!!!TED!!!

WTF deos tihs maen: FRLETIS (?) My bairn hruts...

I have not had it to the mechanics yet, but I did play with the problem a bit. Im fresh out of WD-40, so I got some water, and cleaned up the belt and pulleys. The noise went away almost completely. After driving for 5 minutes, the noise was gone. Today, the noise came back....but, after a half hour of driving went away again. lol?

Pretty ambitious. You are pretty much making a 300M in Intrepid clothing. Good luck!

+1 Beat to $h! Regal GS with a good engine and suspension! EDIT Like this: http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-c...QAdIdZ162200573

Tried that already. I have a spare badge, and its too big.

Thats gonna be a problem, as they are 2" centers, and as far as I know, there are no OEM Olds caps that size. Plan B is custom stickers. Don't worry, Im all about the details! First order of business is to sort out the AC compressor noise/any other possible issue. I hope the end results are as follows: *photochop

Thanks SAmadei! The AC worked when I bought the car in June '08. Since then, I have never really used it. Love to drop the windows. I never paid attention to the AC compressor. I did have the belt, water pump and alternator replaced last year (as well as a new battery). The lower intake gasket was replaced earlier this year. This is why Im a little paranoid of seemingly little issues. My family and a few friends think Im crazy to spend money on this car. My aunt would love to see me lease a Hyundai! I noticed this noise around July, but it would show up briefly, and go away. I figured it was a bit of debris on the belt or pulleys as I drive alot (and sometimes not on the best roads). I was reading elsewhere that a bit of WD40 and some sandpaper might loosen any rust or dirt between the pulley and clutch (that could cause the noise). I will give that a shot and see what happends. Im just trying to get some imput before I do anything. Like I said, I have not driven the car since last Friday. Im not taking any risks. And yeah, my back is sore as f**k. I lifted something heavy without stretching. Just to make life more enjoyable. Once again, I really appreciate all the feedback!

Thanks again for all the advice and suggestions. Im getting a bit worried though. I havn't driven the car since Friday, and I threw my back out this week...so Im in pain and haven't gone to the mechanics yet. I went and started the Achieva today. It runs fine except for the grinding metal noise, but I noticed puffy white smoke from the exhaust. On top of that, there is a light black trail on the hood liner above the belt (water pump squirting? this happened on my moms Lumina). I also noticed some..er..water dripping from the muffler. Not from the tip, but from the body of the muffler itself. Thought that was odd. Don't know if there is a pinhole leak or is it condensation (!?). And then there is a small leak under the engine. Looks like oil. I was assured on my last oil change that nothing is leaking. Could this be related to the AC clutch? The clutch is supposed to spin when the AC is on, right? Because its not doing so. Im not super mechanicaly inclined and also have very little money to spend on repairs. The car has been perfect for the last 10,000 KM (6213 Miles). On the last trip (Fri...120 Miles), it ran flawlessly. I just bought new wheels for it, and was planning to throw em on, and go on a big fall cruise October 25th. Kinda a season finale. Now Im a bit worried.

The swooshes are meant to evoke classic Mercedes cues, like this 220S Coupe... Mercedes is currently on a heritage binge (witness the new SLS AMG!).

Project Achieva Updates: The "chrome" kickplates are holding up OK. The drivers side (ie most used) did scratch a little. I didn't do a second coat, and no clear coat. August 20, 2009: 1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT sun visors installed. My old ones had sagging straps. New visors have extendable sunshades too! before: after: old (top), new (bottom): August 21, 2009: Blue 1969 Ontario licence plates. Look cool at car shows! August 23, 2009: The Achievas car show debut! 1st annual North York Chevrolet All GM show. September 29, 2009: 188,888.8 KM! October 7, 2009: RIMZ!!!!!! 2000 Cavalier Z24 16"ers! Will get cleaned up and put on the car within the next 2 weeks! its gonna look awesome! October 8, 2009: #1 Achieva on CarDomain! And the latest is that the AC compressor is crapping out. Much more adventures ahead! PS, heres something for dodgefan...

Sunfire! Sounds/looks more fun! I would choose the Corsica, but only if it were a V6. Then I would proceed to make a Beretta sedan! PICS?

Thank you everyone for the suggestions and input! Do you think a shorter belt (bypassing the AC) might be the easiest, most cost effective solution? I have very little money, and the car needs to shine in 2 weeks. Im heading for a fall cruise. I also just bought new wheels. More on that later :AH-HA_wink: .

Rareness factor +1. http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-c...QAdIdZ160798894 http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/drh/cto/1413067367.html

Er...GM 3.1 single belt design lol. OK, this is a blessing in disguise. The thing robs power anyways , right? I never use AC, and winters comming. I did some more reading, and it looks like a bypass will be the way to go. Either a shorter belt, or removal of AC compressor and replacement with a bypass wheel. Its just that Im damn short on money.

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/2003/ic50350.htm

Grade A (Dark Amber) Maple Syrup FTW! I also like Corn Syrop from time to time.

Its not THAT bad. Its truer in styling to the 2nd and 3rd gen 4Runner than the current model.

Verano...not feeling it. Encore, meh...

It looks great in person. Im not hot for some of the details, but its an interesting design, and stands out.

Here are pictures and a video of the 2010 Subaru Outback at the Georgian College Autoshow in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. A bit strange looking (kinda narrow visually), but overall, pretty handsome. VIDEO: PICS: And here is the Legacy:

That was the beauty of this era of styling. Designers found ways to incorporate traditional American design cues into modern aero packages. Fender skirts were such silly old-school cues, but when tied into aero shapes, they make alot of sense. I absolutely love cars like the original (pre-update) 1991 Caprice. It blends classic Caprice cues in a totaly new shape. Especially from this angle:

Here are pictures and a video of the 2010 Mercedes E350 Coupe at the Georgian College Autoshow in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. One of the only true hardtops on the market. It looked incredible in the sunshine. I find that little rear quarter window a bit strange, but I guess they had to do it to get the sleek roofline. VIDEO: PICS: