Vehicles, Products and Events
Our favorite soda from the 90s has made comeback and it will be fueling the garage for the next few months. This is a test done by Coca-Cola to see if the product is actually something people want. Well judging by the fact that it sold out within minutes on Amazon, I'd say it will stick around for awhile.
For your late night garage projects, high octane events, or even just to sip on while reading HoagiesGarage.com - Get yourself 12 pack of 16oz cans of Surge!
One of our in house vehicles, a 1998 Camaro SS, has had some traction control issues. A few years ago, the "ASR Off" light illuminated on the dash all by itself. Over the years, I tried some easy fixes like cleaning speed sensors and things of that nature. Nothing seemed to work, so to the dealership it went. Mr. Goodwrench himself, yes he still works there, claimed our Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) was faulty. I was very excited to hear that the problem had been found. The bad news was that a new unit from GM would run $1080, and from different part suppliers an AC Delco part would run close to $500.
Thank god for Google because I found some companies that specialize in rebuilding this non-rebuildable part. Basically the module is just a plastic housing with some different metal pieces that tie into your master cylinder. It also has circuit boards, connectors, and many other things I really have no idea about. Our buddy Matt at CheapABS.com offered to give us a hand with the module. He services a number of different ABS units, including the Bosch 5.3 which is what our Camaro is equipped with from the factory. His service is really clever because he has it all setup for the average mechanic right on his website. You seriously don't have to even know how to change your oil to do this all by yourself. He even has how-to videos on his site to guide you through the process.
Easy to follow instructions are on Matt's website
Our EBCM or ABS unit was removed by taking off the six torx screws that hold it onto the brake master cylinder. Two electric connectors are clicked off and with a little wiggling our unit was free. Matt has instructions on how to package, pay for, and mail your unit right to his office in Virginia. He says on his site that he has devised a unique method to fix these units, unlike some of the other guys.
Well after a few days of looking, Matt couldn't find the common issues with our part. This was very sad news because I thought for sure we had the solution all nailed down. Matt is a great guy offering an amazing service. He didn't charge us for the inspection and even resealed the part back to factory specs. Even if you aren't sure, he is a great starting point for a problem of this nature.
For more information, please visit: http://www.CheapABS.com
The dealership was correct though in their analysis. A new EBCM setup was installed, after being purchased from Amazon. The dash lights are all gone and the ASR button actually works. This type of fix gets a lot of flack because in all honesty, spending close to $500 on a part for a vehicle this old seems pointless. I totally understand that and also believe that the amount spent could have gone to bigger and better things. This is just one of those annoying items I have stared at for years and finally decided why not. Either way though, I now have traction control and my ABS seems to be more actively involved. After all this work, time, effort, and money spent - I still find myself turning off the ASR at random times, just like everyone said I would...
A few months ago we reviewed the Trailblazer SS in a Hoagies Garage Time Capsule story. The vehicle we reviewed was equipped with an SLP Powerflo Exhaust System that splits off into duals out back.
The system is not a cheap one and the changes in sound are amazingly different when compared to the OEM setup. Using our GoPro, we were able to capture what this system really sounds like out back. Driving the SUV, you really don't get an idea as to how this setup actually sounds. This video will clear up any confusion with what you are getting yourself into... Enjoy!
We had a 2009 Cobalt SS in the garage a few days ago and figured we'd see what was up with the ignition key issue. GM has pretty much recalled every Cobalt ever made due to the ignition keys clicking off on their own. When a large bump is hit, a heavy key ring is installed, or even your knee hits the key, they have been turning to a non-running position. This in turn disables all driver and safety aides, including the air bag system.
So picture you are driving along, hit a large bump, your key clicks off and the engine shuts down. The driver has no power steering, engine control, and also the airbags disable. In a panic situation, this could possibly be freaky and dangerous. We aren't discounting the loss of life or anybody who has been affected by these issues, just trying out the problem for ourselves.
The later model years were initially not part of the recall, but now GM has decided to fix them all, which is a good move. This recall includes the Chevrolet Cobalt and HHR. It also includes the Pontiac G5 and Solstice. Finally, Saturn has some of the same issues with the Sky and Ion. GM has instructed owners to remove all key rings, accessories, etc as this may cause the key to click off even easier.
What we found was interesting. The ignition key started the vehicle normally. When tugging, yanking and applying fairly decent pressure to the key, it wouldn't really turn off. Now keep in mind it was sitting in the garage and didn't have any jarring bumps or hits on the suspension. I could get the key to turn off only if I applied the same amount of pressure I would if I actually wanted the car to turn off. You will notice though, it does seem to click off just a little bit easier than it should maybe... Take a look at the video below, it shows our quick test and what we found. Either way though, if you have one of the models listed above, I would highly recommend you schedule your vehicle for service and get your new lock cylinder installed. GM has even started a very detailed website for more information - http://www.gmignitionupdate.com/
This is an interesting bit of automotive history that required some digging to fully iron out. I was asked to sell a totally original carburetor from a 1969 Camaro Z28. This carb has been in storage for over 30 years and was basically never used. The interesting thing about the setup I was given to sell was that the carburetor wasn't the most desirable part.
The fuel line, y-block, and fuel line bracket all came with what I needed to sell. I started to see many people expressing interest in just the fuel line pieces. I figured a date coded late 1969 carburetor would be big news, but it wasn't the hot item. The fuel line was getting the most attention. What I found was that the small bracket that holds the fuel line is super rare. A 1969 Z28 Camaro built from June of '69 to November of '69 was given this small bracket. All of the others were not.
Some of the voices on the internet are saying they've never seen one. Others are saying only reproductions are available. Either way, I have a piece of history here that hasn't been unscrewed since 1969 and for some Camaro fans, they have never laid eyes on one. This original bracket has the words "Stamp Rite" stamped right into the bracket. Apparently the reproductions have a "PR" stamped into them. When you do a little googling, you find that there aren't really many pictures around of original brackets, if any! I also found that there were only a few guys discussing this part. The fuel line bracket is definitely for a small amount of vehicles, but I'm still amazed at how much fuss a small piece of metal can bring.
The fuel line setup along with the bracket are on eBay at this moment. So far with only two days of exposure the activity is fairly heavy. To me, this is pretty nuts for just a little bracket. From what I have been told though, most people threw these out, didn't replace them, or did who knows what else with them. Even though you can go out right now and buy all of this brand new reproduction for a decent price, people out there want the original stuff from the 60s. For somebody who needs a concourse, perfect, and exact OEM restored Z28 - this could be the holy grail they have been searching for.
Here is a link to another site where a blogger discusses the issues with this particular bracket. http://www.z28.net/2012/05/29/hard-to-find-69-z-parts-big-big-bucks/
