Aleromod.com Aleromod.com

Go Back   Aleromod.com > Performance Related > LA1 3400 Specific

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 08-24-2017, 02:15 PM   #1
homegrown
GX Member
 
homegrown's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Northern IL
Posts: 74
homegrown is on a distinguished road
Fix, sell, part-out or junk it?

Everyone:
I'm at a bit of a crossroads with my Alero, and I'm not really sure what to do.
I could really use some level-headed advice.
My Alero is now 17 years old, but it still looks pretty decent. Sure, there are rock chips and dings here and there, but no rust holes in the body (although there is the usual subframe rust - I do live in Northern IL, after all). I'm sure it helps that the car hasn't been driven during winter in over 12 years.
Anyway, I had a 6-speed manual swapped in by Milzy maybe 4 years ago, and after some tinkering with the shifter, it works pretty good. Oh, and it has a super-rare Quaife limited-slip.
Then about 3 years ago, I had a new motor dropped in, and I thought this was it. It was my original block, but it was bored 1mm oversize for forged 11:1 pistons, Scat forged rods, a healthy cam, double-roller timing set, ported 3500 LX9 heads with Manley stainless steel valves, stiff PAC Racing springs, titanium retainers, all the good stuff. Again, after a few teething problems, it ran well. When I contracted the engine shop that built it, I told them specifically I didn't want any leaks.
Well, it always dripped a bit of oil, but not enough to get my pants in a bunch.
Fast forward to this spring, and it leaks oil like a sieve. I have to add a quart every 1000 miles. I know it's leaking by the puddle on my garage floor.
I took it to my trusted local mechanic, and he thinks it needs head gaskets. Swell. Damn Cometic MLS gaskets never did seal well.
They don't do that kind of work, and I'm not sure I'd ask them to because so much has been changed on the car. I could do the work myself and save the $1500 or so I'd pay a shop to do it for me, but I'm really busy at work and I'm getting old. Wrenching just isn't fun anymore once you're over 40.
Of course I've got a bunch of suspension mods and some really beefy brakes, plus a nice Razzi kit and Recaro seats. Again, there are good parts in this heap. And if I do fix it, the convenience of having an extra car just in case is undeniable. Insurance costs basically nothing on this car, and with a gentle right foot, I can get 35MPG.

So, what do I do here? Spend the $400 or so on gaskets and fluids, and fix it myself? Try to sell it for peanuts? Part it out for anyone that'd pay me for the parts that are worth good money (although I highly doubt I'd find anyone to buy my AP Racing brake calipers)? Or just send it to the scrap pile?
Thanks for indulging.
__________________
I drive slow.
Please don't tailgate me.
homegrown is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-2017, 05:43 PM   #2
AleroCzak
GX Member
 
AleroCzak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 44
AleroCzak is on a distinguished road
I would say fixing it is ideal.
However if you decide you can't do that, don't scrap it, either sell or part it. I'm sure someone is itching to get their hands on a 6-speed.
__________________
"Luna"- 2003 GL 4-Door 3400 sold 2023
"Katie"-2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
AleroCzak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-2017, 05:45 PM   #3
Oldsnut
Aleromod Old Fart & Owner
 
Oldsnut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Kerrville, Texas
Posts: 8,112
Oldsnut has a reputation beyond reputeOldsnut has a reputation beyond reputeOldsnut has a reputation beyond reputeOldsnut has a reputation beyond reputeOldsnut has a reputation beyond reputeOldsnut has a reputation beyond reputeOldsnut has a reputation beyond reputeOldsnut has a reputation beyond reputeOldsnut has a reputation beyond reputeOldsnut has a reputation beyond reputeOldsnut has a reputation beyond repute
Keep the car, you have put so much worK into it Matt!! As soon as you got rid of it you would regret it.
__________________

Final 500 #448-OCA Preservation Class Winner, Final 500 Alero #219, '02 Bravada
I am officially addicted to Olds



Oldsnut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-2017, 05:56 PM   #4
AleroB888
GLS member
 
AleroB888's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fort Knox area, KY
Posts: 2,120
AleroB888 has a reputation beyond reputeAleroB888 has a reputation beyond reputeAleroB888 has a reputation beyond reputeAleroB888 has a reputation beyond reputeAleroB888 has a reputation beyond reputeAleroB888 has a reputation beyond reputeAleroB888 has a reputation beyond reputeAleroB888 has a reputation beyond reputeAleroB888 has a reputation beyond reputeAleroB888 has a reputation beyond reputeAleroB888 has a reputation beyond repute
Well, I'll assume you are joking about the junk-out option

I vote fix it yourself over the Winter, if it's going to be parked anyway...

40 is old?? Man, you must have a stressful job lol
__________________
2003 GL MP62 supercharged / 2004 GLS stock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpVYZPbpPzk
AleroB888 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-2017, 10:19 PM   #5
01GrandAm
GX Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Indiana
Posts: 81
01GrandAm is on a distinguished road
Depends if you are ready to move on or if you think you will regret selling it. If you think you are ready, put out a feeler with a price and see what happens. I never thought sleepyalero would sell his, but he did.
01GrandAm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2017, 01:37 AM   #6
[ion] C2
636 whp
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: AZ
Posts: 11,872
[ion] C2 has a reputation beyond repute[ion] C2 has a reputation beyond repute[ion] C2 has a reputation beyond repute[ion] C2 has a reputation beyond repute[ion] C2 has a reputation beyond repute[ion] C2 has a reputation beyond repute[ion] C2 has a reputation beyond repute[ion] C2 has a reputation beyond repute[ion] C2 has a reputation beyond repute[ion] C2 has a reputation beyond repute[ion] C2 has a reputation beyond repute
I would buy the brake setup.

If you want to bet on someone keeping theirs forever, it's me.

Just pay someone to fix it. At any age it's not enjoyable to wrench. Only if you're upgrading stuff is it fun.
[ion] C2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2017, 09:45 AM   #7
zzyzzx
GLS member
 
zzyzzx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Posts: 5,529
zzyzzx has a reputation beyond reputezzyzzx has a reputation beyond reputezzyzzx has a reputation beyond reputezzyzzx has a reputation beyond reputezzyzzx has a reputation beyond reputezzyzzx has a reputation beyond reputezzyzzx has a reputation beyond reputezzyzzx has a reputation beyond reputezzyzzx has a reputation beyond reputezzyzzx has a reputation beyond reputezzyzzx has a reputation beyond repute
I would fix it.
zzyzzx is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2017, 01:44 PM   #8
01GrandAm
GX Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Indiana
Posts: 81
01GrandAm is on a distinguished road
The hard part about modded cars is finding someone that is willing to work on them and that will take the time to listen to what has been done. Then you question did they really do a good job. The guy that bought my grand am tried to take the car to a shop who told him no way in hell was that a 3.5L engine. Ultimately I ended up helping him and he swapped in a new 3500.

Sadly if you want it done right without spending a fortune, you will want to do it yourself. If working on cars isn't your thing anymore, then I would let it go as a car of this age will need things more and more often in most cases.

Personally working on stuff is still a release for me and something I enjoy.
01GrandAm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2017, 03:28 PM   #9
tw0123
OSV coming soon!!!!!
 
tw0123's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: lindsay, ontario
Posts: 2,367
tw0123 has a reputation beyond reputetw0123 has a reputation beyond reputetw0123 has a reputation beyond reputetw0123 has a reputation beyond reputetw0123 has a reputation beyond reputetw0123 has a reputation beyond reputetw0123 has a reputation beyond reputetw0123 has a reputation beyond reputetw0123 has a reputation beyond reputetw0123 has a reputation beyond reputetw0123 has a reputation beyond repute
I vote for you to fix it... It shouldn't take but a weekend to fix plus you'll know it was done right as you're meticulous with your own vehicle...

It is possible you might find someone who would buy the car whole, but probably max out at about 4k... Which is criminal for that car... Parting it out would be tough as well and you could end up sitting on parts waiting for them to sell... Chris is in for brakes, wheels, motor and razzi kit might be able to talk Ryan into them, then you might be able to toss in a stock motor and get 1500 for the car, but that's a lot more work then just fixing it...

Hopefully you'll fix it and keep rolling but it's ultimately your decision...
__________________

Misty: 3400, S&S headers, TCE 65mm TB, CAI, 180* TStat, Milzy motor & tranny mount, 18" BOSS 328 & much more... going osv!!
Silver: 2.4L, 5 speed, GAGT seats, front & rear STB's, all red tails, led headlights, Magnaflow muffler, Milzy Motor mount, WAI, Cosmo short shifter; sold n missed
Tequila: 2.4L, GA interior swap, scrapped...
tw0123 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2017, 06:23 PM   #10
Redog
Aleromod part owner
 
Redog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Far Northeast Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 18,199
Redog has a reputation beyond reputeRedog has a reputation beyond reputeRedog has a reputation beyond reputeRedog has a reputation beyond reputeRedog has a reputation beyond reputeRedog has a reputation beyond reputeRedog has a reputation beyond reputeRedog has a reputation beyond reputeRedog has a reputation beyond reputeRedog has a reputation beyond reputeRedog has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Redog Send a message via Yahoo to Redog
Fix it. No doubt at all.

I just put $800 to get mine thru inspection back in April. If it was still a DD stuff that needed to pass, would have replaced a while ago. Plus I spent $225 to fix a small rust hole on my rocker. I got luck with that one I guess.

I plan on keeping mine forever, so I don't mine spending the money. Helps that it's garaged a lot now. I suspend the insurance every now and then to keep costs down, because it's hard with paying all my legal fees and a mountain of child support. Hopefully things will change with that in November.

Drove it around for 2 weeks when the Volvo was down. It's not that I don't enjoy driving it, it's that there's so many dumbasses and pure ahoes driving around here. Plus the city is putting speed bumps on just about every street in my neighbhood. In fact, I bottomed out with the freshly built, $3000 transmission in the Delta, about 6 hours after getting the car back from the shop

People at work ask me all the time "Where's the Redog?"

Needs paint, the quarter is starting to flake from the poor paint in the accident, the hood has tiger stripes, and needs bodywork, the spoiler is mostly white now. It will be repainted, but for now, I enjoy it
__________________
33% ALEROMOD OWNER!!


2000 Olds Alero 3400 SFI 14.53 @ 94.93
1985 Olds Delta 88 307 SBO 17.96 @ 76.99
2007 Volvo V50 T5 6M 15.782 @ 89.12
www.facebook.com/kb0177
Redog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2017, 11:51 PM   #11
Papa Rad17
Premier V.I.P. Member
 
Papa Rad17's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Ferdinand Indiana
Posts: 2,742
Papa Rad17 is on a distinguished road
Fix it! That car is completely worth it. I have moved on from an alero a few times and regretted it every time. If you do decided it's time to move on, find it a good home- like my garage.
edit- don't part out that package. You have put together a great car. If you end up looking to sell, contact me before you post it somewhere else.
__________________
3rd alero- 02 GX 2.2 5sp coupe. drove for 3 years 55,000 miles. Sold for a kids first car, and missed
01 Intrigue GX
2016 Chevy SS, Jet Black
Papa Rad17 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2017, 02:57 PM   #12
MilzyZ34
GX Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, OH
Posts: 215
MilzyZ34 has a reputation beyond reputeMilzyZ34 has a reputation beyond reputeMilzyZ34 has a reputation beyond reputeMilzyZ34 has a reputation beyond reputeMilzyZ34 has a reputation beyond reputeMilzyZ34 has a reputation beyond reputeMilzyZ34 has a reputation beyond reputeMilzyZ34 has a reputation beyond reputeMilzyZ34 has a reputation beyond reputeMilzyZ34 has a reputation beyond reputeMilzyZ34 has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to MilzyZ34
So did you fix it?
__________________
www.milzymotorsports.com
1999 Z34 - 3800 Turbo - Under Construction
1999 Grand Am GT Turbo race car - 12.1ET on stock engine with 10psi!
1977 Corvette - LS1/LS6 T56 - Under Construction
MilzyZ34 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2017, 09:26 PM   #13
homegrown
GX Member
 
homegrown's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Northern IL
Posts: 74
homegrown is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by MilzyZ34 View Post
So did you fix it?
I have not. The car is up on jackstands in my garage.
The only thing I have done is to remove the front and rear brakes because I have a verbal commitment to purchase from a buyer.
__________________
I drive slow.
Please don't tailgate me.
homegrown is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-02-2017, 12:34 AM   #14
GaryC
GX Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 29
GaryC is on a distinguished road
40 isn't too old to work on cars Keep it and fix it.
GaryC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-06-2017, 11:54 PM   #15
That01Olds
GLS member
 
That01Olds's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Tacoma, Washington
Posts: 1,909
That01Olds is on a distinguished road
Not sure how I missed this back in August, but I'm with pretty much everyone else and say fix it. I remember seeing your car at A.S.S. back in 2010 and then seeing how far it has come since then and you've put so much work in to the car Matt that it would just be a shame imo to see it end up in the scrap yard after all of that, but I also totally understand too that you've gotta do what you feel is the right option for you. Me personally though I go with fix it and getting that puppy back on the road in time for Summer.
__________________
2017 Volkswagen Jetta S 5-Speed 1.4L Turbocharged I4 (TSI).
2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring Roadster 2.0L I4 (MZR).
__________________________________________________
2005 Mazda6 S Wagon 3.0L V6 (MZI) (Sold).
2013 Mazda3 i Touring Sedan 2.0L I4 (Skyactiv-G) (Sold).
2010 Chevrolet HHR LT 2.2L I4 (LE8) (Sold).
1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue GX 3.5L Twin Cam V6 (LX5) (Sold).
2001 Oldsmobile Alero GL 2.4L (LD9) (Sold).
That01Olds is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:23 PM.


Powered by vBulletin Version 3.6.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.