Yeah be pissed at every automobile maker then. They all use stupid type of fasteners like this.
Stainless steel would have been a big no no, mixing different metals would have made the issue worse.
Yeah that part is exposed to the elements and also extreme heat. I was just under my car a few days ago and inspecting the underbody along with the engine cradle. I noticed how nice my bolt heads are and how I can still see threads on exposed studs on the engine.
I think it all depends on how the vehicle has been driven in its life. When I drive mine it is usually for a long distance.
I also live in Wisconsin where the roads turn from black to white in the Winter due to the High amounts of salt we use on the roads. You can literally turn a black car gray in the winter if you do not wash it.
Would you rather own a GM that burns a quart of oil every 1000 miles on an engine with just over 18k miles, imagine what it will be like at 80k miles. GM new about this issue but didnt recall the engines, they fixed the issue only if the original customer complained when the car was new.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CraigRK  I am PISSED!
A new crankshaft position sensor arrived by mail late yesterday, and I attempted to install it this morning. This absolutely critical piece is held in position by two very small studs on the engine block, in a location that is quite difficult to access. The studs themselves are 3/16" diameter (.187") and as they are located low on the engine by the main pulley, are fully exposed to all the elements and salt, rain etc. and SO GET RUSTY. I carefully sprayed these nuts and studs with a good penetrating oil, carefully selected the correct six-point socket, and with only slight pressure, snapped off the tiny stud.
Whether or not my engine problem is due to a failing CKP sensor I will likely never find out. If I attempt to remove the second nut, it will likely snap also, leaving my vehicle with no way to re-attach a new sensor. Because of the location of these studs, it will be virtually impossible to drill and re-tap these studs without removing the engine. To replace a $20 sensor. Held by two tiny 3/16" studs. In a location virtually impossible to access should they snap.
I am glad Ford may survive the current shakeout in the automotive industry (my two vehicles are both Fords), because having the U.S. without an automobile manufacturer is just too scary, but this kind of engineering is utterly inexcusable. I will NEVER buy another Ford.
CraigK |
