You can never own too many 10mm sockets!

 

I tore both my 6 pt and deep 6 pt Craftsman sockets (1/4). Bought a full set of 1/4 sunex 6 pt everything metric and sae reg and deep w case. All supposedly impact grade. Not sure when you'd need even air ratchet torque with a 1/4 drive anything unless you are up against rust.

 

Can soak em in pb blaster.
or baking soda/vinegar mix

 

You can't use 1/4" drive sockets on much of anything on a car, derf. Maybe some ignition parts or interior parts, but I always use, at a minimum, 3/8" or 1/2" for the others. Mostly I use 3/8" unless working on suspension, then it's up to the 1/2" drive stuff. Why not 3/4" you might ask. Simply because I don't have nor can I afford any. Hell, I don't even have an impact wrench. I've made it 50 years without any 3/4" drive stuff or an impact, so I'm okay with what I've used.

 

The s cars have a bunch of annoying 10mm and below fasteners under the hood. Plus hose band clamps, batt cable terminals, etc.

My new 3/8 sockets are either low profile or swivel. Most of the sockets I've torn have been the 3/8 below 10 mm reg and deep and 1/4 deep 20 to 14..

Im finding to my surprise that for some of the 10 mm stuff, I can't fit the space allotted w a 3/8 setup, but a 1/4 in setup with a low profile ratchet fits perfectly.

Sure, it requires more effort from me to break stuff loose, but because of my tremor, the lighter weight is .much easier to control.

Obviously, above 22 or 13mm I go 3/8 but right now I am getting by with the 1/4s in rotation.

Right now there's not enough room to get my 3/8 cordless ratchet in there. But I will as soon as 6get the room.

 

For those tight places, I often use a ratcheting box end wrench, derf. Sometimes I have to slip a small cheater bar over the end in order to get the bolt loose, but I'm a stubborn old fart. I don't give up easily.

 

I agree. But I don't like using my 12 points on any thing that I've never removed in 24 years. I've wrecked a lot of bolts with those over the years but mostly way in my past when I didn't know what I was doing. I have almost a full set except for one that's missing. I wish I could find it I think one of you did something with it. It's not inside the wheel of my Jack I checked.

Got to go at it full speed tonight. Radiator pulleys sensors tranny and oil drain. I realize that the white car engine in the black car will never pass inspection if it is misfiring on all four cylinders the way I think it is at idle. The SES light will burn out before it goes out so I have to open up the timing cover on the white car and address that if that is indeed the issue. It's a reliable peace and transportation or a great parts car

 

So, after clearing out the driver's side, the radiator and other items from the front, I'm finding this is not the stress relieving nighty activity I thought it would be.

I will be reassembling the 97 and selling it as a running daily driver if possible, with full disclosure of the subframe issue. Hopefully I can get my mechanic to pass it one last year so that I do not need to sell it by the end of November which is when the inspection sticker runs out. But I will try nonetheless, and someone from certain parts of West Virginia won't care because inspections are not necessary there.

The white car timing cover will come off, either with the engine in or the engine pulled. The trans is almost out of clutch and if I can get it to run properly, I will install the clutch kit I bought about 15 years ago for times just like this. It seems to be enough access with the front and top stuff removed to separate the trans and the engine while still in the car. It has been done before.

I will also likely have to pull the head to deal with the valve guide seals.

I will still end up with one functional Saturn, just not the way I originally planned.
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You learn things about yourself everyday.

 

I understand my friend, since this is my day job I enjoy working on cars at home less and less. Does changing the subframe and keeping the black car make any sense?

 

The black car needs the subframe, as well as new wheels to swap out for the bent ones (min 2), a new AC compressor or rebuild, new struts all around, bodywork for those grooves (snooty neighborhood doesn't have junkers in the driveway), paint, tires,....if I'm going to actually drive it.

I've already dumped several hundred into the white 95 to make it antique w custom plates. If I hadn't, I might be able to do a reverse course.

The white car needs the timing sorted out once and for all. If that is issue, new chain set. If out of time, valves were prob getting abused by the misfire machine so I should likely get a head job done if the cams are not damaged.

My fears of screwing things up are gone and I will go for it, just as I emptied 1/2 the black car engine bay in short order for me.

If there is nothing else positive that came from this, I know that if I had to I could do a swap.

I also learned that my love of S cars has begun to diminish. A very odd sensation. Of course it's 26 years later. People and priorities change.