Replaced my ignition lock cylinder. It pays to work for the dealer. My price, $125. List, $225.

 

just signed up for the xm radio in the monte....a 15 minute thing turned into a 30 minute playing around with the awesome channels

 

Wet sanded my headlight covers, and rearanged the garage so the Monte could fit in there again,

 

Are you still planning a design of some sort on them or just clearing them?

 

Probably just clear them, but who knows I have months before it will be warm enlighten to do anything

 

I spent from 330pm until 12:30am in my tiny 1 car garage ,
Changeing out some 160,000mile/14yr old rear struts. (that were completely worn out...zero resistance!) and what a chore it was getting to the 3 little nuts at the top of the strut that is inside underneath the rear window panel,amongst the sub box and rear deck speakers/wires galore...Did I mention after haveing to remove the rear seat completely...only to find a minisqule amount of room to manipulate with expletives and mind bending attemps to remove and replace those 3 little nuts at the top of the strut! On each side??? Talk about an experience...I will never forget!..Nor will I ever attempt to do again! Holy Crap!!!!!! Its no wonder a shop wanted to charge $700 + and change to do them!

I also changed the front strut cartridges that also had 160,000 mile/14 yr old Cartridges...They also were a mess! They came out in PEICES!!!!
Did you know:
These cartridges sit in a bath of oil? (50 ounces)
Talk about fun?
They have a huge rubber bumper that sits on top of them/ just below the 3 nut cover..also theres a jounce bumper that rides on the shaft of the cartridge.
You need a $60.00 special tool to remove the cartridges..to unscrew them out of there mounts! As you finally get them unscrewed, and start to lift them out of position..BE PREPARED! for a massive amount of oil dripping from them! Especially if they end up comeing out in PEICES! Like mine did! What a mess! Needless to say..Its a good thing I had a bag of kitty litter in the garage ready for such a DISASTER!....
Incase your wondering, the rubber bumper at the very top iis very tricky to get out!...
Because:
First off you have to remove a nut that sits atop the strut...thats holds the rubber bumper in place...Theres also a Torks nut built in the top of the cartridge(shaft) that you have to spin clock wise to get the nut off! (other wise the shaft just spins in the cartridge) Fortunately,
The new cartridge comes with a hex at the top of the shaft to reinstahl the new nut...once you get the new cartridge reinstahled with that $60.00 "specialty" tool. the jounce bumper and the very top rubber bumper! You then start the nut,and hold the shaft from spinning with the hex. and youll also find...you will have to spin the hex counter clockwise to get the nut to tighten to spec....and then youll be able to finish with putting the 3 nut cap. back in place..and WALLA your finished!

So, needless to say...today im paying for it! My body is rebelling! and my arthritis is screaming at me! LOL....
so for those with 5th gen Montes are considering doing these things to theres! Heres what your gonna have to deal with....!!!!!

Be Prepared! There I said it! You have been warned!.... This was no easy task, But So worth it! Good Luck...

 

I keep getting letters in the mail about XM radio .. They turn it on for around 30 day's free then turn it back off ..Drove my Monte to work & back home ..

 

Well I was going to put her on jackstands monday but I had something unexpected happen, gallbladder removal surgery and still hurts like a B***h so not sure when I'll be able to put her on the stands but hoping for sometime soon. Wasn't expecting this to happen so a lot of plans got shoved around.

 

Well, I put the snow tires on the Monte today. And said goodbye to my gas mileage until spring. The Dale Jr rims have been put away. Found that the old all season tires on the junior rims are gonna need to be replaced in the spring. Until then, the Monte looks like this...

 

I like your winter wheels Still stylish!

How big of a difference in gas mileage do you see with the snow tires?