Thread: Possible Granddaughter's First Car, Trying to start her out right.

I have been looking for a car for my granddaughter. This search has been going on for a while, the challenge is finding a car that is within her budget and I would not be afraid for to get out on the highway with. I think GP for a first car would be a good start, but I am not sure if any of the grand kids share my enthusiasm for GP's. She has not seen it yet, so she may not like it. If not, I will just flip.

I found a 06 Grand Prix with 162,000 miles

It's got a some cosmetic issues, but I will be practicing my paintless dent repair on the project car, so I may have a few more to practice on. I did not see any trace of the 3.8 coolant leaks. It did look like someone had silcon up the plastic elbow. I did get nervous when I saw a gallon of antifreeze in the trunk. It's amazing how many GP has that as an accessory. When I asked, he said the radiator was replaced and had the invoice for it. When I looked at the invoice I could see where they replaced the elbow, so someone must have siliconed it up first.

It did have a P0332 code. Looks like could be a bad knock sensor. After google some troubleshooting, it talked about checking for voltages, grounds, and resistance, but I can't find any thing that says what they should be.
I can measure my other 06 GP, but if someone knows off the top of their head it would be nice. I saw something about the clips are fragile, so I would hate to break my driver 06 connector. Also it said the bolt goes into the water jacket, is this correct? If so, then it sounds like a coolant flush may be in it's future.

He did say, that he has to add power steering from time to time, so I need to clean and see where that might be leaking.

Here are some pictures...
Possible Granddaughter Car Photos by penright | Photobucket

Nice... Nothing out of the ordinary there, lol.
: )

good luck with it!

👍 I like the color!

Originally Posted by coolone

Nice... Nothing out of the ordinary there, lol. : )good luck with it!

Thanks, I will take all the luck I can get, I want her to have a good car/deal. Nothing out of the ordinary, just was discussing issues with it more than showing it off. :-)
BTW, it's DID (hope I got the initials right), only has 3 buttons, all my other (06,06,07) has 5. Is the 5 button an option? If this does not make sense, I can post a pictures.

Originally Posted by REDCOMPG

 I like the color!

My problem is living in Oklahoma, I bleed Orange and it is too close to crimson for my blood. :-)
I can kind of see part of your front wheels on your avatar are they black? Can you post a picture, just curious how black wheels fit with that color. She don't have the money for cosmetic mods, hey it's nice to dream.



Has anyone trouble shoot Knock Sensor (KS)?

This video right at the end helps.
P0325 Knock Sensor Diagnosis - EricTheCarGuy - YouTube
I did some more google this morning, first went to the autozone web site to see cost and the picture does not match the one I was looking at last night. I see a lot trouble shooting suggestions about tapping the block. I found some post that explained there are KS that only look for a specific range of frequency, and just tapping may not be reliable test. In the video unplugged he has 5v, then plugged into a good KS, using a back probe he has a steady 2.45v. When back probing the bad sensor the voltage bounced constantly.

Does anyone know what 06 GP should be?

Minus the headlights but you get the pictures lol

Originally Posted by REDCOMPG

Minus the headlights but you get the pictures lol

I better not let her see these. :-)
Forgive my ignorance with some of my questions.
Are those factory wheels that were dip?
Did you buy smoke head/tail/center stop lights or did it yourself? How good does the light show through?
I could not tell from the picture, is the front air dam factory flat black, or have you done it in gloss?

Knock sensors get AC.. I'd start by checking the wiring to it... Does it say which one is pissed off?

"Knock Sensor"

This maybe my issue, the guy did discuss some loss of power steering fluid.
http://www.grandprixforums.net/rear-...ion-64409.html

This discussion on removing and replacing the knock sensor makes me hope the above it correct.
http://www.grandprixforums.net/rear-...sor-39762.html
Bill if you run across this, it was posted in 2010, have you discovered a trick since then?

Hope she likes it. Heck for a free car to her she better like it. Hopefully she will take good care of it and not beat on it like some people I know that got cars given to them. Although I do know others who really babied them so it could go either way. Has she been told she is getting a car or is this a complete surprise?

Originally Posted by penright

I better not let her see these. :-)
Forgive my ignorance with some of my questions.
Are those factory wheels that were dip?
Did you buy smoke head/tail/center stop lights or did it yourself? How good does the light show through?
I could not tell from the picture, is the front air dam factory flat black, or have you done it in gloss?

Wheels are aftermarket
Tails are LEDs that I had professionally tinted light output wasnt effected
Brake and rev were also professionally tinted
Air dam is a SE front extension from GM 2 toned

theres lots of how too's on tinting your tail lights, its easy really. i did my regal. for about 30 bucks in materials.



just tail lights, day time



at night, just tail lights. brakes are brighter of course.



i masked out the reverse lights, so they still worked like they should too.



you tube has lots of vids to follow. i used VHT tint, 2000 grit wet sandpaper, and used clear coat over the tint. then wet sanded and buffed them to a shine.

this is 2 light coats of tint, 3 coats is darker, i wanted more of a cherry tint. so istopped at 2 coats. any more then 3 coats, and you wont see any light come through them.

dont mind my crappy bumper, its the worst part of the car lol, it came like that.

edit, stock pic.

Originally Posted by burgundybullet

Hope she likes it. Heck for a free car to her she better like it.

It's not free, just the labor. :-)
Her budget was about 2000 - 2500, that is why it took so long and I needed something that needed some work to bring the price down and I could fix it. Again, labor free. I gave 2550, took a chance on the power steering leak and check engine light. Other than a few (maybe 5 to 10) small hail dents, there are the two hickeys, other than that the body and paint is not bad. As I said, I am practicing paintless dent repair on the 97 project car, so we see how that works out. Interior is pretty good, the driver side has the ware at the bottom of the gas pedal. After looking at it yesterday, I think she wants it, but my plan B was my brother-in-law car lot. If I did that, then I would swap the seats with my silver 06. :-)

I know what you mean about car's given. My wife and I had a discussion just last night. I want the granddaughter to help, I said she will feel more attached to it. I said look at the 97 project car, it's a pile, but I have so much time invested, that it is special to me. Wife says, I don't think like a women, I said your right. My daughter had a 99 GP coupe given to her by us and she did awesome job. Drove it though highschool and college. When she got married, I gave it to them as one of our wedding gifts. It was black on black, with kind of a chrome spoke wheels. I loved that car, again put a lot of work in it over time. :-) Her husband was station with a navy fighter squadron in California at the time they got rid of it, otherwise I would have wanted to buy it back.

My granddaughter and I tackled the knock sensor code. First I put my 06 GP up on ramps and measured the ohms and voltage. I used a probed that has a little hook on it and you can screw down and it mechanically holds the wire while making a small puncture electricity.
Here is a picture of the tool: 20130727_072515_zpsc5b9d8aa.jpg Photo by penright | Photobucket
Here is a picture of the tool in action, also shows the location of the "Bank 2 Knock Sensor":
20130727_072949_zps46cef3d1.jpg Photo by penright | Photobucket
So for my base line Ohms I had 4.75 and DC voltage was about .3, then when the key was on it went up to about .7.
Here is the meter, if you want to see the settings: 20130727_073036_zps5cd6eff7.jpg Photo by penright | Photobucket
When I looked at the bad car, I had "open" on the ohms. When I went to the parts store and ohm out a good sensor, it showed "open". This made me think that I was reading the ohms through the computer. To test this theory, I measured the front KS and it read the same (4.78), then I disconnected it from the KS, and read the same (4.78) Ohms. So then I concluded maybe a broken wire,(good call Bill) so as I started pulling on the wire to see where it went, it came down. Then I tried to move the PS pump to see if I could find the other end and the connector fell on the ground. It looked like it broke on both ends of the connector. Here is my fix...
In this picture you can see where I added some wire, solder, and heatshrink. The bottom connector is the one that goes on the wire from the KS. In this picture you can see where I stripped the wire and was going to solder and heatshrink it back.
20130727_102322_zps64c5ae29.jpg Photo by penright | Photobucket
Then as I was winding the wire to put it back, it pulled out. I am glad it did because if it was weak, I rather find it now. : 20130727_102717_zpsa3379469.jpg Photo by penright | Photobucket
So to fix it, I had to cut back the plastic. There was a clip where the wire goes in, then a rubber plug around the wire. I assume it is to keep moisture out. So I cut a small slot and pry the metal clip up and out so I could solder a small piece on to attach the wire. Also I cut it 90 degrees to the prongs where the back clip is held on. The picture is kind of fuzzy but you get the idea. : 20130727_104539_zpsb3f28299.jpg Photo by penright | Photobucket
After pushing the clip back in and reassembling the plug, I added some heat shrink, silicon, the back clip. I think this will keep it from corroding. :20130727_105919_zpscd643c82.jpg Photo by penright | Photobucket
Solder and heat shrink it all back and now I had ohms. Cleared the code and so far so good.

Since it was a broken wire, I still can't help with a "Bad" KS. I feel this is a good quick test for a broken wire, especially since it can be broken in hidden places. Some post I read said if you have "open" then it could be a bad computer, although I guess this could be possible, definitely check for bad wire. I bet (although I can not be sure) it was done when the plastic elbows were replaced. Someone did not know there was a clip on the PS pump and pulled it loose. I bet I have done half dozed water pumps and dropped the PS pump to get at that bolt and did not know about the connector. Just been lucky I guess. :-)
Which brings me to a question, where and how is the wire routed? Where is it attached to the PS pump bracket? Any pictures? For now I connected them under the trans away from the CV axle, but I know the wire went up and over somewhere, not below, just not sure where. I don't think it going to catch on anything unless she goes 4 wheeling somewhere.

Also, I have to brag on the granddaughter, not only did she help and I had to explain everything. Heres what a socket looks like kind of stuff. It was a hot day in Oklahoma.
She stabbed the PS pump totally by herself. Both bolts!!!! I gave her a new name, from Whitney to Manual Dexterity. 20130727_130204_zpse0776765.jpg Photo by penright | Photobucket

Originally Posted by penright

It's not free, just the labor. :-)
Her budget was about 2000 - 2500, that is why it took so long and I needed something that needed some work to bring the price down and I could fix it. Again, labor free. I gave 2550, took a chance on the power steering leak and check engine light. Other than a few (maybe 5 to 10) small hail dents, there are the two hickeys, other than that the body and paint is not bad. As I said, I am practicing paintless dent repair on the 97 project car, so we see how that works out. Interior is pretty good, the driver side has the ware at the bottom of the gas pedal. After looking at it yesterday, I think she wants it, but my plan B was my brother-in-law car lot. If I did that, then I would swap the seats with my silver 06. :-)

I know what you mean about car's given. My wife and I had a discussion just last night. I want the granddaughter to help, I said she will feel more attached to it. I said look at the 97 project car, it's a pile, but I have so much time invested, that it is special to me. Wife says, I don't think like a women, I said your right. My daughter had a 99 GP coupe given to her by us and she did awesome job. Drove it though highschool and college. When she got married, I gave it to them as one of our wedding gifts. It was black on black, with kind of a chrome spoke wheels. I loved that car, again put a lot of work in it over time. :-) Her husband was station with a navy fighter squadron in California at the time they got rid of it, otherwise I would have wanted to buy it back.

Ahh. Misunderstood you. I thought this was just something that you picked up and were fixing up for her. Didn't realize she was paying for it.

Originally Posted by penright

I am a cheap papa. :-(
I did pay for it and she is going to pay me back. That is why she had a chance to refused it. Still for 2550$ I think she do alright.

a 06 for that price, you did good. lets hope she checks the oil, and makes time to learn how to change her oil along the way. or at least gets it changed.

cant ask much more from a girl unless shes really into working on cars. like your wife said, you dont think like a woman lol fixing the car is mans work...lol

some nice finds repair wise. poking a round usually saves time in the long run, and buying parts you dont need.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

lets hope she checks the oil, and makes time to learn how to change her oil along the way. or at least gets it changed.

It was hot Saturday when we were working on it. I live in the boondocks. After we finished, while still dirty, we went to a somewhat local (20 miles) for me, hole in the wall burger joint called "papa's". She called it our "Hot Date". Hot... get it? Anyway tonight we have a "hot date" to learn how to change the oil, only it's kind of cloudy so it might not be so hot today. :-) She bought her insurance, oil, and filter today, so she will take possession of the car tonight. Might want to keep your kids in the house and cars off the street. :-).
She is probably more safe than I am, at least she is always correcting my mistakes. :-)
In all seriousness I would not trade last Saturday for anything, we had a blast together. I am not saying she is into cars. I think she is trying to learn how to work on them because she is cheap like he papa. :-)