Thread: New GTP owner, what maintenance should I do?

I noticed that you listed your spark plugs as double platinum. I'd yank those out. For boosted cars you want copper core plugs. Go for Autolite 605's for a stock car. Also if you want to pep her up any in the future read this thread.

http://www.grandprixforums.net/f81/s...car-17482.html

It also has a lot of useful knowledge about our car.

Yes, you fill it until it reaches the bottom thread, will take about 2 bottles of GM superchager oil (about $10 a bottle). Use a windex sprayer or something to suck the old oil out.

Originally Posted by rynoman03

I noticed that you listed your spark plugs as double platinum. I'd yank those out. For boosted cars you want copper core plugs. Go for Autolite 605's for a stock car. Also if you want to pep her up any in the future read this thread.

http://www.grandprixforums.net/f81/s...car-17482.html

It also has a lot of useful knowledge about our car.

That's probably the greatest thing here. If I were to do anything to the car would probably do Headers, cat delete and exhaust but I my TA still needs things first, hah. I'll probably end up doing the 180 thermostat because here in Kzoo Michigan the lights are extremely long, it did wonders for my TA.

What are other plugs comparable to the Autolite 605s?

I'm also assuming the gap to set the plugs at are different in the SC 3800 vs N/A 3800?

You might get a dozen different spins on your last set of questions. Be here is the deal on spark plugs. If ones you have work with your current set up, leave them alone. Unless of coarse they are used up and require the regular maintenance change out. Double plats last like 50K, just leave them. If a spark plug works, it works. Granted copper plugs have some advantages, but so do plats. The performance is the same, except in rare occasions one type or another might prevent a problem. Maybe. For example you want to know about that AL 605 plug which is one step colder, well unless you drive like a maniac cold plugs won’t help you at all. But what you might get is less mpg.

And spark plug gap, use the standard gap. A smaller gap just compensates for a problem somewhere else. Basically you always to run the biggest gap you can, a small gap can hurt your engine performance. The gap spec is .060", and it is the same for N/A engines.

Basically you are working your self into frenzy over nothing, believe it or not these cars were design well. If you don’t mess with them, they last for ever.

Originally Posted by cerick08GP

You might get a dozen different spins on your last set of questions. Be here is the deal on spark plugs. If ones you have work with your current set up, leave them alone. Unless of coarse they are used up and require the regular maintenance change out. Double plats last like 50K, just leave them. If a spark plug works, it works. Granted copper plugs have some advantages, but so do plats. The performance is the same, except in rare occasions one type or another might prevent a problem. Maybe. For example you want to know about that AL 605 plug which is one step colder, well unless you drive like a maniac cold plugs won’t help you at all. But what you might get is less mpg.

And spark plug gap, use the standard gap. A smaller gap just compensates for a problem somewhere else. Basically you always to run the biggest gap you can, a small gap can hurt your engine performance. The gap spec is .060", and it is the same for N/A engines.

Basically you are working your self into frenzy over nothing, believe it or not these cars were design well. If you don’t mess with them, they last for ever.

So basically stand with my original plan. Change all the fluids... Done.

yup and fuel filter

Originally Posted by xDetroitMetalx

So basically stand with my original plan. Change all the fluids... Done.

Well, yes. Modding is a whole different story that gets discussed here endlessly, I would hold off on any mods for a while.

Fuel filter was done in March... I'm probably not modding the car ever... and if I do it would be headers and exhaust, if the girl would even want that and I know for a fact she doesn't.

Modding my Trans Am, however, in the works. =P

Originally Posted by xDetroitMetalx

Since I live in an apartment complex I don't have the means to do this until I visit my folks. This is where I do all my auto work now a days. So as of now should I check the SC oil level and top it off if needed?

You can do it at you apartment complex. The SC holds 6 ounces of oil. Take an old windex or household cleaning sprayer, stick the stick the pump end down in your SC and start squirting the old SC oil into the windex bottle. Takes about 10 minutes or less to pump it out. Then just refill the SC with 6 ounces of new GM SC oil, replace the filler plug and you're done. Total job time = 20-25 minutes. Tools require = 1 allen wrench and a pumping device. Can't remember the size of the allen wrench. :P

Originally Posted by JoelW98GTP

You can do it at you apartment complex. The SC holds 6 ounces of oil. Take an old windex or household cleaning sprayer, stick the stick the pump end down in your SC and start squirting the old SC oil into the windex bottle. Takes about 10 minutes or less to pump it out. Then just refill the SC with 6 ounces of new GM SC oil, replace the filler plug and you're done. Total job time = 20-25 minutes. Tools require = 1 allen wrench and a pumping device. Can't remember the size of the allen wrench. :P

Haha, yea. I thought I would need a drip pan or something until I read more. Seems super easy to change. I honestly can't wait to smell the stuff. I should have my girl friend (I'm going to start calling her Em on here now so if you don't know what I mean too bad) record me changing so you all can watch me puke.

I had to go to three shops before I gave up and went across town to the GM dealer. Guess what? They only had TWO bottles left, how lucky.

Originally Posted by xDetroitMetalx

Haha, yea. I thought I would need a drip pan or something until I read more. Seems super easy to change. I honestly can't wait to smell the stuff. I should have my girl friend (I'm going to start calling her Em on here now so if you don't know what I mean too bad) record me changing so you all can watch me puke.

I had to go to three shops before I gave up and went across town to the GM dealer. Guess what? They only had TWO bottles left, how lucky.

get a barf bag ready. My garage smelled like a soiled gym bag for about 3 days cause I left the pumper in the trash can.

So should I make her do a video? haha.

^^X100.

Do it...

As for the removal...just my 2 cents worth...I used a "windex" style spray bottle from the dollar store...stick the head of it in the blower and spray it into the bottle itself...that way...after its all empty in the supercharger...you can screw the cap on and...YAY! No smell

I'm gonna huff it.

Changed the SC oil today. I shined the light down and couldn't see any oil near the first threads. I started to pump it out and only got 4-5 Oz read by the bottle. The smell reminded me of puking up a heavy drinking night. I didn't record it sadly but there was nothing to show. I filled it back up until it got near the start of the threads. Em claims it ran smoother, had more giddy up and seemed to change gears better.

How can GM claim the oil never has to be changed? That seems crazy to me.