not always true, headgaskets blow in many possible directions, sometimes its just compression into the water jacket which pumps coolant out of overflow, sometimes its just compression out of the side of the gasket that makes terrible sound.

my 22R had no symptoms other than low heat from heater core and early high engine temp followed by normal operating temp.

Alright then... I have an idea. Why don't you come to Brookville with a trailor, give me 25 $20 bills, and take my GA. You can have fun with it. Find out what really is wrong with it. Fix it up. Have yourself a nice little coupe with a 5spd. Enjoy it... until something breaks again. Sound good? Does to me... when are you coming?

I have never been inclinded toward GA's. Though ironically I had a rental GA the first time I went down around PA on that trip to Butler I mentioned earlier. My Dakota lost the ECM back in Bloomsburg. Rather than blowing off the trip we took the rental and went about our business and a great dude in Bloomsburg fixed the Dakota and didnt take me to the cleaners. It would have been around 95/96 too so it was probably a Q4 GA. It did drive, ride and run nicely but I was never drawn to the styling and def not the red back lighting.

That said a car with a non functioning engine never brings a penny over 100 and more usually cant be sold. Sad but true. I paid 600 for a perfect running, all functioning Regency.

It runs... it'll just overheat on you. That and it makes noises.

Come on... you know you want it. Overlook the styling, change the back lighting. Just take it. It's cheap (you can't tell me that a car worth $2000 is only going to be sold for $100). You'll enjoy it. You can't see the styling when you're driving it. Just change the back lighting (I've seen it done and heard it isn't that hard to do). Come on, Razor. I'll even throw in a free 26" Mongoose mountain bike (a few years old, it needs the sprocket, I think, repaired or a whole new replacement). How about a stereo system too (works, except for the CD player won't play CDs)? Do it, you know you can't resist this deal.

Sooo, where's the harm in looking at it and getting it inspected?

You get to find a mighty few more things out that way than listening to a few guys who've looked at its pictures on the internet.

Hell, in my position, I'd consider buying it with little care for the engine or transmission, depending upon if it had been in an accident or not, and whether the underside, exterior and interior were sound. I'd replace the drivetrain if it came to it because those components aren't rare by any means. But that's just the fixer-upper in me talking.

Sooo, where's the harm in looking at it and getting it inspected?

You get to find a mighty few more things out that way than listening to a few guys who've looked at its pictures on the internet.

Hell, in my position, I'd consider buying it with little care for the engine or transmission, depending upon if it had been in an accident or not, and whether the underside, exterior and interior were sound.  I'd replace the drivetrain if it came to it because those components aren't rare by any means.  But that's just the fixer-upper in me talking.

Well, I have looked at it; Me and my dad. Didn't tear it it down or anything, though. That and the guys that I've been listening too own Grand Ams like mine and have worked on them. They know their stuff and I explained everything in much detail. I'd take it to a mechanic, but I don't want to pay for such. I'm cheap that way. Plus, I have no desire in me to really work on this car. It's not worth my time. I wanted to sell it before the problems occurred and now just want to get rid of the damn thing. Seeing it sitting in my driveway each day I wake up angers me. Seeing it disappear would make me so happy. I'm just too greedy and cheap that I want money for it to disappear.

Viper, snap out of it. It will have to be fixed before it will sell, sir. Spend the money to take it to a repair shop, then you'll get your money out of it. Until then, it's a green lump in the yard.

Then you can get your Datsun or whatever. :AH-HA_wink:

I thinking of you today as I tore down a dark green GA coupe 4 clyinder today. I got the motor up on a stand and the pistons droped out. The OD siad 207,666[0] isnt that odd? same thing spun connecting rod bearing. The cause was lack of good oil. Is was a quart low on 1 1/2 year old oil. honeslty though this engine was in its prime. Very few wear spots. Makes me wonder BV. And it was a 17 1/2 year old kids car. hmmmm. I told the kid I could make it faster than stock  with an extra $2500. So I'll eat the machineing and buy Intake manifold and Exhaust and pocket the rest

But yeah high miliage go for an older car they become cheaper..

Reading that gives me hope that my wagon could get there...

Good thing about the 3.1s is that they seem to run forever....

I'm wondering if I should invest a few more bucks into the cav to keep it a

while longer myself.

At 130k, it burns a bit of oil (never more than a 1/4 of a quart), and idles bad,

bad runs pretty good above and beyond that.

I wondering myself if I should invest the money for a new EGR, brake pads,

and a new hose or two(small leak on hose toward the rad), or just pick up something new...

Mute, I would hold out a while. I think the cars may just get cheaper if things get rough this summer....

Viper, snap out of it.  It will have to be fixed before it will sell, sir.  Spend the money to take it to a repair shop, then you'll get your money out of it.  Until then, it's a green lump in the yard.

Then you can get your Datsun or whatever. :AH-HA_wink:

Exacly. the only way you will realy be able to sell it without fixing it is to a scrapyard or salvage yard where they will part it out and sell bits to people with other broken Grand AM's who do fix them.

Considering that it's body is in prety good shape and the interior is intact (as far as what I remember from the pics) It may be worth an engine swap project.... especialy since you live in the sticks. You have a garage right? Park it in there and take the engine out. Then put in something biger and possibly tweak it in the process. If you realy wanted and had the will to do this, believe me, you are capable of doing it. Open a fiew books, read some material and with some time and a small investment, you'll have a perfectly working grand AM for cheap. If not, then call up some scrappers or put it on ebay and find the best price. Don't expect much but at least you'll get something for it.

I'm wondering if I should invest a few more bucks into the cav to keep it a

while longer myself.

At 130k, it burns a bit of oil (never more than a 1/4 of a quart), and idles bad,

bad runs pretty good above and beyond that.

I wondering myself if I should invest the money for a new EGR, brake pads,

and a new hose or two(small leak on hose toward the rad), or just pick up something new...

That's peanuts...... spend the 5$ on the new EGR and another on some ruber hoses and fix the Idle problem at least..... it will up the selling price when you present it to a potential buyer...... if you [plan on keeping it then invest a fiew bucks on the parts to do the brakes and do it yourself or if you rather, pay for a garage to do it.

Edited January 22, 200620 yr by TurboRush

Yes, I have a garage, but it's a super tight fit... and has dirt flow in which the cats use as their litter box. Yeah... it's the perfect garage for that. Otherwise, I would, but I don't want to put any effort into that stupid POS. I would rather get rid of it, however that may be. If I really cared all that much, I would put effort and money into it, but I don't. At this point, getting my money's worth out of it isn't a concern for me. If someone else paid for it and put the effort into it... whatever, but that probably won't happen and I'd be selfish by doing that.

As I said, some of you guys seem so worried about... Why don't you just take it out of my hands and make a profit because of it? I don't want it. I don't want to put effort into it. I don't care about profit. Am I being stupid? Yes. So just do it, you're all smarter than me.

Well, I never said I was smarter, I'm just trying to help you reach your goal of owning a shiny new '92 Datsun 240 something or other.

I understand, but you are. It's obvious, isn't it?

Anyways, I've been thinking since that post. How about this... if you could somehow find a running Quad4 for $500 or less, to see the odds of finding one or even that hypothetical one, I'll think about it. If I can afford it, maybe my dad or an uncle could help install one.

I'm just hesitant about putting my money into it and I'm getting a little frustrated about being without a car, that I want to get rid of it as soon as possible and with as little effort as possible. I am being stupid, I know it and it's what you're actually thinking.

I went to Maryland today to visit my aunt and uncle. They live on the farm I grew up on. I noticed their daughter's old '91 (?) light metallic blue 240SX hatchback sitting down by the woods, surrounded by tall weeds. My aunt drove it after my cousin moved on to other vehicles. Last I knew, it had 200k miles on it.

That's peanuts...... spend the 5$ on the new EGR and another on some ruber hoses and fix the Idle problem at least..... it will up the selling price when you present it to a potential buyer......  if you [plan on keeping it then invest a fiew bucks on the parts to do the brakes and do it yourself or if you rather, pay for a garage to do it.

Well, not quite peanuts....

The EGR part I need runs between 150-200 bucks...

The hoses shouldn't be too bad though...

But short of the starter (which is getting old-same one for 13 years), there are quite a few new parts on the car, as I have been trying to fix the bad idle on it...

I understand, but you are. It's obvious, isn't it?

Anyways, I've been thinking since that post. How about this... if you could somehow find a running Quad4 for $500 or less, to see the odds of finding one or even that hypothetical one, I'll think about it. If I can afford it, maybe my dad or an uncle could help install one.

I'm just hesitant about putting my money into it and I'm getting a little frustrated about being without a car, that I want to get rid of it as soon as possible and with as little effort as possible. I am being stupid, I know it and it's what you're actually thinking.

Talk about a one track mind....

But I see you have ideas...and there is nothing wrong with that... B)

BV, do you have any mechanical experience/skill?

BV, do you have any mechanical experience/skill?

Well, I'm not a retard when it comes to it... But some. I mean, I've had ATVs since I was 8, I think, and I've learned to work on them, but never anything major. Basically, I take things apart, put them back together, and do basic maintainence stuff. That's about it.

Edited January 23, 200620 yr by blackviper8891

Yeah, because if you don't figure something out soon a few of the more mechanically talented members here are going to take a road trip to Brookville and drop a new engine in your car when you aren't looking. Then when you start to go on again about it won't run right we will all say "YES IT DOES!" You will wonder what we are talking about go out to see if your car actually runs right. You will open the hood and find a twin turbo 572 in place of your weezy Quad4. Your mileage will be terrible. Your front tires won't last a week. Most importantly, you will wish you never even brought the subject of your car up in the first place.

Do it. I dare you.

On the cover of a random "Popular Hot Rodding" magazine from the early 80's that I found today... was an '81 Phoenix coupe with a blower sticking out of the hood sideways, bolted to a 2.8L V6. Hot!

AHAHAHAHAH!!!

Ocnblu said Datsun. Isn't it an addictive word? "Dah-T-soon" Such a weird name. Sounds all friendly and harmless like a puppy dog wiht mental retadation. Unlike Nissan whihc has ties to the nationalist dark days of the Rising Son. I'm so glad I have a Datsun Maxima instead of a Nissan.... even though 70% of the emblems/logos on the car are Nissan.

81 Phoenix wiht a sideways blower? HOT!!!

Edited January 23, 200620 yr by Sixty8panther

Reading that gives me hope that my wagon could get there...

Good thing about the 3.1s is that they seem to run forever....

I'm wondering if I should invest a few more bucks into the cav to keep it a

while longer myself.

At 130k, it burns a bit of oil (never more than a 1/4 of a quart), and idles bad,

bad runs pretty good above and beyond that.

I wondering myself if I should invest the money for a new EGR, brake pads,

and a new hose or two(small leak on hose toward the rad), or just pick up something new...

Mute, I would hold out a while. I think the cars may just get cheaper if things get rough this summer....

just dont go where I work at man. The bill came out to be $4,759 (Unreal) (for new pistons rods cams valves and crank and the small stuff) plus my 2,500 in "Performance stuff". Plus the worst thing is when I was puting it together I noticed that the the clutch is about to go and the transmisson is horrible when I drove it around to break it in. Worst part is I can garentee that car will be wreked in 6 weeks. since it will snowy and icey.

But He is right mute cars are going to be cheap. real cheap.

well i saw a pretty good deal today

30 seconds away from my house (no joke)

theres a mercedes benz 190e with the 2.5 I6 for 2800

thats about right for this car and its in my price range and its a nice stout car with an I6 and its down the street and its easy on insurance i think

whadda ya guys say about that?

not sure about mileage or any probs

If you haven't noticed this isn't your thread any more

If it has over a 100k talk them down.

but any way its a solid car. in general.

well ya im gonna try to talk em down regardless but it looks like a great car the body at least is in good condition and they drove it ther from somewhere else and have been driving it everyday

they park it everyday after like 5

Mercedes 190 ????????????? EW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

were we just talking about MONEY PIT

Vips, this is the thing.... and Im glad Blu gave it to you because I really wanted to. Look at it like this, the effort you put into complaining about the car far exceded what it would have took to swap in a $300 jy engine. For example - Since your engine went, I have put a small addition on the shop, new tank and lines in Ciera plus undercarraige sandblast & paint, layed patio block in one 18'x18'dog kennel plus part of our walkway. In addition to that I worked in my wood lot and spent endless hours bitchin at you guys

Anyhow - forget all the other bigger engine and all that dreamin stuff, it cost lots of money and is very very complicated. Right now, maybe you can get $100, but you take $300 and say..... two weekends and some knuckle skin, this issue would have been history......4 weeks ago ? You would have had a car to drive or may have sold it by now. Instead you are doing nothing and therefore nothing is happening.....see what I mean? This is the catch you wind up in with used cars, you need to fix them or loose them. If you pay to have them fixed the shops steal the residual value of the car. See Caprices thread , that is what we call the "gottcha factor", highly prevalent throughout the world & life. Bust a move Dude before the lack of it busts you :AH-HA_wink:

I know you dont have the tools or hoist or tree limb or friends that do have the tools, ect. Me and two other guys pulled my first engine by hand talk about determination, it was the Alpine, 1724 cast block, aluminum head I4. My manual had a section that said it could be done with a pole, chain and 3 men so we did it, my friends were not happy It was 30 years ago and they just finally started talking to me again B)

"you can do it ! "

eww?

whatever man i know about the expensive nature of the repairs and maintainance

its a good solid car

and besides my dad wouldnt let me get it

he doesnt like mercedes so its out of the question

yea, thats it I just dont like Mercedes much. cha ching$, cha ching$

Isnt the 190 the cheap square one ? Kinda like the Caddy Cimmaron of Mercedes?

It's much more solid than a Cimoron, plus, it's not a rebedge of anything.

Edited January 24, 200620 yr by ocnblu

Vips, this is the thing.... and Im glad Blu gave it to you because I really wanted to. Look at it like this, the effort you put into complaining about the car far exceded what it would have took to swap in a $300 jy engine. For example -  Since your engine went, I have put a small addition on the shop, new tank and lines in Ciera plus undercarraige sandblast & paint, layed patio block in one 18'x18'dog kennel plus part of our walkway. In addition to that I worked in my wood lot and spent endless hours bitchin at you guys

Anyhow - forget all the other bigger engine and all that dreamin stuff, it cost lots of money and is very very complicated. Right now, maybe you can get $100, but you take $300 and say..... two weekends and some knuckle skin, this issue would have been history......4 weeks ago ? You would have had a car to drive or may have sold it by now. Instead you are doing nothing and therefore nothing is happening.....see what I mean? This is the catch you wind up in with used cars, you need to fix them or loose them. If you pay to have them fixed the shops steal the residual value of the car. See Caprices thread , that is what we call the "gottcha factor", highly prevalent throughout the world & life. Bust a move Dude before the lack of it busts you

I know you dont have the tools or hoist or tree limb or friends that do have the tools, ect. Me and two other guys pulled my first engine by hand talk about determination, it was the Alpine, 1724 cast block, aluminum head I4. My manual had a section that said it could be done with a pole, chain and 3 men so we did it, my friends were not happy It was 30 years ago and they just finally started talking to me again 

"you can do it ! "

Let's put it this way... I'm the laziest 17 y/o you may ever meet. Especially about something I'm not enthusiastic about doing. I can do it? Maybe if I am forced to... with a whip, the one my dad brought home a few days ago (thread about it coming, lol).

Let's put it this way... I'm the laziest 17 y/o you may ever meet. Especially about something I'm not enthusiastic about doing. I can do it? Maybe if I am forced to... with a whip, the one my dad brought home a few days ago (thread about it coming, lol).

get an engine and ill bring like 8 guys this summer to do it no joke

and yah blus right

this car is a bit better in my opinion than the cimmaron

and its the blockish one but hey its a good car im not worried about looks

and wow you guys are more in favor of a mercedes then a pontiac? hmmm

get an engine and ill bring like 8 guys this summer to do it no joke

and yah blus right

this car is a bit better in my opinion than the cimmaron

and its the blockish one but hey its a good car im not worried about looks

If I could get a loan, I'd take you up on that... but I can't wait until summer. I'm already on the verge of insanity.

Anyways, I'm re-evaluating my options, again. Just looking at the possibilities that could be had other than 240SXs or 5th gen GAGTs.

yah i kinda have to look at the biggest peices of $h! possible because my dad doesnt want the mercedes which he agrees is a great car but the only thing he doesnt like is that its a mercedes and he thinks that it will be expensive to repair

little does he know it only brings up our insurance to add this car 500 dollars a year, thats with all the other cars and drivers still attached

its a 91 190se 2.6l I6 with 147k (not bad for a 15 yr old car) and an auto tranny asking 2800

Bah... it'll only be expensive if something breaks or you wreck it. As long as you keep those things from happening, it'll be fine. Just tell him that... unless he thinks you're a bad driver.

But, yeah... a few BMWs are on my less to check out.

well theres little chance of anything breaking if its been maintained well and i dont plan on crashing it ever

and i dont think its that expensive i mean there are a lot of 90's mercedes around here they cant bee all that expensive tho i could understand a bit more

Well... If I could get a damn loan, I'd buy it and try to pay it off. I love that color and can forgive that it has 2 too many doors. Maybe I ought to convince my parents to atleast attempt to get a loan. You never know, maybe we might get accepted. It wouldn't hurt to try... unless they don't actually have bad credit. Hmm...

......... i dont plan on crashing it ever

who does?

BV we had some nice weather up here the past weeks to not to cold so yes its your fault that you dont have a working car right now. www.harborfreight.com has a engine lift for under $500 so you could of saved your car.

Do you ever have a plan to get a job????????? whats your work ethic?

Edited January 25, 200620 yr by capriceman

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...Itemnumber=7620

theres the lift $199.99

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...Itemnumber=4420

theres the stand $109.99

Edited January 25, 200620 yr by capriceman

who does?

BV we had some nice weather up here the past weeks to not to cold so yes its your fault that you dont have a working car right know. www.harborfreighttools.com has a engine lift for under $500 so you could of saved your car.

Do you ever have a plan to get a job????????? whats your work ethic?

Engine lift? I'm not paying "under $500" for an engine lift. I'd pay that for an engine... but a lift? Are you out of your mind? Seriously?

Anyways, what's your definition of nice weather? Here in PA it's been anything but nice. Cold and wet. Once in a while the sun would be out and it'd dry up. Nice? A few days some time ago it was sunny and warm, but otherwise... $h!ty. My fault? For the weather and the money... I think not.

As for a job... once I have a car, ya know... transportation for job, I'll get a job. My work ethic isn't the greatest, but if I have a reason and want to do something, I will to the greatest my ability will allow. Money is reason enough and if I get the job I was earlier offered (at a dealership, but that's when the engine problems started), I'd enjoy it for the most part.

BTW, did you mean to come off like an ass? If not, my apologies for getting that vibe.

No but I am ripping on you sense right now your an easy target. Ill try to hold back. Im sure you could drive your quad to work

The weather considering its the end of january is nice. I hae been working on my car. getting some new exhaust for it soon. So rain is nothing breaking down in a blizzard and working on your car sense you need it!! that SUCKS MAJOR @SS!! Trust for those that have been in that situation. Im sorry again BV.

No but I am ripping on you sense right now your an easy target. Ill try to hold back.

May I ask you what that's supposed to mean?

The weather considering its the end of january is nice. I hae been working on my car. getting some new exhaust for it soon. So rain is nothing breaking down in a blizzard and working on your car sense you need it!! that SUCKS MAJOR @SS!! Trust for those that have been in that situation. Im sorry again BV.

As long as the sun isn't out and it's below 50... it's not nice. That's why I hate winter...

He's ripping on you because you're not happy with your situation, but at the same time, you don't seem to be doing much to change it.

In other words....he's trying to motivate you. :AH-HA_wink:

He's ripping on you because you're not happy with your situation, but at the same time, you don't seem to be doing much to change it.

In other words....he's trying to motivate you.  :AH-HA_wink:

Hes right on.

Motivate me by pissing me off?

you mean your parents never pissed you off so bad that you did it just to make them stop?

and this is why I have anger.................issues

Motivate me by pissing me off?

Heh, um....let's see. I'll just be blunt.

He's telling you to shut up and do something about it.

Heh, um....let's see. I'll just be blunt. 

He's telling you to shut up and do something about it.

Do something about what? I don't want to fix the damn thing... I just want to get rid of it. You want me to run it into a tree? I can do that. That would be me "shutting up and doing something about it." Problem solved.

Do something about what? I don't want to fix the damn thing... I just want to get rid of it. You want me to run it into a tree? I can do that. That would be me "shutting up and doing something about it." Problem solved.

Do something about what? I don't want to fix the damn thing... I just want to get rid of it. You want me to run it into a tree? I can do that. That would be me "shutting up and doing something about it." Problem solved.

Try insurance fraud. See if you can get more than $500 for it. push it to a convient spot on the front lawn (like next to a road) and drive the old quad into at top speed but jump off beofre you hit it though. Then hide old quad call cops and say some kid probably drove off the road into with his quad and ran to explain narrow tire marks. Then tell insurance company that the engine doesnt run very well since the accident and im thinking you have PLPD insureance so you get a couple hundred mostly about 400-1000 depending.

No Comment if I have ever been involved in insurace fraud.

Exactly.

Try insurance fraud. See if you can get more than $500 for it. push it to a convient spot on the front lawn (like next to a road) and drive the old quad into at top speed but jump off beofre you hit it though.  Then hide old quad call cops and say some kid probably drove off the road into with his quad and ran to explain narrow tire marks. Then tell insurance company that the engine doesnt run very well since the accident and im thinking you have PLPD insureance so you get a couple hundred mostly about 400-1000 depending.

Or.... I could park it sideways on the road, take our even $h!tier Blazer, get it up 80 mph, and ram into it. I might kill myself since Blazers turn into paper during collisions, but atleast I would get rid of both POS's. I could say the faulty parking brake stopped holding and it rolled onto to the road just I came with the Blazer, which lost it's brakes while the accelerator stuck when coming down the hill before my house... There was nothing I could do. I'm not sure if I could explain that to my insurance co, though... either because it isn't believable or because I wouldn't exist anymore.