Help me fix my vehicles

[lurtsman]

I have three vehicles (counting the car for my wife). I want to sell one, but all three could use some work.

1. Saturn SW2 1999 (I think)

This car won't run. It got low on oil and and I hit in the clutch and let it coast to the parking spot. The last few days I had started it the engine was idling very low. It bordered on stalling out. Thinking oil might be the problem I checked the level, it was far too low. I added oil to the appropriate level. I was scared it would have locked up--but reading online says it will not even try to do anything if it locks up. When I attempt to turn it on the engine simply won't turn over. My wife (who knows more about vehicles than I do currently--but not for long) suspects the spark plugs need to be replaced. This appears to be a reasonably simple process. She wanted to buy a device to make sure the gap size is correct on new spark plugs. I wanted to just buy spark plugs made for the car and trust the factory to know the right dimensions. Either way, does this sound like it may be correct? If we can get the car running, it should sell for much more. I really wish I had sold it as soon as I got back to Iowa, since I had the Tacoma to drive. I watched the video on how to do this, and I have most of the tools.

2. Toyota Tacoma 2003 Prerunner

My Tacoma frequently makes a high pitched squeal when turned on. If is raining heavily it usually does not squeal. I'm thinking a belt needs to be tightened, but it's not a simple belt and may require a trip to the shop. I'd hate to pay the mark up on parts if the shop had to put a new belt on it. Side note on this Q: Does anyone know if you can bring your own parts to the mechanic and have them use it?

3. Ford Crown Victoria 1992 (May need to check with wife) The mufflers are completely shot, the AC doesn't work, and driver side window has not worked for years. I'd like to fix the mufflers, and either the window or the AC. The problem is the AC system for older vehicles seems to be more complicated. We had hoped the driver side window would be a simple fix. I took it to an amateur who offered to fix it for 20 bucks. He took apart the door, found out it wasn't simply off the track and got discouraged. He took out the motor from the window and said it was trashed, but he could probably find a fair price on a replacement part from a junk yard. I told him that sounded like a good idea. He held onto the part to make sure it matched what he found. After that he never responded to calls and stopped showing up at the library where I used to meet him. I suspect he thought he should be paid for attempting to fix the window--even though he had not fixed anything. I did not offer to pay him to attempt anything, I agreed to pay for a completed job. Perhaps this is a cultural difference? Here are the questions for this car:

How hard would it be to replace the mufflers?

If I pull the window engine from another door could I place it in the driver side door?

How much should it cost to make the AC run again?

Remember that I can't afford to pay for a mechanics retirement. I'm working 60+ hours/week because that's what it takes to survive right now. Part of the challenge has been not having my wife to help me. She has finals soon and her basic answer is "I'm busy, **** the cars." However the saturn is draining my money--I already switched it to storage status for an insurance discount (about 80% off), but I've already got a vehicle registration renewal fee to help waste what money I can accumulate. I need to get it out of the garage so I can use the garage for storing more important things. (Less vending machines in the living room? I've got two locators working on this but I don't get much time to go out locating myself now. My other job sends plenty of work home also, so that takes up a great deal of space.)

I appreciate the help from anyone who can spare some advice. My father in law knows enough to easily fix all three vehicles, however he lives 2000 miles away. We are neither close, nor on bad terms. I wanted to take a wireless web cam out there while I worked on the car and talk to him about what I was doing so he could walk me through it. It seemed like a great way to expand my skill set. My wife hated this idea--reason unknown.

[mike777]

As far as the Crown Vic goes:

First of all, I wouldn't fix this with the intent to sell it.  Fix it to your standards if you plan on driving it, otherwise just junk/donate it.  According to KBB, it is worth $430-755 so any major repair you do will be worth more than the car itself.  As far as insurance goes, be sure to have the absolute minimum coverage on this car.

Mufflers are a fairly easy fix you can probably do yourself:  http://www.ehow.com/how_2049355_replace-muffler.html

It looks like window motors can be either universal or side-dependant: http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/search/?Ntt=window%20motor  I would try replacing the driver window motor with the rear passenger side motor.

Don't even try to get the AC fixed.  It will cost way more than the car is worth, and nobody in that price range will pay much more for it.  I've been driving around for 3 summers without AC--its not so bad.  Of course, I live in Minnesota. 

[JPVendCo.]

let me answer each question here

I have three vehicles (counting the car for my wife). I want to sell one, but all three could use some work.

1. Saturn SW2 1999 (I think)

This car won't run. It got low on oil and and I hit in the clutch and let it coast to the parking spot. The last few days I had started it the engine was idling very low. It bordered on stalling out. Thinking oil might be the problem I checked the level, it was far too low. I added oil to the appropriate level. I was scared it would have locked up--but reading online says it will not even try to do anything if it locks up. When I attempt to turn it on the engine simply won't turn over. My wife (who knows more about vehicles than I do currently--but not for long) suspects the spark plugs need to be replaced. This appears to be a reasonably simple process. She wanted to buy a device to make sure the gap size is correct on new spark plugs. I wanted to just buy spark plugs made for the car and trust the factory to know the right dimensions. Either way, does this sound like it may be correct? If we can get the car running, it should sell for much more. I really wish I had sold it as soon as I got back to Iowa, since I had the Tacoma to drive. I watched the video on how to do this, and I have most of the tools.

A- pull the plugs (ONE AT A TIME)  and check to see if oil is on the plugs. also give it a oil change, and look in the oil to see if there is coolant in it. If there is, you have a bigger problem. if not, go ahead and do the plug change (might as well do this as you are pulling them out, plugs are fairly cheap) your wife is right about the gapping tool, just get the cheap dollar one. you want to check them even if you do get pre-gapped ones.

2. Toyota Tacoma 2003 Prerunner

My Tacoma frequently makes a high pitched squeal when turned on. If is raining heavily it usually does not squeal. I'm thinking a belt needs to be tightened, but it's not a simple belt and may require a trip to the shop. I'd hate to pay the mark up on parts if the shop had to put a new belt on it. Side note on this Q: Does anyone know if you can bring your own parts to the mechanic and have them use it?

A- if it is a belt, i believe it has one of those serpentine belts. it may just be wore out. you can do this on your own, just pick up the haynes book on that model, and it will have a diagram. you could probably get this diagram with a google search as well. most mechanics don't want to use parts you bring in, when its engine related. just for the fact that they want to know it is the correct part, its not old and dry-rotted, that sort of thing.

3. Ford Crown Victoria 1992 (May need to check with wife) The mufflers are completely shot, the AC doesn't work, and driver side window has not worked for years. I'd like to fix the mufflers, and either the window or the AC. The problem is the AC system for older vehicles seems to be more complicated. We had hoped the driver side window would be a simple fix. I took it to an amateur who offered to fix it for 20 bucks. He took apart the door, found out it wasn't simply off the track and got discouraged. He took out the motor from the window and said it was trashed, but he could probably find a fair price on a replacement part from a junk yard. I told him that sounded like a good idea. He held onto the part to make sure it matched what he found. After that he never responded to calls and stopped showing up at the library where I used to meet him. I suspect he thought he should be paid for attempting to fix the window--even though he had not fixed anything. I did not offer to pay him to attempt anything, I agreed to pay for a completed job. Perhaps this is a cultural difference? Here are the questions for this car:

How hard would it be to replace the mufflers?

If I pull the window engine from another door could I place it in the driver side door?

How much should it cost to make the AC run again?

if you are trying to sell this one, i would say just put it up for sale as-is. let someone else fix it. put it up for sale for say 700, and expect to get 500. if you spend the money to fix it, you will make less then this after expense.

Remember that I can't afford to pay for a mechanics retirement. I'm working 60+ hours/week because that's what it takes to survive right now. Part of the challenge has been not having my wife to help me. She has finals soon and her basic answer is "I'm busy, **** the cars." However the saturn is draining my money--I already switched it to storage status for an insurance discount (about 80% off), but I've already got a vehicle registration renewal fee to help waste what money I can accumulate. I need to get it out of the garage so I can use the garage for storing more important things. (Less vending machines in the living room? I've got two locators working on this but I don't get much time to go out locating myself now. My other job sends plenty of work home also, so that takes up a great deal of space.)

I appreciate the help from anyone who can spare some advice. My father in law knows enough to easily fix all three vehicles, however he lives 2000 miles away. We are neither close, nor on bad terms. I wanted to take a wireless web cam out there while I worked on the car and talk to him about what I was doing so he could walk me through it. It seemed like a great way to expand my skill set. My wife hated this idea--reason unknown.

A- nothing expands you skill and knowledge like getting in there and doin it yourself. but that takes time, and right now, you don't have much of that.....

I would say that your father in law could be a source of support in these areas, if you got stumped he would be the one to call.

[mission vending]

I've got a Saturn wagon, Had idle issues and tried fuel filter, that helped. but with 140K miles on it it turned out to be the fuel pump. That was almost $500 just for the pump assembly. OUCH!! It's been running great since.

With the Tacoma, I agree about the belt but the source of the noise is likely the idler pulley or the belt tensioner. You should change those when you change the belt anyway. Ought to cost 120-160 for belt, idler and tensioner.

[Hillbilly]

Belt tensioners are removed by applying force in the opposite direction of the spring in the tensioner.  A 3/8 or 1/2  ratchet is generally all that is required to do this.  Just slip the ratchet in the square hole on the tensioner and try to move it one way or the other. It will move. Pull on the ratchet far enough to slip the belt off.

After you get the belt off you can inspect the tensioner and idler pully.  The bearings are replacable on a lot of them. Held on by a simple snap ring.

You can look it up at www.gates.com. You need the vehicles vin # located either on the driver door or right side of windshield.

[JPVendCo.]

if the noise is from the pulley, i wouldn't worry about it, until you got the time and money. a squeaky idler pulley is no big deal.

[lurtsman]

A note on the crown vic. We do not intend to sell it. Repairs will only be made to make it reasonable to drive in for the next 1-2 years while we pay down debt. The muffler issue gives my wife headaches if she drives over 45 or so. It also has problems with the engine over heating. We had the coolant flushed. It still occurs. It seems to be worse on muggy days.

[JPVendCo.]

the overheating could be a bad water pump.

[Dixienormas2]

Inspect the grooved portion of your belt closely,  If it is NOT cracked/cracking (Looking weathers), go down to napa/autozone and get a tube of belt dressing.  Follow the instructions and no more noise.  Being an 03, I doubt your idler pulley and tensioner is on the way out.  Thus no squeek in the rain. Get ya some belt dressing (or new belt if it is badly weathered/cracking) and you will be right as rain.

[Dixienormas2]

A band aide will get you by until you can see the doc.  I.E. Someone who knows how to work a tensioner pulley.

[will.vend]

I had an overheating issue and it turned out to be as simple as the radiator cap. I bought a cheap one and the spring in it wouldnt allow water to go in the recovery tank.

[mission vending]

A note on the crown vic. We do not intend to sell it. Repairs will only be made to make it reasonable to drive in for the next 1-2 years while we pay down debt. The muffler issue gives my wife headaches if she drives over 45 or so. It also has problems with the engine over heating. We had the coolant flushed. It still occurs. It seems to be worse on muggy days.

A vehicle that old could probably use a radiator flush and/or themostat replacement. Either or both could cause your overheating problem.

my .02