Weakest car you ever owned

[F250]

The only 4-cyl I've ever owned is our '93 Jeep Wrangler multi-point EFI 5-speed 120HP. It's a good combination for this vehicle, I mean how fast do you want to drive a light, tall 4WD with a wheel base that is 7 inches shorter than a Fox Mustang.

 

The slowest and also the least reliable Ford my family ever owned was a 1984 mid-size LTD (Fairmont type) with the throttle body fuel injected 3.8L V6. Parents bought it brand new, I liked the car but that engine was slow and didn't take long to develop a bad hesitation off-idle and oil leaks. I would have rather had a carburetor than that POS throttle body EFI.

[fordtech1]

The only 4-cyl I've ever owned is our '93 Jeep Wrangler multi-point EFI 5-speed 120HP. It's a good combination for this vehicle, I mean how fast do you want to drive a light, tall 4WD with a wheel base that is 7 inches shorter than a Fox Mustang.

 

The slowest and also the least reliable Ford my family ever owned was a 1984 mid-size LTD (Fairmont type) with the throttle body fuel injected 3.8L V6. Parents bought it brand new, I liked the car but that engine was slow and didn't take long to develop a bad hesitation off-idle and oil leaks. I would have rather had a carburetor than that POS throttle body EFI.

 

Oh man the first TBI. Toilet Bowl Injection. I vaguely remember those. Hummm. Lets take a carburetor and mount a injector on it and spray fuel down its throat. That will work....lol

Wasn't as bad a varible venturi carbs..

As far as oil leaks, what car pre o-ring/silicone stlye gasket didn't leak. Cork gaskets would need to be replaced at least every 30k.

[RichardJensen]

The only attractive aspect of TBI was that you didn't have to redesign the intake manifold. "Let's take the mechanical complexity of a carburetor and combine it with new fangled and glitchy electronics!"

 

And, to give the rest of the audience some idea how long GM's downfall has been in the making, would someone with better knowledge of it than I explain to the Gen. Y kids on the board just how long GM kept using TBI?

 

Ford, OTOH, switched most engines out to port injection within a year or two of dropping carburetors. IIRC.

[snooter]

without a doubt...1994 pontiac grand am...terrible piece of quaility GM called a quality car..1984 ford EXP..broke timing belts as easily as a wino popping the cork on lower wacker..1974 super beetle..ran fine until air temperature dipped below 20 degress then fuel gelled....since about 1998 is has been all honda here..i will never go back to any american passenger car again...the absolutly best truck i ever owned was the F150 and dodge ram (well his vehicles)...we had very little maintenance of the trucks aside from oil changes-etc...

[2005Explorer]

The only attractive aspect of TBI was that you didn't have to redesign the intake manifold. "Let's take the mechanical complexity of a carburetor and combine it with new fangled and glitchy electronics!"

 

And, to give the rest of the audience some idea how long GM's downfall has been in the making, would someone with better knowledge of it than I explain to the Gen. Y kids on the board just how long GM kept using TBI?

 

Ford, OTOH, switched most engines out to port injection within a year or two of dropping carburetors. IIRC.

 

I am not sure about GM passenger cars, but I believe that GM used a TBI system on their truck engines until somewhere around 1995. Contrast this with Ford who had their entire line of truck engines transitioned over to Multi-Port Injection by 1988. It took GM 7 years to do this!!!

[fordtech1]

The only attractive aspect of TBI was that you didn't have to redesign the intake manifold. "Let's take the mechanical complexity of a carburetor and combine it with new fangled and glitchy electronics!"

 

And, to give the rest of the audience some idea how long GM's downfall has been in the making, would someone with better knowledge of it than I explain to the Gen. Y kids on the board just how long GM kept using TBI?

 

Ford, OTOH, switched most engines out to port injection within a year or two of dropping carburetors. IIRC.

 

Gm Used TBI forever.... My mom had a 85 Cadillac Fleetwood coupe FWD. With the HT4100..... HT was supposed to stand for High Tech, It really stood for High Trouble. It used TBI also. If Im not mistaken, her 91 Fleetwood used TBI but it had a better 4.9 I think a Olds engine. Even into the mid 90's they used TBI. As far as I know the only thing GM used Port injection on in the 80's was the Vette. I think GMs theory was if we use the HEI and TBI somethings going to fire...

Edited August 22, 2009 by fordtech1

[YT90SC]

I am not sure about GM passenger cars, but I believe that GM used a TBI system on their truck engines until somewhere around 1995. Contrast this with Ford who had their entire line of truck engines transitioned over to Multi-Port Injection by 1988. It took GM 7 years to do this!!!

 

You forget the "HO" 351 in the f-150. It had a carb. ANd I am pretty sure it was available till the last of the 'flatnoses' in 91. I think there were some straggler econolines too...

 

The thing is that GM held on to Q-jets till the bitter end too... Computer controlled metering jets anyone?

 

Both GM and Ford TBI's could get really great fuel economy, if tuned and setup right.

 

I did and still hate all carbs, with a special place in my dark heart for holleys. And VV's, as someone pointed out.

Edited August 22, 2009 by YT90SC

[156n3rd]

Having owned over 30 cars in 40 years, I have a list in decending order:

1-1981 Pontiac Phoenix w/Iron Duke. No balls, none. A/C off to run on the highway. It was so bad that the catalytic converter would glow cherry red, then the car would shut off. Wish I could've watched it being crushed.

2-1978 Old Cutlass coupe w/260 V-8. Waste of materials as it should never have been built. Total gutless crap. Not driveable in rain or snow as the rear end was like a feather.

3-1984 VW Jetta w/1.3 mechanical f/i. Horsepower rating............I don't know if there ever was one

4-1964 Beetle w/1959 engine. Died and made me push it.

5-1966 Chevelle w/230 I-6 and Powerslide tranny. Slip n' slide wit da Powerglide. Cracked head, no nothin'.

6-1969 Dodge Coronet Wagon w/slant 6 (225) 3 on da tree. Rattling, grinding P.O.S. No power.

7-1988 Aerostar w/3.0 Vulcan. Weak but so loveable. Served me well.

Rented an Avenger w/2.4. Wasn't slow but sucked gas, couldn't stop and was the most uncomfortable ride in years. P.O.S. deluxe

Edited August 23, 2009 by 156n3rd

[F250]

Oh man the first TBI. Toilet Bowl Injection. I vaguely remember those. Hummm. Lets take a carburetor and mount a injector on it and spray fuel down its throat. That will work....lol

Wasn't as bad a varible venturi carbs..

As far as oil leaks, what car pre o-ring/silicone stlye gasket didn't leak. Cork gaskets would need to be replaced at least every 30k.

 

I cant remember our previous V8 Fords leaking oil as early as that 3.8 V6 and those older V8s even had rope rear main seals.

 

That '84 3.8L also had one of those damn TFI (thick film integrated) ignition modules mounted on the distributor. Should have just kept spares in the glove compartment.

[SkapeGote]

Sup,

 

I had a 1996 Silverado that was a bitch. I work on my cars a lot and needed a junkyard hauler so I picked it used used with 31k on the clock. I sold it 2 years ago, having owned it for 7 years, and during that time I had been through 3 transmissions. She ate them like they were Tic Tacs. The engine was weak and gutless and the whole vehicle rattled like a maraca. The worst part about that truck though was the dealership. They were just a bunch of assholes every time I brought it in. Still, I do not blame the General though. Just bad luck.

 

SkapeGote

[fordtech1]

I cant remember our previous V8 Fords leaking oil as early as that 3.8 V6 and those older V8s even had rope rear main seals.

 

That '84 3.8L also had one of those damn TFI (thick film integrated) ignition modules mounted on the distributor. Should have just kept spares in the glove compartment.

 

You're right TFI modules were not all the reliable. ALot of time I found when people replaced them, they did not apply diaelectric grease to the back of it which help transfer heat away from the module causing premature failure. Either way, I don't think GMs HEI ignition module that was inside the distributor was any more reliable. Dad had a old 85 chevy 1500. He did keep a ignition module and a screw drive in the glovebox. We replaced it 3 times in 6 years.

Boy has automotive electronics come a long way since then.....

[2005Explorer]

You forget the "HO" 351 in the f-150. It had a carb. ANd I am pretty sure it was available till the last of the 'flatnoses' in 91. I think there were some straggler econolines too...

 

The thing is that GM held on to Q-jets till the bitter end too... Computer controlled metering jets anyone?

 

Both GM and Ford TBI's could get really great fuel economy, if tuned and setup right.

 

I did and still hate all carbs, with a special place in my dark heart for holleys. And VV's, as someone pointed out.

 

I could have swore that the 351 got multi-port injection in 1988. At least I think it did in the F-150.

[JZ150]

81/82 Escort- Basic model with manual transmission. I dont remember if it was a 4 speed or 5 speed. Seems like it was a 4 speed? My friends dressed it up with some racing stripes and a nice "Racing Escort" decal on the back. It was wore out when I bought it but it was a good car for college. My stereo was worth more than the car.

[JETSOLVER]

Can't say as I "owned" it, but my aunt was afraid to drive from East Vancouver to the airport in her 67 Beetle with a 75 engine (48 hp) to pick up my uncle from work, so I sort of came to lease it by default. (hey, I was 15, so...) After it finally died on quiet hot day in August, I discovered from the Hollander that the newer cars got a engine cover with a lot more vent holes...

 

The worst I ever drove was a carbureted 82 Dodge Rampage with the (according to wiki) 96 horse 2.2. I ended up driving it because when I was in college with the Canadian Forces, and living on the ground floor, the clown who owned it would fire that eco disaster up and the fuel and oil vapour would blast in my ground level window at 6:45 in the morning. I took the keys one hungover Saturday and told him I would rebuild the carb and tune it, with my money, if he would promise never to park in front of my window. I got into a lot of trouble when the duty NCO smelled the serious carb cleaner I had doused that thing in, in my metal wastebin, from the hallway. I recall thinking that when I drove it into town to get parts, there was a better than even chance I would be walking back to the barracks.

[richardmayo]

'91 Subaru Loyale: 90hp, 3 speed auto.

 

Merging onto the freeway was always a challenge.

[RichardJensen]

Rebuilding a carb is one of life's tiny triumphs..... If for no other reason than the difficulty of using a 'kit' intended for a dozen or more different carburetors.

 

Carb kits violate rule #1 of DIY auto repair: Put the lug nuts in the hubcap

 

No, wait, carb kits violate rule #2 of DIY auto repair:

 

Make sure you don't have any parts left over

 

I remember expecting so much more out of the carb kit that we bought in high school auto mechanics. All it was was about thirty or forty different springs and screws, and an instruction sheet that was only useful if you already knew what you were doing....

[JETSOLVER]

"Carb kits violate rule #1 ///

No, wait, carb kits violate rule #2"

 

:lol:

 

Now imagine doing the drilling for the rebushing of the throttle shaft in a school where we were learning on front line fighters!

 

IIRC, the seals were actually carbonized from the backfires, and one of the mixture screws was not even in the throttle body when I started(was sitting in the heat shield for the intake). The real comedy came when I was trying to explain all this to the fellow who was very Quebecois, and the technical stuff evaporated in the translation.

Edited August 24, 2009 by JETSOLVER

[RichardJensen]

I'm afraid as soon as I read "Quebecois" I got an unshakable image of Peter Sellers as Clouseau. That's it. I'm stuck there.

[Sixt9coug]

My weakest car? probably my 72 Lincoln Mark IV with a transplanted 73 smogger era 460 that allowed all 215hp or so eventually move that 5500 lbs down the road.

 

I LOVED that car though... but it was SLOW.

[NJSteve3]

Most of my vehicles have been pretty weak - the weakest:

 

3 - 84 Tempo HSC 4 speed - Technically the weakest, but it was light, had no AC, so with the 4speed was reasonably quick to 55. Cosidering their reputation, it was remarkably durable.

 

2 - 81 Chevy pickup - Straight 6, automatic Trans, AC, and a heavy cap on the bed... slow and tippy!

 

1 - 81 Coupe DeVille - Diesel - Light blue, wire wheel covers, leather throughout, a beauty to behold, if you like that sort of thing. So slow from a stop that you were practically standing still, just blowing acrid smoke, anyone behind you quickly passed you and got away just to get fresh air. Burned a qt of oil per 100 miles. 7 qt capacity had me topping off when it got under 5. Memories.....

[Sterling]

1990 Mustang 2.3 5 spd, 88hp. Like driving a garden tractor with wire wheel covers.

[WingBender]

1989 Honda Civic hatchback. It was the base model, so no trim letters in the name. It had a 70 bhp motor and a four speed. When started cold it sounded just like a diesel. The suspension felt like it was sprung with rubber bands, which was probably a good thing -- the lack of power kept me from getting into trouble with it. No tach with the wide ratio transmission, but the engine noise prevented me from over-revving it. It looked okay, though.

[JETSOLVER]

I'm afraid as soon as I read "Quebecois" I got an unshakable image of Peter Sellers as Clouseau. That's it. I'm stuck there.

 

 

C'mon Rich, and I use that moniker we respect sir;

 

a ride as a young turk.

 

I completed a course in her majesty's service of welding. Full O conviction, and capability, then was presented with a flailing cat heat shield on a P.E.I. not quite LTD (those fairmont based ones). All I had to prove my convictions was a catalog stick welder and a covered coat hanger( cables didn't quite reach...)

 

I glued that together, and all I had for compensation...

 

Buddie buys a trashed first owner diamond star Daytona ( idea was to replace the plastic cladding, forget the sheetmetal, and no one would know). I suggest the wastegate is underserved. I also suggest a pair of visegrips applied with little knowledge to the wastegate vacuum line would improve the situation.

 

Great pics, one very cooked turbo, with the best pic just outside the Alliston Honda plant, mere towtrucks from the back gate, and a visit to the MP shack, and all is forgiven.

 

'Cept for the original registration....

[FordManBrad]

Perhaps not the weakest Fords but certainly some of the most troublesome were the Variable Venturi Carbs put on 302 and 351 engines. Those things were an operational mystery to virtually all mechanics. They would go out of tune if you looked at them crooked. The cars/trucks would run like crap almost from the day they were driven off the lot. They were so expensive to replace that many people swapped them out for a Motorcraft 2150 2bbl.

 

I believe that Ford was one of the first to go directly to MPI on the 302 truck engines and they were remarkably reliable and good performers from day one. Then they did the 300 I6 and woke up that engine too. As others said, not a horsepower king but the torque was almost identical to the 302. And they ran...........simply forever.

 

Carburetors on virtually all domestic engines died a long slow painful death!! Good riddance!

Edited August 26, 2009 by FordManBrad

[timmm55]

I've had a few cars, the weakest was a 86 Taurus 4 cylinder/5 speed manual. 90 some HP. It was fine driving around town and got great MPGs on the freeway, but throw a hill into the mix and it s l o w e d way down.

 

But it was relative, before that I had a 1982 167 HP 5.0 HO Capri, and a 90 5.0 225 HP Mustang LX convertible afterward (both manual)....and then a SHO.