davebugs

I get concerned about folks who never make mistakes. Kinda makes you wonder what else they aren't forthcoming about. We all just hope they are recoverable mistakes and to not make the same exact mistake too many times.

Hey Gary. They opened a store near me a year or so ago. 20-30? miles away in a bunch of annoying traffic behind a mall in a strip mall. I go every 6 months it seems. Have a front bearing service kit to return this week or loose 100 bucks. If you currently need anything (that they may actually have in stock) I'd be willing to pick it up and ship it to you. Don't get it confused with quality(but we all knew that) but it is affordable. For occasional use stuff and expendables it's not bad.

Please update your location to something meaningful. And let us know if you find simple bolt on performance mods. I don't do that to Suby's but might consider it. I don't know of any "chip" for the Suby either.

I believe if you want the parafanelia you gotta go pay big bucks at the dealer. I don't do that new of cars, or Oreily's or ceramic. But the Wagners and Bendix and in an absolute jamb Advance's Godl and Silvers(limited knowledge) all come with just the pads. Usually the old stuff cleans up well though. I remove them to file behind them anyways. Usually some scotch brite, brake clean, and sometimes a file or screw driver to remove old anti-seize is all it takes.

Dots and hash marks. Ignore all else. Amazing how many cars I've bought because folks have used the wrong marks.

Air tools just because you're talking a lot of threads on ths spring compressors. Air tools for removal of strut should be self explanatory. Use a paint stick for the orientation. I use the rattle can to mark the bolts that hold the strut to the car (alignment). Someitmes the lower rubber mount for the coil spring will be swelled from oil from the strut. These can be a bit difficult to hold in place while loosening the compressors. I'd evaluate yours before teardown and perhaps teardown others to get this rubber piece if needed. Don't know if the dealer or a parts store sells them. When I have needed them I've had other struts to steal the part from. But yea - one of those wall mount gizmos are really nice for work like this. Very pricey. But may be worth the few bucks to have someone with the correct tools to replace the mounts.

I paint with a ralltle can and white paint everywhere that you'll want to pay attention to alignment on re-assembly. When you're done if the white bothers you - paint it Black - no biggie. I do this often. Just did it on rear bumper alignment on my 71 VW bus.

Very easy. It's on the drivers side between the timing belt cover and beside the oil filler tube and the dipstick tube. Right there on top. Disconnect the connector and one bolt (8 or 10mm - I forget). Make sure they didn't say Crank shaft sensor. I little more difficult and sometimes they get corrosion in there pretty good.

2.2 HG's. I'd leave them alone. One note would be when these do rarely fail typically they create white smoke out the exhaust like most cars. Not like the 2.5 failure's that cause the coolant to be blown out the overflow bottle (95-99) or leak coolant when parked (2000 and up - but I've only worked on HG's as new as 2000).

Wires, plugs, coil pack ever replaced? And if so with what brands of stuff? Assume regular maintenance (air and fuel filters). How long have you had the car (to help establish the maintenance that's been done). The timing belt was recently due - was it done? And if so what else was done?

Yep from the bottom.

Yea. Actually I hit them with a little piece of scotchbrite first, then just a dab of lube(not anti-seize) on the little flat surfaces meant to steady the shoes. I forget how many spots per shoe but I believe atleast 2 and not more than 4 - but I could be wrong. Most of the time I use anti-seize and caliper grease in about the same way other then slider pins (always get lube). Don't know why I chose lube for the backing plates. Lately when tearing apart other folks work I'm seeing what looks like hard anti-seize. Of course I can't even tell if it was anti-seize or in some cases thread locker(yes I realize thats the other end of the spectrum). On nuts/bolts I still use antiseize and not lube.

The O2 sensors move around a bit. But the front one around your year range is always by the first cat (after the Y pipe) typically in the cat itself. Atleast some 99's seem to have 2 O2's in the front cat. Typically the first one is the hardest to access pointing upwards/frontwards and is at the start of the foist cat. The second one can vary greatly(I'm sure by year it makes some sense - but they vary widely). If nothing else follow the single(?) wire on the passenger side that goes down to the O2 sensor. It's tied to the end/trans lower right bolt by a kind of twist tie. It's little connector is very roughly near the 3 large connectors under the black plastic intake box where the trans meets the engine. This small connector is in the vacinity. If you look in there towards the axle where it meets the transaxle you should see it. Just follow that. Heat shields can be sharp so watch your hands, find some gloves, etc.

You need to make surre the fans work but they could be interfeering with your diagnosis since I believe atleast one of them runs the entire time the AC is on. When you're checking for overheating I DON'T run the AC. There is an excellent link to a youtube burping video around here somewhere. It along with pulling the front tire nearest the radiator cap onto a ramp and fillign through the top hose has worked everytime for me. Often I don't have it on a ramo though since I've just done an engine swap, HG job, whatever and the car is already setting flat. Only 2 times have I had an issue. One time someone "helped" me when I had run down to the house and filled the rad (not the engine through the top hose). I ended up draining and refilling through the hose. Other time was recently and a bad aftermarket thermostat.

Last one I had lube on the backing plates solved it - an Impreza IIR. I had a friend help. I pulled the workings out a bit and he put some lube back there for me. Shoes looked good. I didn't even dis-assemble anything but removing the drum.

7/8" box wrench and your favorite penetrating oil, and a hammer to break it free. I'd try and get it in the air as much as possible. If you unplug it the box end will fit over the connector.

I agree. That's why I asked if he had successfully done one. Rather than my usual response to use dots and hask marks rather than arrows and such and going down that road. Perhaps he installed a used enigne and didn't put a new belt on it? If he did I bet he won't do that again.

I still have a few engines.

Glad it worked for you. We like happy endings and resolutions to threads. Mileage like that can't be good for cats and they are expensive.

I don't know when the actual cutoff is by model and build date but it certainly sounds like it's interference. Then again perhaps the engine had already been swapped in the car in the JY.

Did you make a few complete revolutions with the crank and observe the pistons? I assume that you've done this before? And that you are positive of what marks you're using?

You gotta quit drinking like that! Who in the world maintained that car?

Well then. Things are looking up. Get the proper gaskets and torque sequence and you should be good for another 100k or so.

Oops. I'm getting as sloppy as the local mechanic. Overheating I automatically assumed was a 2.5. Yea - try the cheap and easy stuff first. Remember to drain then fill coolant through the top rad hose.

He should be able to get it out. Heck I just stock a few of those bolts now. Common issue. You may need a caliper bracket though. I usually replace them when this happens.