OK, heated up quickly (solid front rotors). Well...that, and it was not a GLH!
laugh.gif


I had a Shelby Charger with the 2.2 turbo...it was not a comfortable highway runner, but wow, was it fun!
smile.gif
 
THey were [censored] good cars with the 2.2 5spd. Very simple and well built for the time. You have to remember the competition was terrible, in that segment. I had a Charger and Turismo, both carbed cars, very reliable.

The Turbo I 2.2 were even better and faster. The GLHS Omni was a rocket. I have driven some souped up Omnis, think 350 WHP. A simple cooler and intake upgrade on T1 to T2 with GLHS stg 2 puter and fatter injectors will run high 12's all day long and return 35 mpg.

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: earlyre
interesting reads....
to the omni folks (now comes the long-winded story of our largely trouble free Omni)....


I've heard many stories about the Omni/Horizon. Particularly from owners of the early models with the VW engine. Not the GLH. They praise the virtues of this weird American/French/German combination and I wait for the punch-line. It never comes.

I've driven the 2.2 models and I really can't understand why anybody would like this car. But they do.
21.gif
 
I bought a clean '94 Honda del Sol SI from my brother in law about 12 years ago. I liked the car a lot, comfortable a quick for what it was, but I had a bunch of niggling little problems with it.

The CD changer kept breaking requiring it to be taken apart to get my CDs out. The door handle on the driver's side broke inside the door, requiring replacing some of the rods and guts to fix. The supposedly stainless muffler pipe rotted out at the flange requiring replacement.

But it was the drifting while on the highway and the pulling to one side while on the brakes is what killed it for me. I could never get it fixed properly. It was always one step forward, two steps back with that car. I do something to try to fix or improve it in some way, and something else would happen. I got tired of it. Too bad too, because it was a sharp little car and I wanted to like it more than I did. I didn't shed any tears when I traded it in.
 
had a 1984 ply fury 318 V-8. it had a loose of power, it ran better with half throttle than full. took it to the dealer 3 times, couldn't find any thing . two plugs had black, they looked like they had been in the exhaust. in a way they was. the inkake had a crack letting the exhaust into the intake. just remember when you buy a chrysler product, ITS YOURS, YOU WONT GET ANY HELP FROM CHRYSLER.
 
Originally Posted By: VNTS
THey were [censored] good cars with the 2.2 5spd. Very simple and well built for the time. You have to remember the competition was terrible, in that segment. I had a Charger and Turismo, both carbed cars, very reliable.

The Turbo I 2.2 were even better and faster. The GLHS Omni was a rocket. I have driven some souped up Omnis, think 350 WHP. A simple cooler and intake upgrade on T1 to T2 with GLHS stg 2 puter and fatter injectors will run high 12's all day long and return 35 mpg.

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: earlyre
interesting reads....
to the omni folks (now comes the long-winded story of our largely trouble free Omni)....


I've heard many stories about the Omni/Horizon. Particularly from owners of the early models with the VW engine. Not the GLH. They praise the virtues of this weird American/French/German combination and I wait for the punch-line. It never comes.

I've driven the 2.2 models and I really can't understand why anybody would like this car. But they do.
21.gif


I had 7 different Turbo Mopars including Shelby Lancer #24, Loved them all and they were easy to modify. My Jetta TDI made them seem like the pinnacle of automotive excellence and reliability.
 
I had an 01 Monte Carlo SS. It was a blast to drive, it was owned by an older couple, always serviced on time. It was in excellent condition, and I actually got quite a few compliments because of how nice it looked. Well...it was nice for about 2 months? Maybe?

I considered getting rid of my 96 Grand Prix when I bought this car, but in the end, I couldn't get rid of a perfectly functioning, nice looking car, that as a second car was dirt cheap to insure. So I kept it, best choice I could have made. The Monte Carlo's rack and pinion went bad, it would leave puddles all the time. I had to refill the PS every 500 miles. So I replaced the rack and pinion and tie rod ends, then discovered both front wheel bearings were bad. So it got pretty much a new front end, but wait! The fuel pump decided to start screaming, so a new pump went in.
It was good for a month...then the AC compressor started screaming bloody murder. It came apart internally, so new compressor, orifice tube, and rev/dryer.
Now the climate control head decided it didn't need to work anymore, so I got one from a junk yard for that.
Then my brakes started acting up randomly. It would randomly not stop straight, first thing I did was check all slides. Caliper and pads all moved freely and had plenty of grease. Then I noticed the right front wheel had a lot more brake dust then the rest...so I was at first thinking the caliper was bad. Then the ABS randomly engaged. Now the brakes would consistently not stop straight sometimes haha. Meaning if it acted up once, it would keep it up. Then I had the odd idea maybe the ABS module/pump had failed. So I cycled the key while it acted up one day...and the brakes would act perfect again.

At this point, I was getting a little sick of repairing this car. I had put more miles on my old car then this one because it was broke so much.

So I'm getting ready to repair the brake issue...but wait, it decides its not done being broke. I back out of my parking space, which involved a slight bump, and my left front stayed down. I'm thinking it broke a spring, great. Nope, the strut locked up, while down. Next morning all was well again...what? Never seen that before.

So now I'm pricing out a new ABS module/pump, front struts and mounts (the mounts got noisy when turning...), when it decides now is a good time to start throwing BCM problems at me. Locks get a mind of their own, trunk randomly pops by itself, alarm just goes off on it's on.

I'm getting sick of this...but wait, there's more! The upper intake starts leaking coolant, then the lower intake does the same. Now I'm looking at struts, mounts, ABS work, tearing the motor apart, and BCM replacement. This is getting a little insane...throw in a transmission that is randomly shifting hard/soft...and I decide enough is enough. I'm a good mechanic, and I could fix everything...however, it's just not worth it at this point. So I polish it up and go car shopping. The body and everything was in such good shape that I still got over 3k in trade for it, so I was perfectly happy with that.

I picked up an 07 Grand Prix for a steal, that was in perfect shape. No regrets. I miss the Monte for the "fun factor" of a sporty two door...but then I remember, my 96 Grand Prix is a sporty two door with no money pit problems. I always love this...my 96 almost burns no oil, it loses about 1/2 quart in 6k OCI. The Monte used a quart every 2000...The 96 had twice the miles!
 
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