- Feb 13, 2001
- 83,769
- 19
- 81
I am wondering if anyone has the steps for both an alternator replacement and the water pump/thermostat in a 2000 SL. I don't have a service manual for her car anymore as I sold them with my 96 SC2 by accident.
My wife still loves her 2000 SL she bought almost new in 2001. She was having some starting problems so I told her to stop by a Sears or Autozone. At the time I was divorcing her still and didn't want to be bothered with her car repairs.
She picked Autozone and was told they didn't know how to work the machine, but their mechanic 'Moose' could. I found out a lot tonight picking up her car after two days. I never thought Autozone had a shop...but I hadn't really been around them much recently for any service work. It turns out this guy is just a hack with a starter set of tools because he had 80lbs of tools stolen recently. I was sort of curious when he told me if he could borrow my floor jack since his was tied up.
Long story short when we picked it up tonight I found out he was working in their parking lot in relative darkness...I didn't have a flashlight as I wasn't expecting the need. When we got home I did a full inspection...her car is leaking EVERYWHERE now with coolant and her alternator looks like the original or a UPICKIT deal. I am thinking he returned the alternator himself and cashed it out. He told us tonight when I asked about the core charge money that she never had to pay that since they knew him (she did pay a core and the store said they didn't have a 2000 Saturn SL alternator in their core bin). He also asked her for an extra $45 to fix the alternator 'cable' since it's common these sometimes get burned up and he had to 'crimp in a piece of wire' that most shops charge over $100 for. Seriously WTF?!? I kept telling him I have done a lot of work on Saturns.
I already sent in an email to autozone corporate and called my local regional office to leave a message.
I was hoping I was saving myself some time on this job and possible injury as I am in physical therapy right now for blowing out a right elbow with a torn tendon and some cartilage damage. Turns out I am having to do not only the alternator tomorrow, but also fixing the water pump issues and I have lent out my radiator catch pan to someone all the way across town as I was not expecting to be doing any car work myself for quite a few months.
What scares me a bit is complaining about this sends my name to the store which any associate can probably look me up with. I am hoping they understand that I am not trying to get something for nothing, but that I paid for work performed inadequately.
this sucks. The worst part of this is my wife was in tears and practically hysterical, we just reconciled after I was going to divorce her (our 7th year anniversary was on the 18th of December and that was the day I told her I wanted her back. She figured she had to get her own car repaired by someone else as she didn't know at the time I wanted her more than ever).
She was thinking since it's only been a couple days since I told her I really do love her that now I was going to switch back.
Probably venting too much, but this really sucks. I could have been done with this whole deal in a couple hours doing it myself. Now I already have more time than the job would have taken me to do into it, plus out about $300 between not getting a new alternator and the labor to replace it we paid.
If anyone has info to do this job please let me know. I believe the torque specs for these items is a bit low and that overtighing causes issues (which I fear may be why coolant is leaking now).
On a side note, I am now worried that some poor animal is going to drink the antifreeze and be harmed so we have been going out and soaking it up with towels.
I was really really hoping this would be a weekend I can focus on rekindling my marriage and letting my wife know she is secure in this. Now she is really upset again thinking I am going to go back to dating.
My wife still loves her 2000 SL she bought almost new in 2001. She was having some starting problems so I told her to stop by a Sears or Autozone. At the time I was divorcing her still and didn't want to be bothered with her car repairs.
She picked Autozone and was told they didn't know how to work the machine, but their mechanic 'Moose' could. I found out a lot tonight picking up her car after two days. I never thought Autozone had a shop...but I hadn't really been around them much recently for any service work. It turns out this guy is just a hack with a starter set of tools because he had 80lbs of tools stolen recently. I was sort of curious when he told me if he could borrow my floor jack since his was tied up.
Long story short when we picked it up tonight I found out he was working in their parking lot in relative darkness...I didn't have a flashlight as I wasn't expecting the need. When we got home I did a full inspection...her car is leaking EVERYWHERE now with coolant and her alternator looks like the original or a UPICKIT deal. I am thinking he returned the alternator himself and cashed it out. He told us tonight when I asked about the core charge money that she never had to pay that since they knew him (she did pay a core and the store said they didn't have a 2000 Saturn SL alternator in their core bin). He also asked her for an extra $45 to fix the alternator 'cable' since it's common these sometimes get burned up and he had to 'crimp in a piece of wire' that most shops charge over $100 for. Seriously WTF?!? I kept telling him I have done a lot of work on Saturns.
I already sent in an email to autozone corporate and called my local regional office to leave a message.
I was hoping I was saving myself some time on this job and possible injury as I am in physical therapy right now for blowing out a right elbow with a torn tendon and some cartilage damage. Turns out I am having to do not only the alternator tomorrow, but also fixing the water pump issues and I have lent out my radiator catch pan to someone all the way across town as I was not expecting to be doing any car work myself for quite a few months.
What scares me a bit is complaining about this sends my name to the store which any associate can probably look me up with. I am hoping they understand that I am not trying to get something for nothing, but that I paid for work performed inadequately.
this sucks. The worst part of this is my wife was in tears and practically hysterical, we just reconciled after I was going to divorce her (our 7th year anniversary was on the 18th of December and that was the day I told her I wanted her back. She figured she had to get her own car repaired by someone else as she didn't know at the time I wanted her more than ever).
She was thinking since it's only been a couple days since I told her I really do love her that now I was going to switch back.
Probably venting too much, but this really sucks. I could have been done with this whole deal in a couple hours doing it myself. Now I already have more time than the job would have taken me to do into it, plus out about $300 between not getting a new alternator and the labor to replace it we paid.
If anyone has info to do this job please let me know. I believe the torque specs for these items is a bit low and that overtighing causes issues (which I fear may be why coolant is leaking now).
On a side note, I am now worried that some poor animal is going to drink the antifreeze and be harmed so we have been going out and soaking it up with towels.
I was really really hoping this would be a weekend I can focus on rekindling my marriage and letting my wife know she is secure in this. Now she is really upset again thinking I am going to go back to dating.
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