I spent 1 1/2 days this weekend trying to help my nephew-in-law get his Blazer running well enough to drive to work tomorrow. About noon Sunday, I threw in the towel and bought him a 1988 Cutlass Ciera. Then we got to spend an afternoon cobbling together the exhaust, catching up on PM, etc. I was amazed that the old heap tracked smooth and straight on the freeway at 80mph when we test drove it. I offered the PO $300, she took it without hesitation. I was even more amazed to find out the 2.5L "4 Tech" engine did not take the PF47 spin-on filter. There was a 3" diameter oil drain plug, with a paper cartridge filter above it. Whoever bungled the last oil change glued it together with silicone instead of replacing the rotting rubber gasket. Ever try to buy a gasket for one of those giant drain plugs at 5pm on a Sunday? It took a while to help the Autozone guys find it in their computer, not in stock. At least one of the guys at Advance Auto Parts knew what it was, but he said he couldn't get one until Tuesday. I ended up gluing it in with silicone. He can buy a new gasket when the dealer is open, and I'll replace it in three weeks when he's got 3000 miles on the oil.
Now I'm doing my laundry so I can go to work tomorrow.
