It's crazy how Saturns were just like everywhere and the next day just gone. Kind of the schlotzsky's sandwich shops, Blimplies, and Papa Murphy's Pizza.
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Rant Thread - What really grinds your gears?
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nickdalzell
Extreme Android User
Yet the Chevy Aveo continues to exist, despite being even worse Daewoo garbage. That and the many Cobalts. Many vehicles, not just Saturn, used the 2.2L Ecotec with its infamous timing chain tensioner issues pretty much destroying them much like Mopar with its infamous 2.7L V6 used in the equally extinct 'cloud cars' such as the Stratus and Breeze, and some others like the Sebring and Avenger.
The original tensioner failed a month after I got the car in 2016, and jumped a tooth then, causing a CEL and a no-idle situation. Had to feather the throttle to keep it going or start it. All the OBDII gave me was 'P0300, random misfire detected'
The tensioner was recalled on 2004 IONs, but my 2005 had the same lousy part but didn't benefit as it was a 2005, not a 2004. They revised this thing three times and they're all failing. Timing chains, not belts, should last the life of the car. Not the case with this piece of junk. I was surprised how little torque was needed to remove the camshafts. If this were my 5.2L V8 in my old Fifth Avenue, you'd need an impact to break them loose. On this flimsy pile of junk, I did it with a 1/4 ratchet. No effort at all. I've needed more effort to break the crank bearings loose on an EZGO EH29C engine.
Quite frankly, I'm amazed the car made it to 107,635 miles (well, the digital odometer is stuck there since like 5 years ago! It just shows that and no longer counts up.)
But I still see a ton of IONs and other variants like the Aura and even the Sky (based on the same platform as the Pontiac Solstice). They're not uncommon in Kentucky.
I'm gonna just rebuild the top end to learn and know it can be done. Then I'm gonna hope to find my dream Malaise car and sell this one to someone once it's running again. What is the weird thing is I just changed the oil and filter and it was running perfectly fine, no noises or rattles, so I went to pay my utility bill, still running good. Went to get gas as it was nearing empty, and soon as I started it after that, it started making what I call 'wasps buzzing angrily in their nests' from the right side of the car. I knew it wasn't wasps, assuming (correctly) it might be timing chain rattle based on previous experience, so I drove home to get my phone (was going to work, didn't want to be caught somewhere broken down without some means to call for help) and I parked it idling in my driveway to get into the house for my phone, but soon as I got through the door, the car just stopped. Trying to restart it and it sounded hellish with noises and no compression (just spun freely making bike chain noises). Removed the valve cover and the exhaust camshaft was 45 degrees in the wrong direction and two cam phasers were just rolling around free (one broke in two) and the exhaust valve of cylinder 1 was higher than the rest.
The original tensioner failed a month after I got the car in 2016, and jumped a tooth then, causing a CEL and a no-idle situation. Had to feather the throttle to keep it going or start it. All the OBDII gave me was 'P0300, random misfire detected'
The tensioner was recalled on 2004 IONs, but my 2005 had the same lousy part but didn't benefit as it was a 2005, not a 2004. They revised this thing three times and they're all failing. Timing chains, not belts, should last the life of the car. Not the case with this piece of junk. I was surprised how little torque was needed to remove the camshafts. If this were my 5.2L V8 in my old Fifth Avenue, you'd need an impact to break them loose. On this flimsy pile of junk, I did it with a 1/4 ratchet. No effort at all. I've needed more effort to break the crank bearings loose on an EZGO EH29C engine.
Quite frankly, I'm amazed the car made it to 107,635 miles (well, the digital odometer is stuck there since like 5 years ago! It just shows that and no longer counts up.)
But I still see a ton of IONs and other variants like the Aura and even the Sky (based on the same platform as the Pontiac Solstice). They're not uncommon in Kentucky.
I'm gonna just rebuild the top end to learn and know it can be done. Then I'm gonna hope to find my dream Malaise car and sell this one to someone once it's running again. What is the weird thing is I just changed the oil and filter and it was running perfectly fine, no noises or rattles, so I went to pay my utility bill, still running good. Went to get gas as it was nearing empty, and soon as I started it after that, it started making what I call 'wasps buzzing angrily in their nests' from the right side of the car. I knew it wasn't wasps, assuming (correctly) it might be timing chain rattle based on previous experience, so I drove home to get my phone (was going to work, didn't want to be caught somewhere broken down without some means to call for help) and I parked it idling in my driveway to get into the house for my phone, but soon as I got through the door, the car just stopped. Trying to restart it and it sounded hellish with noises and no compression (just spun freely making bike chain noises). Removed the valve cover and the exhaust camshaft was 45 degrees in the wrong direction and two cam phasers were just rolling around free (one broke in two) and the exhaust valve of cylinder 1 was higher than the rest.
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^^^^ not reading all that because my A.D.D. won't allow it, but Nick good to see ya bud. Don't be a stranger.
Milo Williamson
Extreme Android User
I know the struggle bro.
OMG! I loved them.
Quiznos was in the same boat, everywhere and then disappeared.
Milo Williamson
Extreme Android User
Yeah vanished from here too.
I still have a Schlotzsky's in town, or there was one the last time I drove by.
Milo Williamson
Extreme Android User
Sister got COVID again.
So much stress at her all the time.
So much stress at her all the time.
I swear if this wedding reception isn't open bar someone will have hell to pay....
The saga of the quest for water at the cabin continues. I put a new pump on the system and now, a few weeks later, it has quit.
Milo Williamson
Extreme Android User
Ya know I had originally planned out a movie, but we just sort of forgot about it today, we were only about a block and half away from the movies, from the pizza palor (Papa's Murphy's) and the cinema was just down the road from there. Due to the rain and plum forgot about it, but there is some silver bolts of thunder, littearly and I just did not feel like running again into town and coming home really late with a bunch of messages for me. Was going to see Inside out two.
Bought new no show socks at Target for my tennis shoes. Socks say size 7 to 12. No problem, I'm a size 9. Tried them and they fit fine. Next I washed the socks and now they are too small. 🤐
I'm usually in good shape when buying socks. I have huge feet. I buy huge sock size and they are almost too big and even if they shrink they are good to wear.
I've learned through the years that it is fruitless to bug the mower repair shops for a diagnosis of a mower problem and an estimate of cost to repair. I was told a week ago last Monday that they should have some clue by this past Monday. I've still not heard a word. The mower that's in the shop is old but so am I. I'm not in the mood to invest another ten to twelve grand in another mower. I'm not certain I'll live long enough to see it pull a profit. It is only a 36" cut but it mows a lot of back yards that I'll have to drop if it can't be repaired. It would be nice to see where I stand with the mower.
You need to find a new mower repair shop
That's a grand idea. Running commercial mowers for nearly 40 years I've had the opportunity to try every shop in town multiple times. I now take my stuff to the guys that at least know me and treat me like they keep a fleet running for me.
Milo Williamson
Extreme Android User
Been wearing my Mario themed socks like for a spell or two, no problems at all, although sometimes my toenails dig through them..
The mower shop called today. They told me that they didn't bother to put together a price and fixed the mower and it was ready to pick up. They know me well and knew I'd have it repaired so they did their thing while they had the valve cover off. It was a bent push rod that wasn't operating the valves on one cylinder. It cost me $320 for the repair. I feel lucky. A new engine is over two grand and the exact same mower new is over twelve grand. This is the mower I had repaired.
This is a 36" Toro Commercial Grandstand mower. It is the most versatile and maneuverable mower I've owned. A conservative estimate is that it has mowed part or all of over 7,000 lawns since I bought it in 2011. The new version of this mower has a larger engine and is a bit shorter. It also has larger drive wheels and the engine has a protective shroud around it.
I actually caught my mower on fire years ago with dead leaves piling up around the exhaust muffler.
Milo Williamson
Extreme Android User
I used WPS office for windows ten, I thought to make a fresh document out of the blue oh ten minutes ago, and wants me to sign in right, but here is what really made me upset is that they wanted my credit card info for a free be, even though I did over oh 2 million documents without having to sign into an account, oddly I cannot remember the last time this ever occured with the program, so switched back to open officee, that I have previously did in a handful of decades back.
Every time I need to drive my daughter's car in a pinch 
After 50+ years of marriage, I have finally convinced my wife that the top half of a tank of gas burns the same as the bottom half. Keep it full not empty!