There may be dumber engineering, but you’ll have to convince me

Ranger50 said:

Geez, nobody has mentioned a PT Cruiser water pump yet?

I found that the easiest way to get the F.U. bracket off of a PT Cruiser was to first remove the cylinder head.

Granted, this is not the most efficient method if all you are doing is a timing belt and water pump, but it was the only time that removing that bracket did not involve swearing in multiple languages.

Chrysler, incidentally,designed the front of the 2.0/2.4 that way in order to minimize the amount of engine heat radiated to the timing belt.  The 2.4l was supposed to have a "lifetime" timing belt.  As a consequence, if the water pump started to leak, you had a LOT of extra stuff to remove thanks to the heat-shield slash inner timing cover.  (99 times out of 99.5 it was actually the water outlet that was leaking, anyway)

What I want to know is... why did the 2.4 in the Wrangler ALSO have that F.U. bracket???

buzzboy said:

ebonyandivory said:

Kinda makes we want to drive early Air Cooled Volkswagens from now on.

Easiest oil filter I've ever replaced.

The entire oil change in a 1980 Ford Fairmont 6-cylinder can be done standing beside the left fender. The only reason you need to get near the ground is to put the drain pan under the car, and get it back out.