Re: Consider buying American!

On Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:32:20 -0800, jim beam
<spamvortex@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>gfretwell@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 wrote:
>> On Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:45:38 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
>> <dave@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> 
>>> In article <WcWdnTUsGIwq2ivanZ2dnUVZ_gKdnZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
>>>   jim beam <spamvortex@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>>>> as for the belt, look at the service history.  and if you don't
believe 
>>>> that, just replace the belt.  the part is about $35.  if you do it 
>>>> yourself, have the tools and know your business, you can do it in
just 
>>>> over an hour.
>>> Since you appear to be a Honda type does this apply to every Honda?
>>> Somehow I doubt it...
>> 
>> I have a standing $800 bet with him it doesn't apply to a 97 Prelude.
>
>you never said "prelude" wisenheimer.  you didn't specify /any/ vehicle.
>

Remember this conversation? 

> I have been working on cars for 45 years and this thing tops the list
> for being the most miserable thing in the world to work on. 
> That includes those 60s mid sized cars with big block V*s shoehorned
> in them. My 97 Prelude tops them all for being a ***** to work on.
> I started out trying to replace the timing belt and gave up. When I
> looked at my Mitchell repair manual in the remove and replace section
> the first thing is how to remove the engine. I really think they are
> trying to tell you something. I am not sure how you would ever get
> that belt out with the engine in the car. You certainly are not
> getting the water pump in there. You have about 2." between the face
> of the block and the fender well ... that wheel well does not come out
> like most cars with transverse mounted engines. 
>  After breaking a 1/2" extension trying to loosen the crank shaft bolt
> I decided to cut my losses and I put it back together. The belt looks
> OK to me anyway (using the inspection criteria in the Honda manual).
> Simply changing the alternator belt and PS belt was a big enough pain
> in the ass.
>  When this thing breaks I will either use it as my signal from god to
> convert the car to electric or just take the tags off and leave it on
> the side of the road.

before you post stuff like this, since you've obviously been able to 
find this group, you should check the google archives first and find
the 
faq's before posting stories of woe.  the fact is, this job is real
easy 
if you know what you're doing.  so, this is not a story about hondas 
being miserable, it's about your ability to do your homework being 
miserable.