What would you rather do?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,999
Likes: 386
From: Chandler AZ
What would you rather do?
So I need to replace the clutch slave, add remote bleeder, might as well do full clutch job, new flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, pilot bearing, clutch master, drain and refill T56 while out, check torque tube bushings, 1999 6 speed convertible 85000 miles, factory stock.
Been putting it off as lots of other things going on.
GF's PT Cruiser has been keeping me busy breaking down with multiple problems since last summer, cam sensor failures (replaced it 4 times, lifetime warranty) overheating can't even count how many.
The car reminds me of whack a mole, it has several problems with cooling system, fan motor went out(for radiator and ac condenser) replaced with new motor with fan blade and shroud comes that way from autozone.
Then 2 weeks later it's not working again, so I determined it's the harness connector that plugs into the fan, replace that.
Then a problem develops where car sounds like percolating coffee pot (water boiling) and overheating.
I would let car cool overnight and add water and coolant next day, watching it would get bubbles coming up as engine warmed up, lots of bubbles.
Let car cool back down and start over, after several days I realized the bubbles aren't going to stop as I kept trying to bleed coolant.
Is it exhaust gasses getting into coolant? Well I bought this K and W head gasket repair and it actually fixed it, or bought me time to do a real head gasket during winter, this was in June/July, Phoenix Arizona too damn hot to dig that deep.
Anyways now the water pump went out, I think, loosing coolant and I see a big leak coming from passenger side of engine, put on ramps and crawl underneath, all the crap crammed together water pump is buried behind timing covers and belt.
Ok so I'll tear it down to water pump and find out before buying new parts.
Reading online and Haynes manual, upper and lower motor mounts come out, then engine bracket that holds upper motor mount (very tight access because it's almost touching frame/body no room to work hardly) you apparently have to support engine with floor jack and wood and lower and raise engine to access engine mount bracket.
At one point I read have A/C discharged and remove ac lines then take off more frame brackets to get engine bracket out.
Have to pull balancer outer timing cover, timing belt, cam gears inner timing cover, then you can reach the water pump.
The biggest thing I don't like is having to remove ac lines to access stuff to do a timing belt or water pump.
I told her maybe it's time to get another car, 161000 miles and it has multiple problems.
Her mom also has a PT Cruiser and it has some glitch where all the dash lights come on and engine shutters like it's about to die, sounds like a dangerous situation if it happens on freeway.
I'm thinking doing my clutch job on the C5 sounds easier now! Lol
Which would you rather do?
Been putting it off as lots of other things going on.
GF's PT Cruiser has been keeping me busy breaking down with multiple problems since last summer, cam sensor failures (replaced it 4 times, lifetime warranty) overheating can't even count how many.
The car reminds me of whack a mole, it has several problems with cooling system, fan motor went out(for radiator and ac condenser) replaced with new motor with fan blade and shroud comes that way from autozone.
Then 2 weeks later it's not working again, so I determined it's the harness connector that plugs into the fan, replace that.
Then a problem develops where car sounds like percolating coffee pot (water boiling) and overheating.
I would let car cool overnight and add water and coolant next day, watching it would get bubbles coming up as engine warmed up, lots of bubbles.
Let car cool back down and start over, after several days I realized the bubbles aren't going to stop as I kept trying to bleed coolant.
Is it exhaust gasses getting into coolant? Well I bought this K and W head gasket repair and it actually fixed it, or bought me time to do a real head gasket during winter, this was in June/July, Phoenix Arizona too damn hot to dig that deep.
Anyways now the water pump went out, I think, loosing coolant and I see a big leak coming from passenger side of engine, put on ramps and crawl underneath, all the crap crammed together water pump is buried behind timing covers and belt.
Ok so I'll tear it down to water pump and find out before buying new parts.
Reading online and Haynes manual, upper and lower motor mounts come out, then engine bracket that holds upper motor mount (very tight access because it's almost touching frame/body no room to work hardly) you apparently have to support engine with floor jack and wood and lower and raise engine to access engine mount bracket.
At one point I read have A/C discharged and remove ac lines then take off more frame brackets to get engine bracket out.
Have to pull balancer outer timing cover, timing belt, cam gears inner timing cover, then you can reach the water pump.
The biggest thing I don't like is having to remove ac lines to access stuff to do a timing belt or water pump.
I told her maybe it's time to get another car, 161000 miles and it has multiple problems.
Her mom also has a PT Cruiser and it has some glitch where all the dash lights come on and engine shutters like it's about to die, sounds like a dangerous situation if it happens on freeway.
I'm thinking doing my clutch job on the C5 sounds easier now! Lol
Which would you rather do?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2017
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From: Hickory NC
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Compared to what you've been doing on the Cruiser, the clutch should be a walk in the park. And it's a lot more fun to test drive it after you finish the work!! 
Sounds like it's time for the Cruiser to go!
Sounds like it's time for the Cruiser to go!
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I'd rather not have either one to mess with. But, of the two, the C5 sounds like it would be easier to get straightened out.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,346
Likes: 755
From: Greensboro Nc
Also, is it really wise to be investing yourself in a family that clearly has a habit poor decisions such as buying pt cruisers?
I would leave my wife if I came home one day and there was a PT snoozer parked outside.
I would leave my wife if I came home one day and there was a PT snoozer parked outside.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 4,669
Likes: 1,849
From: Erlanger, Kentucky
Definitely would rather do the C5 Clutch job.
By the way, if you get rid of the PT Cruiser don't replace it with a Chevy HHR. There is a reason they look similar; the same person was involved in the design of both. Yikes.
By the way, if you get rid of the PT Cruiser don't replace it with a Chevy HHR. There is a reason they look similar; the same person was involved in the design of both. Yikes.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,999
Likes: 386
From: Chandler AZ
Why am I even trying to help, I've tried talking her into getting a Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic, now she has her eye on a Dodge Caliber on a used lot.
I already think Dodge Plymouth Chrysler is not too good.
I'll just fix my cars and let them take their junk to Firestone repair shop like they were doing before I came into the picture.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 904
Likes: 296
From: Sacramento, California
Get rid of the PT and fix your C5. Get the wife a Corolla like I did and you'll only have the C5 to work on from time as Corolla' s are very reliable. We had a 2012 Chevy Cruze up until last year, but had GM buy it back since it ended up in the shop 22 times, yes 22 times! Our 2016 Corolla has been flawless so far. Stay away from Dodge and Chrysler cars.
Steve
Steve
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,999
Likes: 386
From: Chandler AZ
Anyone know if Kia Soul is ok?
The boxy car with silly ads with hamsters driving.
Going to look at a used one tomorrow for 5500.00 130k miles 2011 model but paint and interior look new.
The boxy car with silly ads with hamsters driving.
Going to look at a used one tomorrow for 5500.00 130k miles 2011 model but paint and interior look new.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,375
Likes: 426
I actually did both. I put a new timing belt and water pump in my PT Cruiser and a new slave cylinder in my C5.
The Cruiser is a bruiser. I measured 27 hours to from start to finish. That is a record for a timing belt. I really didn't want to do it either but I had no choice. The Chrysler dealer I bought it from new wanted $2100 for the timing job but only offered $1500 for the entire car as a trade in. Their mechanics said, " THIS IS A REALLY HARD JOB and WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT!". This on a 5 year old car with 110K miles. I didn't have to take the air cond apart to do the belt/water pump. I found the entire job became manageable when I undid the motor mounts and moved the motor over about 2 inches to the left. That gave me a full 2 3/4" to work. Way more than the original 3/4" I was working in. Still liked the car though and I do miss it. Don't want to do another timing belt on one though.
The C5 slave cylinder job was 3 weekends of about 5 hours per day. One whole day was getting the car up in the air safely so I could work without fear. It was much more unbolting but easier to get at everything. Then the drop and pull of the suspension/rear/trans/tube. The replacement of the slave was anti-climatic. Putting everything back together was WAY faster than taking it apart.
Of the two I would pick not to do either of them again. But I'm glad I did them.
The Cruiser is a bruiser. I measured 27 hours to from start to finish. That is a record for a timing belt. I really didn't want to do it either but I had no choice. The Chrysler dealer I bought it from new wanted $2100 for the timing job but only offered $1500 for the entire car as a trade in. Their mechanics said, " THIS IS A REALLY HARD JOB and WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT!". This on a 5 year old car with 110K miles. I didn't have to take the air cond apart to do the belt/water pump. I found the entire job became manageable when I undid the motor mounts and moved the motor over about 2 inches to the left. That gave me a full 2 3/4" to work. Way more than the original 3/4" I was working in. Still liked the car though and I do miss it. Don't want to do another timing belt on one though.
The C5 slave cylinder job was 3 weekends of about 5 hours per day. One whole day was getting the car up in the air safely so I could work without fear. It was much more unbolting but easier to get at everything. Then the drop and pull of the suspension/rear/trans/tube. The replacement of the slave was anti-climatic. Putting everything back together was WAY faster than taking it apart.
Of the two I would pick not to do either of them again. But I'm glad I did them.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,999
Likes: 386
From: Chandler AZ
When the dealer mechanic says they don't want to do it, that's pretty bad!
27 hours wow...
Do they make cars hard to work on so people give up on doing it themselves or not want to pay the excessive shop fees so they buy new cars?
Or is it just they don't put much thought into the mechanic not having access to work on it.
27 hours wow...
Do they make cars hard to work on so people give up on doing it themselves or not want to pay the excessive shop fees so they buy new cars?
Or is it just they don't put much thought into the mechanic not having access to work on it.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 72
Likes: 6
They don't care what it takes to repair stuff. As long as it lasts through the warranty period, they are happy. Even if 1 in 1000 has to be repaired under warranty, they don't care. I was driving my 2014 Camaro one day, had about 2K miles on it at the time, let the clutch out (slowly!) and BAM, sounded like my front windshield got hammered by something, but there was no one and nothing around! Pulled over and looked, giant crack in it down low. How does a brand new car pop a windshield? They replaced it for free so all was good. Not one mark on that windshield, nothing had ever hit it......
I really hate to work on anything frond wheel drive. Never any room. I own a Buick Lucerne with the Caddy Northstart. Took me 14 hours to do the water pump the first time. Let me friend do the second one, I know my limits!
I really hate to work on anything frond wheel drive. Never any room. I own a Buick Lucerne with the Caddy Northstart. Took me 14 hours to do the water pump the first time. Let me friend do the second one, I know my limits!