My sons g/f was looking for a low cost car( in college). I have been looking for her for a few months. I ran across a craigslist post for a saturn sl2 twincam that look good and was within 2 hours. It was listed as 172,000 miles. The price was $550. I thought well if the body is not too bad, i can get a swap yard engine and still come out okay. When i got there i was suprised. It is an NC car, no rust underneath. No headliner issues or torn seats. Someone has smoked in it but thats manageable. I cranked it up and heard quite a tapping sound that i recognized. ( Ive had 3 saturns prior). I turned on my flashlight and yep its the belt tensioner. I paid him cash took the title and drove it home.
Usually i trailer a car like this, but everything worked well enough, i had my avalanche in case i had to rent a dolly. Got it home.
Today i changed out the el-cheapo dayco belt tensioner( those are junk on a saturn.) Replaced it with a gates metal tensioner, and no tapping sound!!
The valve cover was leaking , when i pulled the plugs, they were soaked in oil.
So i pulled the valve cover and a bit of varnish and some deposits but no real sludge, just some baked on stuff. Cleaned it some, did not waste a lot of time on it. Cleaned the mating surfaces with a scotchpad and in went new felpro gaskets.
I pulled the wheels , the brakes are almost new including drums on the rear. The fronts look really good as well. The tires have about 1/2 original tread left all the way around.
Turns out i have a pretty good car for a college kid.
I can't believe he let it go for $550.
I titled this thread eljefino special, as i've read he has bought really low priced cars like this. This is the least i've ever paid.
Pics;
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junky dayco tensioner
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Maybe a bit of cam wear, but i can't feel it with a fingernail
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Usually i trailer a car like this, but everything worked well enough, i had my avalanche in case i had to rent a dolly. Got it home.
Today i changed out the el-cheapo dayco belt tensioner( those are junk on a saturn.) Replaced it with a gates metal tensioner, and no tapping sound!!
The valve cover was leaking , when i pulled the plugs, they were soaked in oil.
So i pulled the valve cover and a bit of varnish and some deposits but no real sludge, just some baked on stuff. Cleaned it some, did not waste a lot of time on it. Cleaned the mating surfaces with a scotchpad and in went new felpro gaskets.
I pulled the wheels , the brakes are almost new including drums on the rear. The fronts look really good as well. The tires have about 1/2 original tread left all the way around.
Turns out i have a pretty good car for a college kid.
I can't believe he let it go for $550.
I titled this thread eljefino special, as i've read he has bought really low priced cars like this. This is the least i've ever paid.
Pics;
[img:center]
[/img] [img:center]
[/img] [img:center]
[/img] junky dayco tensioner
[img:center]
[/img] [img:center]
[/img] Maybe a bit of cam wear, but i can't feel it with a fingernail
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