sink your money in it and there you are,
the owner of a $2000, thousand dollar car

8/4/2014 7:36:09 PM

8/5/2014 7:16:02 AM

Nc goes off chassis vin right?

Found a 1956 ford Coe body I'd love to drop on a modern truck chassis but do not know the legalities involved.

Thanks!

8/8/2014 8:48:10 AM

you can call and ask, man, my dad had a 56. shit was awesome

8/8/2014 8:55:28 AM

Yeah I'd like to put it on the nicest roll back I can afford wire up some gauges and call her done...

[Edited on August 8, 2014 at 9:09 AM. Reason : .]

8/8/2014 9:09:19 AM

Looks like the old cat is dead. O2 sensors look like they've been replaced not to long ago. I'm thinking about replacing just the cat and the downstream O2 sensor. Should I go ahead and replace the other 3 upstream sensors too?

11/4/2014 6:03:12 PM

Whats the easiest way to pop that dent out?

11/6/2014 9:00:44 PM

Quote :

"And the real part... I think it's got a transmission problem... though from my research it sounds like it just may be the torque converter. From my research, people say either to replace it to fix, or drain and add modifier/different transmission fluid. I couldn't really figure out the entire solution. My only concern is if driving as is will cause additional damage to the TC and/or to the transmission itself... ? So anyone have any input/ability to take a look? If not, then to the shop I go I guess. Oh yeh, symptoms: shuttering mostly around 45 under light-moderate acceleration, though will do it in the mid 30s up to 50s. Every now and then there will be a semi-hard shift in those same speeds or higher. "

Realize I'm way late but:
Is that a 4R70W? I had very similar symptoms and the drain/fill fixed it right up. Just filled with stock fluid, no friction modifier or any of that shit...that trans (and its predecessor AOD-E) are very sensitive to fluid breakdown and the shudder is the first clue. DON'T FLUSH IT. Just drain/refill. You really don't want to flush a high-mileage trans, often it knocks around the settled crud and kills the box shortly thereafter.

11/7/2014 1:47:48 AM

^^^I wouldn't, unless they're really cheap. Those sensors can last a long time. Teggy is still using it's original

11/7/2014 8:28:10 AM

^^eh, no clue. I put some shutterstop in it and the shutter has lessened. Though it still does it and still shifts hard out of 3rd. I'll look into replacing the fluid; I guess it can't hurt even if it's not that same trans.

I'm just driving her until she croaks. Then I'll see about a new trans or what offers I'll get on CL.

11/7/2014 8:59:09 AM

I looked but didn't find anything on the following thought:

I'm looking to replace my power steering fluid return hose (low pressure line from the reservoir to the pump). The molded hoses are expensive, and if I can make it out of PVC piping for half the cost of the bulk hose I'd need. Chemically, is there anything I need to worry about with ATF being in contact with PVC? I found a chemical resistance chart, but it had more to do with lab chemicals and less "oils and fluids." I did read the following which is why I raise this concern:

Quote :

"Even though indicated as acceptable with certain temperature limitations, the use of PVC piping with liquid hydrocarbons such as gasoline and jet fuels should be limited to short-term exposure such as secondary containment systems. "

Is there anything in ATF that I should worry about?

[Edited on January 18, 2015 at 3:40 AM. Reason : .]

1/18/2015 3:33:17 AM

(Since no one chimed in yet) I don't really know a lot about ATF and couldn't find too much with a quick google, but if there are any additives that can function as plasticizers for PVC, it will plasticize slowly over time, even at relatively low temps. (Which means those additives are getting removed from your AFT as well). So, that is something else besides degradation for you to be concerned about.

1/19/2015 4:57:13 PM

how about tygon tubing? that stuff is cheap.

1/19/2015 5:46:51 PM

Thank you for the input I'll stop being a cheap ass and pony up for the bulk

1/19/2015 5:54:09 PM

gd. I'm working out of town (in Greensboro) and my passenger side window on my stupid 2002 grand am had fallen into the door while I was at work today. I hate that it will be down all night when I'm living in an apartment, especially in an area with a lot of foot traffic but not much I can do. I also have to work tomorrow so I don't know that I will be able to get it anywhere and also don't really have a ride if I need to leave it somewhere. good start to the weekend

1/30/2015 6:49:58 PM

Wow, I can't believe a 2002 Grand Am is still on the road!

I commend you on your perseverance sir.

1/30/2015 7:53:20 PM

knock on wood, no major mechanical problems with this car in 165,000 miles (any day now I'm sure though...). I must have gotten the only decent (relative to a grand am) engine off the line. It is actually the only car I have ever owned too. Most of the problems have been things like AC knobs breaking off, 2 window motors dying (and now this window falling in), a wheel speed sensor going out, driver side door won't unlock with the remote. All pretty minor things for the amount of miles. Just little pains in the ass that aren't worth ditching the car for.

Don't get me wrong, no one would mistake it for a nice car on any day, but it gets over 30mpg and has been paid for for over 10 years so I'm not complaining that it's stuck around.

I think I'm going to get some tools from big orange or big blue tomorrow, figure out how to take the door panel off, pull the window up, and then either wedge something in to make it stay up and/or use some duct tape. Then I'll worry about getting it fixed or fixing it myself when I'm not out of town.

[Edited on January 30, 2015 at 8:27 PM. Reason : ]

1/30/2015 8:22:45 PM

a friend had this happen. a hose clamp actually works very well for locking the window in place

1/31/2015 3:34:05 PM

appreciate the tip. I ended up putting a 2x2 up behind the door panel after removing it and using a bit of duct tape too. shouldn't be going anywhere for now!

1/31/2015 6:15:29 PM

You've only had 2 motors and 1 regulator go bad on an '02 Grand Am? Must be a 2-door. My wife's old '00 Alero 4-door (same basic car) had 5 regulators fail, along with a motor or two. The workers really must have been on point that day, N-bodies don't have the best reliability/quality record overall.

1/31/2015 11:49:19 PM

it's a 4 door, but the back windows are hardly ever used. In fact, it is quite possibly that one of them is broken or would break the next time it was used and I wouldn't even know it. I can't remember the last time anyone tried to use them. Also, I have never replaced the two motors that died. I've pretty much focused on just decent maintenance of the engine and otherwise putting as little money as possible into this car.

2/1/2015 11:08:19 AM

Car is 2005 Kia Sportage

Car is throwing an intermittent P0741 code - "Faulty torque converter clutch solenoid valve" as well as P0700 which seems to just be a generic transmission fault code.

Code seems to be thrown most frequently at highway speeds, typically when I'm driving and not the wife, its her car (I have much more of a tendency to gas the fuck out of the car for a highway speed pass). That being said I haven't really noticed much of a difference in driving. Supposedly this code will kill gas mileage, and I didn't check it on this trip but will on the next fill up.

More info:
The Torque Converter Clutch (TCC) solenoid valve is activated, with the gear in D4, by the Transmission Control Module (TCM) in response to signals sent from the vehicle speed and the Engine Control Module (ECM). Lock-up piston operation will then be controlled. When the torque converter clutch solenoid valve is activated, the torque converter lockup clutch will engage creating a 1 to 1 RPM ratio between the transmission input shaft and the rotational speed of the torque converter.

Lock-up operation, however, is prohibited when A/T fluid temperature is too low.

When the accelerator pedal is depressed (less than 2/8) in lock-up condition, the engine speed should not change abruptly. If there is a big jump in engine speed, there is no lock-up.

Lock-up does not occur when driving in lock-up range or lockup remains ON in lock-up OFF range

- Low transmission fluid level
- Dirty transmission fluid
- Faulty torque converter clutch solenoid valve
- Torque converter clutch solenoid valve harness or connectors
- Torque converter clutch solenoid valve circuit is open or shorted
- Transmission internal mechanical problem


I'm going to get the tran fluid changed soon, its just over the scheduled change in mileage. Fluid level is OK, but does look fairly dirty. I'll also jiggle/inspect the wiring harness going to the transmission and torque converter (although I still haven't gotten under the car to ID these).

Last question I have is for the vehicle speed sensor, supposedly its located somewhere on the transmission (I think?) but it can send the TCC bad info and possibly throw this code? I'm leaning toward this being a problem because the Freeze Frame of the code read the vehicle speed as 111mph no way in hell I hit that on the interstate this weekend.

Please, anyone with thoughts or info should chime in, I'm trying to avoid diagnostic costs or a mechanic wanting to drop the transmission out of the car!!!

4/20/2015 6:37:39 PM