5rebel9

I'd go with those "cleaner" fish for fish tanks, they'll keep the insides of the lamp units nice and clean!

Well.. To close out this "story". $950 total bill Was a funky exhaust cam sensor causing the CEL that delayed return of the car. I guess it didn't like getting "jostled" from the work done. Besides needing tires , now that I've been able to DRIVE this RT{remember it's the WIFE'S} I've got some more work to do on this car for braking and possible also RR wheel bearing. She will be driving the'14 for a while while I do more checking out on the '13RT between the rainy weather days.

I would have to go out and measure, but I think the Lucerne of mine is not much shorter than your "CADDY"! I spent the winter driving the '14 and had almost forgotten how nice the ride is in the Lucerne, it's NOT the air ride "special" with the 4.9 v8 but has the rear load leveling air shocks. Ride is great in the Lucerne, but not meant for utility purposes without hooking up my trailer to it and then a royal pain maneuvering as the combo is sooo long! The wife's rt with hitch is so much nicer for using the trailer! So YES an adequate size garage with high enough ceiling{12-14' high} for a surface mount 2 post hoist is MY DREAM. I've lost out on a low rise and 2 2 post hoists because no enclosed area for them over the last few years!!!!!! Great hearing from you, been a while!

I'm waiting for another customer of my friend's shop who has a set of 4 almost new tires for 19" DJ's that he is trying to sell .Both my friend and I talked to that person today and said we want to see them first BEFORE talking price. I did tell him I could get NEW {as was posted to me on this thread}at $110. each. He is going to try and get them to my friend's shop ASAP.

Black OVAL shaped connector with different color top end {where 2 wire ends would go}? That's the connector for remote start hood safety switch. Most all DJ's have that in the main harness, but if not equipped with remote start on your FOB, then it just "hangs there. Good luck on the damage repairs!

$950 total bill to him,, now for tires . Wife will be satisfied having it back, but I'm finding more to be done that I'm going to have to do myself. for cost reasons. it just does not handle/brake like the other 2 Journeys that I've become quite familiar with. RHAT the wife will NOT be happy about! more $$ into cars and NOT elsewhere!

Going to pick up the 13RT of the wife's today....was a funky exhaust cam sensor from removing them o safely remove the valve cover. I guess one needs to be "prepared" either way of valve cover removal on that firewall side has a lot of stuff there and little room. This I know as I did VC gaskets on the '14 last summer! My back is much less pained today and will probably feel even better after my wallet gets "lightened" further from this repair bill!

The weather continued good Monday and today......BUT I did not, my back is paining badly again and the '14 is in use tonight and rain to come in for the remainder of the week. The '13 is not ready yet, as my guy suspects the timing chain shifted on disassembly for the cam. It started and ran good, but threw a cam correlation code.He did not tell me the code number. And is way behind in other work right now that also HAS to get done. Wife wants HER CAR back but she has the '14 and my Buick is now but to par, so we are not in a "hurt" for wheels. Will update when all is back to normal.

I got home from worship services at 1:00 and changed clothes and "dove in" on doing the Buick's rear pads and rotors. Weather was fantastic sunny and 64*. Was just putting the first caliper back together around 2:30 and all of a sudden the sky went dark and thunder. then rain and then hail{small}, back to rain and then bright sunshine after about 20 minutes. Went and did the other side when I got done with the first RR corner and got done around 5:30. When the wife gets home from work with the '14 Journey and if the weather stays decent, I'll install the new fog lamp bulbs after "fishing out the broken bulb pieces from the left fog lamp housing.

Nice work for such an upgrade AND to make such an informative video.....all above my work grade level....LOL

Green with ENVY! may hit low 60's between showers on Mon. and Tues. Got to get the brakes done on the Buick, the Journey's fog lamps will be quick as the splash pan is not there like most DJ's...and I prefer it that way! I surely wish I had a garage to work inside of at my home☹️

UPDATE I finally found at reasonable cost fog light bulbs for the '14. Phillips PSX24W/CVPB1 @$16 each thru rockauto. SUPPOSED to be brighter, but with disclaimer of possible shorter lifespan. I had to order rear rotors and pads for my Buick and the bulbs were at the same location for shipment, so I got them. Parts were from Syracuse,NY and ordered Friday morning and were delivered FEDEX ground this morning. Fastest processing and delivery I've seen yet! Yes the city of origin was only about 3.5 hours away. Will install on the first warmer DECENT weather day we get here, been raining and cold for 4 days and next week does not look much better! 😞AND the Buick brakes have the priority to get done!

I should have also said that since starting out with the '11, ONLY I do the oil changes on the 3 Journeys. That way IF anything happens with the filter...I've only got myself to blame. As I stated in the first post, it was the first oil change to be done since getting the car.

Yes those tires thru WM seem like the way to go for us. As for the filter/cooler, I can't offer much other than keep a check on them regularly. The '11;s {my son's} has 240k miles on it and as far as I know is ORIGINAL with no leaks yet. The '14 got an all aluminum unit to keep the filter proper to the year of car, the motor it has was from an '11, 2.5 years now and no problems with 20k miles. MY hypothesis on the '13 starting to leak is that it was getting weak and having to use a breaker bar to get the cap off "tweaked" it enough for the mounting seals to start to leak. When I go pick up the car, I will get a chance to look over the old one for possible cracking. SOMEBODY had really over tightened the cap{not me or my friend}, but possibly his young apprentice helper, I don't seek blame on anyone, those with these motors know this weak link design.

Seeing that corner is already mostly apart for the wheel bearing, of course it is getting done. As for tires, we will have to wait and see what can be afforded after this bill.

Yes it is. I do a lot of business with him and also buy my firewood thru him, I also make parts runs and assist in repair diagnostics with him when real odd problem cars come to him. Right now we're working together to determine best diagnostic scan tool and program capabilities for 2017 and newer cars that he will have to upgrade to. He also wants to be able to program replacement fobs for these newer year vehicles{Stellantis group}, as security protocols have changed dramatically in newer cars..... thanks to the Hyundai/Kia hacking fiasco a while back. Old saying....One hand washes the other

Would be nice to know what engine size, but I will ASSUME the 2.4 4 cylinder motor. And YES a bad head gasket improperly diagnosed as thermostat will make replacement thermostats go bad also. Sorry for your major repair expense, as head gasket AND possible warped head is a very costly repair bill. You might want to think about a good used motor to be installed verses repairing the one you have.

WELL.... Not ready today and says the RF also needs the ball joint replaced. Cam and rockers done, but have to do the filter unit and install the intakes. Waiting for him to call me back as when I called enquiring, said it'd been a bad day with lots of interruptions. I will report results when the car is done and back home.

May I suggest that you look up your rotors and pads on rockauto.com, they are very reliable and have very good prices. You will go nuts about OE dealer parts and prices.

17" for winter treads was my plan for later this year, but we both like the ride of the 19's in good weather, 17's of our other 2 DJ's seem "floaty" in curves. We didn't get many days of snowy / poor roads this year, so "managed" thru on low tread depth tires. At this point, we can't afford getting 17" rims and tires, almost less expensive to get new 19" tires.

The wife's '13 finally came due for oil change, so I did that on Monday of the solar eclipse day. PROBLEMS right away. {1} Had to use a breaker bar with long handle to get the filter cap loose {2} STUPID DESIGN early oil bypass valve was NOT there, no parts at all. I did the oil and filter anyway and contacted my friend about getting another one, but had to call him back a bit later, as I found a noticeable oil leak in the engine valley at the cooler assy. NOT gushing, but would not drive it other than getting it to my fiends shop, to replace the whole unit with an aluminum assy.. {3} On the way there I heard a howling coming from the RF, YUP wheel bearing. {4} I knew I needed to do Valve cover gaskets and have had them ready since summer, so it was agreed that for the paltry cost of $500., He would do the wheel bearing {moog},oil filter/cooler assy., and VC gaskets. GOOD DEAL....YES....BUT On getting the intakes and covers off, he found on the firewall bank that the Intake cam had a lobe that was badly scored on one valve lobe and rocker shot. EASY fix IF it was on the front bank, but the rear needs to have motor mounts loosened and shift motor a bit to clear sprocket bolt removal. MORE WORK. We decided on using a good used cam and new rockers for the rear bank. NO price yet for this additional work, but since we got this car 10 months ago thru him, he's keeping labor costs at a minimum and I cover parts, as one could tell by the price for the original work that was to be done. Car is hopefully to be done this afternoon. My wife is back to driving her old {now mine} '14sxt. What a way to start SPRING! And I had been planning finances to get the '13 a new set of 19" tires........... Those with that size know they are NOT cheap!

17" rims WILL fit, BUT the TIRE SIZE WILL NOT, as per your response to member @Sam l

Great to hear all is well again, but YES a pretty hefty hit to the bank account all the same. And yes, having capable friends or trusted shop other than DEALERS can help greatly on costs. Also can't rule out part of costs due to the WONDERFUL ECONOMY we ALL are currently dealing with.

You gave very little background info as to why you replaced those sensor. For that vintage they should be "plug and play", did you have CEL and just what P forat codes did you have? After your work, do you still have CEL and if so what are the codes? There is more involved to codes diagnosis beside just changing sensors.

Without a scanner, the only way to erase and put computer into a relearn by driving mode is to disconnect the battery for a period of some time{folks offer varying amount} of 10 to 15 minutes. BUT, a 3.5 timing belt motor with an interference fit design...has the TIMING BELT ever been replaced? Your codes COULD be from a stretched or jumped tooth timing belt. Factory recommends 7yr 90k mile replacement, that most folks DON'T DO and pay the price later when the belt jumps time or BREAKS.