Tiggie Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I have just spent the day working on my Wife's old car which is now my runaround. Is it just me or are cars more of a pain in the a**e to work on than Bikes or am I just unlucky having a french car? had to fit a new TDC sensor which was in the most awkward of places to get to, ideally it would of being easier to hoist the engine to get to it when I compare it with working on my bike it seems like night and day. Though to be fair my engine is completely open without any body panels to remove which will make it easier to access bits.What are your thoughts, Bike or Car? which would you prefer to tinker with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 cars are much easier to service than bikes any day! plugs on a car easy 99.999999% of cars they are just sat under a cover on the top oil filter usually sat to one side of the engine bay or easy to get to from underneath air filter one side of the engine bay I dont really need to go on with that lot plugs on a bike hmmm tank off air box off rad dropped forward lots of swearing and some plasters for knuckles and only then can you get to the plugs I would sooner work on bikes than cars though I find on bikes that nuts and bolts come off easier and most things are made out of decent materials and not monkey metal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fq-craigus Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Service on my car takes 20 mins, and thats being generous draining oil. But anything else the stupid engine bay is so tight it makes simple jobs ridiculous. When i did my cambelt you have to drop the engine and one arm over the wing and one under the wing. I would rather work on my bike anyday! Its time consuming work but easy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Service on my car takes 20 mins, and thats being generous draining oil. But anything else the stupid engine bay is so tight it makes simple jobs ridiculous. When i did my cambelt you have to drop the engine and one arm over the wing and one under the wing. I would rather work on my bike anyday! Its time consuming work but easy ever done a cam chain on a bike?they arent so straight forward either! frame rails get in the way for timing up and if its a chain in the centre and a endless chain its an engine strip to do it!! its more common to do a cam belt on a car than a chain on a bike they both have their ups and downs there is less to go wrong on bikes so most jobs are just routine maintenance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fq-craigus Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Chains last a lifetime compared to belts so i hope i never have to find out and worry about one (fingers crossed) the job im not looking forward to is valve clearances but ill prob get a dealer to sort that otherwise ill have to buy a load of shims ill never use again. I refuse to work on cars at work, vans are bad enough, they too fiddly. Yh ups and downs for both, why cant things last a lifetime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Chains last a lifetime compared to belts you will be surprised actually! chains on bikes take a right hammering and considering their size they do cope well but they do stretch over time I changed the one on my zxr400 at about 30,000km it was shagged! the advantage with chains is you dont have to change them every 5 years! also bikes dont do the mileage cars do ....well 99% of bikes dontone thing I havent figured out is why hasn't everyone moved to gear driven and have done with belts and chains Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberwolf Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 cars are much easier to service than bikes any day! you ever service ford galaxy or even try to work on the engine or even tx4 (black cab) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggie Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 I think it's just mainly having a Renault that made it such a pain, they are notorious for having parts in strange places and being a pig to work with,Good example being changing a headlight bulb. The access panel is under the wheel arch! Gave up trying to squeeze my arm around the tyre and had to take wheel off in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A40man Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 cars don't interest me much so i go into a kind of auto mode when having to fix/check/servicelike messing with bikes but only up to a point and providing there is some shelter/temps are OKmuch prefer to ride than be in a car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phooey Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I think it's just mainly having a Renault that made it such a pain, they are notorious for having parts in strange places and being a pig to work with, My uncle had an old Renault once and he had to lift the engine off its mounts to change the starter motor Some new Vauxhalls you have to remove the front bumper to change a headlight bulb. WTF is that all about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fq-craigus Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 cars are much easier to service than bikes any day! you ever service ford galaxy or even try to work on the engine or even tx4 (black cab) Ford in general are a pain, the newer stuff is awful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fq-craigus Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I think it's just mainly having a Renault that made it such a pain, they are notorious for having parts in strange places and being a pig to work with, My uncle had an old Renault once and he had to lift the engine off its mounts to change the starter motor Some new Vauxhalls you have to remove the front bumper to change a headlight bulb. WTF is that all about? Its all so people dont do meaningless things themselves and they go to main dealer and charge you 3 hours labour for a bulb, and while its apart they always find loads more that 'you might as well get done while its apart'Vw t5 is awful! I have had to do a few jobs on one lately and although now inknow how its done i wouodnt mind doing it again, its very time consuming and labour intensive and vw are the masters of really hiding nuts and bolts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorian Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Would rather work on a bike, Less stuff to go wrong and i find it easier to get at everything than a car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey1984 Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Depends on the job and the car, i can do a service on my bike relatively easily, however i helped my neighbour do just an oil change on his ford focus, and god damn it i couldn't believe where they put the filter, felt like we had to take half the engine bay out just to get access.I find it a lot easier to work on bikes but that's only because i can actually see what i'm doing as opposed to cars where everything is in there somewhere, and if i just reach in and dislocate my wrist 5 times i might be able to get to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhJay Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 I find it a lot easier to work on bikes but that's only because i can actually see what i'm doing as opposed to cars where everything is in there somewhere, and if i just reach in and dislocate my wrist 5 times i might be able to get to it. Never done a plug change on a VFR then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fro Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Work dear boy? Work? I have a man to attend to such things you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 cars are much easier to service than bikes any day! plugs on a car easy 99.999999% of cars they are just sat under a cover on the top oil filter usually sat to one side of the engine bay or easy to get to from underneath air filter one side of the engine bay I dont really need to go on with that lot plugs on a bike hmmm tank off air box off rad dropped forward lots of swearing and some plasters for knuckles and only then can you get to the plugs I would sooner work on bikes than cars though I find on bikes that nuts and bolts come off easier and most things are made out of decent materials and not monkey metal It depends mate.On my BMW I can take the plugs out, set the tappets and even strip the engine down to the crankcase and change the big end bearings all while leaving the tank on. The air filter is sat on top of the gearbox and slides out with the tank still on, The oil filter is lower right on the engine. The only time the tank needs to come off is to remove the starter motor. I expect Guzzis are the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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