Local dealer is running a $4500 trade in, to be used for a used car purchase. $4500 is a lot more than I would normally get.
The GTX still has these problems:
cracked headlight (I have replacement)
rear defroster doesn't work
center lock doesn't work
Dome and door lights don't come on when door is opened.
Temp gauge not registering on dash. Could be sensor or wires.
Plug wires rusty (pressure washed by former owner)
Hatch has broken strut stud
surface rust underneath, 1 pea sized hole
washer and wiper motors weak
Steering wheel missing a chunk of foam
Hood release not working
It's a good deal, and I'd have to pay a bit more money to get a car, but it would be a newer, reliable (hopefully) AWD vehicle.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Updating problems
Holy cow! For the first time ever, the interior lights came on last night when I opened the door. Don't know if this is related to putting the fuses back in or something, but it startled me.
Speaking of, even with the fuse, still no rear defroster. Strangely, the dash light doesn't come on when I insert the key like all the others do. I wonder if it's related. I'm thinking I may start checking fuses to see if any are busted.
No luck either with locking the center dif. Light flashes on the dash, but I nether hear or feel the motor working. Tried it with the motor off or on, both with the car not moving.
The defroster is my #1 problem now, as I can't drive with it frosted over, and we get frost in winter when I want to drive it. Front windshield is #2. It's both cracked, as well as the aftermarket tint being too wide. Both would get fixed with new glass.
Both headlights work, and even with their frosted lenses I can still see where I'm going. I have a replacement for the cracked one, and I have polish for the other.
Temp gauge is still not working. Shop said it's either the sensor or the wire.
Battery seems weak, and that makes starting in cold weather slower.
Still haven't checked the airbox. There's a K&N sticker under-hood, but as we found out, that's not a guarantee.
I've not opened the hood as the hood release is another problem the GTX has. Opening it would allow me to fix the headlight and check the airbox.
I'm using a 2x4 to keep the hatch open. I need to repair the right strut mounting stud on the hatch. It's broken off (new stud?) and maybe a new strut too, although I still have the old one (with the broken stud inside). Fixing this would also help with opening the hatch.
Still also need to replace the plug wires.
Speaking of, even with the fuse, still no rear defroster. Strangely, the dash light doesn't come on when I insert the key like all the others do. I wonder if it's related. I'm thinking I may start checking fuses to see if any are busted.
No luck either with locking the center dif. Light flashes on the dash, but I nether hear or feel the motor working. Tried it with the motor off or on, both with the car not moving.
The defroster is my #1 problem now, as I can't drive with it frosted over, and we get frost in winter when I want to drive it. Front windshield is #2. It's both cracked, as well as the aftermarket tint being too wide. Both would get fixed with new glass.
Both headlights work, and even with their frosted lenses I can still see where I'm going. I have a replacement for the cracked one, and I have polish for the other.
Temp gauge is still not working. Shop said it's either the sensor or the wire.
Battery seems weak, and that makes starting in cold weather slower.
Still haven't checked the airbox. There's a K&N sticker under-hood, but as we found out, that's not a guarantee.
I've not opened the hood as the hood release is another problem the GTX has. Opening it would allow me to fix the headlight and check the airbox.
I'm using a 2x4 to keep the hatch open. I need to repair the right strut mounting stud on the hatch. It's broken off (new stud?) and maybe a new strut too, although I still have the old one (with the broken stud inside). Fixing this would also help with opening the hatch.
Still also need to replace the plug wires.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
0.5 of 2 successes?
Put the two fuses in.
Still not getting a light for the rear defroster on ignition or activation, so I'll again need to wait for it to fog or frost to see if it's working.
The active center diff light now comes on a flashes, but stays flashing, showing it's not completing the locking. Going to try it again with the car on. I assume the motor is busted. At least we have a light showing it's trying to work.
Replaced the rear hatch light, still no light. I may use my multimeter to see if it has power.
Still not getting a light for the rear defroster on ignition or activation, so I'll again need to wait for it to fog or frost to see if it's working.
The active center diff light now comes on a flashes, but stays flashing, showing it's not completing the locking. Going to try it again with the car on. I assume the motor is busted. At least we have a light showing it's trying to work.
Replaced the rear hatch light, still no light. I may use my multimeter to see if it has power.
Fuses
So, I'm trying to find out why the rear defroster isn't working. I pull the fusebox cover and see that there's no fuse in that socket. I also notice there's no fuse for the center diff. I wonder how the shop confirmed it working when there wasn't a fuse?
Buying replacements today.
Buying replacements today.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Living with the GTX FEB '11
I've had it back for a week+ now, and so far it hasn't let me down. It's still restricted to urban duty though.
Passed 159,000 when I drove home from the shop.
Got to drive it in the snow for the first time, which is the reason I bought it. The AWD works great, and the car felt in control even when in a 4 wheel drift. Traction on acceleration seemed great.
I replaced the 3 wipers right before it snowed. The motors work, but slowly when pushing heavy snow. My rear defroster doesn't work. The button on the dash doesn't light up anything when down, and the window doesn't get warm. Gonna check the fuse and the hatch connection.
I had a scare the second night of the snow. The doors wouldn't open. I figured it was a lock problem, but I think it turned out to be the door freezing shut. Not sure how this happened, and can't remember it on any other vehicle. It was with both doors. I finally just started pulling real hard and the driver opened. Pushing on the passenger from the inside got that one open too.
The car doesn't have ABS. While traction in snow and ice seems superior, the lack of ABS caused me to slide into an intersection. It was very icy (drove up it later), and downhill. Once I figured it out, I used the skills I learned last spring at the Bridgestone Winter Driving School. It's hard to feel the 'loss of grip' point when there's no grip to be had in the first place. On regular packed snow, I tested out the grip and could feel and hear when the tires lost grip and when they regained grip, but on this downhill, nothing. I slid into the (blind) intersection but not across it (T intersection with me hitting the T), and regained control and slowed enough through the exercise that I was able to make my turn. Luckily no traffic at that time.
Strangely, I think the GTX was broken into. Came out the car this morning, and after I opened the front door, noticed that half the back seat had been folded down. Passenger was locked. Nothing was stolen, and I think I felt the lock unlock when I opened it. However, while unlocking it is easier than I remember, I can't lock it from the outside now.
Passed 159,000 when I drove home from the shop.
Got to drive it in the snow for the first time, which is the reason I bought it. The AWD works great, and the car felt in control even when in a 4 wheel drift. Traction on acceleration seemed great.
I replaced the 3 wipers right before it snowed. The motors work, but slowly when pushing heavy snow. My rear defroster doesn't work. The button on the dash doesn't light up anything when down, and the window doesn't get warm. Gonna check the fuse and the hatch connection.
I had a scare the second night of the snow. The doors wouldn't open. I figured it was a lock problem, but I think it turned out to be the door freezing shut. Not sure how this happened, and can't remember it on any other vehicle. It was with both doors. I finally just started pulling real hard and the driver opened. Pushing on the passenger from the inside got that one open too.
The car doesn't have ABS. While traction in snow and ice seems superior, the lack of ABS caused me to slide into an intersection. It was very icy (drove up it later), and downhill. Once I figured it out, I used the skills I learned last spring at the Bridgestone Winter Driving School. It's hard to feel the 'loss of grip' point when there's no grip to be had in the first place. On regular packed snow, I tested out the grip and could feel and hear when the tires lost grip and when they regained grip, but on this downhill, nothing. I slid into the (blind) intersection but not across it (T intersection with me hitting the T), and regained control and slowed enough through the exercise that I was able to make my turn. Luckily no traffic at that time.
Strangely, I think the GTX was broken into. Came out the car this morning, and after I opened the front door, noticed that half the back seat had been folded down. Passenger was locked. Nothing was stolen, and I think I felt the lock unlock when I opened it. However, while unlocking it is easier than I remember, I can't lock it from the outside now.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Daily Update- Button her up
Shop agrees with my conclusions and ideas. They're going to mark the wear points on the bell housing with some paint and put it back together, Figure I should be on the road by the end of the week.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Daily Update- What we know, what I think
After a bunch of back and forth, a bunch of measuring, and a bunch of scientific method, here's what we know.
1- The pressure plate rubbed against the bell housing.
2- We've measured all the things that could be too long- The engine-transmission spacer plate; the flywheel; the clutch pack; and the pressure plate. All are correct thickness.
3- In a reversal, we found out the throwout bearing didn't engage too much, but instead it disengaged too much, getting wedged against the bell housing. This left a lot of space and no pressure against the pressure plate.
SO, since nothing is too long / thick, I believe that the pressure plate only came in contact with the bell housing because the throwout bearing wasn't supplying pressure against it due to the arm that normally puts pressure against it wasn't because the slave cylinder was broken in two.
THEREFORE, now that we've replaced the slave cylinder, we should be able to put everything back together without any further problems (in the bell housing). However, to double check this, we'll monitor the clutch fluid for metal pieces from the bell housing.
1- The pressure plate rubbed against the bell housing.
2- We've measured all the things that could be too long- The engine-transmission spacer plate; the flywheel; the clutch pack; and the pressure plate. All are correct thickness.
3- In a reversal, we found out the throwout bearing didn't engage too much, but instead it disengaged too much, getting wedged against the bell housing. This left a lot of space and no pressure against the pressure plate.
SO, since nothing is too long / thick, I believe that the pressure plate only came in contact with the bell housing because the throwout bearing wasn't supplying pressure against it due to the arm that normally puts pressure against it wasn't because the slave cylinder was broken in two.
THEREFORE, now that we've replaced the slave cylinder, we should be able to put everything back together without any further problems (in the bell housing). However, to double check this, we'll monitor the clutch fluid for metal pieces from the bell housing.
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