What Did You Do To Your Car Today?

[RRocket]

Put another new AC Compressor in the 85 Trans Am yesterday. Last one only lasted 1.5 years and started leaking at the front seal. Part was covered under warranty, but it still cost me about 3 hours and about $40 in Freon to charge it. Irritating, but it's nice to have cold air again...Feeling like 100F here today.

What was the true cost? You forgot to add skinned knuckle cost! LOL 😆

[Firm]

At least it's probably the easiest AC compressor to change, right at the top of the motor, 4 bolts and out it comes. Some compressors can be absolute nightmares, like that 3.8L Firebird I did awhile back, terrible access. 

[GreatBigAbyss]

My BIL was showing me his 1998 Grand Am GT (immaculate car, with less than 30 000kms) with the 3.4 V6.  This car.  Same wheels and everything.


It's got a power steering leak so he's trying to work on it.  While the power steering pump is near the top of the engine, it's under the engine mount, so he needs to support the engine from underneath and remove the engine mount in order to replace the pump.

Sounds like a giant pain in the ass, lol. 

They also just bought a 2002 Dodge Intrepid R/T with less than 28 000kms for $4500.  The exterior and interior are in like new condition.  It's going to be their son's first car.  3.5 V6 on that one.  It failed safety due to a few things like ABS sensors and the rear seatbelts wouldn't lock.  try finding parts for a 2002 Intrepid!!!  The seatbelts are non-existent parts, because these cars haven't been around in forever.  Luckily he was able to take apart the seatbelts, grease and lube all the parts, reassemble, and now they work.  Car passed safety last week.

[Firm]

That Grand Am GT, in white like that example, is a slick looking car...and with 30K kms, it's probably pretty desirable as a collectible. Is it his daily? Or a toy? Even that Intrepid, with that kinda mileage, is a sweet find. I like your BILs style.

All of those traverse mounted V6 (or V8) FWD sedans from the 90's / 00's are a pain to work on most of the belt drive accessories.

[GreatBigAbyss]

It was his Mom's car.  She was the first owner, and hardly ever drove it and kept it stored in a garage.  When his daughter turned 17 and got her full license, she gave it to them.  It's a 2nd car. 

They've got a newer Outback Wilderness as their daily, although the daughter often drives the Grand Am to work. 

I figured you'd appreciate this. 

[Bridgecity]

The A/C in Junior's 2012 Civic was getting weak so I asked my mechanic buddy if he could have a look at it.  The car is at about 290k now. The system still had a full charge but was drawing a vacuum on the low pressure side, indicating the expansion valve was stuck closed (that's how I understand it anyway).  The valve is connected directly to the evaporator, which by the book means pulling the evaporator from under the dash and swapping the valve.  Doable but very time consuming. 

We found a Youtube video where you grind out the firewall opening slightly to pull the valve through the firewall from under the hood.  The valve is directly behind the firewall opening.  This is the route we went last night.  With the A/C connections to the valve back in place, the firewall opening is still fully covered and you can't tell there was any grinding involved.  It took about 2 hours start to finish including recharging the system.  Pics would have helped with the explanation but unfortunately I didn't take any.

I'm not sure why  Honda didn't place the valve on the exterior of the firewall in the first place.  Possibly because its less connections/failure points if the valve is connected directly to the evaporator?  Regardless, A/C is blowing cold again (temp probe indicated right around 6 C).  Buddy saved me some big dollars not having to take this to a shop. 

[Firm]

Nice! YouTube to the rescue. Yes, AC repairs at a shop are really expensive. Which is why I decided to buy my own vac pump and gauges a couple years ago, I probably use them 3-4 times a year between my own cars and friends.

[GreatBigAbyss]

Nice fix. 

That's a really common problem in those cars, and a tough fix, as you've discovered.  Not for the faint of heart. 

[Bridgecity]

^Thanks!  The longer we have this Civic the more I'm impressed with it.  Zero visible body rust, engine sounds like its brand new, tranny still shifts great, and remarkably solid feeling for a 14 year old economy car.  In comparison, the other boys '13 Sentra feels like a pile at 169k.  In addition, the CVT is on its way out.  Not sure yet what I'm doing about that.  Likely just turf it this fall as is. 

The Civic isn't perfect.  I think the wheel bearings are due, but kinda expected at 290k.  Also, there's an intermittent engine oil leak.  Think it may be the rear main seal, but unknown yet.  Its not leaking enough to drip anywhere yet.  With how good condition the car is, I'll pay to get that repaired when the time comes.  I guess I could try some sort of stop leak.  Hoping the car lasts another 3-4 years until junior is done university.

[Tortoise]

May be worth trying a high mileage oil and/or some Blue Devil rear main seal repair. It seems to have taken care of the leak in my Highlander.

[GreatBigAbyss]

^Thanks!  The longer we have this Civic the more I'm impressed with it.  Zero visible body rust, engine sounds like its brand new, tranny still shifts great, and remarkably solid feeling for a 14 year old economy car.  In comparison, the other boys '13 Sentra feels like a pile at 169k.  In addition, the CVT is on its way out.  Not sure yet what I'm doing about that.  Likely just turf it this fall as is. 

The Civic isn't perfect.  I think the wheel bearings are due, but kinda expected at 290k.  Also, there's an intermittent engine oil leak.  Think it may be the rear main seal, but unknown yet.  Its not leaking enough to drip anywhere yet.  With how good condition the car is, I'll pay to get that repaired when the time comes.  I guess I could try some sort of stop leak.  Hoping the car lasts another 3-4 years until junior is done university.

The 8th and 9th gen Civics were the best cars Honda has ever made, in my opinion.  They're a great blend of useability, comfort, space, tech, reliability, and driveability.  They just seem to drive 'nicer' than any of the other compacts, and they're almost as reliable as a Corolla.

The biggest downside is the crappy peeling clearcoat and that AC valve issue.

[Fobroader]

^Thanks!  The longer we have this Civic the more I'm impressed with it.  Zero visible body rust, engine sounds like its brand new, tranny still shifts great, and remarkably solid feeling for a 14 year old economy car.  In comparison, the other boys '13 Sentra feels like a pile at 169k.  In addition, the CVT is on its way out.  Not sure yet what I'm doing about that.  Likely just turf it this fall as is. 

The Civic isn't perfect.  I think the wheel bearings are due, but kinda expected at 290k.  Also, there's an intermittent engine oil leak.  Think it may be the rear main seal, but unknown yet.  Its not leaking enough to drip anywhere yet.  With how good condition the car is, I'll pay to get that repaired when the time comes.  I guess I could try some sort of stop leak.  Hoping the car lasts another 3-4 years until junior is done university.

Thats why the Civic is worth something, while a 5 year old Nissan has as much value as how much fuel is in the tank. A guy at work has an 03 Civic with 330k+ and it runs flawlessly as a DD.

[Firm]

Yep, those civics hold up. Once they started throwing turbos into the pedestrian models, I can't see them lasting like the older ones. As for the oil leak, I'd do a good check to make sure it's not something easy like a valve cover or oil pressure sensor, assuming it's not, then yeah, Blue Devil.