Guest Posted April 3, 2003 Report Share Posted April 3, 2003 Ok, so.... since I rarely have time for my car hobby anymore, I took the Cutty in for some maintenance and replacements. First off, I had the front struts replaced. Now here is were the questions come in. I noticed yesterday as I was sticking the stock 5-spoke allows back on for spring (yeah I know, now it is going to snow), that the supposedly new struts were completely soaked in thick, black grease, very wet. Did they just repalce the internal cartridge? They justn don't look new, it does right much firmer, so something had to be done. I also noticed a large mounting bracket, which of course has nothing attached to it. This was odd to me as well. On the right side, if faces forward, and o nthe left side it faces rearward. What the hell is that???? Anyone have a clue? I am sort of clueless on these car's suspensions. Next. I had the tranny fluid changed for the second time since I had it, and this is now the second time that I get that tranny rattling noise in sharp left hand turns. I check the tranny and sure enough, it was an entire quart low! What gives? That's twice now after a fluid change that it has been low. I also noticed how the Exhaust routes under the rear suspension and how due to its design, it must make contact with the leaf spring. There is even a heat sheild (I think that is what it is) mounted on the spring and one on the pipe. This has to be what is casuing my clunks when going up driveways from angles. Is this normal? I had them check the exhaust and of course they told me it was fine. Bah. Oh.... and the loaner Intrigue they gave me had the fan belt fall off on the freeway while my wife and I were taking a $300 lizard back home from the pet store in a timely fashio so it wasn't without heat long.... I love no power steering and overheating.... GAH. I must say though... I love 3800s hehehe... Intrigue had one, and so did the Impala rental I got. Ah such nice drivability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted April 3, 2003 Report Share Posted April 3, 2003 Yes, the front struts on these cars take cartridges. You're supposed to remove so much of the existing strut juice in the strut housing, but leave enough so that the cartridge can dissipate enough heat. The strut juice that's all over the strut body is probably because they didn't take time to siphon it out, they just plopped the cartridges in and let the old juice overflow out the top. Those mounting brackets are for attaching the strut assembly to GM's fancy strut spring compression jig. It's not really good for anything except for if they need to compress the spring to replace it. I don't know anything about your fluid change, maybe they just put some in it and didn't bother to check again, or they filled it up with the engine off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JS91Z34 Posted April 3, 2003 Report Share Posted April 3, 2003 Thats what I did with mine struts when I replaced them. Screw that siphoning crap. Sounds too much like work :!: :!: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPRACER Posted April 4, 2003 Report Share Posted April 4, 2003 Hate dealerships? I work at a dealership, you should see some of the crap that gets towed in here due to stupid backyard grass under foot looser mechanics. While I can't vouch for all dealerships, I know if I fuck up a job and a customer complains I get in deep shit. And those strut cartridges work best if you remove all the old fluid even leaving the amount specified by the instructions can cause a irritating knock noise. They won't overheat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 4, 2003 Report Share Posted April 4, 2003 No disrespect GPRacer, none at all, in fact I probably wouldn't trust anyone else with my cars, including ones that are non stock, these people have pulled through in many occasions, but these two jobs just seem a tad sloppy, you know? No attention to detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JS91Z34 Posted April 4, 2003 Report Share Posted April 4, 2003 Hate dealerships? I work at a dealership, you should see some of the crap that gets towed in here due to stupid backyard grass under foot looser mechanics. While I can't vouch for all dealerships, I know if I fuck up a job and a customer complains I get in deep shit. And those strut cartridges work best if you remove all the old fluid even leaving the amount specified by the instructions can cause a irritating knock noise. They won't overheat. No knocking noise here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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