Quote:
Originally Posted by Bikeric
I guess you've never had a starter go out on a 4.7 V8? Step 1: Remove intake manifold.....
|
It's not ideal for sure - but it may actually be easier than some engine mounted starters that are very hard to access. Taking off the intake manifold on my 3.4 was about 45 minutes. Not fast- but actually pretty easy to do. Also GM already does that - or at least some GM v8's are done that way. At least on the Toyota version you're not also opening up cooling passages so you don't have to drain the coolant system first - and inevitably pour some coolant down the intake ports.
I don't think it really compares to some GM stuff though. Imagine that starter being inside the bell housing on top of the rear of the engine. For example GM's new I6 diesel. It has a belt driven oil pump that requires replacements at 150k. Okay - timing belts are easy enough. But wait - it's ON THE BACK OF THE ENGINE! And it cannot be removed without at a minimum removing the flex plate to fit the belt around the drive teeth on the crank shaft output. So you either get to remove the engine up through the hood - or more likely remove the transmission/transfer case at 150k on every one of them. Why would GM ever do that? Why would anyone ever do that?
What is that going to cost? $2500 for a belt replacement at 150k miles?