Usually only at oil change time. I have ordered a Fel-pro vc gasket and a set of iridium AC Delco plugs from Rock Auto. :)

The power steering pump dried up nicely with the correct oil level.Attachment 1457

what did you clean that half dry rotted reservoir with to make it so spiffily clean on the exterior?

It has been protected by a light coat of power steering fluid for years. Just a quick blast from a can of brake clean.

That was my guess after I asked the question.
I always thought brake cleaner was pretty unforgiving on pretty much everything other than brakes

Brake cleaner won't work worth a damn on a dirty antifreeze over flow bottle. I tried everything I could think of to clean mine. I ended up putting Dawn dish washing detergent and some gravel inside it and shaking the hell out of it several times. It didn't come out perfect, but looked MUCH better than when I started.

I worked on the gold car today, getting it ready to give to my grandson. I replaced the leaky valve cover gasket with a Fel-Pro gasket from Rock Auto. I had been waiting to fix the a/c and today was the day! I had tried to add freon last fall but the gauge on the can said that the system did not need more freon. At least the system held pressure, everyting worked but the clutch would not engage. The compressor felt good turning it over by hand so today I took the hvac section of my fsm to the shop. I ran through the troubleshooting tree and even pulled the bcm out and tried my spare. If you start your car with the correct bcm and switch them while it is running the car doesn't think it is being stolen. Both bcms work fine in this car. It turned out that the compressor clutch coil was bad. Since I have a parts stash I dug out my 2 compressors. One compressor had a good coil but a bad connector, this was out of the rollover car. The other had a bad coil but it had a good connector. I bet no one knows that you can change the connector. Well now a few special people do. :)
I removed the front bumper for access and to remove the Roadmaster tow bar equipment. I was able to replace the clutch coil with the compressor bolted to the engine. I really enjoy my hoist at times like this. I removed all the tow wiring and finished up the trunk details. I am going to replace the rear brake pads and get 2 new front tires. I also repaired a minor exhaust leak at the head pipe, one of the three nuts seized on the stud before it sealed the gasket. I removed the stud, retapped the manifold and installed a bolt now no more leak.
Almost done, now on to the stick shift car!

Looking good on the gold car! Your grandson will have a great ride when it's ready for him

Good weekend, the oil pan is replaced and the new clutch installed. Engine and trans hanging from the mounts in the car. I cut the aftermarket exhaust off the car, really it was done at a crappy mufler shop. Removed the heat shield and replaced the parking brake cable pair. Put the heat shield back on and installed the v-6 exhaust that I saved from the wagon. I cleaned up the rotors and anti-siezed the lug bolts. I had to order an exhaust manifold gasket from Rock Auto. I had saved a couple gaskets from the parts cars but they did not have smog pumps. The 02 stick shift car has a stainless tube type manifold with air injection. I am going to wire weld some minor cracks in the manifold at work. We have better wire welders at work than I have at home. Next weekend I should be going for a drive. :)

The future hot rod in the air, you can tell by the "big block" exhaust and the spoiler! I don't mind showing the plates because the gold car will have new Washington plates and my car will get new Oregon Crater Lake plates soon enough.Attachment 1455

For anyone interested here is a pic of my 84 GMC. It has a 60 in the front and a 10.5" full float Detroit Locker in back. It has 4.56 gears and a fresh 700r4. I have a 2000 6.5 non turbo Goodwrench factory new engine with a mechanical pump. It is on a 1989 Suburban uncut frame. This wheelbase works good on our Forest Service hunting roads. 40 gallons underneath and 55 in the front of the bed tank. Good range at 17 mpg highway, about 10 in the woods. I gathered parts for five years and assembled this truck in 1995.Attachment 1454

Andy----

Courtesy of the plate info and a few $$, I just arrived in town.

What time are you done breakfast? The 95 SC2 needs your TLC.

Thanks

Flogged on it most of the day. It's Alive!!!!!! Needs another couple hours of odds and ends. But it's alive. Very happy, another Saturn that will run for many years!

Nice job, sir.

Will you continue your L series magic, flipping L's as a hobby?

I have lots of grandkids, I like this platform so we will see. I hope this car is as nice as I think it is. Of course there are KYB struts and short springs available for this car. It will be a couple weeks before this car is on the road. We leave Friday for a long weekend in the motorhome.

I was called out of town last week for work. Then we had a camping trip to our favorite campground for the weekend. We had reservations for about 10 months to get the spot we wanted right on the river. The weather was great, sunny and not to hot. Rode bikes, read most of a book and relaxed.
Now back to my L200/5, I installed the hoses and filled the cooling system. I drilled a set of new holes in the flange where the V6 exhaust connects to the 4 cylinder exhaust. Proceded to bleed the clutch to no avail. I found that I did not fully tighten the steel line that connects to the slave cylinder. Of course the slave is inside the bell housing.
I could get the clutch to release if I pumped the pedal, so I took it for a drive. I needed to see if this was a car or not, I bought it with a bad engine so I had never qualifed the car. I always try to drive whatever I buy to see what I have. This is a nice car, just about everything works. Tha air blows cold, the sunroof works, all the windows and locks.
So to tighten the steel line I bought two 7/16" wrenches at Napa. They needed to be customized with the smoke wrench. There is a nice access hole on the front of the F23 bellhousing. I put my spare trans on the bench and made the two wrenches fit. I bent one each way plus a twist so I could get the 1/12 angles needed. Worked great and tonite I went for a nice long drive. The cruise works and the mirrors adjust well also. I will work on the lights this weekend and go to the DMV on Monday for transfer and plates!
This stick shift car has alot more power than the 4t40 car I have been driving for the last year. I have really missed driving a stick shift car, I am very pleased with this car.
Probably deliver the Gold car to my grandson in a couple weeks.

Hell yeah! Glad to hear of it moving!

Waiting at the DMV. 2600 rpm @ 60, might have to find a Cobalt eco trans.

That's a pretty high gear ratio, Andy. What the hell rear end is in it? A 4:10? LOL

I think it is 3.84, the eco Cobalt trans is 3.62 I think. I was quoting wiki. The FSM states that the final drive ratio is 4.45. They put this tranny in lots of cars so I will do more research on final drive ratios available. I would love to slow the engine down on the freeway, however the cruise control holds speed real well in 5th gear. I will have a better idea what to do after a few tanks of fuel.
Dmv no sweat $214 for Crater Lake plates and 2 years registration. The key ordeal was a run around. First I went to the GMC dealer where I have got my Saturn key blanks and key codes from in the past. New owners= no help, next to the Chevy dealer. They got the key code by vin but their new key machine would not cut 2002 blanks. They did however have more Saturn blanks. Next to the first key shop, they will not cut my blanks. Now to the other key shop, the locksmith was out of the store. I explaned what I needed and left my paperwork and my three blanks. Three hours later I had keys, $42.

This car has a Getrag F 35 transmission with a 4.45 final drive ratio in it. I kept looking at the F23 descriptions and the ratios didn't line up. I looked up a F 35 and there it was, ratios match perfectly even the available 4.45 final. Looks like there are a couple higher final drive ratios available. 4.05 and 3.82 were used also, a little more research to find out what they came in.

The gold car is loaded up on the trailer ready for the trip to Tri-cities, WA next Sunday. I need to take some pictures of my new ride!

you better you better you bet

^^^^ Ohhhh, ohhh.

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Trip to Tri-cities WA this weekend to deliver the gold L200 to my grandson. I will stop on the way home and pick up a 4.05 final ratio Getrag F35 transaxle and these wheels and tires. They are a 16" set of a Saab, either a 9-5 or a 9-3. I will ask the application when I pick them up.Attachment 1450

You gonna put the Saab wheels on the Saturn, Andy?

Yes, the L series Saturn and the Saab cars share chassis and many pieces. General Motors purchased Saab in the early 90s. The 2900 series chassis is what they share. So the bolt pattern is 5x110 on the L series, Saab from the early 90s, Cadillac Catera and late model Chevy Malibus.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that didn't know this. Thanks for sharing that information, Andy. I'm pretty sure that various people will be able to take advantage of this when the time comes for a wheel change.

Trip to Tri-cities in Eastern Washington State today, about 700 miles round trip. Left at 7:15 this morning, just walked in the door at 11:15 PM. One very happy grandson.Attachment 1448. picked up my new treasure on the way back through Portlandia.Attachment 1449

Awesome. It sure looks like he's going to take care of that car.

I promised pictures, here is before and after. Stock rims and then the set of 2006 Saab 9-3 rims.Attachment 1446Attachment 1447

Wow! The Saab rims give it a totally different look. I like it.

Thanks!

If you have a Saturn you'd like to bring to FL and trade for a PT Cruiser GT, let me know. I'd love to have another Saturn. The gas mileage on the GT is only about 22 and I can't afford to drive it anymore. I've cancelled the insurance on it and taken it off the road.

Holy crap, Rube. What are you driving?

Nice wheels, Andy!

Thanks.

Driving my 2013 Chrysler 200 right now, derf. Gonna go trade it, the PT and the 97 Grand Caravan next week, hopefully. I can't afford to keep the insurance on all 3 and am tired of working on 2 of 3 on a regular basis. I don't really need 3 vehicles now, especially since Philip bought a Scion IQ a couple of weeks ago.

Don't say yes on the spot -- the insurance on a single different car may be more than the cost you're already paying for three. Have your insurance agent's phone number on speed dial and get an insurance quote before the ink goes from pen to paper.

Do you have an obdII scanner? PM me.

(Apologies for the threadjack)

This is why I am changing the final drive ratio in my 5 speed. Attachment 1445

That, sir, looks just like an S car dash at the same speed.
Always wondered what an Ecotec spun at at higher speed. The S car is so much lighter though, so I really shouldn't judge.

Oh, and your SES bulb is out. Issue with the VSS from what I see in the pic