Re: RE: 4.7L Cams

From: jon@dakota-truck.net
Date: Tue Mar 10 2009 - 18:07:40 EDT


Matt Beazer <teseract@moparhowto.com> wrote:
> We just found out the news today. This is after said friend dropped
> $1650 to Miller SPX for all the "special tools" mentioned in the FSM for
> all the work he's planning on doing to the truck. Pricey stuff.

   Ouch!!! What hurts even more is that expenditure was probably
completely unnecessary. In my (albeit limited) experience, every time
I have come across a reference to a "special tool" in the FSM, there
has been a cheaper alternative, homebrew option, or a different
procedure that can be used to avoid the need for the tool.

   I guess if you've got the money to burn, there is certainly a sense
of satisfaction in having "the right tool for the job" along with some
bragging rights, but man, that's a lot of coin to drop on a largely
unnecessary collection of tools! (I have no doubt that there are some
"special tools" which really are necessary, I just personally haven't
come across them yet.)

   My pet theory is that for Chrysler engineers, designing vehicles is
just a sideline. Their true passion is inventing new "special tools"
to foist upon the general public. Probably there is an office pool
which is won at the end of every year by the guy who creates the most
"special tools" during that time. I like to think that they keep
score by pinning little posterboard wrenches to their cubicle walls.
5 wrenches will earn you the coveted "Engineer Ace" title.

   Just think of all the cool stuff he could do if that $1650 had been
used for truck parts instead! Why, that's a couple of N2O setups or
about halfway to a supercharger. :-)

-- 
                                          -Jon-

.- Jon Steiger -- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com -. | '96 Kolb Firefly, '96 Suzuki Intruder, Miscellaneous Mopars | `-------------------------------- http://www.jonsteiger.com --'



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