I just have to say it… 3rd Gens suck to work on.

Thanks for the advice!

E
****

 

You're welcome!

 

Replacing turbo on a Focus ST with a much larger one

Replacing spark plugs on any LT1/4 motor

Replacing the timing belt and water pump on a PT Cruiser

Those 3 jobs above are each painful in their own way

 

To be fair the BMW and Land Rover have definitely spoiled me. The BMW because they obviously actually put thought and effort into serviceability and the Rover because it's not like British Leyland was utilizing any advanced manufacturing techniques so it had to be simple to screw together.

 

This thread over a starter?

Dude, isn't that every starter? Lol.

I worked on fleet transfer dumps, and other diesel engines... This sounds like a typical Sunday compared to a starter on some of those things.

But yes, I agree, there is always something frustrating...

 

i wonder sometimes about the various engineering design paradigms as they reflect (or don't) a national or cultural character. as a kid working in bicycle shops, japanese components seemed functional and straight forward compared to european. italian was just beautiful and the french were determined to do everything backwards, just because. still, the absolute best derailleur i ever had was a top of the line (french) Simplex. pre-index, it was the smoothest, most precise bit of machinery i ever had. never missed. then the main spring broke and there were no replacements available.

i don't know that the japanese thing really holds up though. with motorcycles, Yamaha makes sense to me, Suzuki and Kawasaki don't. BMW is fine. with cars, i loved the e46. i'm not interested in american. i seriously hate Subaru.

i don't work on cameras, but i get paid to operate them. Sony is generally straight forward, but you can tell their marketing people get in the way, tiered product lines and such. Canon is different for no good reason, so they seem like the french to me. but nothing is as sweet to operate as an Arri, fuggin germans own so much in design.

 

Two bolts to get the starter out on a 3rd Gen 4Runner.

One bolt is pretty easy, used a 3/8" drive with deep socket and maybe an extension...or not.

The second bolt? 1/2" drive, 6" extension with swivel, 12" extension, a 5" extension, to another 5" extension with swivel, down to a 24" long breaker bar -

 

Second to 1986 Preludes

 

I've only ever done it on my Rover, one of the bolts was a bit tricky to reach and was a hex socket head I was very worried about stripping but other than that it was pretty easy.

And then there's the British, it was cobbled together in a shed so it all makes perfect sense to someone cobbling it back together in their shed.

Subarus suck to work on too, my girlfriend has an older Forester I sometimes maintain for her and the boxer layout puts everything in odd locations. But I also kind of like their stubborn commitment to the layout, it gives the car some character and I actually really enjoy driving the thing. It's much less bland than any other crossover I've driven.

 

Comparing 20+ year old vehicles to a brand new truck? Go try to work on a new F150 or RAM and report back. These trucks are simple compared to other modern vehicles.

 

Tonered going IN!!

 

To quote Tolstoy
"...hopelessly, permanently, painfully self-assured men as only Germans can be, and precisely because only Germans can be self-assured on the basis of abstract idea – science, that is, and imaginary knowledge of the perfect truth. A Frenchman is self-assured because he considers himself personally, in mind as well as body, irresistibly enchanting for men as well as women. An Englishman is self-assured on the grounds that he is a citizen of the best-organized state in the world, and therefore, as an Englishman, he always knows what he must do, and knows that everything he does as an Englishman is unquestionably good. An Italian is self-assured because he is excitable and easily forgets himself and others. A Russian is self-assured precisely because he does not know anything and does not want to know anything, because he does not believe it possible to know anything fully."

 

My two 2000 Audi B5 S4s were by far the hardest cars I have ever worked on. That engine bay was stuffed.

 

I've spent some time under the hood of a friend's B5 A4 Avant and the 4 was even pretty cozy in there, can't imagine with the 6 let alone the 8 in there.

Wonderful car though, an RS4 Avant in that blue is what dreams are made of if the dreams gloss over the trouble or expense needed to keep it running. Fast, great soundtrack, good looking and compact footprint with plenty of space inside.

 

In my 53 years on this planet, I have taken a car to a shop to have an oil change exactly 4 times, and that was on my 2000 VW Jetta and only because those were free and it was convenient since the dealership was close to other places i went frequently. I was a mechanic at a motorcycle shop at 21. I do damn near all repairs and maintenance on my cars (and motorcycles ... 82 Yamaha Seca 400, and an 81 Maxim with an engine swap from a 82 Seca 750) since I have been able to afford tools. I take pride in doing my own mods, but I do know my limitations so I am not saying I am a super mechanic, but I can get a lot of stuff done.

My complaint with the oil filter is more along the lines of "why did they need make it more difficult?" the 2nd gen was brainless easy. Yeah you had to get under there to drain the oil, but this change made an oil change go from 10 minutes to 45. Its not like its hard, but just more of a pain than it needs to be.

fwiw, I'm too old for skinny jeans.. lol.

 

The frame of your truck and basic layout (starter bolted to the bell housing) is a carry over from the 2005 model year. Since vehicles take up to 10 years to design, the newer trucks basically are using 90’s tech in their layout and design. I’ll go one further and say the basic layout is from one or two generations previous and from the 80’s.

I’ve done a couple engine r&r’s - one on my 1st gen and one on my 3rd gen t4r. This thing has saved me tons of time messing with daisychained extensions.

$54 Steelman Pro 1/2" Drive, 3/8" Pinless Swivel Impact Extension, 36", Chromoly Steel with Black Oxide Finish, Maximum Torque Transfer Pinless Joint Design (79995)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00WKT9ITS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Yeah these are still early 2000’s trucks with better fuel management.

 

A starter in the Lifter Galley. I've seen it all!

 

OP was probably doing a frame replacement

 

People in this thread have some good ideas about how to drain the filter housing without making a mess, I bought

$12 MOCW Oil Filter Drain Tool Oil Filter Draining Tool Compatible with Toyota, Lexus, Scion 2.0L - 5.7L Engines with Cartridge Style Oil Filter System Replace OE # 15620-36020, 15620-36010

one of these things and it makes it super easy. Cardboard paper towel tubes are cheaper though haha