I was at the junkyard the other day, not specifically looking for Grand Am parts, but I was keeping my eyes open for 5 speed swap stuff while I was there. I decided to rip apart the console in a Cobalt and see if it's shifter would be compatible with the Grand Am, and unfortunately, even though the design of the shifters are almost identical the mounting points are different. moving on, I checked a few other cars for similar parts, and while looking at a tahoe, I noticed the XFE badge on the cobalt I had just been tearing into for the shifter. from the get-go, I wanted an XFE trans for this car, so the next morning, I came back more well prepared.
Today, was maintenance catch-up day, I started with an oil change, and then moved on to the wheel bearings and brakes.
These are the front brake pads, on top, are the left front, on bottom are the right front
The circle was from using a C clamp to compress the piston back into the caliper, other than that, see a problem?
both inner pads were installed on one side, and both outers on the other, the wear indicators were also facing the wrong way, and the front tires were mounted backwards... I'm begining to have very little confidence in the previous owner of this car...note the tang on the top of each brake pad, how the inner pads have a much taller tang? this keeps you from installing them wrong, this guy must have gone through hell to make that happen...
the new hotness I hope fieroguru doesn't sue me for copyright violations... lol!
I have no idea why the hardware included with the wheel bearings was blue, but it's all back together with no annoying ABS/traction control lights
20 minutes later:
F*$K. I guess LIM gaskets will happen sooner than I wanted...I hope it's not the LIM gaskets, but I know these engines well enough to not get my hopes up. Thankfully, it's not a terrible job, I was hoping to have a set of LX9 heads cleaned up to throw on before they were a problem, as I have several sets of heads and intakes to choose from, but oh well.
"I am not what you so glibly call to be a civilized man. I have broken with society for reasons which I alone am able to appreciate. I am therefore not subject to it's stupid laws, and I ask you to never allude to them in my presence again."