Tough Weekend of Car Repairs
#1
11-13-2011, 08:12 PM
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mentor, Ohio
Posts: 12,163
Tough Weekend of Car Repairs
<sigh>.... I just had to share this, it's been a painful weekend of disappointments (but some successes). OH where to begin....
The '97 Grand Prix:
So a friend of mine has a '97 Grand Prix (it's a beater car, it was my mom's old car he bought). He had a power steering leak that was a drip, now it's spraying since last Monday. Last I looked at it, appeared to be coming from the high pressure hose.
Long story short from 10:30am Saturday until 6pm, we worked on this car (not what I had planned, I had some work to do on my wife's Impala AND study for an exam I take early-mid December).
We got the high pressure line replaced, but learned the front brakes lines are apparently brittle (not much touching and the one for the right front brake broke). Not a big deal, my dad has a '98 Grand Prix, had the same problem and I just followed his easy solution (run a new line up along the fire wall to the master cylinder, done). Then we broke the other front line (even easier, just run it up). Bled the brakes, all good there. Went to fill and bleed the steering system, it leaks, it was dark, we stopped.
Today, Sunday.... Found the steering leak is NOT too bad. Start the car, it drips, no problems UNLESS you take the wheel and make a hard right turn (to the end of the travel), then is SPRAYS. The leak is on a line for the steering rack that goes from one spot of the rack to the other. My mom and step-dad had that rack replaced, so that rack is about 2-3 years old I believe. The line leaks because it was rubbing the transmission dip stick tube. My friend currently opted NOT to continue this project at this time.
The Impala:
So I replaced the front left wheel bearing (apparently BOTH were making road noise apparently). Nice new Timken bearing. That went SMOOTH. The defeat you ask... The car makes a noise that today I learned is from BOTH front wheels. It sounds like the warning tabs on the brake pads rubbing the rotors, but the tabs aren't touching, the pads and rotors have PLENTY of material. I found if I jack the car up, put it in neutral, spin the wheels (mostly heard in reverse), they make noise. I then took one wheel off, spun the rotor, no noise. Looked at the wheel, nothing abnormal. Put the wheel back on, spun it and kept track of where it made noise and found it's ALWAYS in the same spot. No unusual signs of wear or damage to the rotors. So some how, it's linked to the wheel on and a part of the travel. I am almost wondering if the rotor is slightly warped or worn in a way the eye cannot see.
On the plus side, the bearings did need changed, so those are DONE. Now I still need to figure out that noise (it's very unattractive).
The '97 Grand Prix:
So a friend of mine has a '97 Grand Prix (it's a beater car, it was my mom's old car he bought). He had a power steering leak that was a drip, now it's spraying since last Monday. Last I looked at it, appeared to be coming from the high pressure hose.
Long story short from 10:30am Saturday until 6pm, we worked on this car (not what I had planned, I had some work to do on my wife's Impala AND study for an exam I take early-mid December).
We got the high pressure line replaced, but learned the front brakes lines are apparently brittle (not much touching and the one for the right front brake broke). Not a big deal, my dad has a '98 Grand Prix, had the same problem and I just followed his easy solution (run a new line up along the fire wall to the master cylinder, done). Then we broke the other front line (even easier, just run it up). Bled the brakes, all good there. Went to fill and bleed the steering system, it leaks, it was dark, we stopped.
Today, Sunday.... Found the steering leak is NOT too bad. Start the car, it drips, no problems UNLESS you take the wheel and make a hard right turn (to the end of the travel), then is SPRAYS. The leak is on a line for the steering rack that goes from one spot of the rack to the other. My mom and step-dad had that rack replaced, so that rack is about 2-3 years old I believe. The line leaks because it was rubbing the transmission dip stick tube. My friend currently opted NOT to continue this project at this time.
The Impala:
So I replaced the front left wheel bearing (apparently BOTH were making road noise apparently). Nice new Timken bearing. That went SMOOTH. The defeat you ask... The car makes a noise that today I learned is from BOTH front wheels. It sounds like the warning tabs on the brake pads rubbing the rotors, but the tabs aren't touching, the pads and rotors have PLENTY of material. I found if I jack the car up, put it in neutral, spin the wheels (mostly heard in reverse), they make noise. I then took one wheel off, spun the rotor, no noise. Looked at the wheel, nothing abnormal. Put the wheel back on, spun it and kept track of where it made noise and found it's ALWAYS in the same spot. No unusual signs of wear or damage to the rotors. So some how, it's linked to the wheel on and a part of the travel. I am almost wondering if the rotor is slightly warped or worn in a way the eye cannot see.
On the plus side, the bearings did need changed, so those are DONE. Now I still need to figure out that noise (it's very unattractive).
#3
11-13-2011, 10:01 PM
I hate it when nothing seems to go your way when your working on a car. Especially when dirt and grime are falling in you face or the ground is cold and wet.
#5
11-14-2011, 12:20 AM
Those are the type issues I ran into all the time working on rusty cars in Vermont. I don't miss that at all.
#6
11-14-2011, 06:07 AM
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mentor, Ohio
Posts: 12,163
Luckily, this weekend in my part of the world was NICE (a slight chill, but NOT cold, not wet).
It sucks there is still a power steering leak on the Grand Prix (and it irritates me seeing what caused it, friction on the line).
I also wish I had the 100% answer to why the Impala still makes a noise like the warning tabs are rubbing when they are FAR away from the rotor, and the noise is only on part of the wheel travel and ONLY when the wheel is on. I have some ideas of things to try at least, but it's about getting the time to try them.\
Truth be told, I did accomplish quite a bit. I do my own wrench work so I am not at the mercy of a shop, if something goes wrong, I should only have myself to blame and to save money. There is a LOT to be said about the money I've saved over the years doing my own repair work.
And I saved my friend a lot of money too even though we did not complete the job. He woulda paid through the nose I think on that job (the high pressure hose and two brake lines).
It sucks there is still a power steering leak on the Grand Prix (and it irritates me seeing what caused it, friction on the line).
I also wish I had the 100% answer to why the Impala still makes a noise like the warning tabs are rubbing when they are FAR away from the rotor, and the noise is only on part of the wheel travel and ONLY when the wheel is on. I have some ideas of things to try at least, but it's about getting the time to try them.\
Truth be told, I did accomplish quite a bit. I do my own wrench work so I am not at the mercy of a shop, if something goes wrong, I should only have myself to blame and to save money. There is a LOT to be said about the money I've saved over the years doing my own repair work.
And I saved my friend a lot of money too even though we did not complete the job. He woulda paid through the nose I think on that job (the high pressure hose and two brake lines).
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