Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

[Spectre]

Earth Dreams sounds like something a gay interior designer from Trading Spaces would come up with for an engine name.

Except they wouldn't use it for an engine name but for some green fair-trade eco-sensitive coffee table. (Which actually would be even more ridiculous. Sadly, they've been worse on that show on the few times I've watched it.) Engines are 'icky dirty things' that they'd never have anything to do with

 

[CrzRsn]

Some say he still has his butt clenched to this day, but all we know is that he needs new pants.

 

[prizrak]

Some say he still has his butt clenched to this day, but all we know is that he needs new pants.

This is NJ turnpike, not far from NY actually. This is also why while people keep telling me that the cars and trucks section is faster I tend to go to cars only

 

[jasonof2000]

The wife, baby and step daughter just completed a 1980 mile round trip, two week vacation to my parents house in South Florida in my wife's Ford Focus. Last year we did it in my Focus ST and it was horrible (without the baby) thanks to too firm Recaro's, the trip back was even worse thanks to my step daughters grandmother dropping her off with more crap than any 9 year old girl ever needs. This year was complicated by the fact we had the baby, the trip down wasn't so bad (couldn't lean the front passenger seat back as much as I'd like but I could still nap in it). Even though she was told not to the step-grandmother still overloaded us with crap, so the trip back up was miserable. Plus we just found out the wife is pregnant...again.

So, in the next six months or so I am looking at trading in my 02 Miata in on something bigger. I was thinking about a Ford Flex. I have no interest in a mini-van or SUV. I know two people who have Ecoboost V-6 Flexes, one of whom has a 2010 that he is trading in for a 2016, and a co-worker who has a 2013. Neither have had any problems. So, overall is the Flex a decent enough vehicle? I'd rather have a manual but at that size point I don't think that is realistically an option. Also, it will likely be used, so is the transmission a weak point?

 

[prizrak]

The wife, baby and step daughter just completed a 1980 mile round trip, two week vacation to my parents house in South Florida in my wife's Ford Focus. Last year we did it in my Focus ST and it was horrible (without the baby) thanks to too firm Recaro's, the trip back was even worse thanks to my step daughters grandmother dropping her off with more crap than any 9 year old girl ever needs. This year was complicated by the fact we had the baby, the trip down wasn't so bad (couldn't lean the front passenger seat back as much as I'd like but I could still nap in it). Even though she was told not to the step-grandmother still overloaded us with crap, so the trip back up was miserable. Plus we just found out the wife is pregnant...again.

So, in the next six months or so I am looking at trading in my 02 Miata in on something bigger. I was thinking about a Ford Flex. I have no interest in a mini-van or SUV. I know two people who have Ecoboost V-6 Flexes, one of whom has a 2010 that he is trading in for a 2016, and a co-worker who has a 2013. Neither have had any problems. So, overall is the Flex a decent enough vehicle? I'd rather have a manual but at that size point I don't think that is realistically an option. Also, it will likely be used, so is the transmission a weak point?

Congrats! I think Flex is built on the Fusion platform and IIRC those are pretty damn reliable.

 

[Spectre]

Congrats! I think Flex is built on the Fusion platform and IIRC those are pretty damn reliable.

It's actually related to the current Exploder and outgoing Taurus, being a D4 platform car. No big gotchas that I've heard of, the six speed FWD trans they use seems to be pretty robust so far.

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Plus we just found out the wife is pregnant...again.

Could be worse.

Also:

 

[gaasc]

It *is* making a Miata disappear.

Then again, the Flex Ecoboost is a Taurus SHO wagon.

 

[CrzRsn]

Congrats! I think Flex is built on the Fusion platform and IIRC those are pretty damn reliable.

Flex is on the D4 platform. Fusion is a CD4. The Flex is more closely related to the Taurus and MKS.

 

[NecroJoe]

It's actually related to the current Exploder and outgoing Taurus, being a D4 platform car. No big gotchas that I've heard of, the six speed FWD trans they use seems to be pretty robust so far.

Wow...not the answer I was expecting about the transmission. How often can you genuinely say that about a Ford transmission from, say, post 2001?

 

[Spectre]

Wow...not the answer I was expecting about the transmission. How often can you genuinely say that about a Ford transmission from, say, post 2001?

For designs that initiated after 2001, most of them. The 6 speeds seem to all be pretty decent.

 

[jasonof2000]

It's actually related to the current Exploder and outgoing Taurus, being a D4 platform car. No big gotchas that I've heard of, the six speed FWD trans they use seems to be pretty robust so far.

That's what I've been reading myself. I have not seen too much to scare me away from it.

She's never asked me to get rid of either the Miata or the bike, but I already told her I'm keeping the bike. I pointed out that I don't (really) drink, I live too far from anywhere civilized to autocross any more, I have no (other) expensive hobbies and the damned bike is the most economical vehicle we own given the distances I drive. It also helps that last April I bought my 10 year old step daughter full gear to go riding with me, so any attempts to "force" me to sell it would result in all the annoyance and fury that only a preteen girl can muster.

It *is* making a Miata disappear.

Then again, the Flex Ecoboost is a Taurus SHO wagon.

I'll be honest. I'm kind of over the Miata after owning them for 10 or so years. I now live in a rural area with a lot of straight roads. I no longer autocross because the nearest one is three hours away and I don't want to get up that early. I like the car but I'd rather keep my Focus ST instead. Right now I'm imagining the fleet to be my Focus ST, and my wife's Focus SE for daily driver uses and a used Flex for anything where the entire clan needs to go somewhere or we need to get something that requires a bigger trunk/hatch than the Foci.
I can't imagine going down to just two cars. My wifes Focus is a 2014 and ticked over 33,000 miles, my ST is a 13 and has 64,000 on it (and that is with me driving the Miata and the bike as well). So having the two "economy" cars for every day use and one family trickster for backup/full family use makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[GRtak]

Making a pre-teen made about something they truly enjoy will make them drag it out for several years. With a female, it will haunt her forevah!

 

[Vipergts662]

Wow...not the answer I was expecting about the transmission. How often can you genuinely say that about a Ford transmission from, say, post 2001?

If you go AWD make sure to have the "lifetime" fluid in the PTU changed. On the AWD Edges and Taurus there are numerous reports of PTUs under filled from the factory and the "lifetime" fluid they use is only good for around 100k miles before it turns to tar, a new PTU will run $1600 from Ford an ebay refurb is around a grand. When I drained mine at 83k miles it was the consistency of axle grease. BTW the PTU is sealed so changing the fluid is a bit of a chore you either install a drain plug or pull the fill plug and suck out what you can.

Also check to see if they use the same wheel bearing setup as the Edge, I have replaced both rear wheel bearings and our Edge two times in 93k miles, two of the ones replaced were shitty Raybestos bearings the Timken and SKF bearings seem to be holding up fine after 10k miles.

When ever we get rid of our Edge a Flex is high on our list and if you go Eco Boost Livernois is doing some pretty impressive work with that engine.

 

[Spectre]

If you go AWD make sure to have the "lifetime" fluid in the PTU changed. On the AWD Edges and Taurus there are numerous reports of PTUs under filled from the factory and the "lifetime" fluid they use is only good for around 100k miles before it turns to tar, a new PTU will run $1600 from Ford an ebay refurb is around a grand. When I drained mine at 83k miles it was the consistency of axle grease. BTW the PTU is sealed so changing the fluid is a bit of a chore you either install a drain plug or pull the fill plug and suck out what you can.

Also check to see if they use the same wheel bearing setup as the Edge, I have replaced both rear wheel bearings and our Edge two times in 93k miles, two of the ones replaced were shitty Raybestos bearings the Timken and SKF bearings seem to be holding up fine after 10k miles.

When ever we get rid of our Edge a Flex is high on our list and if you go Eco Boost Livernois is doing some pretty impressive work with that engine.

'Lifetime' fluid fills appear to be a big mistake no matter who the maker is. I suggest keeping the traditional 30K transmission/gearbox/transfer case/axle fluid interval change - this is about the only way to keep the original 5Gtronics from exploding, for example.

 

[93Flareside]

I was thinking about a Ford Flex. I have no interest in a mini-van or SUV. I know two people who have Ecoboost V-6 Flexes, one of whom has a 2010 that he is trading in for a 2016, and a co-worker who has a 2013. Neither have had any problems. So, overall is the Flex a decent enough vehicle? I'd rather have a manual but at that size point I don't think that is realistically an option. Also, it will likely be used, so is the transmission a weak point?

Test drive an N/A Flex. You'd be surprised how it drives without a turbo. The engine is completely different and not just a N/A ecoboost engine. It's an older Duratec that's been around for years. I had a rental spec in Limited trim level. You can read my review in the "my own car reviews" thread.

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'Lifetime' fluid fills appear to be a big mistake no matter who the maker is. I suggest keeping the traditional 30K transmission/gearbox/transfer case/axle fluid interval change - this is about the only way to keep the original 5Gtronics from exploding, for example.

Can confirm with Jeep Patriots fitted with the CVT trans. It's not lifetime and you must change it before 100,000 miles. Otherwise, expect a trans rebuild very soon.

 

[BlaRo]

Ok, random engineering question.

I have a hole drilled into the Moto Guzzi's headlight brackets, for the turn signal. It is 14mm in diameter, to accommodate the stock turn signals.

I'd like to buy some eBay signals, and they come with 10mm bolts.

Is there a thread spacer of some sort that will bridge the gap here? I don't want to drill any more holes. If there's a name for this thing, I haven't the slightest idea where to start looking.

 

[Dr_Grip]

Washers on both sides of the holes?

 

[IceBone]

Those will only prevent the thing from falling into the hole. You could maybe use just a small copper tube with a 14mm outer diameter and 11mm inner.

 

[CrzRsn]

Hold on - looking at the picture attached to the eBay link, the OD of the threaded portion of the stalk is 12mm, not 10.

I'm not familiar with motorcycle lighting but every link (eBay or otherwise) I'm seeing says "fits all motorcycles with 10mm universal bolt." If its truely universal, why would Moto Guzzi give you a 14mm hole? Something doesn't right here. And if its so universal, why are these guys trying to sell you a 12?

EDIT: Found a parts diagram for the front lighting on the V7

Looks like originally they attached the turn signals a different way (screw into stalk) than all the aftermarket ones (threaded stud at end of stalk). Which hole is the 14mm one? The screws holding the stalks to the brackets are M6x55 so I'd find it hard to believe that hole would be 14mm.

 

[prizrak]

Could be worse.

Also:

Funny you should say that, one of the reasons I got the Stang is because of having a 2nd baby, wanted two baby capable cars in case they need to go to different destinations. Also wife being pregnant again lifted my lifetime motorcycle ban lol.

P.S. Scoob decided not to start this morning so little one got a ride in daddy's Mustang