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zomb
10-07-2004, 07:55 PM
Well, my car is done.

Blew the head-gasgket. (sp)

I suppose I could go into some detail. Don't read the following if you don't want to.

Over the last few weeks, the car has not been able to start a few times. The only thing to do is leave it to cool down for a good 2 hours, or get it jumped. Today, I was sick of the starting problem, so I called my mechanic and drove it to his house. We looked under the hood, hoses dry-rodded, basic over-all mess, but It was running fantastic since January until last week. Anyways. The car drove perfect, no problems, until on my way to his house it hesitated at 2 lights like it wanted to stall.. We went for a spin after checking the hood, and after paying a visit to two junk yards to check out a few cars. On our way back, the car got WORSE. I had to throw it into lower gears and sometimes neutral to keep it running. It stalled a few times and we made it to Auto zone. The guy at auto zone was very very cool, great service in his part. He took a good 20 minutes of his time looking over my car and found the big problem along with the little ones. He told me the best thing to do is buy one of the for sale signs, and take it slow and don't push it home. I almost didnt make it home, and I ate a half tank of gas from flipping it into neutral to keep it running and my hazards on, people getting pissy.

So anyways, I found a 93 red grand am SE at the one lot, it's loaded with cd player, alarm system, has 85,000 miles on it from the looks of it and I'm not sure what else. I'm going to call him in the morning and see what I can work out. I don't have a dime for it, but I hope I can get some money from this car seeing how brake lines, tires, gas lines and a few others are new since 2500 miles ago.

Choices:

1) Part it out
2) donate it to a high-school shop and get a tax return (could get a lot more than what it's worth this way)
3) see what a junk yard will give me
4) list it on eBay as is, and maybe get a couple hundred (atleast pay for my new tires) heh.


=\ I'll let you know what I decide on the red grand am, but for now, anyone interested in buying this from me? I'm exporting pics right now and will post in about 10 mins. Infact, I JUST TOOK THESE PICS today to show off my baby, that's how good it was running 7 hrs ago. =\

zomb
10-07-2004, 08:21 PM
Heres some pics:

http://zomb.alphite.ca/car/2.jpg
http://zomb.alphite.ca/car/3.jpg
http://zomb.alphite.ca/car/4.jpg



http://zomb.alphite.ca/car/1.jpg


Overall body id decent, bumbled around the rear fender, small dents that can easily be popped out.

Matt95GT
10-08-2004, 08:59 AM
Which engine does it have? Do yourself a favor... do NOT purchase a GA equiped with the Quad OHC (Vin code 3)

iceman
10-08-2004, 09:33 AM
If it's the 6, head gasket is relatively easy to change in one day.. quad 4 on the other hand is more difficult to tear down to the block

zomb
10-08-2004, 10:37 AM
It's a Quad something or other.

If anyone here is good with Grand Ams and lives in my area (Mentor, Ohio) and wants to come look at it for me, please do. I didn't give up when they told me to just sell the car last January, I said, "No!" and put 1100 bucks into it. If I could save the car with under a few hundred bucks work, I might do so. Whether I keep the car after that isn't really decided, I would like to sell it and get a later model car.

I am looking for a new car now, any make or model for:

Under 1500 dollars
manual transmission

I'm hunting for a new job that will work me until I can't work anymore. I need the money bad now.

zomb
10-08-2004, 01:15 PM
Eh, don't get many replies at this forum. Not that anyone here cares except maybe a few, but..


I went and looked at a Grand Am today. 1992 SE, Red, intererior is good, 185,000 miles on the engine, crack in the windshield, 2 cracks I noticed on the bumper and needs an exaust. The car drove smoothly, reversed, lights work, it looks like it has neons but I didn't bother to play with it or anything. Theres a CD player with detatchable head, it has a stock spoiler but I don't care for it. It basiclly looks very nice. It was bit loud when I turned it on, hence the need for a new exaust system. BUT, I might make an offer on it. I'm taking my mechanic to the lot and he's going to look over the whole thing and let me know how much to offer. Heres the thing though.. I have the exact same year and model grand am. Brand new tires, battery, exaust is great, windshield can be swapped, new gas-lines, everything is perfect on this car of mine except the engine.

I'll check to see if all of the features/heater/air conditioning etc work tomorrow. Both cars will be at the shop to get parts exchanged. :) I guess I'm feeling better about it already now.

Matt95GT
10-08-2004, 01:44 PM
Once again... avoid the Quad OHC... especially the 92. It is a time bomb waiting to blow gaskets and crack heads.

Just trust me on this... my friend's bro didn't listen to me either. His 92 SE Quad OHC had 2+ shop visits for major failures... totalling about $3000.

zomb
10-08-2004, 02:54 PM
Matt, this car I think I'm going to buy is a Quad OHC, just like the one I have. I have no choice. I need the car to last me just for a few months, that's all. It wouldn't make sense to buy something else when I have the exact same car with all new parts on it for me to switch over.

Believe me, I'm worried about the engine in this new car, 185,000 miles? I'm not too happy with that at all. I just need something that runs for now. I WILL infact take your word for this when I buy a newer car next year. Thanks a lot for your advice.

Cheers

RocketFast321
10-08-2004, 05:14 PM
Your car body looks fine. Go to a pick and pull to see if you can fine a another 2.3 OHC engine. The OHC is not a good enige but the pick and pull should have alot of them.

zomb
10-08-2004, 10:54 PM
rocketfast, that'll cost a bit of money and a lot of time. I also don't have a good garage or enough tools to do this on my own. I thought about it, that's why we went to a car lot and then a junk yard right after. I might go look again at another pick and pull tomorrow after I take my mechanic to look at the red grand am with me and see what it's worth. I really like this other Grand Am and might put more work into this one than what it's worth. Considering it's red, I can probably come up with more of a theme for it and do interior dress-ups and such. The previous owner started to do it, but did a piss poor job at painting the little parts of the interior.

I'll take pics of this car tomorrow, and who knows... maybe even bring it home. :D

Ex0r
08-13-2006, 10:58 AM
Did you end up getting that car other car?

I would have to say that I don't see why everybody is having such a problem with quad4 engines. I have a 2.3l quad4 SOHC, with almost 160k miles on it, and it runs as smooth as the day I purchased it. With the correct person maintaining it, the car can last as long as you want it to.

The car had one previous owner, and 6 months after he got it the recall came in for a new gasket. It's not been replaced since than, and every major problem with it was covered under warranty and replaced in a very timely manner.

I don't see why everybody makes such a fuss about quad 4's. I know three people who have had them and all of them ran very nice. It's when they aren't taken care of properly that they start to become problems.

Anyways, if you bought this new car, I would like to inquire with you about purchasing a part from the older car (Provided that it's a manual transmission) I need the instrument cluster. Mine went completely out and it's become very hard to drive.

If this is at all possible, please PM me.

Colin
08-13-2006, 10:32 PM
I have a 2.3l quad4 SOHC I wonder why they called this engine a quad4 if it's SOHC ... :???:

Matt95GT
08-14-2006, 09:09 AM
Originally posted by Ex0r
I don't see why everybody makes such a fuss about quad 4's. I know three people who have had them and all of them ran very nice. It's when they aren't taken care of properly that they start to become problems.


Not the Quad 4's... the Quad OHC, and the 92 in particular. It is the one that ruined the Quad 4 family's reputation. The early SOHC head casting is a timebomb... cracking is imminent. Once it's replaced, it'll likely be just fine. Problem is... not knowing the history of a used car is a gamble.

Originally posted by Colin
I wonder why they called this engine a quad4 if it's SOHC ... :???:

Technically they didn't... was supposed to be called "Quad OHC" but people tend to just call all of them a "Quad 4"

Gimli
08-14-2006, 11:38 AM
Holy thread resurrection Batman! Its two years old! I think this thread will have the answer you were looking for re: whether he got a quad 4 or not...

http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=57002

LSPHillbilly
08-21-2006, 09:19 AM
i agree with matt. i wouldnt buy it unless you get one heck of a deal.