Why do you hate me so much Renault?

"Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock) 04/20/2014 at 13:17 • Filed to: FUUUU

2

13

In the continuing misadventures of working on my moms car I've once again been stopped by some... interesting design decisions. I go to unbolt the undertray to check where a minor oil leak came from, get the bolt almost out and realise it cannot be removed. Turns out this solid steel bolt was threaded into 5mm thick soft alloy. The thread of course deformed, presumably from the undertray catching on a speed bump and made the bolt un-removable.

Where's my angle grinder?

jimz > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 04/20/2014 at 13:20

0

I had the same problem with both the air filter housing screws and the headlamp housing retaining screws on my (Neon) SRT-4.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > jimz 04/20/2014 at 13:23

0

Seems to be a theme on newer cars to make working on them a gigantic PITA. It looks like the mechanic who replaced the EGR valve had the same issue as half the undertray bolts are already missing. This after (the still unresolved) not being able to pop the hood fiasco. Screw this car.

jimz > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 04/20/2014 at 13:33

0

honestly I think it's just because they don't get messed with much anymore. Most of the time I run into this problem where two plastic parts are attached by a screw and u-nut with the u-nut being a prevailing-torque kind. The thread bore of the u-nut is squeezed into a slightly elliptical shape which provides a binding force to keep the screw from loosening. Problem is as the parts age, the screw and nut bind even more tightly and the plastic starts becoming brittle, so when you go to loosen them the plastic cracks and the screw and nut are together forever.

cars are pretty much designed to be assembled easily and to make service possible (but not necessarily easy.)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > jimz 04/20/2014 at 13:39

0

My old moped was almost exclusively assembled with those u nuts, they were not the most fun to work with.

I think you're right about the designed to be assembled easily, so many clips and plastic rivet things that never go back the same after removal. They only plan for the early life of the car since the car means nothing to them at ten years old, hence my frustrations with all these minor pieces falling apart.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > jimz 04/20/2014 at 18:09

0

Are your headlamp screws the same as on thebase Neon? Sort of like a long pin with threads on the end? If so, I feel ya man. I tried to remove mine and even after soaking in pb blaster the heads just snapped right off...

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 04/20/2014 at 18:10

0

Wasn't there a Renault recently where you had to remove the entire front clip just to change the headlight bulbs?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 04/20/2014 at 18:29

1

Yup that was my moms previous car... renault megane. I managed to get away with removing the wheel pulling away the inner wing lining and twisting my arm around to the back of the bulb. Took about an hour.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 04/20/2014 at 18:31

0

This is the view through the inner wing to the back of the bulb on the megane.

jimz > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 04/20/2014 at 18:34

0

yep.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 04/20/2014 at 19:03

1

That's just ridiculous.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > jimz 04/20/2014 at 19:05

0

I'm dreading the day my driver's headlamp goes out. Between the headless bolts and the airbox stuck on just like yours, I'd have no way to change it.

jimz > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 04/20/2014 at 20:19

1

's like changing the rear spark plugs on an NS/RS Chrysler minivan ('96-'06.) By far the easiest way was to lift the van on a hoist and get them from below whilst bear-hugging the exhaust system. Needless to say, this was best done when the vehicle was cooled down.

but nothing beats the Ford F-250-550 with the Powerstroke diesels. The 6.0 was prone to losing head gaskets, and when they needed to be changed, the least unpleasant way to change them went:

"Step 1: Unbolt cab and lift off of frame."

Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too) > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 04/20/2014 at 23:38

1

This reminds me of my attempts to fix the many minor issues my Peugeot 405 Mi16 had (it had less-minor issues too, I just didn't have the know-how to tackle them). I quickly came to the conclusion that French cars require a special kind of patience, in large doses.