Questions about tune-ups

[IMAMEX]

So I have an older car (1995 Pontiac Grand-Am 4 2.3L 4L) and I recently had to buy a new battery. The car runs pretty good. the only things that are giving me trouble are that there's a slight leak in the radiator & the shocks are shot. I have an oil change coming up so I was thinking of also giving the car a tune up. My question is, what all should I change? So far, I'm thinking

Fuel filter

Oil Filter

Spark Plugs

Air Filters

What else should I change? I'm willing to change as many things as are needed to have the car running better than it is. O2 sensor maybe?


me not knowing shit about cars :thatsgay:

[Rob]

What's your budget?

[IMAMEX]

up to 300 dollars I think.

[Zere]

air filter super easy do that yourself. spark plugs supposed to be easy too, i never done them though.

[jomomma]

you can do an oil change yourself w/one of those oil drain pans from walmart ($8). about $20 for the oil (make sure you get the right type), replacement filter & drain plug gasket

find a forum for your make & model of car, they're good sources for how-to & cheap parts

use the wix filter lookup www.wixfilters.com/filterlookup/index.asp I like wix filters b/c they have an anti-drainback valve oil filter for Toyota/Lexus (I have an ES) for $6, cheaper than the stealership

[jomomma]

oh you may wanna check your tranny fluid too, if you're shifting well it may just need a drain & fill which you can do easily as well w/fluid like valvoline max life or castrol. same w/power steering

check your radiator, I had a leak & replaced my radiator cap (over $20 @ Lexus) and used the GM cooling system sealer tablets in my radiator as a precaution since that model is vulnerable to overheat

use the online diagnostic here, this guy has helped me before free
http://texascardoctor.com/preferred-products.php

[Shaggydoo]

Oil/Oil Filter... no nead for new drain plug gasket on that model unless you mangle the old one... If over 75k miles I suggest something like Valvoline Max-Life.

Spark plugs/wires... Very easy on YOUR specific car. BE SURE TO GAP THE PLUGS REGARDLESS IF THEY SAY PRE-GAPPED!!!

Air filter...easy, cheap.

Fuel filter... Cheap, but you probably don't have the proper tool to take the clips off w/o breaking them, therefore either find someone who does, or pay.

MOST OVERLOOKED, yet cheapest & easiest = Fuel Injection cleaner...and not the cheap shit. I personally suggest Lucas. I've seen people spend $500 trying to replace this and that, only to find they needed a $5 bottle of injector cleaner.../truth

Also, I endorse ALL Lucas brand additives and use them in ALL my vehicles.

Check the tranny fluid level...SMELL IT. If it has a burnt smell, HAVE it changed. Don't try this one yourself...i've seen it botched many times.

Power steering if you really need/want it, but usually not needed unless you experience the wheel stiffening during turning/pump groaning/whining sound.

If it's been over 6 months or it looks nasty, change the water/antifreeze mixture in the radiator. Fairly easy and cheap, but make sure you bleed as much air out of the system as possible on the refill.

Check the condition of the belt that drives the alt/ps/ac, etc... If it's cracked, frayed, or squealing, change it. Losing that belt can ruin your car if not noticed in time.

ALWAYS check your brake fluid level and brake pad thickness, as well as condition of the rotors/drums and all the brake lines. Bleeding the brakes never hurts anything either...

Only reason to change something like a sensor would be if the car was popping a 'Check Engine' code...anytime a sensor goes bad it will give you that annoying orange light in your face...yours being an OBD 1 system, it can be checked with a paperclip wedged in the diagnostic terminal under the dash and read by the flashing code it gives you on the dash. (Ask me if you need more info on this.)

There's plenty of other shit to check/change, but this is a good start.

[jomomma]

for injector cleaner I've used CRC's Guaranteed to Pass on an old car pass emissions, Chevron Techron, X-1R & BG 44K are also good, the first 2 are at wal mart. Never used Lucas.

If you do change the water & anti-freeze check if you need distilled water ($1/gal) or you can get premixed coolant which costs more than the concentrate

if youre confused find a board/owners group for your make/model, they'll have the hookup on shops

[IMAMEX]

Oil/Oil Filter... no nead for new drain plug gasket on that model unless you mangle the old one... If over 75k miles I suggest something like Valvoline Max-Life.

Spark plugs/wires... Very easy on YOUR specific car. BE SURE TO GAP THE PLUGS REGARDLESS IF THEY SAY PRE-GAPPED!!!

Air filter...easy, cheap.

Fuel filter... Cheap, but you probably don't have the proper tool to take the clips off w/o breaking them, therefore either find someone who does, or pay.

MOST OVERLOOKED, yet cheapest & easiest = Fuel Injection cleaner...and not the cheap shit. I personally suggest Lucas. I've seen people spend $500 trying to replace this and that, only to find they needed a $5 bottle of injector cleaner.../truth

Also, I endorse ALL Lucas brand additives and use them in ALL my vehicles.

Check the tranny fluid level...SMELL IT. If it has a burnt smell, HAVE it changed. Don't try this one yourself...i've seen it botched many times.

Power steering if you really need/want it, but usually not needed unless you experience the wheel stiffening during turning/pump groaning/whining sound.

If it's been over 6 months or it looks nasty, change the water/antifreeze mixture in the radiator. Fairly easy and cheap, but make sure you bleed as much air out of the system as possible on the refill.

Check the condition of the belt that drives the alt/ps/ac, etc... If it's cracked, frayed, or squealing, change it. Losing that belt can ruin your car if not noticed in time.

ALWAYS check your brake fluid level and brake pad thickness, as well as condition of the rotors/drums and all the brake lines. Bleeding the brakes never hurts anything either...

Only reason to change something like a sensor would be if the car was popping a 'Check Engine' code...anytime a sensor goes bad it will give you that annoying orange light in your face...yours being an OBD 1 system, it can be checked with a paperclip wedged in the diagnostic terminal under the dash and read by the flashing code it gives you on the dash. (Ask me if you need more info on this.)

There's plenty of other shit to check/change, but this is a good start.

Oi I can get started on this this next week when I get some cashe on me. Thanks for the advice everyone! I'll keep you posted on how much I get raped for but hopefully I can get a friend to do all of this.

[Shaggydoo]

Oi I can get started on this this next week when I get some cashe on me. Thanks for the advice everyone! I'll keep you posted on how much I get raped for but hopefully I can get a friend to do all of this.

If you have all of what I mentioned done at a shop you WILL get raped. Most of it can be done yourself or by a friend with decent automotive aptitude.

It would be helpfull if you'd describe exactly how your car is running bad or acting. Alot of what I mentioned probably doesn't need to be done. I was just giving a breakdown of a proper tune-up.

[IMAMEX]

If you have all of what I mentioned done at a shop you WILL get raped. Most of it can be done yourself or by a friend with decent automotive aptitude.

It would be helpfull if you'd describe exactly how your car is running bad or acting. Alot of what I mentioned probably doesn't need to be done. I was just giving a breakdown of a proper tune-up.

see that's the thing, I've had the car for like 2 years now and I've changed the oil every 3k, got new tires, new brakes and now new brake pads, and I replaced the fuel filter a while back. Aside from that, I've done nothing to the car. It runs pretty good but I want to avoid it shitting out on me so that's why I wanna replace as many things as possible like spark plugs or the fuel pump or whatever filters I have never changed. o2 sensor maybe?

[Shaggydoo]

see that's the thing, I've had the car for like 2 years now and I've changed the oil every 3k, got new tires, new brakes and now new brake pads, and I replaced the fuel filter a while back. Aside from that, I've done nothing to the car. It runs pretty good but I want to avoid it shitting out on me so that's why I wanna replace as many things as possible like spark plugs or the fuel pump or whatever filters I have never changed. o2 sensor maybe?

If your check engine light isn't on all the time then your O2 sensor is operating fine. No need to switch out parts that you don't need, especially something as simple as an O2 sensor that can last practically forever sometimes.

Don't change a fuel pump unless it's going bad. Your car has an in-tank pump and it's expensive and a bitch to have changed. As far as filters, etc...that's fine.