^ If anything vehicles are becoming less and less DIY repair friendly.
As long as they keep most of the tech open source the average DYI dude can keep up.
Not true at all. They can supply every bit of tech info (but they don't) and it still won't make a $600 steering rack or tranny that doesn't even have a dipstick or full tube any easier, nor a water pump that requires pulling the engine, timing chains, etc.
It's not even true for the tech items. How many DIYer's, if given the schematic for a dash or center console LCD module, are going to be able to read it, whip out their hot air desoldering station and repair it? If not repair, then pay $1000 to replace. Not repair friendly.
There is practically nothing that open sourcing does to benefit the DIY repairer, and there is no "keep", the electronics schematics were never open source. Open source firmware means absolutely nothing. That doesn't "break". Programming a chip does not require source code... not that many if any repairs require it.
The access panel mod is mainly to swap the fuel pump and/or sending unit it sits in. It does not seem like a worthwhile pursuit to cut an access panel to seek the source of a leak, before even considering safety factors that are definitely present if you have fuel fumes leaking out.Fuel leak! I have a 1st gen, 1992. I was planning to do the access panel mod, but having second thoughts after reading all of the caution statements. The problem is that I have a fuel leak somewhere on top of the tank. I can smell fuel vapor and if the tank is topped off fuel will pour out on the ground! The problem is that I don't know if the leak is where the fuel pump mounts (might be rusted out) or where the fuel filler vent line connects.
Bwana Bob
I suppose you could, but it's a bit rough trying to use one on sheetmetal. I'd much prefer to use an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel, or a recip saw with a fine toothed carbide blade... making sure the blade and/or cut angle isn't deep enough to hit anything under the sheetmetal.Old thread but has anyone done this with an oscillating tool?