Out the tailpipe

Pike · 07-05-2003, 06:16 PM

_ What is the white residue that is now coating the inside and outside of the back window and rear of my car? Even though the exhaust is clear and only a little moist in the mornings, I am assuming that it is the source.

_ I rolled 100 miles less than 48 hours since getting the insurance on the car. It is still rinnung strong, the only issues are a little gas leaking out of the rusy gascap and some fumes getting into the car from the lack of hatch weatherstripping. Took the car to the tire store and found that the brikes are fine but the shocks are hosed, just like expected. Is $290 a good price for parts and labor for all new shocks and struts? I figure I will have them do it as the time/ price for my labor vs. theirs is good. (no air tools here

)

_ Anyone familiar with Aamco transmissions? It seems to be a chain/ franchise, but a good shop. For $49 they are going to do a mintenence/ service job on the trans, sounded like a deal to me, the fluid alone must cost about thirty bucks.

_ Ahh the handling of a P O R S C H E

justin · justin's Garage

What kind of fluid are they gunna put in the trans.?

Pike · 07-05-2003, 11:27 PM

I don't know, Koolaid? As long as it works, I am going to make sure that they have a aftershop gaurentee. A best case senario is they trash the trans and I get an all new one, not that I think there is anything wrong with the one I have, but.....

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

"_ What is the white residue that is now coating the inside and outside of the back window and rear of my car? Even though the exhaust is clear and only a little moist in the mornings, I am assuming that it is the source. "

Ummmm condensation?

Roger Hall · 07-06-2003, 06:42 AM

Aamco is only as good as the guy running it. Some are great but I have run into one that have tried to rip me off. The $49 fluid change will probably be just a generic low qualitity gear oil. I would recomend Swepco people on the board also recomend Vavoline.

Pike · 07-06-2003, 06:26 PM

The guy running it impressed me, but I guess I will see what happens. Mybe I can ask for some better oil. How do you rip some one off while paying a flat rate? And while condensation does show up on windows, the stuff I have is seems to be a white powder. Unless it is dehydrated water......

Roger Hall · 07-06-2003, 07:11 PM

The one that tried to rip me off was on a transmission rebuild for the 96 Saturn. He wanted to get the car and charge me $350 to determine what the problem was. I allready new that the 2nd gear clutch was gone and I didnt need to spend $350 to confirm it. He gave me a price of $2400 for a complete rebuild. I found another shop that did it for $1300.

Pike · 07-06-2003, 10:07 PM

Good thinking Roger. Any thoughts on the suspension job/ quote? I think it sounds reasonable, and I have been nothing but pleased with Les Schwab before.

BlueQuestTSi · 07-07-2003, 09:11 AM

Depends on what they are charging on the rear shocks alone. Those are easy, just simply hand tools and some jack stands. So if they are charging you $50 in labor, and $20 for shocks, get you a nice pair of $70 shocks and do it yourself

As to the struts, you 'could' do them yourself. But it would require you to buy a strut tool. Which would be cheaper in the long run, but, I can understand the time/price vs. your labor clause also, as the front struts would take a while without air tools.

Pike · 07-07-2003, 10:24 AM

_ Labor for one shock is $12, the shocks are $30. Front labor is $35 and one strut is $50. I bet if I tried to do this myself it would take all day. Maybe when I have a real shop with air tools and not a pole shed to work in....

_ Could the white stuff have just been crud buring out of the headers and tailpipe? It hade not run hot for many months, so there was probably plenty of residue.

Pike · 03:08 PM

_ Got back from the Trans. shop, they took it for a road test and changed the oil. They said the noise was the bearings, that it was something that needed doing but was not urgent. Then I got in the car and drove it home and not only did it shift far better, but a lot of the noise was gone. So that went well.

_ I also got a new gas cap, so now taking hard right turns does not mean sloshing the side of the car (and making every one in the cabin dizzy from the fumes). I really need to find weatherstripping for the rear hatch.

Wolf1 · 07-07-2003, 03:52 PM

Hey Pike, when your ready to replace that trans let me know. I have a 77 parts car with a four speed, 4 sale 4 cheap!!!

Pike · 07-07-2003, 09:19 PM

How Cheep?

I was considering going with a 5 speed if I could find it, but I will keep that in mind. Thanks!

repoman · 07-09-2003, 02:48 AM

I would recommend doing trans service yourself. Don't know if yours is 5sp or auto. 944 auto is about the easiest fluid/filter change I've ever done.

Pulled out my big drip pan expecting to see a big pan and saw something about the size of a shoebox lid! It's easy than the oil change

Pike · 07-09-2003, 08:06 AM

I currently have a 4 speed, I am probably going to do the trans change myself. It depends whether I can get a shop to do it cheap and warrenty it.

Goku · Goku's Garage

I'd be sure you know what kind of shocks and struts are going in the car. A while back I got a cheap quote like that and they put in crap in the car. Made it worse then the worn out shocks. Of coarse mine had the 951 suspension. But a lot of places think they can throw in the cheapest gas shocks in the world.

If you get cheap stuff like that don't expect it to handle well or feel like a Porsche when you're done.

Pike · 07-09-2003, 08:35 AM

I got cheap (inexpensive) stuff, and the car is really doing well. They have a lifetime warrenty, so they can't be too bad, if they are, I will just break them too and upgrade when I make good on the warrenty.

Goku · Goku's Garage

they have a warrenty to perform at their specs. If their specs suck then there is no replacement

. Just be careful. It might be just right for your car. Enjoy!

repoman · 07-09-2003, 06:48 PM

Pike,

following a tip from GrassRoots Racing, after changing my hatch weatherstrip, I added 1/4" foam weatherstrip as a back-up. Stuff is cheap, $5 a roll from JC Whitney. Only downside is hatch is so tight now pins bind. I have to press down on it to release. Tried to adjust pins but they're frozen. I'm guessing it'll loosen up with use.