ok, i know you have all been through this before,

[mumsis]

thanks for the info i will try numbering them.
1) deep internal growl. seems to have quieted a bit with the addition of a bottle of oil additive. it is a very bad sounding growl from deep inside sounds like the crank shaft and all of the things it makes contact with are rubbing on each other. only during acceleration.
2) tappity tap. i have decided it is from the enginge. on top. also only during acceleration.
3) tire squeeling. hmmmm this one i really think is the right front and it only seems to do it when i take a curve.
4) no am radio. this one bugs me even though it is minor as i listen to the am station in the mornings. if it has a second antenna i need to find it. where should i start? in the back of the radio? somewhere further down the line? it does have static ocean type sounds.
5) the rear seal. when i first got the car i knew the tranny was having problems but figured i would drive it gently for as long as i could until it outright died. but of course the rear seal went out and the local dealer charged me 500 to replace it (OUCH) i drove it home from them and it was out again before i got home (about 1.5 miles). so then my hubby had the tranny pulled and we decided just to wait till we found a tranny and replace everything at the same time. hence more than a year later and i am finally driving it again. but then after coming home last night i found out that the seal is gone again. i have a puddle of fluid and a trail out on the road. so does anyone want to hazard a guess on why it is chewing up rear seals? what is the best way to fix this one?
6) the sun roof i think is just that the tracks are knee deep in sand from the back lot where it has been sitting all of this time. i am going to attempt cleaning and lubricating it.
7) the brakes. my van does this same kind of thing with the hesitation and everyone keeps telling me that it is normal for anti lock brakes but i still think that they should be much smoother than this. the van scares the peewaddling out of me on slick roads as it feels like it is never going to stop. i worry about it happening with the svx as well.

i really like this car and would like to make it my daily driver instead of the G-20 van. i have already talked to the garage about the seal and they are going to get back to me. in the meantime i thought i would ask all of you.

as for donating it...well i do not think i am willing to pay on a car for another year for someone else. so i guess that means i better suck it up and fix it!

[TomsSVX]

The only reason for that to be chewing a rear seal is if the drive shaft is messed up. it could be out of balance, have bad ujoints or have a bad center bearing like mine. It is a PITA to try and fix without buying a ton of new parts. See if you can find a junkyard driveshaft.

As for the growling, does it do it when you are in park or neutral?? The tapping could also be a bad exhaust gasket at the header or at the 1st flange.

I hope you can fix it, I would hate to see another liquid silver bite it. I love those cars so much.

Tom

[mumsis]

thanks Tom. i will keep working on it. should i look for a used svx drive shaft or will one from something else work? i haven't even tried starting it again as it is missing a bit of fluid from the transmission. so i hate to start it. but the growling, it only did it when i stepped on the gas like to merge into traffic or pass someone. i will try again later this weekend when i change the oil. i really don't think there is enough wrong to scrap it, it just needs a lot of TLC. oh yeah and money.

[TomsSVX]

that growling might just be the intake sucking in air. Do you have any type of aftermarket filter or cold air setup?

Tom

[Earthworm]

Could the growling be an exhaust leak?

[TomsSVX]

I was thinking that also. and the ticking could be a header leak that many chevy owners know oh so well

Tom

[mumsis]

Do you have any type of aftermarket filter or cold air setup?

i do not believe so, i have not added anything and it looks all stock to me. the growl sounds like metal internally, with my luck it has to be something really bad. it would be way to easy for it to be any of these things. but i will take a better look this weekend when i am home and have daylight. this week has just been crazy every evening. that and the 100+ temps. no way i want to be outside. so tomorrow it is change the oil and check for everything you guys have pointed me to. and start finding a drive shaft. anyone got one laying around?

[Earthworm]

You could also check if the flexplate is cracked.

[wynndi]

Q: Do you see fluid flowing by in the A/C sightglass? If not, RECHARGE!

[TomsSVX]

you need a recharge if there are bubbles and the compressor is running. When the compressor is running and there should be no bubles running though hence having a full system there will be no air in it, hence, no bubbles just freon and oil

Tom

[mumsis]

ok, i have many things to check in the morning. thanks all. i will let you know what i discover. i havent even looked yet, what oil do i need to put in? how many quarts does it hold? i was figuring 6 just because, but i hate to make multiple trips to the parts store. so is there anything besides oil and filter that i need to get? oh and the oil additive.

[TomsSVX]

You are looking at about 6.3 quarts for the engine oil. Just put in 6, add the marvel's mystery oil and then top it off with the 7th quart. The filters used are usually the same as outback filters and such unless you order a filter specifically for the SVX.. I believe Fram's # is 3593a. I use the high mileage filters and change them at 3000 even running synthetic. You can use whatever oil you feel like just try for a 10W-30 as you don't want to go too thick

Tom

[mumsis]

thanks Tom. i just talked to the garage that put the tranny in and they are going to pick it up monday and see about fixing most of the things on my list. i told them just to go ahead and change the oil as long as they had it up. because of the heat here they recommended a synthetic oil and the book they looked it up in said to go with a 10/50 weight. then to change it this fall to a 10/30. they are going to take the drive shaft off and over to the specialty shop to have it looked at and fixed. as well as have the AC looked at by another specialty shop and hopefully get it on the road in the next week. in the meantime i just gassed up my van. mind you it was registering a half of a tank, i paid 58.00 dollars to top it off. i am so looking forward to not using so much gas!!! i know the svx is not exactly easy on the gas gauge either but it has to be better than what i am currently driving. so i am going to go look for an antenna wire or connection, so i can listen to my AM station. my 13 year old daughter has already figured out that the stock CD player works. and i am going to make her vacuum out the sun roof tracks. sounds like a god job for her in 100 degeree heat! LOL seven quarts of oil! wow i would have been a bit short. glad i didn't do it earlier.

[Ron Mummert]

Originally Posted by tomssvx

You are looking at about 6.3 quarts for the engine oil. Just put in 6, add the marvel's mystery oil and then top it off with the 7th quart.
Tom

I know the book calls for 6.3 quarts, but in the four plus years I've had the car, I've always used just 6 quarts of Mobile 1 10W30, year 'round. No issues ever.

Ron.

[TomsSVX]

I don't mean use the whole 7th quart..... I meant just use 6... check it....add the marvels..... check it......top it off

Tom