(no subject)
The timing belt change on the Honda is done (along with all the other stuff I decided to do while I was at it.) This is the first modern car I've done a job this extensive on -- modern, that is, in that it's not a chassis designed in the 1970s. Some of the changes are interesting. For example, there seem to be very few flat gaskets; the water pump gasket and even the valve cover gasket are O-ring type seals that fit into machined grooves. There are also some interesting design touches that are obviously meant to facilitate automated assembly -- for example, some of the engine mount studs taper to points, so they can act as locator pins when the engine is lifted into place from below. Likewise, the water pump has sleeves around two of the bolt holes to make it self-centering when it's pushed into place
I actually don't have a lot of major complaints about this job, except that some of the timing cover bolts are very tricky to access. (Perhaps it would be easier if I had smaller hands.) Also, the alternator belt is a pain to adjust. They gave me nice little jack-screws for adjusting the tension on the power steering and A/C belts; why couldn't they give me one for the alternator, too, instead of making me use a pry bar?
I actually don't have a lot of major complaints about this job, except that some of the timing cover bolts are very tricky to access. (Perhaps it would be easier if I had smaller hands.) Also, the alternator belt is a pain to adjust. They gave me nice little jack-screws for adjusting the tension on the power steering and A/C belts; why couldn't they give me one for the alternator, too, instead of making me use a pry bar?