Koda's Zx2.

[koda6966]

Thanks to some help from over on teamzx2 I finally found the thermostat and pcv valve. I feel like an idiot but oh well, the PCV was hidden anyway.

I couldn't get the pcv hose off so I just did the thermostat so far. Three torx screws (#25 bit) and it came right off. Basically plug and play other than that. PCV is the little elbow to the left under the big elbow, which is the thermostat.

The location of the screws was difficult, there wasn't enough room to fit my screw driver in there so I had to cobble together a few sockets and a wrench. I had was a 3/8 wrench, a 3/8-1/4 converter, and a 1/2 inch socket with the torx bit in it all stuck together. It JUST fit. Otherwise I'd have had to remove the fan.

And then here's that thermostat. Ended up being alot easier than I had thought.

I'm just glad to finally get to all of this. My car's down till hopefully mid day today (it's been almost a week) because of a bad alternator. I'm fixing that today. The local JY dealer didn't have one so I have to drop 150+tax at advance auto. I think I'll pick up a new serpentine belt as well, mines all cracked to hell.

 

[koda6966]

UPDATE 9:58 BOLT # 1 = OUT

Changing the alternator on a Zx2 is DEFINITELY a two person job.

Also, it helps if you have a full arsenal of tools. >.<

Oh, and it's better if it's not 14* out.

UPDATE 10:08 BOLT # 2 = OUT

That one was hard, but do able. They said you can only get at it from the bottom, which is BS because my wrench doesn't even fit in there. They were probably using little sockets. The last ones going to suck and I'm gonna have to do it fast. I need to drain my oil out and take the filter off, it's right in the way of the bolt. FML.

Oh, and I'm spending about 300 dollars at Advance today.
I need..
Oil for the car, oil for my mom's van (I told her I'd change her oil since I've drove her car for almost 800 miles, and she hasn't changed it for 10K!)
Wiper for the van. (I broke it, by using it.)
Alternator.
Serpentine belt.

If your wondering why I keep coming in and doing "updates" it's because I have poor circulation in my hands/feet so anything below 40, they go numb within 5 minutes. But since the blood still circulates, I feel the pain. Coming in here gives me a chance to warm up, can you say roaring woodstove?

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

three words forced air heater......

 

[feellnfroggy]

The pcv valve is jsut stuck in there when you get the thermostat housing off and you canmanage pliers over the pcv jsut pull it out. Simple as that.

 

[HareRazor]

The alternator sucks. When I replaced the engine in my Contour, I spent more time putting the alternator on than anything else. I did end up getting at least one of the bolts from the bottom but it wasn't fun.

 

[koda6966]

I got done with everything (alternator, serpentine belt, splash guards, replacing rad fluid, and replacing the oil I lost.) at 3:30. I ended up breaking a wrench.. huskies have lifetime guarentees right?

I ended up using vice grips to finish the job.

 

[koda6966]

Hopefully if all goes well I'll be buying this.

Off a member of a Zx2 forum. I'll update this thread if the deal goes through and post pictures when I get it. Should be some wait to it, but I'm not in any hurry.

 

[koda6966]

I just ordered a Stereo from Amazon. It's a pioneer DEH-3200UB, it has the features I want and it fits the color combonation I wanted for my car.

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/P...ideo/In-Dash/CD-Players/ci.DEH-3200UB.Support

 

[frankserrano]

that's a sick looking head unit, man. i wish i would've found that for my old truck, i had four red LEDs in the cab, two on each A-pillar. it made the girls horny...that's my story anyways.

 

[koda6966]

Yeah, I have two red cold cathodes in my truck. Click on the build thread in my siggy, it makes a killer glow. I'll be buying some (in LED form, cathodes break to easy) for my car as soon as I find a spot to put them.

I'm glad I found this HU. It's almost bottom the line pioneer but it will work. It's still better than most head units at that price range. I was originally going to purchase the 3100UB but a link at the bottom of amazons page had this one on it, and I like this one one hell of a lot more.

 

[frankserrano]

Yeah, I have two red cold cathodes in my truck. Click on the build thread in my siggy, it makes a killer glow. I'll be buying some (in LED form, cathodes break to easy) for my car as soon as I find a spot to put them.

I'm glad I found this HU. It's almost bottom the line pioneer but it will work. It's still better than most head units at that price range. I was originally going to purchase the 3100UB but a link at the bottom of amazons page had this one on it, and I like this one one hell of a lot more.

if you wouldn't mind my asking, how much did you pay for the HU? in all three of my trucks, i've ran pioneer audio and loved it. i'll probably always stick with pioneer.

i love a little extra mood lighting in the cab

 

[Madracingalley]

That Is exactly the same way I did my friends Stratus. Untill he kept getting pulled over for it. ITS BIG AND RED AND STICKS OUT LIKE A SOAR THUMB. So eventually we Straight piped it with the same tip and he hasn't gotten pulled over yet

 

[Psychopete]

I ended up breaking a wrench.. huskies have lifetime guarentees right?

If those were combination wrenches, I will keep this in mind never to buy that brand LOL. I have a cheap Harbor Freight set of combination wrenches, had a 3 foot cheater bar (2 1/4" exhaust pipe) on a 15mm to remove the motor mount on the front of my Tempo engine (to replace the dampener) and all I did was bend it somewhat. Got the bolt out, and the wrench still works fine, too!

Pete

 

[koda6966]

if you wouldn't mind my asking, how much did you pay for the HU? in all three of my trucks, i've ran pioneer audio and loved it. i'll probably always stick with pioneer.
i love a little extra mood lighting in the cab

I payed $132 shipped for it off amazon. I got one of the last three the seller had in stock.

That Is exactly the same way I did my friends Stratus. Untill he kept getting pulled over for it. ITS BIG AND RED AND STICKS OUT LIKE A SOAR THUMB. So eventually we Straight piped it with the same tip and he hasn't gotten pulled over yet

I haven't been pulled over for my exhaust yet. I try to take it easy in residential neiborhoods unless I get called out or someone's being an ass. If they pull me over, oh well. I'll take the quiet exhaust off my truck and put it on my car for the fix it then put it all back the way I had it.

If those were combination wrenches, I will keep this in mind never to buy that brand LOL. I have a cheap Harbor Freight set of combination wrenches, had a 3 foot cheater bar (2 1/4" exhaust pipe) on a 15mm to remove the motor mount on the front of my Tempo engine (to replace the dampener) and all I did was bend it somewhat. Got the bolt out, and the wrench still works fine, too!
Pete

It was a small 1/4 inch socket wrench and it was quite a few years old and all rusty and stuff. My dad found it on the side of the road. It worked okay but it had some grit so he cleaned it up and it worked fine until it snapped.

 

[koda6966]

Stereo shipped yesterday, I'm expecting it within a week.

LATHAM, NY, US 02/20/2010 3:46 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
02/20/2010 1:35 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
SECAUCUS, NJ, US 02/19/2010 10:48 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
02/19/2010 7:46 P.M. ORIGIN SCAN
US 02/19/2010 4:55 P.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED

Should either be at my house monday or tuesday. Usually UPS ships from Latham to Oneonta then to my house.

Still no word on the converter plate. I'll need that before I can put it all togeather. If I don't get word on it in a couple days I'll pm the guy and see whats up.