GM Engineer meeting....mid 1990s

[Jeff53]

Sounds like you need to set it all up on jack stands to allow for more room. I don't like to arch my head up for a better view either. Strains my neck muscles. I have 2 thick kneel down pads, about 18" x 24" and I just stack them and settle my head on them. Is actually quite comfortable.

Might give the head prop a try. I have it on jack stands. It's just a tough area/angle to work. I've used my "mirror on a stick" to try to see if I'm getting the torx in there, but again, tough to work with only one hand trying to remove them. I may just get completely frustrated and dremel the tops off.

 

[Jeff53]

OK, I can't manage to get the damn torx out, so I'm getting a refurb from someone with good feedback on Ebay for about $120. My plan is to take it to a local mechanic I trust and have them replace it for me. Now I wish I'd bought that lift. My plan is to send mine out and have it refurbished, probably at Automotive Circuit Solutions, as they seem to be well thought of and have it for a spare, just in case. Anyway, will the refurb I'm getting need to be reprogrammed or is it plug and play. Again, I have an 02 Yukon, so it is J1850 VPW, not Can Bus. Thanks.

 

[nonickatall]

In Germany it changed over the years ...

1970:
Engineer A. I have calculated on a sheet that we need 3 mm of steel, to make the part stable 10% above the calculated load peak.
Engineer b: Let's use 4 mm.
Engineer a to buyer: Order 4 mm of the finest steel from the Swedes.

1990
Engineer A: We have calculated that we need 3 mm steel.
Engineer B: Let's take 2.9 mm, that will do.
Buyer: I just bought super cheap steel from China, we'll take that.

2000
Buyer to engineer a: Design the part so, that it costs 1.30 € for the purchase of 100,000 pieces.
Engineer A: Yes, but...

2020:
IT specialist to purchaser A: We have calculated that we can get away with 1.8 mm steel if we add five kinks to the sheet metal, the design department has implemented this. I have already spoken to the marketing department about not extending the warranty beyond 24 months.
Engineer A short takes his eyes of his mobile phone: What is calculate?

But seriously...
And anyone who complains about a GMT 800, by the way, there are always things that could have been done better, should work on a German car from 2010. They are now consistently built in such a way that they either cannot be repaired or can only be repaired with immense effort.

I'm repairing the valve stem seals on a BMW 3 Series. In order to replace the valve stem seals, the camshaft adjuster has to be removed, which requires special tools. The timing chain has to come off to remove it. In order to remove the timing chain, you have to loosen a screw at the bottom of the timing sprocket, which causes the actual tooth to come loose. Unfortunately, the gearwheel of the oil pump also loosens in the process. Unfortunately, the balancing shafts are attached to the oil pump. The balancing shafts must have a specific position, but this can only be pinpointed when the oil pan is removed. But you can't get the oil pan off, because the axle carrier is underneath. In order to change the valve stem seals, you have to remove the engine.

When I see our LQ engine there... Kindergarden
I, who works on many different cars, can only say that working on the GMT 800 is like a vacation.

 

[treehan77]

Never had any issues removing or installing the ABS, I’ve done mine and friends and fixed the bad solder joints, easy peezy

 

[wjburken]

Never had any issues removing or installing the ABS, I’ve done mine and friends and fixed the bad solder joints, easy peezy

You get up north, by me, where they coat the roads in salt during the winter and it changes the whole game. I need to pull the one on my sons 2002 2500HD and not looking forward to it. I’ve soaked them with aero Kroil but will need to try and pick out/blow out the torx socket hole.

 

[Jeff53]

You get up north, by me, where they coat the roads in salt during the winter and it changes the whole game. I need to pull the one on my sons 2002 2500HD and not looking forward to it. I’ve soaked them with aero Kroil but will need to try and pick out/blow out the torx socket hole.

What he said. I live in Virginia, so it's likely not as bad as Iowa, but they still use salt here. Add onto that the fact that it's 21 years old and is probably the original and I just don't have the patience anymore to mess with it, so I'll pay someone else to do it. If I had a lift I could use I might be more inclined to work on it. Mine doesn't really have much rust on the frame, but, where the module is located and the fact that I have to lie on my back on concrete and reach up blindly to try and work with some stupid torx screws....again, no patience for that. It shouldn't take more than an hour labor to get it off and put the new one on and, to me, it's worth the cost for that. I have new stainless allen head srews to replace the torx, so I'm going to let them know that they don't need to worry about saving the screws that are in there now.

 

[RAMurphy]

When I did this over ten years ago, I stripped out those torx head bolts. Ended up taking the entire brake module out as a unit. Pain in the ass removing all the brake lines but not as hard as connecting them back up. I too, replaced those torx head bolts with stainless steel bolts after I solder those defective joints. No issues since.

 

[Jeff53]

Well, as a follow-up, I ended up taking it to a garage that I trust. They had to remove the entire module to replace the electronic portion, so since I plan on keeping it, it has 200K miles on it and the brake lines looked to me like they'd need to be replaced soon, I decided to replace all of the brake lines and do the dual piston upgrade on the front at the same time. They installed the parts that I had already purchased for the upgrade and ran all new copper/nickel brakes lines, plus installed the rebuilt module. The bill from the garage was about $1250, plus the $400 in parts from Rockauto. So, $1650 later, I have all new brakes and new lines that I shouldn't ever have to worry about again.

 

[03catburban]

In Germany it changed over the years ...

1970:
Engineer A. I have calculated on a sheet that we need 3 mm of steel, to make the part stable 10% above the calculated load peak.
Engineer b: Let's use 4 mm.
Engineer a to buyer: Order 4 mm of the finest steel from the Swedes.

1990
Engineer A: We have calculated that we need 3 mm steel.
Engineer B: Let's take 2.9 mm, that will do.
Buyer: I just bought super cheap steel from China, we'll take that.

2000
Buyer to engineer a: Design the part so, that it costs 1.30 € for the purchase of 100,000 pieces.
Engineer A: Yes, but...

2020:
IT specialist to purchaser A: We have calculated that we can get away with 1.8 mm steel if we add five kinks to the sheet metal, the design department has implemented this. I have already spoken to the marketing department about not extending the warranty beyond 24 months.
Engineer A short takes his eyes of his mobile phone: What is calculate?

But seriously...
And anyone who complains about a GMT 800, by the way, there are always things that could have been done better, should work on a German car from 2010. They are now consistently built in such a way that they either cannot be repaired or can only be repaired with immense effort.

I'm repairing the valve stem seals on a BMW 3 Series. In order to replace the valve stem seals, the camshaft adjuster has to be removed, which requires special tools. The timing chain has to come off to remove it. In order to remove the timing chain, you have to loosen a screw at the bottom of the timing sprocket, which causes the actual tooth to come loose. Unfortunately, the gearwheel of the oil pump also loosens in the process. Unfortunately, the balancing shafts are attached to the oil pump. The balancing shafts must have a specific position, but this can only be pinpointed when the oil pan is removed. But you can't get the oil pan off, because the axle carrier is underneath. In order to change the valve stem seals, you have to remove the engine.

When I see our LQ engine there... Kindergarden
I, who works on many different cars, can only say that working on the GMT 800 is like a vacation.

Little late on the reply, but I completely understand the pain in this post after automotive repair professionally for 13 years, I've come to the point I won't touch anything built from "across the pond".

And also the newer domestic stuff is no better, I retired from the repair field of automotive and moved to customs, classics, hot rods kind of shop

 

[nonickatall]

Little late on the reply, but I completely understand the pain in this post after automotive repair professionally for 13 years, I've come to the point I won't touch anything built from "across the pond".

And also the newer domestic stuff is no better, I retired from the repair field of automotive and moved to customs, classics, hot rods kind of shop

Me too, i only repair cars in my own garage for hobby and a little additional money. When today someone come with a car newer than 2005, i tell the people: This is a disposable product that cannot be repaired.

I mean, come on, these engines today. Downsized turbo engines with 500 sensors, Camshaft adjustment, adjustable intake manifolds, with swirl flaps, DISA, secondary air systems, particle filters, ad blue and all that rubbish, ensures that BMW, Mercedes or VW engines only last 100,000 miles, but are not economically repairable.

I love my LS engine, this is a truly good engine, build to last and build to be fixable..

That is good for environment....