Winter beater

[zhawk]

Just after Christmas Tammy started telling me that she was concerned about me driving the Vette with the roads getting icy. Since it was winter break, she wasn't using our truck (she works for a school district) so I was driving it to work and back.

But, with school starting up again she didn't want me in the Vette on our roads. Too many, nutcases who can't drive is what she SAID she was concerned about. All of our cars were RWD and with 3 of them being show cars and one of them having an engine being rebuilt for drag racing, they were out. I leave for work at 11PM and come home at either 8 or 9 AM so I get 2 chances for icy roads.

That left the Vette, our truck, and our 89 Camaro convertible. The vert has a stage 2 shift kit in it until I can get a new 1st - 2nd shift spring and the time to work on it. That means the shift is pretty harsh, and she had concerns about it as well.

What's all of the above mean? We decided to pick up something that I wouldn't care if it got hit. Well, I found something at the local Chevy dealership. They had just taken in a 2000 Calvalier Z24 that, as they said, looked like someone hit it with a bat, repeatedly. They wanted $1999 for it and after driving it I was able to list some other problems and get them down to $1150.

The Cav is a Z24 like I mentioned with the 2.4L and auto. It has a moonroof, power windows and doors locks, AM/FM Cassette/CD stereo, and AC. It should also have remote door locks but the remote is gone.

So when the roads were icy I drove that back and forth to work and on other days Tammy has driven it instead of our truck. I also started digging into the problems it had. Here is the list.

Trac Off light always on

Rough Shift (it is an auto)

Intermittant engine codes for cylinder misfire and O2 sesnor heat circuit

Rough idle at times

Sound like a knock

Fuel gauge, temp guage, and tach losing function

Stereo acts like a tape is in

Rear window defog inoperative.

Well, driving it home one day and those guages dropping off, I turned off the heating and the guages picked back up. I had the battery and alternator tested, both good. That's when I pulled out my multimeter. Found 2 broken wires andrepaired them. Checked resistance across the battery cables(with the battery out of course) and those checked good. Finally I decided to just replace both battery cables and reroute a wire bundle. At the same time I changed out the spark plugs.

What did that wind up doing? Fixed everything but the stereo, rear window defogger, and maybe the O2 sensor. That last I haven't seen but am unwilling to call it fixed unless at least a week goes by without it faulting.

Now the car drives real well. It still likes like a rolling dent, or as I like to call it "The Urban Assaulted Vehicle."

A couple of people have already told Tammy that if sell it, then they want to buy it so, I should get all of the money I put into it back out with no problems. Tammy told me that if we get another winter car it can be my choice. So, naturally, I started thinking about a Fiero GT.

[Blake Noble]

Tammy told me that if we get another winter car it can be my choice. So, naturally, I started thinking about a Fiero GT.

Don't be surprised if you see a green Millenia or maroon Cutlass stalking you.

[jcgable]

Don't be surprised if you see a green Millenia or maroon Cutlass stalking you.

[zhawk]

Think either would make it all the way out to Washington State? From what I keep reading, I think I might be safe.

I plan on stopping in Spanaway to check out an 87 Fiero GT tomorrow. I would really prefer an 88. I might also consider getting an early 90s MR2. Yeah, I know its from THAT company but those things are a blast to drive.

[daves87rs]

Ah, a true "beater" I see.

Sounds like the last person drove the S*** out of it....

Hopefully they took care of that 2.4......those engines are a real PITA when abused (just ask BV about his 'Fire)

Any pics?

[zhawk]

Ah, a true "beater" I see.

Sounds like the last person drove the S*** out of it....

Hopefully they took care of that 2.4......those engines are a real PITA when abused (just ask BV about his 'Fire)

Any pics?

I don't think that they actually drove it bad. They just had no clue on how to do maintenance, unfortunately. And when some kids started hitting it a bat, they just got rid of it. The engine and tranny are both sound. In fact now that the electrical problem is fixed the darn thing runs perfect.

The fault for the O2 sensor is still there, though. I am planning on doing an oil change this weekend. I will check the wiring down there while I have the car on jackstands. If the wiring is good I have to decide if it is worth replacing the sensor. A new one is about $75-$80. I would rather have everything working perfectly but don't know if it is worth it.

I will say this. I am prefer working on my RWD cars a bunch more. Even in the newer ones, they seem easier to work on.

[SuperSport623]

im lusting after an 88 Fiero GT with a stick.. if somehow i come upon one soon, ill buy it in a second... i want one!

[zhawk]

I really need to quit looking at cars for now.

Like that's going to happen.

[daves87rs]

I don't think that they actually drove it bad. They just had no clue on how to do maintenance, unfortunately. And when some kids started hitting it a bat, they just got rid of it. The engine and tranny are both sound. In fact now that the electrical problem is fixed the darn thing runs perfect.

The fault for the O2 sensor is still there, though. I am planning on doing an oil change this weekend. I will check the wiring down there while I have the car on jackstands. If the wiring is good I have to decide if it is worth replacing the sensor. A new one is about $75-$80. I would rather have everything working perfectly but don't know if it is worth it.

I will say this. I am prefer working on my RWD cars a bunch more. Even in the newer ones, they seem easier to work on.

Well, as long as the 2.4 is in good shape you should be pretty good. If it has over 100k, check out the water pump. It tends to be the most common issue on those.....

The nice thing about the J body is that the parts come pretty cheap...

[daves87rs]

I really need to quit looking at cars for now.

Like that's going to happen.

It never happens...

[zhawk]

It never happens...

I know. Have you seen the list of cars in my sig? I would have thought I would be happy now.

I'll keep an eye on the water pump like you suggested. Everything seems tight right now. I am also considering doing a transmission filter and reservicing the tranny. Two reasons; one is that it has 130K miles on it and the other is because of those rough shift while it had the electrical problems. Hmmm.

[Cory Wolfe]

Think either would make it all the way out to Washington State? From what I keep reading, I think I might be safe.

It's not a matter of getting there.. it's a matter of affording to get there.

[zhawk]

I know what you mean, BV.

You know, everytime, I think about it, the Fiero option looks better and better. Of course, I would probably look into stuffing a 350 or 383 in it.

[daves87rs]

I know what you mean, BV.

You know, everytime, I think about it, the Fiero option looks better and better. Of course, I would probably look into stuffing a 350 or 383 in it.

Sweet!

[daves87rs]

Z- What color is that cav?

I think we have all the blue ones here...that's the only color I see...

I think I still have the booklet for the 2000 cav somewhere....

[zhawk]

The Cav is a dark green. Pretty decent color actually.

We took it grocery shopping today. Some idiot acted like he was coming over into our lane. He saw us, I mean he was looking directly at us. I think he expected us to get out of his way. I just looked back at him, thinking, "Go ahead and add another dent, like I'm going to be able to notice."

He backed off and slowed down to get behind us. Awwww, wimp.

What's funny is that the wife is all cool with a Fiero, as long as she gets to play with it as well. Heck, she said as long as I get the 355 in her IROC by the end of the year, I can save up for that new LS3 with Carb and Distributor for the 71 RS Z/28. tempting, very tempting.

[2005 EquinoxLS]

You have a good wife.