just wondering

[Michael Fowler]

That was the original question. My answer is a big NO.
In this day and age with all the EPA regulations, clean air act and such it's impossible.
All of us on all these forums, are here to find out how to fix problems on old or the new cars and trucks. Some have mechanical abilities, some have the experience to instruct, some own a vehicle and try to get answers, some don't know how even if you took there hand and showed them, but credit is do to them for trying and want to learn. Then there is the millions of people that have never seen what's under the hood, they turn the key on and if it don't start, it's a tow to the dealer, those are the dealers cream of the crop.

NAILED IT!!!
The governments ( practically ALL of them --USA and most other countries) are designing our vehicles, imposing arbitrary fuel efficiency standards that force manufacturers to the complexity we all see. There has always been the trade-off when complexity increases---Electronic systems are way more reliable than electro-mechanical ones, BUT when they fail, there is no "work-around". Old-timers appreciate that with some electrical tape and a paper clip we could construct a rotor for the distributor that might get us home. Newer cars have eliminated the rotor AND the distributor, and the spark plug wires, too--so there is less to go wrong--but a failed Crank Position Sensor will leave you stranded.