Alternator charging the electriks

Yesterday I went to work on the Volvo and successfully replaced the alternator and belt. My Voltage reads correct from all points now, so the battery is charging, and all the electrics are running better than ever. It is still back in the garage but it should be back to regular driving this week. It was nice to drive it a little bit yesterday, everything about it is so familiar.

Being down to one car has been very easy for Megan and I. Once her internship is over in August, the saturn is going for sure. And then start thinking about getting a newer car than the volvo. The 740 is great but 270,000+ miles is getting a little top heavy! I also think I can sell it for what I paid for it over a year (and 12,000 miles ago) which was $750. Not a bad deal.

For the new(er) car, I really want something that drives well. Not that necessarily goes really fast, just something that makes me feel like I am driving and know where all four wheels are sticking. I really like driving, in the sense that I enjoy being in control of the car beyond using it as a means of passive transit. Not speeding (I am terrified of getting pulled over) but an emphasis on control, stability and acceleration. Oh and AC would be nice.

So for now, any one want to buy a slightly damaged, oft broken into, slow plastic car with no shocks? only 141,000 miles..


P.S. Link for LOL cats reference in the title and the picture.

Saturn!

This morning Megan's Saturn died at the light turned green while she was on Snelling getting ready to turn onto University. During rush hour. It had been in neutral (that seemed to help) and when she put it in drive, it just turned off. It started again on the second try (hoonk hoooonnkk) but thats still no good! I had put off replacing the EGR because 'things seemed to be working' and it was too cold. Well now it the warmest its going to be for a bit I hear and things were obviously NOT working.

So, Megan drove down, I let the car cool down, removed the old EGR (it looked perfect) and brought it to AutoZone where they replaced it for free (vs $110) and I returned to install the new one. I did it and took the car for a drive and that must have been the issue because every thing feels fine now! I did all the things it used to hate and it obliged nicely. So, hurah! And now the new one is under a 1 year warranty too.


So now the question is, should Megan sell it now and get a new one? Now might be the best condition that the saturn is in... Or it might just keep going and now I do know how to fix a good chunk of it. Hmm..

Code 32

Remember this photo from this summer? I post it again because megan came down last night for some post test relaxation (Who Framed Roger Rabbit) and on the way down here check engine light came on again but this time we were able to take it to the auto parts store and have it read! Yay! It was code number 32 that means the EGR valve is not working. This is a little frustrating because I replaced the same valve this summer at a cost of over $100. Good news again is that it has a 1 year warranty so they will give me a new one.

The EGR valve's job is to help reduce NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions - a prime cause of smog. At high operating temperature (warm engine, lots of RMS) NOx will be formed. To prevent this, the engine sucks in some exhaust to act as an inert gas and prevent the formation of NOx. What it happening here is the valve is sticking open, so at low operating temperatures it is still sucking in inert gas and that is starving the engine for air and causing it to hick-up.

This has been your car 101 for the day.

Not quite working right

Yesterday at on the way over to my house for a great chili dinner with my parents and aunt Megans car threw a check engine light and started acting funny. I decided that I would take it down to Northfield for observation. Also, Winnie has not been acting right (see previous posts) so now I have her too!

First the car - it seems to be having some issues with the fuel/air mixture as far as I can tell. Given that thats mostly what an engine does (mix fuel/air, explode, repeat) that is smarty talk for "I have no idea, but its slow a dirt." It gets kind of jerky at times, and the solution seems to be more throttle or less depending on the gear, RPM, and speed you are going. So kind of random. I am optimistic after today though, (knock on wood) it seems stable as long as you don't gun it.

I wish I knew how much Megan could get for the saturn. A 95' SL1 is going for between $1,200 - $2,500 online, but this car got in a bang up and has body damage to the front right fender, and when some one broke in earlier this year and stole the CD player they jacked up the center consul. Have I mentioned that it's not all that reliable either? If this current issue ever gets fixed, I am of the mind to clean it up as best I can and sell it for whatever I can on craigslist. Get a mid 90s VW or Toyota or Honda or Volvo or something. Or nothing if this one can last 3 more months! (See our countdown at the bottom)

Car update

Ok I broke these posts tonight in half because they are really unrelated. Except for the fact the car has been overwhelming my brain. When I get obsessed with something, I can't very well stop until its done. And now its done!

Anyway, Megan's 1995 Saturn SL SOHC (I have told the parts store this so much that I know the tempo they like to hear it!).

I replaced that EGR valve (picture to the left) that cracked after it got in yesterday. No cracking this time. I also replaced its thermostat too. Thats two in less than one week! Any one else need one? It was not split in half, but it was stuck open. Now the temp warms up to just under half way and stays there.

I am convinced that Saturn's are designed to be the most difficult to repair possible. The alternator replacement this summer was a snap, besides the two hours it took to simply puzzle a way to remove it from the car (hint: remove the wheel, unbolt the alt. then turn it upside down and rotate it 90˚ to vertical and then rotate it 46.5˚ clockwise and it comes right out!). Same thing for the thermostat. It is located on the bottom hose of the coolant vs. the top of the Volvo. So I had to drain out the entire coolant system rather than just a cup full. But I didn't know I needed to drain all of it, and got about a gallon of it on my floor as a reward. And my tools just wouldn't fit. I had to try every combination of extender to get it off.

So how does it run? Well, not bad! I have been easing into it all week but tonight I finialy got to see what it had tonight. I was a little nervous because last time I did that the car freaked out, died, and had to be pushed to the repair shop. But guess what? It did good! If anything, I think it is getting better over time. Perhaps the computer needs to adjust to its new MAP sensor? The idle is still a little rough, and it still down shifts a second too early giving this strange engine breaking effect, but I would drive it!

The grand total here since may?

• New spark plugs/wires
  
• New Engine Coolant Temp Sensor (ECTS)
  
• New Alternator
  
• New Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor (MAP)
  
• New Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve (EGR)
  
• New Thermostat
  
• Coolant flush x2
• Transmission flush

Out of all that the pros only did the MAP and the transmission flush. So I figure if I pay my self $70 an hr for labor like they do... Well I guess thats the price of mechanics school!

Phew long post. But, here's to the hope that I won't have to post another one for a long time!

Car update

Well the new $100 part I installed busted but the parts shop was kind enough to replace it for free. I think it was my fault but I am not sure. I realized something was wrong when I "seafoamed" the throttle and intake to remove carbon, the white exhaust that it produces started coming out inside the engine! Not good. I pulled it off and found a huge crack. I put on the old one for now, get the new-new one in monday.

Other than that, there is not much else I can do for the car. Its at the level now where it was at the way beginning of this mess last June. Sluggish but running. I guess I will just give it some time, see if any more symptoms occur, and hope for the best!

I need a MAP

Well the guys at the shop replaced the MAP (Manifold Absolute Pressure) sensor and the car runs! And they charged a fair price for it too. But no cheering yet, it runs poorly. Here is an audio clip of the thing running. So yeah, not happy. I placed another call for help to the saturn community, we will see what response I get. I also might take it back to the place and say that there are still big problems. But their job was to just get it running again so we will see what I get.

Bad day

Apparently, ever since I ran my car into a telephone pole last January, it's decided to hate me. I pamper it with new brakes, new tires, new transmission fluid... then new spark plugs, new ECTS... then a new alternator... then ANOTHER new ECTS... and a coolent flush (or three).... then new spark plug wires... plus my radio and CD player just got stolen a couple of weeks ago.... any more new things and I'll have built a new car. Sure hope this new valve does the trick.

On top of the car, I took my new laptop to the Apple Store to ask them about a little spot that's appeared in the center of the screen, and they told me that it looks like "bruised LCD", which isn't covered under warrenty because it's a result of some dumb thing I must've done. :-/

I was lamenting the fact that everything costs money, AND that stores have decided that Christmas season starts pre-Halloween now, so I decided to go visit Hercules.

Herc is the vet school's blood donor horse. He's a gigantic Belgian (his shoulders are as tall as I am), and a big teddy bear. He eats 50 pounds of hay a day! Anyway, he is one of two horses that live in the large animal hospital, and he's rumored to have magic powers and the ability to speak. We had a good chat, and he tried to eat my jacket. Awwww.






Haven't heard him speak yet, but people say he only does it late at night...