Tech Section
571 topics in this forum
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How the f**k do you remove it? The Legacy has been Armor All'd sometime in the past and I've been having a hell of a time trying to remove the shine. The automotive interior cleaners and similar protectant sprays with a 'matte' finish do nothing to actually remove that god-awful stuff. Any solutions that won't have negative effects to the interior materials?
Last reply by Cory Wolfe, -
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Hmmm....
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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Does anyone happen to know the location of the blower motor resistor on a 2002 Impala?
Last reply by fightingbee, -
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Is this a common problem? If dealer fixes the leaks, will no more problems exist? Those 1994-1998 Chevys would go 200-300K miles with few problems. I wonder about the newer ones. The Silverado belongs to a relative. A shame to have problems on a vehicle with a few thousand miles.
Last reply by 01Malibu, -
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I am planning to spend a couple of days soon to clean/detail/wax both the Envoy and G6. One area I want to focus on is the engine bay, as when I went to replace the air filter in the G6 Wednesday I noticed how horrible it looked under the hood. I used to wash the engine bay of my '92 Cavalier Z24 every spring, but when I had a '95 Trans Am in spring of '98 and washed it it wouldn't restart for 3 hours. Since then I've neglected the engine bay for fear of damaging something electrical. Of course now I realize I just need to be careful when cleaning the engine areas. I don't intend to remove the plastic cover on top of the engine (unless it's needed), and plan to use S…
Last reply by PurdueGuy, -
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So yesterday I dropped my beloved Marie (1984 Celebrity wagon) off at the Chevy dealer because she was making a grinding sound as if her brakes had gone bad. Upon inspection they noted that the entire rear drum brakes had fallen apart due to age and cancer. They are unable to locate replacements and at this point she is labeled undriveable. I am friends with the owner of the dealer and have full confidence in them telling me the truth, have had no luck finding the part myself, don't want junk yard parts as they will only have the same problem and love the car to much just to give up on her. Anybody have ideas on how to get new parts for the old car? Maybe converting …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Since I have to replace the entire exhaust from the Y-pipe back, I'm starting my research on mufflers now. I really dislike the Flowmaster that is on there now. It's fun for about 30 seconds and then it gets annoying with all the droning going on, particularly at highway speeds. Any breathing problems the 307 has are clear the other end of the car, so I'm not particularly concerned with a high flow unit. What I need is a 2 1/4" inlet and dual 2 1/4" outlet in the quietest muffler I can find. I do plan to go back to the resonators the car originally shipped with, but two of them this time. (I like the look of the dual exhaust.
Last reply by Potluck, -
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Since getting the car out of storage the rotor on the rear passenger side has made a lot of noise, and while both rear rotors had grooves in them, the passenger side had more. Driver: Passenger: So today I had the rotors turned, and the results looked good. Lightly sanded the pads as well. Reassembled everything. Things looked pretty good although when I spun the wheels they still made some noise... Was getting ready to take it for a drive, so I pressed the pedal down a few times to seat the pads, however on the third or forth try the pedal went to the floor and a heard a "hiss". Sure enough, fluid is leaking out of the rear line on the driver's side. Terrific.…
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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Ok, so we had the Honda CR-V in the back yard over the weekend. It was a slight upward incline, on slightly wet grass. I tried to move the car a bit further up and instead of crawling up the hill, I just spun the front tires.. the rear never engaged. I tried backing and pulling forward. I reached the same spot with the same result, forward tires spinning, no motion from the rears. Zero unusual noises. Am I not getting something about all wheel drive? Did Honda not understand the concept? Or is it going to the dealer service department next week?
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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As you may have read in my thread in the lounge, I'm looking at purchasing a 1994 Fleetwood which has been sitting for about a year and a half without being driven. I'm concerned that despite a proper inspection and whatnot that this could bite me on the behind later so I'd just like to be sure of what I'd be looking at replacing. I know the tires would be replaced by me sooner rather than later with a new set of Hankook Mileage Plus II whitewalls but for all I know they could be dry rotted now. The thing will be inspected and compression tested before I buy it, and it runs and drives fine now according to the seller. Haven't had a chance to drive it yet. Obviously t…
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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yet perceptions persist... http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2011/01/18/nothing-new-7-modern-car-technologies-actually-100-years-old/?refer=news
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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So it seems just as I get the Mustang running decent again; no miss and so far neither a wheel nor a caliper has flown off, it's the Cavalier's turn. Today I was 'toolin' down the road and all of the sudden the "No Trac" light comes on and I have a loss of power. I pull off to the side of the road (in the ghetto, no less) and the car dies. First thing I do is lock my new Canon in the trunk and look for a weapon.... Oh wait, I actually did that, but that's the wrong story. First thing I notice is this godawful smell of sulfur. My first thought is a battery issue or a cat converter issue. I get out and check the battery, since it would be a quick fix. It's not hot (I was w…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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In 2009, I had the intake gasket replaced by GM. Can I get any of my money back by submitting a claim against the old GM? Is there a long drawn out process you have to go through? I hope I still have my receipt.
Last reply by 01Malibu, -
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As some of you know, I recently did my first brake job on the Mustang. I pulled the spindle nut to replace the rotors and then re-installed the spindle nut. Here's the catch: I merely tightened the spindle nut with a socket set instead of a torque wrench. I did this by letting a friend hold the socket and wrench and me almost standing on it. (literally) I'm 330lbs, so that's probably a lot of pressure. The official number is 258 ft/lbs. So, should I pull the wheels off and use a torque wrench on the nuts? I can't get a straight answer from anyone. One mechanic says that EVERYTHING needs to be torqued, another mechanic and a guy at the parts house says just hand tighten…
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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I have a user who recently had an arm amputated. He is doing ok typing but is struggling with the Ctr-Alt-Del to log in part. He is holding a pen in his mouth to hit the delete key. I've tried macros attached to programable keys on the keyboard and they don't work for that key combination. Any of you other I.T. folk out there know a way around this?
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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so i just tore apart my intake to get to the thermostat thinking it was stuck open... but i put it in a boiling bath and it opens and closes just fine. i don't think we have an infrared thermometer to test it, but the gauge in the IP goes from 100 - 260, it never goes above ~1/4 the way. i'm guessing @140 - 150. what's the chance the temp gauge is wrong? the heater gets warm fairly fast in not ass cold weather, <20 degrees. any ideas would be appreciated, till then i'm thinking of running cleaner and water through the system, not supposed to get below freezing in the next 10 days... could this be associated with my fuel gauge problem with it almost never being …
Last reply by loki, -
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After 30 years, the grease and grime has finally caught up with it. There are no physical restrictions from it extending all the way up or all the way down, but it's pretty gross at the seams. Dealing with these things can be a chore, but when they're properly lubricated they work well. What do I clean it with and what do I relubricate it with? .... what?... what did you think I was talking about?
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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HOWS IT GOING OUT THERE? I'M NEW TO THE CLUB. I HAVE A 2001 IMPALA, 3.4L. IT SOMETIMES HESITATES ON TAKE OFF, AND WILL SHAKE LIKE ITS MISFIRING AT HIGH SPEED, FROM 60MPH AND HIGHER. MOSTLY AT A STEADY SPEED. INSTALLED NEW PLUGS AND WIRES,COILS,FUEL FILTER,FUEL PUMP, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, AND VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR. STILL HAVE SAME PROBLEM.HOPE SOMEONE CAN HELP, THANKS
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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Since my car has been sitting amongst banged up cars in the dealership's body shop, I've been driving the 2006 "Rubbermaid Rattletrap" Malibu Maxx which my mom generally drives. I've noticed over the last week that the engine is acting kind of odd. When the engine is in idle (warm or cold engine) in any gear it's been tending to idle funny. You can feel the whole engine pulsing through the seat, the floorpan etc. Definitely not a serious miss, but certainly abnormal enough that you notice it right away. The engine doesn't sound too much different so from the outside it's almost imperceptible. One thing of note is that when the pulsing is happening the tach needle is…
Last reply by Mike The Canadian, -
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Well, this might be pointless to post right now, because I don't have much information, as this isn't my car. My boyfriends car just broke down on him, and from what he told me and the 5 minutes of research I just did, it kind of sounds like a fuel pump - which seems to be a common issue on the Cavalier? Anyone familiar with this particular problem, or know what is involved in replacing it, or if there are any tests I could do to make sure that is the actual problem, and not something else? He pulled into the driveway, and the next day he went to start it and nothing happened. He said he turns the key and it doesn't crank at all, let alone turn over. He thought the b…
Last reply by Mike The Canadian, -
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Not really sure what's going on. The car is a 2006 Sonata GLS V6. It has automatic lights. When set to auto, at dusk the lights go on. However, when you shut the car off, only the headlights go off... the parking lamps and all interior lights/gauges stay on. They're not supposed to--at least for the first four years of car ownership they never did. What makes matters worse is, if you turn the stalk to shut the lights off manually, they rarely turn off. I've had to at times toggle between on/off 4-5 times before the lights would actually shut. Again, the headlights ALWAYS go off, but the parking/interior lights frequently stay on. I've tried leaving the lights in …
Last reply by Paolino, -
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There's this annoying and pseudo worrying thing the Regal has been doing lately... I've been noticing a trend where as I'm leaving or coming home and I park next to the thing the trunk is always popped. Of course every time I see this I just open it and close it nice and firm but my brother says that he simply hasn't been using the trunk. Just in case it's simply a hair trigger keyfob I took the batteries out of both of them and sure enough as I'm leaving for class today, there it is nicely ajar again. I also checked that there wasn't some sort of an obstruction in the glove box depressing the button there. Any idea what would be causing this? I'm thinking of discon…
Last reply by vonVeezelsnider, -
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People with experience on Cavaliers. I have a friend coming over on friday who got a ticket for his license plate lights being out. He says he changed the bulbs already. I assume fuse would be the next thing, but that other stuff should be out too. What else should I check?
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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what would you assume would be a rough change in gas mileage with one some where relating to the hvac flap controls? i could usually get ~29-30 in practically the same driving as what i'm doing now in warm weather, .. my last tank i got 25.75 mpg... it's been getting into the 20's and the last few days the 10's at night, here highs of 30ish i haven't been idling my car much at all to warm-up, maybe a total of 5 mins for the whole tank, of actually done on purpose. side question, would a temp gauge reading of ~140 instead of 180 affect it much too? my temp gauge has been this way for several years though. before i got this driving cycle my typical was 19-20 mpg when…
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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I'm thinking about putting a new transmission in my '73. The most likely candidate is a Super T-10 Here's the issue: Currently, I'm running the 406, a Turbo 350 transmission (with a shift kit), a 3:73 posi-trac and 17 inch wheels (Not sure on the tire size -- can you tell I haven't messed with my Camaros in a while? LOL) Anyway, the tranny was rebuilt probably 11-12 years ago out of necessitiy, back when the car had the stock rear end and an old, weak 350. After the rebuild, it was a daily driver for about 4 years, then it was retired to semi-daily, and recently, super duper garage queen. Obviously, I've upgraded around the tranny and it has become the weakest link. It…
Last reply by FUTURE_OF_GM, -
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So.. I just bought a pair of SLP Loudmouth IIs for the Stang. That started me thinking about my '73 Camaro. I'm most likely going to try to replace the transmission in it early next year (hopefully my tax refund will be generous) The exhaust is all custom and welded up and that would be a perfect opportunity to put a better system on it. Currently, I'm running Hedman Shorties to 2.5 inch pipes into 3 inch Flowmaster single chamber Delta Flow mufflers (Probably the equivalent to what they call the 10 Series off road mufflers but I can't remember the series number from when I bought them) then reducing to 2 inches for the tail pipes (because at the time, they didn't make t…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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any help i could pass long to him? TIA
Last reply by loki, -
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its a 1998 Buick LeSabre limited 3800 When I got the car the Security light stays solid any idea what could cause that? When I turn the heat on normally use the Auto button and set a temp. but I can see the fan meter on the read out go to 100% but the blower motor won't do anything. In a couple minutes you will hear it rev up and then shut off then repeats that a couple times (the blower motor will stay on for a little longer than the first rev.) then about 15-20 into my drive the blower motor kicks on and stays on and generally don't have any issues after that. Any thoughts? also where is the blower located? I spent 15 minutes trying to find it but no luck... Also doe…
Last reply by @dmin, -
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I'm quickly approaching 100K miles. I was planning to do spark plugs and wires at 100k. First off, that is when I'm supposed to do them right? Second, any good suggestions for reaching those plugs on the back bank? Any other preventative maintenance things that should be getting done around 100k? Thanks everyone!
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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I know I read somewhere about computerized transmissions that incorporated some degree of 'learning' capability, where periods of consistent driving styles (say; aggressive throttle) could move shift points to a degree. I had thought this was told to me WRT my '94 Ford's EOA trans, but that certainly could be wrong. Reason I am wondering is, lately I have been driving my wife ex-'03 GP 3.1L about once a week. In that gas is cheaper and it gets about 23, whereas my diesel 2500HD gets around 16, it's decent for whipping around/ taxi-ing. I don't think she's driven it since she got her Malibu in Aug of '09; it's been me 97% of the time (my son the other 3%... maybe). I'…
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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So I can finally get around to buying the hardware to do my rear brakes. I'm going with Wagner BD125306 rotors, but I'm not sure what to go with for pads still. Apparently Intrepids without ABS came with organic pads while ABS Intrepids came with semi-metallic, but the pads are interchangeable. The choices are: Wagner PD759 ThermoQuiet Non-Asbestos Organic Disc Brake Pad Set: $30.89 Wagner MX782 ThermoQuiet Semi Metallic Disc Brake Pad Set: $35.46 Akebono ACT782 ProACT Ultra-Premium Ceramic Brake Pad Set - $61.99 I've heard good things about both ThermoQuiets and Akebonos. I can get the ThermoQuiets for a really good deal on Amazon, and I can get an employ…
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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So, it may sound like something that you'd find at the auto repair place between the muffler bearings and turn signal fluid... but it seems there is some nasty fluid in some rear view mirrors. Apparently, GM auto-dimming mirrors (and some other makes that use the same supplier) have a caustic substance in the mirror... and after a number of years and/or sufficient heat... they can explode or leak. How did I find out? Well, the '99 Grand Prix after spending a lifetime in the northeast, has started to leak once it has been in the hot Cali sun. Just driving along, the car made some pops... and the mirror fogged up and started to leak. After some research, it turns out the…
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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This is weird, the round plastic trim piece that goes around the knob that adjusts the lumbar support for my seat came off my seat. One of the clips that holds it onto the seat actually snapped, and the two remaining clips won't hold it so now when I sit down, it just pops off (along with the knob). So I just took it off and have the knob on there without the trim piece. I don't think I'm going to buy the trim piece as the knob works and stays attached to the seat just fine w/out it. It doesn't bother me too much, but it definitely makes me wonder if I should be defending GM as adamantly as I do. I know a lot of people who would be pretty bummed if this happened t…
Last reply by gmcbob, -
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My headlight lenses on my wife’s 99 Altima are real dull & cloudy. I thought about replacing them but now I see that there are some restoration kits available. Has anybody tried anything like this? Does it really work? Here’s a couple I was looking at: 3M Headlight Restoration System and Symtech Headlamp Polishing Kit Thanks
Last reply by pow, -
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I actually haven't been on here in a VERY long time. I hope everyone is doing well. Well, my 08 Vue is two years old and has about 36000 miles on it now and for a while I've been hearing this slightly annoying rattle coming from the passenger side of the dash. It sounds like its on the inside, but I'm not sure. I can only hear it with the radio off and going over bumpy or worn out streets or gravel like pavement. When the surface is smooth, the rattle instantly stops. I almost want to say it's the glove box or even the front seat, but I don't think it's either one of those, because if I press on the glove box or hold the seat steady, it still rattles. It's really …
Last reply by gmcbob, -
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Today, I fixed the a/c in my Intrigue. One of the gears in the passenger-side blend door actuator got a huge crack in it, rendering the whole thing useless. Two trips to AutoZone later (the first time I ordered the part, it didn’t make it onto the delivery truck ) and I’ve got cool air blowing out of the passenger-side vents for the first time in about a year. Today, I also noticed that something else is wrong with the car, and I’m worried that it’s the transmission. Back in July, I went to look at a 2002 Taurus SEL, because my local Chevy-BPG dealer quoted me $1167 to fix the blend door problem (thank God for the internet, I fixed it myself for $140). I was hesitant t…
Last reply by loki, -
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OK, let's say, hypothetically, you found a truck on craigslist that looked kind of like this: And let's say those stripes were vinyl, and you didn't like them and wanted them removed. Assuming the paint doesn't get damaged while removing the stripes. what's the likelihood that there would be any kind of permanent damage to the paint just by the stipes being there? About how much would a professional outfit charge to remove them, and does such a place exist?
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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This morning I got in my 2004 CTS and the left turn signal indicator on the dash remained lit while the headlights were on. If I turned the headlights off the indicator light turned off. If I used the left turn signal the light would blink at double speed. I havent checked all the bulbs yet but I am hoping it means I have a light out. Any insights?
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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So, here's my issue: For $#!+s and giggles, and because I got them free... and because a rear side marker lamp in my bumper went out and is the most difficult light I've ever had the displeasure to attempt accessing... ahem, I installed LED lights for all park, brake and turn signal lamps on my wife's car. I understood there would be an issue with hyper-flashing with the turn signals (which are combination park/turn lamps in front #1057 - double filament, and only turn lamps in rear #1056 - single filament). An electronic flasher solved that problem. The other problem is that with the four combination tail/brake lamps #1057, two 194 style rear markers and the high-mou…
Last reply by ShadowDog, -
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Anybody tried this tire? A co worker of mine wants them for his Cobalt? They look like a good tire, and he can get them for 50 bucks each. Yay or Nay?
Last reply by occupant, -
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Just acquired an 07 Suburban. It had an aftermarket radio/cd/dvd player installed. It was put in because the previous owner de-installed the previous aftermarket system. As a result, the rear a/c and rear radio do not work (appears no power to rear unit - though the rear heated seats work) and the audio volume controls on the steering wheel do not work. The local chevy dealer looked at it and said that the radio was not communicating to the amp (although the the audio was playing fine in all systems/dvd and indicated that the rear air needed to communicate with the amp/radio in order to work. The dealer recommends reinstalling teh OEM radio. Before we do that, we wa…
Last reply by CanadianBacon94, -
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Anyone here done it (with the heads on)? I'm having trouble getting either of the two types of spring compressors to get a grip on the springs. Any tips? I'll get some pics up in a few.
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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My dad owns a 2006 Pontiac G6 Sedan with the 3.5L V6 engine and 4-speed auto. The car has 51k miles on it and it has developed a noise in the left front wheel. The auto shop teacher did me a favor and took it for a spin and listened to the noise on both the drive and in the shop while on the lift. The noise only comes from the left front wheel and usually starts once the car exceeds 30 MPH (it stops when the wheel stops spinning). The auto shop teacher feels it is likely something in the transaxle, but said it could be a wheel bearing is shot (though that's not his most likely scenario). Is anyone familar with G6s, or even Malibus, of this age and this issue? It's…
Last reply by XP715, -
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I noticed a week or so ago that I can smell a bit of antifreeze when the air is on in the Grand Marquis. My first thought is heater core, which would really suck. I also noticed the last time I drove it that the belt was squeaking a bit. Today I took it to the store and it was squeaking a lot, so when I got home I popped the hood to check it out. Turns out coolant is leaking from the waterpump onto the belt and causing it to squeak. So that means it's time to do the waterpump. My question is would a waterpump on its way out cause me to smell it inside when the air is on? Maybe because fumes from the engine bay are getting pulled inside via the intake.
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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My aunt drives an 08 Equinox that is nearly out of warranty. The mechanism that holds the fabric of the seat to the frame keeps coming off. This has been a recurring problem that the dealer has fixed several times, and is finally going to replace (on one seat). Is this a typical problem on the first generation Equinox/Torrents? I'm new to these type of things, so if I'm not be specific enough, or it is confusing, let me know and I"ll try to explain better.
Last reply by pow, -
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Okay, this is a question for anyone who has worked on a Cobalt..... My knee bumped the trim piece on the dash where the little cubby is-that you can open up (where the trunk release button is), and is "off " track. I cannot get the left rod back into the cubby piece. And I don't want to break it either. Any tips?
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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This is actually a serious inquiry. the Aztek turned 105k this week and I am generally faced with the possibility of needing to keep the vehicle for quite awhile. Good, since its a slight few payments left and its all mine. WOO HOO. Anyways, it's been great so far. Good on gas (prob avg 21-22 mpg over the life of the vehicle). Immense utility. Great errand hopper and road trip vehicle. Quiet and comfortable. Oil changes, one set of tires, one brake job, radiator and tranny flushes for maintenance. Only.....ONLY...... repairs on the vehicle to date have been the two front wheel bearings, done under warranty. Also a recall on a wiring harness. THAT'S IT. …
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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My friend swears by the seafoam and we put some in my car and in my sister's car and in our truck. We did the intake method on the truck (98 chevy 350) and the sis's mustang 3.8 On mine I put it in the oil cause we couldn't figure out where to suck it in. I have read that 250-500 miles I will have to change the oil in my 3800. Any thoughts?
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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In a corvette what does that mean?
Last reply by Justin Bimmer, -
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Does anyone have any experience with this tailpipe expander? Does it work? http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/kd-exhaust-tailpipe-expander-1-716-2-pipe-p-13643.aspx
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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Ok, I have the Regal with the 3800 V6 Series I 1992 that now has original mileage in the high 200,000s. Incidentally, they have no EGR valves. I will soon have to go get its emissions test to renew the tags. Here's the deal. In most states that I've lived in and in which the car has been registered, they test 4 emissions components (HC, CO, CO2 and O2). In California, they add NO (nitrogen or nitrous?). At any rate, the car has performed fantastically on the first 4 components...extremely clean and changed minimally over the years. However, it's not as clean on the N.O., though it has always passed. I heard that this is common: cars run clean on all the others and …
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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So i just bought my first typhoon. Its a 93 model with only 65k miles and i picked it up for a song, but the last owner owned it for 4 years and only drove it 300 miles so its been neglected kinda mechanically wise. When im driving it, it wont shift outta first until 4000rpm...can anyone shed light on my situation
Last reply by GMTruckGuy74, -
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My Pontiac Grand Prix, irregularly, will stall out when I first start it. If it stalls, it will continue to stall unless I tickle the throttle after starting it. Once it is started I don't have any issues with it. It doesn't happen very often, but often enough to annoy me, and I have no idea where to start. Thanks!
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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So, since it was actually above freezing today and the rain had ended, I decided to talking the badly worn alternator belt on the Prizm. First let me say, if I ever met the engineer in charge of the engine bay design I'll kick him in the balls. The front of the engine is so close to the inner fender that I can barely fit my hand between them. This makes getting a ratchet onto the locking bolt extremely difficult and annoying. You can't see the bolt, you have to fee l around for it. Once I got a ratchet on the bolt, it moved in tedious one lick increments because there's so little room to move before hitting either the pulley or the a/c lines. So I loosen it, then loose…
Last reply by Satty, -
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The battery in my first remote died about 2 years ago, so I started using the second one. Now that the second one has died, I went out and bought new Duracell 2-pack of batteries marked DL2032/CR2032. The dead ones were Panasonic CR2032. I've tried both batteries in both remotes, and none of those combinations work. Is there some kind of reprogramming I need to do??
Last reply by RjION, -
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This is something I don't think I've ever posted about before, even though it's happened since I bought my Cobalt. Occasionally (I'd say once a week), I hear what has become a very familiar noise from somewhere in the back end of my car. It is exactly five quick 'knock' or 'tap' sounds, about 1/2 a second apart. It literally sounds like somebody knocking on the trunklid - the first couple of times I looked around my car to see who was knocking. It's not loud, as I notice that passengers usually don't pick up on it. I've never noticed any problem stemming from this sound occuring. It's not a problem, but I'm just curious - What could this be?
Last reply by RjION, -
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I know there are a few of you who have one of the 3800 engines in your cars. What kind of real world fuel mileage are you seeing? Highway and city? I'm pondering a Riviera as there are a couple decent ones available locally. Also, am I correct in thinking that the mid/late 90's 3800 suffered the infamous intake(?) gasket failure problem which the 3100's suffered? TIA!
Last reply by jwbouch, -
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Just a quick question-The MINI Cooper S supercharged and the Cobalt SS/SC used the same superchargers, and the Cooper S's have been having problems hat 100K-150K- Anyone hear about similar problems with the Cobalt?? Chris
Last reply by NOS2006, -
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So I drove the Cobalt out this morning to run some errands for my Grandmother and all was well with the car, then this evening I ran out to get some pizza and as I pulled onto the expressway the car started shaking badly above about 60kph (40mph for the Yanks). At first I thought I had a flat tire so I pulled off at the next exit and examined the car, checked the tire pressure as well as the rims and nothing seemed out of place. There's no snow/ice in the wheel wells making contact with any of the wheels either. I got on the expressway again and it started again at the same speed. At first I thought it could be the road surface but I'd driven on the same road three ti…
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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So, my 19 year old daughter has a 17 year old friend. 17 year old friend "Britney" (not her real name) was given a '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee with an inline 6 as a gift when she got her permit two years ago at 15 1/2. Jeep was bought new by her grandparents....and has had good care. About 150K on it... My questions...what weak spots are there on these vehicles? Her father and grandfather ran a buisiness that for years was very profitable...sold the buisiness...and now the guy they sold it to has run it into the ground. Girl's father is loosing his job Dec. 31. So...I want to know what to look for that is specific for this vehicle to help her keep it running through th…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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I was replacing the driver's side rear window regulator on the Mercury, was just about done, tightening the last bolt (one that holds the glass in place) did it too tight and the whole damn thing shattered everywhere. So obviously I'm pissed at myself for tightening it too tight (and too a lesser extend pissed at Ford for designing crap regulators that break all the damn time, then riveting the stupid things in place). Problem is that the car has one of those landau tops, and the part that goes on the door goes over the stupid window frame. There's no way to get the glass out or in with it there. My question is, what adhesive do they use the secure the tops? It looks ki…
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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Hey, I've got the Big 3 scheduled: Minor tune-up this month (mostly for the plugs), Motor mounts next month (Dec.), and Trans fluid change, drop, drain, filter, the following month (Jan.) These will hopefully enable me to get to the 300K mark without these major service items So, question on the motor mounts. The car in question is my 92 Regal with the 3800 V6. I'm fairly convinced they (1 and/or 2) need replacement and will be letting a shop who is pretty straightforward do it. So, can changing them open another can of worms? Meaning, it is possible that, during this changeover, the position of the engine can change so as to mess up a tolerance with somet…
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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Reposted from the ACNA forums (increasingly dead over there...): Have at it. I want to get this done.
Last reply by Croc, -
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How does one buy "used tires"? The crappy Hankooks on my '07 AURA XE are pretty much done - the lease isn't up until November and there's no way I'm going to spend my money (not that I have much left to spend) on a new set of tires for a car I won't be owning for much longer. If money was plentiful, my plan was to take my wife's G6 17k milesHankook tires (same as on the AURA) and put them on the AURA, and then get her a nice set of the Goodyear Assurance TripleTred tires - but that would run me around $600!! So that plan is out and now I want to get a decent set of used tires that will be 'good enough' to return the lease in 3 months. Do I just call local tire places,…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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How hard is it to switch a 4th gen V6 F Body from autotrajic to row your own? Think we all know where this is going... Also...how weak are the rear ends on these cars? What other common failure points do they have? Chris
Last reply by Z-06, -
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I have a quick question. Every now and then I get a metallic grinding sound from the engine (3100 V6). It came back yesterday, and its really loud/not going away. Engine runs great, and damn near perfect. I noticed that the AC compressor wheel is spinning properly, but the outer wheel part moves a bit (er, spins kinda, in steps). Im guessing thats the problem? It sounds like the one in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBiQNgQUJlI That person says AC clutch bearing going bad. Is that what might be happening to mine? Is it safe to keep driving with this issue, or can this eventually seize and screw over the belt? http://www.aa1car.com/library/200…
Last reply by !!!TED!!!, -
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*Sigh* Stupid remote is dead. It looks like the fob has a crack on the inside. And I'm not paying 70 bucks for a new one. Where could I get a cheap one? Ebay, maybe? I miss opening it from far away....
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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I know nothing. I have an old Sony deck that's about 8 years old and my speakers are worn out in my car. I want to get new speakers to just replace my OEM ones and a new deck with USB connection and AUX jack for my ipod and sirius. anybody have suggestions? Also, if the lights can be red, it would be helpful to match my 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GT Sedan
Last reply by balthazar, -
Impala Radio
by tomg- 2 replies
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The digial displays on my 2008 Impala sometimes goes dim and I cannot read the radio stations or read the clock. It seems to go bright again within 10 minutes. This even happens in bright sun light, exiting a tunnel, etc. Is there a sensor that controls the brightness on these radios?
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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How often all of the bags will blow in a modern car when it is hit and how often just some of them will? Just saw a vehicle that had been hit hard in the side, and only the side impact air bags had blown, not the fronts. Also, what are the laws regarding used airbags? Does anyone know? I know in some states salvage yards are not allowed to sell them. Chris
Last reply by fightingbee, -
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The vinyl on the dashboard has begun to separate at the bottom of the dashboard...i.e. above the emergency brake pedal on the driver's side and, on the passenger side, below the glove box, where it sweeps back into the area where the lower a/c ducts are located. I can tell there was some old glue between the vinyl and the dash because I can feel the bumps with my fingers. It's only noticeable to me, since most people wouldn't look at the bottom edge of the dashboard...and the car is 17.5 years old. A few questions: How do I reattach the vinyl that is beginning to separate? What is the name of the type of adhesive that is used? Where do I get it? Any tips on the p…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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As you guys know, I'm replacing the rear in the '92 Blazer. The trouble is that it is a G80 locking rear and the debate over synthetic/dino oil and additive/no addititve is all over the place. After reading a zillion different forums, and talking to my friend at the Chevy place, I am no closer to a definitive answer on this. G80 is a build code RPO and seems to mean different things in different years and on different vehicles. So I need a definitive answer on a '97 Tahoe G80 (the donor car my new rear is from). Anyone have a manual for that year?
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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The 1992 Regal has had a slight shimmy for quite a while. By rotating the tires often, they are wearing exceptionally well despite the shimmy (6/32 after almost 40,000 miles). The shimmy was weird in that it was really noticeable between 55 and 65 mph, and then, by minute adjustments of the steering wheel, it might go away. A long time ago, I told a West Coast chain about this and they identified the tie rods as the probable culprits. They fixed these, when I had front struts put in, and everything seemed better...but not perfect. Within the last couple of weeks, there was a popping sound in the front passenger side, accompanied by too much bounce by pushing down. …
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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I need a rear for the '92 K-Blazer and I'm fairly sure that I found the right one (from a Tahoe). But I'd like to be sure.
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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...though I'm leaning more toward me. On the Balt's last fill up, I might have have put a bit too much gas in her. (never had this issue in any other car) Now things are a bit screwed up. Even when It's full, it only shows 3/4. It also messed up the MPG and miles till empty too. I thought it might have fixed itself after gas today, but no such luck. Anybody else have this issue? I'm debating about unplugging the battery to reset it (hopefully), but I'm not sure....
Last reply by the_yellow_dart, -
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Wanted to know if it is TRUE or FALSE that, if you have steel-belted radial tires, you need to rotate front-to-back/same-side in perpetuity (until you wear through that set of tires), or you will adversely impact the service life or the way they wear. Costco seriously DOES NOT have their act together in this regard. Most stores I've been to (about 4 out of 5) default to front-to-back/same side, which will maintain the direction the steel belts will roll Some stores (about 1 out of 5) default to front-to-back/switch sides, which will change the direction the steel belts will roll If I land in a store that wants to cross them, I will usually get into an argumen…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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We do a lot of HVAC work, resteraunt repair work, and Electrical work for a chain of truck stops. I've noticed a lot of truckers love the Lucas stuff. Lots of them swear by it. Anyone tried it? I'm trying it in the wife's car. Chris
Last reply by 67impss, -
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I was looking around the Chevy site at the Silverado but I don't know about the axle ratio mentioned. What is better the lower or the higher number? I guess it would depend on the use of the truck. I was going through the locate a vehicle section and reading what each one has and noticed it varies from 3.08 to 3.42.
Last reply by redtruck, -
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A few days ago, during normal driving, while stopped at an intersection, the transmission suddenly felt disconnected, and as I coasted out of that intersection, I couldn't find any gear to propel the car. Once I stopped coasting and put it in park, the car simply wouldn't connect and move. Put it back in park, got out and there was a puddle of fluid on the ground. Tranny showed no signs of being on its way out before this sudden incident (I know this after struggling for months with the previous gearbox in this car before replacing it). A friend said it might be a blown hose or fluid line. Could this this true, and if so, is it an easy, relatively inexpensive fix?
Last reply by Croc, -
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Hey, you guys know how fanatical I am about prevent(at)ive maintenance. The Regal is a few days away from 260,000 miles (422,396 km), all of which are MINE! I got there by changing to oil anywhere from every 2,000 to 2,500 miles. At any rate, here's my question: Would you defer, or not do, a minor tune-up (spark plugs and having it scoped) and trans fluid change at this point? Last tune-up was 211,000. Last trans fluid was 222,000. If I did both near 260,000, I should theoretically go to 300,000 within the next scheduled interval. However, I am still getting excellent gas mileage (high 20s on the freeway) and shifts are smooth and detectable (sort of unchanged) an…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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My dad has a 2004 Silverado 1500 Z85 with the heavy duty towing package. as such his 1500 has the allison transmission under it (which is totally awesome in my opinion) however, his confidence in his truck has really been shook as of late what with his truck having the steering pin rattle and all. he has replaced that once already and is getting ready to do some engineering work on that so that the grease draining out will no longer be a problem. thats another story. the biggie is that the allison transmission began slipping last week and it has now reached a point friday to where he has parked the truck and is in the process of sending it to the shop to be worked on. Guy…
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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So, my friends just recently bought a MC-5 from a church and it has an 8V-71 in it. There were able to drive it to storage and then drive it around a bit, but now the bus will start and then it will blow lots of smoke and wont go past 900 RPM. I don't know yet what color the smoke is or how long the bus sat without the motor being ran, but I from what I know so far, I don't think this is good news at all. Anybody have any knowledge on this or know where I can go for answers?
Last reply by occupant, -
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A friend of mine has a mishap in his '98 LeSabre yesterday. He hit one of those rectangular yellow reflectors you see along the side of the road with the right-hand mirror, which only scraped the paint a little bit, but the glass cracked and a strip of it fell off in the middle. The glass is also not supported at the top anymore, so it's like it's stuck pointing down. I wouldn't call myself a mechanic, but I can even tell that he needs a new mirror. So, the question is, does anyone know how to remove the mirror off of a '90s H-body? It's not power-adjustable and I don't believe it's heated, which makes me think it would just pop out if you stuck a thin tool between it a…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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Cliffnotes version: What happens if you go from using synthetic blend motor oil to conventional? Full-fat: I took my car to the dealership yesterday to get some work done (mistake 1). Back when I had the recall work for the engine fire concern on the 3.8L V6, I took my Intrigue up to the local Chevrolet-Buick-Pontiac-GMC-Isuzu dealer to have it taken care of. Everything went fine, I got my car back and was happy as a clam that I wouldn't find it and/or myself engulfed in flames one day. To further make me happier, I received in the mail around the beginning of July/end of June a letter from the dealer thanking me for choosing them to work on my car. Included in this l…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
took my car in to get serviced at a tranny shop... fluid and filter called and said my seal is leaking, i thought it might have been a power steering leak...nope.... said a fix was ~$150 i think is this fair, and how hard would it be to do not in a shop...aka driveway. any potentially horribleness could ensue by leaving it alone.. short of tranny fluid leaking out quicker than i check on it?
Last reply by loki, -
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Does anyone know if there are any wiring issues on 2005 GTOs? Mine has already had it's second dead battery in 2 years. The first time was with 15,000 miles on the car. I replaced the original battery with a yellow top Optima battery($200) which have been known to last over 10 years, and now 2 years later it is dead again. No electronics were left on, no doors open etc. I just parked at work in the morning, went to leave for lunch, and it just clicks, and the remote unlocking/locking chime is very faint.
Last reply by CaddyXLR-V, -
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Ok, part II, there was a whirring sound coming from the front of the 92 Regal, 3800 V6, with almost 260,000 miles, that changed with the rpms but did not affect drivability nor economy. I had written down stethoscope for athis Saturday morning's errand. No need. (I was intially thinking pulley, alternator, water pump, p/s pump, or even a minute exhaust leak) Today, driving home from the rail station, the low coolant light came on and off. In fact, last night, at Borders, I noticed some drips in front the car, but no temperature issues. No temperature issues today, either, but that can/will change real soon. There is a coolant leak under the water pump area. Tha…
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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Hey guys, Just got an 05 Allure (Lacrosse) about 2 weeks ago. Got it for a good price and its absolutely mint inside and out, only about 30k on it, 1 owner (non-fleet/rental). Anyway, I'm starting to get used to the car, but it has an annoying behavior and I'm trying to figure out if its a problem or not. Need some input from people with experience with the 4t65e/Lacrosse. Is it normal for shifts to be inconsistent in feel? I've been noticing that you can never predict how the shift is going to feel when I am driving around town, mainly the 1-2 shift. Basically, sometimes I will be accelerating from a light, moderate throttle, and it will shift nice and quick with b…
Last reply by Whistler, -
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I'm trying to wire my stereo in the Monte and I have no idea where the 12V constant lead from the harness goes to. The harness looks like this and the wire is the yellow one you'll see to the right of your screen. I think it plugs into the fusebox but I don't have any idea where. So far, no one at Monte Carlo SS.com has replied.
Last reply by Blake Noble, -
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So the other day I noticed that the Prizm's blower motor kept changing it's speed despite being always set tof ull. It would slowly build up to normal speed, then go back down to a lower speed, then go back up. This would happen over a couple minutes, not like every few seconds. Because it works I'm not that worried...just curious if anyone might know why. Of greater concern is the speedometer, which stopped working a few days ago as well. Then it started working again....then didn't. Tonight on the highway It would work, then drop down to zero, then a few minutes later jump back up to the correct speed. If the unit itself going or could it be something else?
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
- 7 replies
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I hadn't driven the Regal for almost 3 weeks because I was on vacation. In a nutshell, over the last few days, the sound coming from the engine sounds kind of "wheezy" or "buzzy." It is a 1992 vintage 3800 V6 with 258,200 miles. It's NOT a clackety/clack noise at all. What it is - it increases with the rpms of the engine What it is not - it is not related to the gears, since it does it in park and neutral A few thoughts: Could it be in the pulley system? A water pump - though these seem to chirp more, having replaced one many moons ago? Also, no temperature change and no coolant drip. A power steering pump? A problem in the compressor? I've used the A/C a…
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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Does anyone have access to a manual or to an online web site that shows me how to remove the interior dome lamp from my wife's 2008 Pontiac G6 Sedan??
Last reply by GMTruckGuy74, -
- 2 replies
- 961 views
So I'm repainting he plenum and have come to a bit of a stumbling block. I forgot to get silver paint to outline the lettering. It's got Rust-Oleum high-heat primer, high heat flat black, and will eventually have high heat clear coat. For the silver. I have a can of Rust-Oleum Metallic silver. Could I use this for the lettering and cover it with the high-heat clear coat? If not, it'll have to stay black, as I want this to be dry tomorrow so it can g on the engine. I figured I'd ask to see if it would work or I'd have letters catching fire.
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
- 7 replies
- 3.6k views
As you may know, my engine conversion went well besides the junk radiator nearly destroying everything. Managed to get the gunk out of the oil, it checks clear every time now. However it's still in the cooling system. The day it happened a garden hose was used for 2 hours to get it out, but while a lot it out, there's still goop showing up. Is there a cleaner to get this out? Or can a shop get it out? Monday I may just take it down and see, but preemptive advice would be appreciated. Once this is taken care of and I replace the plenum, I should be all set, but it just sucks that a $h!ty radiator caused this unnecessary mess. Next time I'm buying …
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
- 7 replies
- 1.5k views
So the Grand Marquis needs brake lines and the master cylinder seal. I've never done this before. How hard is it to replace lines? I'm sure it varies from vehicle to vehicle, but a general idea of what to do and the difficulty involved would be helpful.
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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Ok, I;ve been thinking (watch out! :AH-HA_wink: ) I'm getting ready to switch oils in the Cobalt. The Balt has been running Quaker State dino up till now. But I think it's time for an upgrade. I would like to drop Mobil 1 in, but since I didn't break the car in (and guessing not easy either), and the milage (around 40k), I don't want to deal with the hassles of going full Syn..... So I have decided to go with a syn blend- either Valvoline Durablend or Castrol Snytec Blend. I wanted to know what you guy/gals thought....which brand do you use? And if so, do you like it? Right now, the Balt does mostly city driving, hence my reason for more protection... Th…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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Is there a positive way to tell if an '03 GP SE has ABS or not? Code on the decklid code label? There's nothing hokey like "ABS" on the wheel centers or brake pedal. Bought a rear bearing/hub assembly as one in the rear is bad, counter guy asked if it has ABS & I assumed 'yes', but it's not standard on other than the GTP, and I'm wondering if it DOESN'T have ABS, that I'll need to swap it for another hub. Will possibly be replacing it tomm evening, so a speedy confirmation would be appreciated before it's exploded in the driveway. BTW- GM wanted $435 for this part, NAPA: $138.
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
- 1 reply
- 1.1k views
I have to move the '69 Firebird. It has a fairly worn Chevy 350. About six years ago I last attempted to start it and was unsuccessful. At that time it had sat for about 2 years. Now it hasn't been attempted to start in about 6 years. I checked my fluids, poured some gas in the carb and put a battery on it, and even with a good battery, I'm getting nowhere. The engine does turn over... slowly... but it sounds nasty... a deep, dry, grinding. Normally, I would panic, but I recall a different, worn, engine which sounded similar (father's worn 350 Chevy Cubevan) until I got enough juice into the starter... at which point it fired up and ran. Is this grinding the be…
Last reply by longtooth, -
- 1 reply
- 1k views
Hi All, I was wondering what you guys think about the 6.2 gasoline running a true Dual exhaust. It appears to me that on first glance my 6.2 already has dual catylitic converters and I would like to help it breath better by changing the single exhaust to a true dual. Sound and HP are not my number one goal. I will get that if it breaths better. I am installing a Volant air induction with the new Donaldson Power Core filter that uses the newer Nano-filter technology and is said(by Donaldson) to be 99.8 efficent. Cleaner in hopefully less wear. I have already started the transition to synthetic oil and will run a bypass system soon too, with oil analysis included for oil fi…
Last reply by Nick, -
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- 1.3k views
^^^ She is not running cold any more. The AC seems hotter than hot FL weather. As far as the documentations show, the AC system is a closed one and before adding freon one has to make sure that there are no apparent leaks. Any quick way to fix the AC hotness without breaking the bank?
Last reply by SAmadei,
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