Car Engines

80watts

Well-known member
May 20, 2004
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I was watching a utube video, where this family had a 2016 dodge truck. After 8 years the transmission went, then the engine went shortly after replacing the transmission.

I was thinking that the engineers really designed that truck well; to break down, right after the warranty expired...

When I was growing up in the 80s it was common for people to put in other engines into cars and trucks. Some alterations/machining was required. But those replacement motors had to come from somewhere (other cars/trucks). So their supply is limited now for those old engines and parts.

Today I would be a "right to fix it" guy, so that manufacturers have to allow for the consumer to fix their own machinery.... Especially farm machinery.

I was thinking the patents on all those old motors are now gone. Just scan the old motors engines, and 3d metal print them or cast as required. Same with the old parts that went on those engines. Fuck you can set up a shop in China for that I think. China doesn't care about patent laws anyway, not least the ones from the USA and the Western world (ps... those patents made alot of billionaires, holding the monopoly on certain items-- ask Warren Buffet). So the plan is to make in China, sell to Mexico and import to USA ..... Just like Chinese fentanyl.....

One of the things that keep prices high for parts and equipment is the cost of the parts (owned by the manufacturer to make more money). But if you ignored the patents you could make better priced parts (not cheaper parts but good quality parts)... that keeps machinery running.

Side note:
The big thing about military equipment is the cost of the parts for something that breaks down often (see the M777 howitzer). When if you think about it every military piece of equipment is designed now to break down. To fix it your have to buy the patented parts which are expensive. Which is why I think the military should ignore patents and produce their own parts that break all the time (redesign to last longer and make out of better material), and by pass the manufacturer. If a military piece of equipment breaks down, you need to fix it within hours, not weeks....
 

masterblaster

Well-known member
May 19, 2004
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I used to have an Audi with a 4.2 litre V8 it was a pretty good engine. Had a coil pack go bad on it once, not really the engine’s fault though.
 

80watts

Well-known member
May 20, 2004
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What I think i am saying is that there is a market for car parts that are repairable or made with quality materials so they last along time... Car engine blocks etc. Altenators with replaceable diodes etc. So that people can repair their vehicles themselves and save themselves money....

For the future we will all need cars/trucks because the transit system is so shittably designed it take 4x as long as a car will take...

City counsils limiting parking spots in new buildings and downtown area to force people to transit systems (which are garbage). All named green sustainability...
 

Banged_Up

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Jan 3, 2020
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I’m trying to find your point so as I do that let’s examine what you suggest…
First, to say that engineers are smart enough to design a system that wears down in relation to other parts isn’t that far off, but really very unlikely to get it that close.
“So their supply is limited now for those old engines and parts.”
Not true, just a statement born of a lack of knowledge of the industry (I’m a dual ticket millwright/ machinist).
Old engines of all breeds and makes are a dime a dozen, so are parts, if you know where to look. Even easier if they are fixer uppers and you have access to a shop (like I do).
Go ahead, mess with patent law. Ever seen the lawyers that work for Magna International? No thanks. But really, to buy a shop, buy the tools, buy the tooling for the tools, buy consumables, hire staff, all of this makes parts duplication cost prohibitive UNLESS you are doing multiples of simple parts. As soon as you involve engineers and tooling changes things get complicated and time consuming, so it’s not a simple finger snap to produce parts.
Have I reproduced parts? Yes. Have I built things that were subject to copyright? Also yes. Have I built things that are technically illegal? Maybe? What are you a cop?
Not everyone can do that, it’s time consuming and cost prohibitive.
Say you drive a 2020 F150 and you need a water pump? Go buy one from Napa because by the time I measure it, or laser scan it, buy the material, machine it, buy the parts I can’t build (bearings) it’s just cheaper to go to a store and buy it.
Finally, you might want to change your name to 40 watts because to say “Which is why I think the military should ignore patents and produce their own parts that break all the time (redesign to last longer and make out of better material), and by pass the manufacturer.” Is probably one of the silliest comments I’ve read on perb and is what usually keeps me from coming into the lounge, but here we go…
You want the military to ignore patents and produce their own parts? Do you know how much $ would cost the country in legal fees?
The military DOES have hundreds of machinists, are they funded well? No. Are they properly equipped? Again, no. Clearly you have no military experience, I do. The average soldier in Canada is so far behind the 8-ball as far as time goes that adding further burden to them would be insulting and require training, that is expensive.
Most of what you suggest implies a simple “snap of the fingers” and it’s done. Machines don’t work like that, neither do engineers.
 

80watts

Well-known member
May 20, 2004
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"but really very unlikely to get it that close."
Its all physics and companies with a long history of design (and records) can pretty much tune in the time of machine parts breaking. If you were any type of engineer you would know this...

Look at cars (warranty 5 year 100,000 km), and cars break down within a 2 to 3 years after this point... The thing you should ask is can the car manufacturer design a car that will last your lifetime; the answer is yes...

This is why everybody needs the " right to repair" anything they buy... But the game is stacked against them by companies. They sell the spare parts, they design everything with a limited life span, patent everything to prevent you from interfering, keep stacks of lawyers to stop you. Everybody is scared to be sued by companies over patents....

I don't believe in that the military should have to answer to anybody if they need a spare part, especially if the part is patented.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hfwFcv8KYOw
 
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