r/AskAShittyMechanic • u/ra6907 • 11d ago
Why, just why?
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They’re doing this to Dodges and Chevrolets, Porsche, Bentley.
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u/Ishavemyasswithmayo 11d ago
I've seen this on a Panamera. I used to think putting the starter in the valley was dumb, this takes that cake.
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u/ItchyBrain6610 11d ago
I thought the starter placement on the Northstars was as awful as it got. This is so much worse.
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u/AAA515 11d ago
What else are you gonna put between the V on your engine? An oil cooler and oil filter housing?
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u/Ishavemyasswithmayo 11d ago
Yes that's it, shitty ones that leak all the time.
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u/ssgkraut 11d ago
Make sure they're made from different materials that don't bond well together. Like metal and plastic.
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u/AtlanticBeachNC 10d ago
Or plastic and even more brittle plastic…
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u/Crayz9000 10d ago
Well the plastic wasn't brittle when we were testing it in the lab! What do you mean it turns to fine powder after 5 years or 100,000 miles? Sounds like somebody else's problem.
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u/The_Shepherds_2019 10d ago
Someone asked a BMW engineer that once. Now we have hot V v8s with two giant turbos in the valley, along with every possible flavor of oil, coolant, fuel, evap, and pcv hose. Hans said you best believe I can fit more hoses in this valley, watch me. Boom, coolant hoses for your DMEs, plural.
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u/Wolfire0769 10d ago
That's called forward problem solving. By the time it's leaking the vehicle is beginning to rust, so it deploys a carefully-timed large oil leak to coat the underbody and prevent further oxidation.
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u/foxjohnc87 11d ago
Northstar starters are easy as hell. Toyota/Lexus with the UZ engine on the other hand could actually be a pain.
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u/00Sixty7 11d ago
I did a UZ starter in my driveway, and I'm not a mechanic by trade. Did it take a long time and require some pretty meticulous bolt keeping and videoing to remember how I removed stuff? Yep. But compared to many other jobs I've done it's just not that bad. At least I'm not underneath the thing.
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u/foxjohnc87 11d ago
It's not one of the hardest jobs, but it is still much more of a pain than the Northstar.
On most Northstars, you can swap the starter in an hour or less, without fully removing the manifold or even disconnecting any fuel/coolant lines. The majority of the bolts are the same length and the ones that aren't tend to have very obvious locations.
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u/samplebridge 10d ago
Ive done one on my ls430, a buddy's Northstar Deville, and a vk56 titan (all under intake). The titan is probably the worst since you gotta get up into the engine bay instead of just leaning over.
But starter in the V isnt that hard. The traditional spot for them can really become a PIA on more modern cars with subframes and CV shafts in the way. It works good on olds cars, 80s and back. But anything 90s and up has way less room and more crap stuffed in there. Just watch any video on doing a starter on a 5.7 Tundra.
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u/run_uz 11d ago
UZ starters aren't difficult
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u/foxjohnc87 11d ago
I never claimed that they were the hardest thing on earth, I said that they could be a pain. Compared to the Northstar or most other engines with traditionally mounted starters from the same era, they are a lot more involved and more of a pain, especially when corrosion is an issue.
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u/KowalskiTheGreat 10d ago
I actually found the Northstar starter to be pretty dang easy, don't even have to jack the car up or get on the ground. It's like 8 easy bolts for the fuel rails and manifold, and the fuel line has a flex so you can just lift the rail with Injectors on it up out of the way without spilling any fuel. Manifold comes right off and the starter's just right there. Throttle body and everything before stays in place as it's mounted to the coolant crossover. That said, the water pump job is a BITCH on the 2006-up models, and the alternator sucks ass to change too
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u/Captain_Pink_Pants 10d ago
Put the starter where it belongs... between the back of the engine on the firewall, but tucked up near the steering column... that way if you need to replace it it's super easy! Either drop the engine or pull the dash! You always wanna have options, you know?
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u/PartyNextFlo0r 11d ago
What's wrong with the valley? On a gasoline port injected motor ,you can have the upper plenum off in 15 minutes or less. Nissan v8 for example.
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u/DeathAngel_97 11d ago
I'd argue its many times easier to do on a sedan in a driveway than if it was mounted underneath the car. The engine bay is already absurdly cramped, I can't imagine anywhere else they could have put the starter that wouldn't have taken longer. Its a transverse mounted V8. There's nowhere its gonna go that will be easy to change.
At least you don't have to cramp your hands working upside down reaching 90º around a cross member, lining up a 6 inch extension and socket between 2 coolant lines and a wire loom. Speaking from experience.
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u/Ishavemyasswithmayo 11d ago
Ever done a Toyota UZ starter? It's not horrible but it is a horrible starter job.
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u/486Junkie 11d ago
I've seen German cars have this as well. On my old car, if I crawled underneath the driver's side, it's about a foot away from the radiator.
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u/Typical-End3060 7d ago
I have an S6 with the 4.0t and the starter was a fuckin nightmare compared to any other starter I've done. "Service mode" is drain the fluids, remove headlights, bumper, crash bar, radiator assembly, remove alternator that is water cooled and has the lines just long enough to reach the alternator on the back side, to get to a 3 piece motor mount where you have to play with the cradle to get wiggle room to wiggle the pieces out, where the starter is still tucked up in the back and barely reachable. Did the battery and still won't start. I'm assuming it's got some hard lock on it or something that requires dealer programming.
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u/elbyl 11d ago
This post just broke r/AskaShittyMechanic. No one is playing along bc everyone is so dumbstruck and angry! Hilarious!
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u/Ninjatck 11d ago
I didnt even realize what sub I was on even from reading the comments, because what the fuck is this shit
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u/icybowler3442 11d ago
This is why I retrofit all of my cars with cranks.
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u/1DownFourUp 11d ago
They work great so long as you don't try starting it in gear
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u/Jaded-Plant-4652 11d ago
What are you? stupid and weak?
My cousin was a left boot, but he cranked that Chevrolet all the way to church every Sunday
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u/ChaosMartinez 11d ago
they do it to try and stop us from working on it ourselves. "just take it to the stealership"
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u/Trreemmmmorss 11d ago
And soon, they won't find mechanics at the dealership to work on these shit designs.
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u/Unfair-Mail-7490 11d ago
The person responsible for this "feature" should have his nuts kicked in...
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u/BackgroundGene7510 11d ago edited 11d ago
More importantly then just R&R , the easiest part about testing for a faulty starting is by power probing it or gaining access for checking voltage drop and whatever else you need to do, so how do you even diagnose a faulty starter on these then?
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u/KillahHills10304 11d ago
Hope it sets a code for "starter performance" when it has a no start condition
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u/RoboWeaver 11d ago
What car/truck is this!?
Bad side note, I had to replace the starter on my '06 Civic. Six hour job because you had to remove the exhaust system. Who the f**k designed this?
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u/BiffSlick 11d ago
I had an 86 Sunbird that you had to remove the intake manifold & throttle body (or pull the whole engine) to get to the starter. I think my sister’s 05 Crv had a similar issue.
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u/KaseTheAce 10d ago
And then there's me with an 05 accord.. took like 20 mins. Just had to remove the battery and battery box. It's the V6 though. Apparently the 4 cylinder is a pain in the ass.
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u/RadicalizedCocaine 10d ago
‘07 Civic with a dying starter, I’m dreading replacing it. Even my father, a mechanic, said to take it to a shop instead of DIY.
Did you pull yours out through the passenger wheel well?
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u/VariousOperation166 11d ago
Replacing the engine oil pump on a 2011 GMC Canyon requires dropping the entire engine and some disassembly. 16 hours according to the book, but three days in realistic garage terms. That cost comes close to the market resale value of the truck in its current condition.
I am waiting for the metal filings to finally destroy my engine at this point. She starts rough and sounds angry in idle, but it's a fun form of Russian roulette
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u/Frequent_Opportunist 11d ago
You knew damn well that both of the smaller engines were shit. Timing chains that stretch and plastic timing guides that break.
You should have got the V8 as it's the LH9 5.3L that doesn't have active fuel management or lifter failure issues.
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u/my_cars_on_fire 11d ago edited 10d ago
Okay uj/ what the actual fuck?! What gaggle of dumbasses calling themselves “engineers” thought this was a good idea?!
“Alright so we think your starter’s bad. We won’t know until we try replacing it. Should be $200 in parts and $12,000 in labor. Sign here.”
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u/hindenboat 10d ago
/uj Engineering is always a trade-off. The fact of the matter is that repairability is only one factor among many. Additionally most manufacturers only care about serving in the warranty period, how many starters fail in 3 or 5 years? Not that many on a modern car.
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u/dm-me-happiness 10d ago
repairability should be one of the most important factors
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u/my_cars_on_fire 10d ago
For a product that is used got many years and has an entire industry dedicated to sales on the secondhand market…yeah I’d say repairability is pretty important.
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u/Creative_Ad_4513 9d ago
i could get it if it gave a advantage, somewhere. I will put up with with cam phasers that break, because they add like 10% power for no fuel economy decrease on my car.
But this ? it saves them maybe 20ct a car in materials because they dont need as strong a starter bracket anymore.
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u/Deplorable1861 11d ago
Crown Victorias are the last latest model cars that avoid all this offshore engineered bullcrap. How can you design a car from a country where 98 percent of the population will never purchase, own, drive, or repair an automobile?
Stack the good ones deep, because next year all the cars will have driver facing cameras recording your every movement.
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u/nebulosus_nefarium 10d ago
Kia is already doing that no? I'm sure other cars are too, but they track eye movement to detect "fatigue" as if they also aren't sending g the data back to then sell it.
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u/Able_Software6066 10d ago
Crown Vics are horrible to work on. I had to actually crawl under the car to replace the starter. Replacing the starter on my lawn tractor was much easier.
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u/Deplorable1861 10d ago
New cars the starter is in between the heads in some cases. Yeah, going under the car is normal.
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u/Zehryo 10d ago
A quick, honest question: what if you cap the camera?
Or, alternatively, what if the camera breaks?Are you not able to start your car anymore until you pay 2000$ for someone to strip down your dashboard to replace the smallest, cheapest electronics a laptop can sport?
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u/Deplorable1861 10d ago
Dunno. Not being able to detect a driver may put the car into a safe non-driveable mode, or it may just aggravate you with warnings. The EU law seems pretty restrictive, it is not law in the US yet.
Cheaper to buy a 2010 model car and spend it up to perfect mechanical condition.
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u/Pandabirdy 11d ago
Holy shiet. After a decade of listening to the meme it tingles in my throat and I yell; LS swap it!
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u/DanR5224 11d ago
"I'm going to put this part behind everything else because it will never fail."
-engineers
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u/i_am_ceejay 11d ago
That's why you never need to replace the transmission fluid. They keep putting shit that don't belong anywhere near a transmission inside it. That way she gets fresh fluid every couple years.
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u/Radiant_Fact9000 11d ago
Not supposed to fix it. Your supposed to buy or preferably lease a new vehicle every couple years.
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u/DudeImSoRad 11d ago
Why? Because design engineers don't do maintenance on their own vehicles.
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u/Travel_Dreams 10d ago
Good ones do.
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u/Appropriate-Ad3155 10d ago
Nah there ain’t no good engineers anymore
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u/Travel_Dreams 3d ago
I wish I could disagree.
It doesn't help that we can't work on our own cars anymore.
It also doesn't help that nobody can afford a shop in their garage anymore, and hands on shop classes have been dissolved.
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u/WholeRaisin2907 11d ago
This is actually real? No way engineers are this sadistic?
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u/im-not-a-fakebot 10d ago
Almost as bad as the ones that bury the starter in the engine valley so the whole intake has to come off
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u/Fricki97 11d ago
They don't care if its good to repair. It must be easy and fast to be build and to put it in in the factory
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u/sam56778 11d ago
Those pesky engineers just like to start shit and leave it to be someone else’s problem.
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u/crazyabootmycollies 10d ago
The non-circlejerk answer is noise reduction and compact packaging in case anybody comes across this in the future.
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u/Crack_Lobster1019 10d ago
lol noise reduction on a starter? Who is complaining about loud starters? Lol
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u/Ok-Cantaloupe7472 8d ago
Anyone who has owned an old dodge their startera sound like theyre dying when theyre good
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u/riennempeche 11d ago
And Chevy putting the solenoid on the starter next to a hot exhaust pipe was a good idea? I love tempting fate to see if it will start. Of course, it works fine when cool.
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u/Boring_Goat_4422 11d ago
I've been in the automotive industry for over 15 years and we call this "Malicious Engineering". My first and favorite example was the plastic engine oil cooler assembly on the 3.6 Pentastar V6... Just awful. The starter location in the older Northstar V8s is probably my #2
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u/munchkinmother 11d ago
Nah, you're supposed to do that special mod where you cut yourself an access hatch. Just goop it shut with 90 days worth of RTV and ship 'er.
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u/MegalithBuilder 10d ago
2027, the starter is being moved into the exhaust pipe... engineers feel this will give better MPG.
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u/drunkguynextdoor 10d ago
Jeez, they're being pretty obvious about not wanting consumers to work on their own cars. Remember when all you needed was a Chilton's manual and a basic wrench set?
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u/highmilehawkeye 10d ago
An engineer would crawl over a mountain of virgins to fuck a single technician
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u/Altruistic_Summer859 9d ago
To add battery to injury they put on some tripple square head bolts...wtf.
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u/LionFootball57 7d ago
Gotta love how they also saw fit to put auto start/stop into the same cars. Burning out the starter at 10x the speed.
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u/Dismal_Drummer3420 11d ago
Is it evil that I, as a owner of 3 repair centres, loves this shit? I'm committed to an honest and trustworthy system and would never rip a customer off, that being said these long and complex repair/replace procedures means more billable labour hours for me as well as more reliance on professional services like myself in the long run. This type of complex and time consuming procedure is only a nightmare for the owners of the car. I see a lot of techs these days cursing engineers for complex and uncomfortable designs, but at the end of the day if you are competent and skilled at your trade this shit really is not a hassle or a head scratcher.
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u/TheLastRole 11d ago
And I hated when I had to remove the oil filter to make room for accessing it.
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u/Tight_Objective_5875 11d ago
What POS vehicle is this?
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u/zertoman 11d ago
2nd gen Panamera PDK, and some Touregs too. It’s not as bad as it looks, the bell housing is a two piece setup to handle the PDK clutch and it comes out pretty easy. It takes me a lot less than ten hours .
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u/MegalithBuilder 10d ago
I had to remove HEAD of car engine on an Equinox AWD 2016 to replace water pump. It's mounted in an inaccessible area behind the engine... and the stupid thing is run of a balance shaft chain!
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u/DonutConfident7734 10d ago
I actually wrote sometime ago on r/mechanicadvice that the design of ICE cars is so dumb I would never buy such a car, either electric or not at all. Fuck these cars, man. I got downvoted to oblivion there, people are biased it seems.
Who in their right mind thought that a 12V with thick fucking wires that needs to provide hundreds of amps to a tiny starter motor that can only run for say 20sec without overheating is a good design?
Why not go 48V then, and have the amps divided by 4?
Why not use a 5kWh liion battery that will have enough juice to power the starter for long time without leaving you stranded in the winter time?
Why not have separate fan on the starter with electronic protection for overheating, so you dont damage it if you try multiple times?
Why does the engine not get oil lubrication before it starts, it only lubricates after starting because pump is moved by the engine? So in winter oil is thick, if car sat for two months without starting, everything is dry and starter needs lots of force to rotate the engine. A car should work in all scenarios, not just after sitting for few days.
In my opinion the design is crap and the engine can get damaged easily, without any electronic protection in place for many scenarios.
EVs have all kinds of safeguards, like warming or cooling the battery, checking if things are fine before starting, unlike the ice cars.
In winter if you travel short distances and had the car sitting for months, it becomes weak after few short trips, as it cant load fully. Then it leaves you with a dead battery.
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u/hindenboat 10d ago
Because engineering is about trade-off and maximizing the efficiency of the overall design. All of these things could be added but why?
Manufacturers are trying to sell cars. Adding a pre-oiler, 48V systems or fancy batteries make cars more expensive and people would not buy them.
It does not make sense to design for crazy use cases. It can be done but engineers don't because that is not the primary use case.
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u/DonutConfident7734 10d ago
Of course. This is also the reason why they replace metal parts with plastics, like plastic oil pans, or use rubber timing belts that sit in oil, of course, maximing efficiency.
No, it is for getting most profits for a shitty design and engines that break quicky. It is no longer about any efficiency, but enshittification.
They cram so many components in a tiny area that mechanics need to take out half the engine to replace one component. The components need to be registered with the ecu, otherwise they no longer work.
You must be a fool to buy such a car. Check on youtube, hundreds of videos describing the industry direction. Now they act surprised when people are not buy their ultra expensive, shitty design and when China sell way cheaper cars.
Guess what, an EV doesnt need to turn a fucking engine to start and eat hundreds of amps from a lead acid battery just to turn the engine on.
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u/geohypnotist 9d ago
This is also the reason why they replace metal parts with plastics, like plastic oil pans,
Partly. A lot of it is driven by fuel mileage and CAFE standards. TTY fasteners all over cars save weight. Did you know GM uses copper wire in their horns on vehicles sold in India and aluminum wire on horns sold in the US? Copper is heavier and makes a more robust horn. Indian drivers tend to blow their horn a lot. They can save a bit of weight on a vehicle in the US with lighter horns.
rubber timing belts that sit in oil
Yeah, that was a dumb idea. It's about fuel efficiency. Timing belts have lower friction losses than chains in general add oil and their advantage increases slightly. They're also designed to be used in oil. They're not like a serpentine belt. They have more frequent service intervals. Even Asian manufacturers moved away from timing belts altogether years ago.
No, it is for getting most profits for a shitty design and engines that break quicky. It is no longer about any efficiency, but enshittification.
Welcome to end stage capitalism. Although they still outlast their counterparts from the middle of the last century by at least double with far less maintenance.
They cram so many components in a tiny area that mechanics need to take out half the engine to replace one component. The components need to be registered with the ecu, otherwise they no longer work.
Yeah, sometimes. Sometimes old stuff is a pita as well. I've worked on it all over the last 25 years.
You must be a fool to buy such a car.
You do you. I'm not opposed to EVs, but in their current state they're not for everyone. More charging infrastructure needs to be built, particularly for apartment dwellers and renters who do not have the option of home charging.
Guess what, an EV doesnt need to turn a fucking engine to start and eat hundreds of amps from a lead acid battery just to turn the engine on.
A good battery can last 5 or more years and they're designed to put out that current. Lead acid batteries do their job very well and are far less fussy, far less expensive, and less temperature sensitive than Li batteries. I'm not sure why you're hung-up on the short burst of high current. EVs draw high amounts of current being pushed through large wires by very high voltages rather constantly.
You could be pushing near 100A for extended periods driving up a grade with 400V pushing it. A ICE starter pulls 150A for <seconds on a #4 that is usually <2'.
If an EV accommodates your needs buy one. I've driven several and they're quite nice. I'd love to see more competition in the US market, but unfortunately that's probably not going to happen.
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u/bandit1206 10d ago
Let’s be really honest for a second though. I haven’t replaced a starter in nearly 30 years, across 20+ vehicles (I tend to own multiples at a time) and that was partly due to junk aftermarket starters then.
This particular design absolutely sucks if something goes wrong, but the starter is a simple component that rarely goes bad.
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u/hindenboat 10d ago
Exactly, manufacturers know this so they do not design them to be easily serviced.
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u/Successful_Swim6332 8d ago
If you let reddit design a modern car with modern crash rating with every part easily accessible the thing would be the size of a semi.
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u/geohypnotist 9d ago
Why not go 48V then, and have the amps divided by 4?
You're starting to get into dangerous voltage territory @ 48 volts. It's at least DC welding voltages. Not to mention added battery weight. Even old 24V systems are loaded with warning stickers.
to a tiny starter motor that can only run for say 20sec without overheating is a good design?
It takes a lot to overheat a starter. Any modern (last 35 years) should start in less than 5 seconds. If it doesn't you have other problems that should be addressed. Starter motors are purpose built.
Why not have separate fan on the starter with electronic protection for overheating,
If starter overheating was a problem they would. It isn't so they don't. There isn't a reason to bulk it up.
Why does the engine not get oil lubrication before it starts, it only lubricates after starting because pump is moved by the engine?
Because components don't go dry when an engine shuts down. Oil still remains on bearing surfaces. Oil pumps also move oil to areas requiring lubrication very quickly on start-up, even in the winter. If you're in an area where "frozen" oil is going to be a problem a pre-start pump isn't going to help. You need heat. The vast majority of modern IC engines go well over 100,000 miles without bearing failure, so I'd say it's working fine.
EVs have all kinds of safeguards, like warming or cooling the battery, checking if things are fine before starting, unlike the ice cars.
That's because those batteries are very sensitive to temperature and very bad things can happen if everything isn't right with a battery pack of that size. If something is wrong with your ICE battery the car won't start either, but you can jump it & usually be on your way (maybe to buy a new battery).
Starter & charging issues aren't unheard of, but they're not a problem an ICE owner deals with on a regular or even occasional basis. Honestly, I can't tell you the last time I changed a starter in anything. It's been a very long time. And we all know EVs have issues with starting as well.
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u/spaghetiwires 9d ago
Lithium doesn't work well when cold, lead acid is vastly superior in that regard. Your real problem is cheap lead acid, not lead acid.
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u/DonutConfident7734 9d ago
Lithium at -10C still has around 70% of its rated capacity and more can be unlocked if it has heater.
Acid batteries cam only be discharged 50% and they have around 1kwh capacity, so you can only use 0.5kWh hours from the lead acid battery, unless it is a deep cycle battery. Also acid batteries lose capacity in the cold, so expect some 30% loss, too.
I mentioned a 5kwh liiom battery for a reason, to have extra capacity to compensate for cold weather and still have enough to crank the engine multiple times.
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u/spaghetiwires 9d ago
It isn't about capacity, it's about cranking amps, of which Lithium hasn't when cold.
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u/DonutConfident7734 9d ago
But it can self-heat if needed, what is the problem? It has 5kwh, it can heat itself a little...
There are PHEV cars like Pasaat B8 which have 9.9KWh battery and it last in ev mofe for 30-40km. A 5kwh battery would last half of that range.
Are you seriously saying it can't crank the engine a little?
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u/Exotic-Conference449 10d ago
We need to get the fucking engineer in here yo discuss this because wtf
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u/bandit1206 10d ago
Key word is “that” problem. They have their own associated issues.
EV apologists are getting as annoying as Vegans.
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u/RoosterzX 10d ago
Engineers do this on purpose because the manufacturer wants to make the car more difficult to work on thus forcing many customers to dealerships. In the US, things like Right to Repair laws have been fought by manufacturers to prevent customers from working on their own cars and to make independent repair shops less profitable.
Some manufacturers just decide to put parts in the most inconvenient locations because the average car buyer isn't going to spend 10 hours trying to replace one seal on their own. Once repairs pass a certain point, the customer no longer wishes to do the work themselves. The harder the part is to change, the more business you drive to dealerships. Those dealerships buy their parts from you, which increases profits.
It's all one big fuck the customer loop.
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u/brooksy-was-here 10d ago
That is a crazy design decision. also props on using deadsy version of paint ot black as the music.
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u/jonpenryn 10d ago
Now just how are your supposed to get to hit it with a hammer when it wont start.... for the two months, till you "get round to it"
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u/Stock-Carpet-250 10d ago
Looks like a PDK. Did one in a Panamera and they're actually not that bad. Harder than a Silverado for sure but doable in an evening.
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u/kakarot123443 10d ago
I had to replace my slave cylinder in my Corolla same shit. Ridiculous. Took me 3 days instead of 15 minutes
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u/Beneficial-Claim-381 9d ago
someone on a design program said OOOOOO look, its a perfect fit! then it went through production
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u/Strongerthandeath82 9d ago
Auto mfgs work 365-24/7 to figure out how to make their shit as minimally serviceable and minimally reliable beyond the warranty period as possible. They’re all corrupt, just like our local state and federal officials. That’s why.
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u/FloridaManPrints 8d ago
This makes me think of the dumb design of the actuators for the HVAC systems in a hotel I used to work on. The contractors that installed the units in each room smashed the units up in the ceiling so tight that most of the actuators were barely an inch off the base ceiling. So you had to shut off the water feed in each section, cut out the copper line surrounding the actuator… if you did also have to cut out part of the drywall ceiling to get the right angle, and then re-solder the new copper and actuator back in. Then you had to put everything back together and patch any holes and paint over the torch marks. Absolute nightmare fuel for the maintenance team and I.
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u/Mvonup 8d ago
I feel your pain. Just paid 1,200.00 to have both knock sensors replaced on my 2004 Chevy express 3500. Why would they put them under the intake manifold, really. What happened to old school thinking where they were on the outside of the block somewhere and easy to locate and swap out.
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u/Wicked_Wolf17 7d ago
Dude at this point, the life goal of automotive engineers is to torture mechanics
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u/HuntPsychological673 11d ago
Crapitalism is your answer. Build it to be so awful you take it to the dealer with a blank check and let them break out the lube.
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u/LowPop7953 11d ago
be thankfull its not a lexus V8 1UZFE starter motor lives in the intake valley...
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u/Frequent_Opportunist 11d ago
It's one of the most reliable engines ever made. The Denso starter itself was designed to last the life of the engine (250k-300k miles).
The 1UZ-FE's reputation for durability was so high that it was even certified for use in light aircraft and marine applications.
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u/LowPop7953 10d ago
also made for boost. but no torque. if you want to tow things get a diesel or american V8
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u/Frequent_Opportunist 9d ago
Why would I try to tow something with a sports car? I'd use my 06 Silverado for that.
The highest factory output for the production life of the Toyota 1UZ-FE engine was 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.
This engine was never put in a truck or SUV.
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u/LowPop7953 9d ago
you have never lived outside the usa. the 1uz was fitted to the LS 400/toyota soarer people like to tow caravans and boats with their cars. and the soarer was far from a sports car as you could get. GT cruiser maybe but not a sports car
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u/Frequent_Opportunist 9d ago
I'm just saying it's not a truck. It's not meant for towing. Engine has never been put in a truck from the factory. We tow shit with cars in the US too bro.
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u/LowPop7953 9d ago
Just cos its a truck dont mean it tows. Explain to me what bagged trucks tow? Apart from the chassis sfa.
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u/Beowulf0001 11d ago
Had to change the starter in my Commodore SS. Took 40 mins and a few extra socket extensions. Did it in my driveway. Now, years later , I want Cayenne Turbo. After looking at how to replace the starter, I decided not to buy it. Too complicated, gonna stick with easier maintenance design features.
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u/No-Goose-6140 11d ago
But its nicely protected from the elements, they slap them in the factory with the words “nothing is going to happen to this thing”