No, NA
New To Me...a car I never wanted.
- Thread starter Ws6
- Start date
No more issues with the VSC/TC/ABS since replacing the alternator. Oddly the other night, the tachometer refused to activate upon cranking (literally sat with the needle dead on "0"rpm) until I shut the car off and re-cranked, resulting in normal function. I think part of this is that I just must accept that it is a classic, now. Here's to hoping WS90's and GM's mid 2000's VSC tech will get me through this weekend's ice storm.
So far, I've ended up putting a bit of money into it:
-Alternator
-New shocks/struts front/rear
-new battery (just today)
-new hubs left and right front
-WS90 snow tires and Weathergrip for the rest of the year
-Fixed EVAP leak with new canister, solenoid, and repaired rat-chewed wiring
-New FP regulator
-New Thermostat
-Re-painted hood myself.
All in all, it is very comfortable and rides well, but still leaks oil and coolant in the way GM cars typically do at this age---incessantly and slowly and from multiple places. I won't be fixing that. It's the rear main and "something else for the coolant".
Still, it is a tank in the snow, averages about 25mpg on my daily commute *(for reference, my Acura RDX AWD averaged 24.2, my CX5 turbo 27.0, and my non-turbo 2015 AWD CX5 24.5).
-Alternator
-New shocks/struts front/rear
-new battery (just today)
-new hubs left and right front
-WS90 snow tires and Weathergrip for the rest of the year
-Fixed EVAP leak with new canister, solenoid, and repaired rat-chewed wiring
-New FP regulator
-New Thermostat
-Re-painted hood myself.
All in all, it is very comfortable and rides well, but still leaks oil and coolant in the way GM cars typically do at this age---incessantly and slowly and from multiple places. I won't be fixing that. It's the rear main and "something else for the coolant".
Still, it is a tank in the snow, averages about 25mpg on my daily commute *(for reference, my Acura RDX AWD averaged 24.2, my CX5 turbo 27.0, and my non-turbo 2015 AWD CX5 24.5).
Sorry for your loss. Nice job painting the hood. I would probably drive it for some years, then decide what to do with it.
I had a 98 Ford Taurus that was excellent in the snow......
I had a 98 Ford Taurus that was excellent in the snow......
Ws6, I understand where you are coming from. My mother passed 2 years ago. She was a great woman who raised 7 great kids.
As for that car:
If it's like the 2001 Impala we had. It has 2 egr valves, one under the hood, one in the back, and both go bad with age. If it not the gas cap, just replace both and they will be good for a long time. If one went bad, the other will soon fail, so no need to figure out which one. Do both.
If it has the plastic coolant hose that was upgraded to metal, do the upgrade and a new thermostat, and any bad looking hoses. If there's even a hint of moisture leak of the Radiator do that also while your at it. No use loosing a coolant fill soon after If you stay with a Radiator that old. Don't flush with any flush chemicals, just drain, service any cooling system parts requiring attention, and refill.
Those have an under the car fuel filter. And with that many miles it ready for replacement. Disturbed the brake lines near it as little as possible. They are easily damaged when they are that old, and they are a factory pre-bent and likely no longer available. So, if required, custom bending new ones will be required, and that ain't cheap.
They also usually require ignition coils around that mileage.
Those old GM cars eventually reach a point where they become money pits, requiring 400 to a thousand or so every couple months.
Brake lines, cha-ching
Stearing rack, cha-ching
Window regulator and custom mount to replace rusted out one - cha-ching
When it gets to be a bi-monthley bill of what's next, it's time to dump it.
As for that car:
If it's like the 2001 Impala we had. It has 2 egr valves, one under the hood, one in the back, and both go bad with age. If it not the gas cap, just replace both and they will be good for a long time. If one went bad, the other will soon fail, so no need to figure out which one. Do both.
If it has the plastic coolant hose that was upgraded to metal, do the upgrade and a new thermostat, and any bad looking hoses. If there's even a hint of moisture leak of the Radiator do that also while your at it. No use loosing a coolant fill soon after If you stay with a Radiator that old. Don't flush with any flush chemicals, just drain, service any cooling system parts requiring attention, and refill.
Those have an under the car fuel filter. And with that many miles it ready for replacement. Disturbed the brake lines near it as little as possible. They are easily damaged when they are that old, and they are a factory pre-bent and likely no longer available. So, if required, custom bending new ones will be required, and that ain't cheap.
They also usually require ignition coils around that mileage.
Those old GM cars eventually reach a point where they become money pits, requiring 400 to a thousand or so every couple months.
Brake lines, cha-ching
Stearing rack, cha-ching
Window regulator and custom mount to replace rusted out one - cha-ching
When it gets to be a bi-monthley bill of what's next, it's time to dump it.
I will drive it until a major failure occurs and then it will be done.
I forgot to mention, fuel filter done already. Also, rear brakes. I will likely let it nickel and dime me until something 4 figure range goes out, then, I'm out.
I just bought a $50 single stage code matched automotive spray paint can from Amazon, cleaned the hood with 99% ISO, and sprayed it. It's far from perfect, but it passes the 20ft glance test and keeps the car from standing out.
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