Need your guys' opinions.

[01GrandAm]

The black tube that is loose is part of the PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) system. As long as it is connected I wouldn't be concerned about some play in the tubing.

If you are planning on keeping the car, I would suggest replacing both front hubs.

As far as the PO420 code, it is either the sensor or the catalytic converter. If it is a catalytic converter, you can get a direct fit magnaflow 23520 for $175 shipped.

I would also recommend replacing both the coolant temp sensor and thermostat at the same time as the parts are cheap and they are in the same relative location.

Thermostat Location:


Coolant Temp Sensor Location:

[brickkk]

i have done all the mechanics on my car at home with 0 experience just by looking thru these forums here , i have done either small and big jobs by big i mean open the tranny . aleros are easy to fix srsly , only pain is rusted bolts or old owner effing up screwheads ^^ especially the 2 bolts on the galiper mount

on the 2nd picture posted watch for torque spec for that sensor because the part where its sitting in is aluminium , u dont want to crack that open and have prestone leak everywhere ^^
<3 aleros !! haha

@01grandam correct me if im wrong but the pcv should have a valve at one end conneting to front end of engine ? im sure i changed that on the blue alero

[a.graham52]

ok first off... if your SES light is on and the P0128 code is current then your fans will come on all the time (limp-home-mode). pretty much means the ecm is not seeing the temp come up high enough and sets the code. "typicaly" its the the thermostat that is to blame. they are cheap, throw one at it and bleed the coolant system. you could possibly have a coolant temp sensor issue... BUT if your temp gauge does work then your probably ok there.

P0420 cat efficiency... pretty much means your cat is not working right and if you looked at your O2 sensor voltages between sensor 1 (o2 sensor that effects fuel trims) and sensor 2(sensor behind the cat that verify operations) then you should see sensor one voltages go up and down rapidly while sensor 2 voltage stays pretty smooth and lazy. when the p0420 code sets you will find both sensors close to the same in voltages (because its seeing the same fuel and air mixture before AND after the cat) hence low cat inefficiency. you could throw a down stream o2 sensor at is because they are cheaper then a cat... however i belive your looking at a new cat.

[03glgold]

While you are a technician and I am sure you know what you are talking about I do have to point out that when my coolant temp sensor messed up the gauge still read fine,however it could be past 3/4 and the fan wouldn't kick on and while it could have been reading a little off i could smell that she was getting hot so I know it wasn't that much

[a.graham52]

Originally Posted by 03glgold

While you are a technician and I am sure you know what you are talking about I do have to point out that when my coolant temp sensor messed up the gauge still read fine,however it could be past 3/4 and the fan wouldn't kick on and while it could have been reading a little off i could smell that she was getting hot so I know it wasn't that much

im quite sure (i KNOW they are on the newer cars with that code) the fans are programed to come on when a code such as that sets. clear the code and see if the fan stays off untill the code sets again.

[03glgold]

Originally Posted by a.graham52

im quite sure (i KNOW they are on the newer cars with that code) the fans are programed to come on when a code such as that sets. clear the code and see if the fan stays off untill the code sets again.

that is the part where my first sentence comes into play...i never threw a code

[a.graham52]

guess i wasnt sure if you were trying to tell me im wrong or just adding more to it?

[03glgold]

i was just saying that while what you were saying about the temperature guage not working right with the broken sensor may usually be true there are cases where it still works right

[03glgold]

wrong post

[Lucion01]

Ok. So at work today I notice a couple spots under my car. Stick my finger in it, transmission fluid.

Gonna wake up early tomorrow and give the shop a call.

I've never had to deal with a shop that messed up something when working on one of my vehicles. How should I handle the situation?

[sleepyalero]

RAGE.

i would not be happy, i would go in and demand the problem to be fixed at no cost. but be somewhat sincere. since your car is in there hands, sometimes a mechanic can so very small things to a car that will take you a good while to notice, but thats if the shop guys are real butt holes.

just be like my car was not leaking tranny fluid till after i brought it in to you guys i think you messed something up.

date on car went to shop? and date the car came home? are you positive it wasnt leaking trans fluid before you took it in?

last question, did the shop do any work near the tranny or to it?

*sorry i did not read through the thread, so if these questions have been asked/answered, my mistake.)

[Lucion01]

3 days ago for a tranny fuild and filter change. So yeah. It's their fault, and I definitely don't intend to hand over a dime.

And yes I'm positive that it wasn't leaking before. It's a pretty big leak, and I won't be able to drive long on it. Not to mention, It's a little difficult to check our tranny fluid, so I never did. Eventually something would have given by now, if I already had a leak.

[Lucion01]

Well. Called 'em, and brought it up there. They took the pan off and redid the gasket. He took me back there while the tech was inspecting for any more leaks, and showed me the old gasket. He said the car comes factory with a re-usable gasket, and he showed it to me so I took a good hard look at it, couldn't really see anything wrong with it. He said he or his tech couldn't see anything wrong with the gasket either.

I was talkin to him and I was like, well the first thing that comes to my mind when it starts leaking after droppin the pan is the gasket.

So I got a new gasket, and driving home the shifts felt much crisper than yesterday.

Just as a precaution, when I got home I parked the car on a level surface and put a pan under the tranny to see if it leaks any before I go to work.

[a.graham52]

if the tranny bolts are too tight... or too loose. that can also cause the pan gasket to leak.

[sleepyalero]

good to hear it all worked out

[Lucion01]

Originally Posted by a.graham52

if the tranny bolts are too tight... or too loose. that can also cause the pan gasket to leak.

That was my initial thought. If they were gonna make me pay, I would have gotten their own tightening pattern and torque specs if needed. My girlfriend's father is a lawyer, so there was no effin way I was gonna pay lol.

Originally Posted by sleepyalero

good to hear it all worked out

Thanks man me to. Those guys up there at that shop are actually pretty cool. Just a bunch of old skool guys runnin a transmission shop. And they're pretty fair too. I've taken my car there for multiple things. Great service, Phil is a cool dude to strike up a convo with. I asked him all kinds of shit.

[sleepyalero]

always good to get along with your mechanic.