[pbdanny]

Well ST:A I'm kind of in a bind, and have no one to ask for help atm.
Tried google and it didn't work, anyways.
Recently my car died, and my moms car received 4k in under body damage, so now I'm stuck needing to buy two new cars quick and for cheap.

Well, I found someone selling a 99 olds alero for 500, stating that it had no problems, but the flywheel was bad, and needed to be replaced. The car is an automatic, and I was wondering how hard or expensive of a fix this is, and what could have caused it, or what other problems could have occurred through this going bad. For the last question, should the car still run if the flywheel is bad, or only to a certain extent.

[ultimatetrooper]

Drop tranny, pull motor, replace fly wheel. Easy.

[pbdanny]

Considering I'm not too car savvy, and I wouldn't be able to do that on my own, how much labor do you think that would cost in a shop?
And also, could what could cause a fly wheel to break, and what else may break because of a broken flywheel?
I really appreciate your guys' help

[ultimatetrooper]

More money then car is worth, look for something different.

This should help:
http://www.aa1car.com/library/2003/bf100372.htm

[pbdanny]

So basically, if I have to take it to a shop to have it done, don't waste my time, and if I can find someone who knows cars well and can do it for me for a small fee buy the car? I just can't imagine them charging more than 500 bucks to do the job, at most shops, and the car looks amazing.

[Lucidus]

I'm sure the flywheel is not bad and it is something else.

[ultimatetrooper]

I really wouldn't dick with it. I am sure for a little more money you can find something that is a a little more mechanically sound. Unless that car has very low mileage, then I would begin to question what caused the flywheel to crack.

[Twenty4/7_Ep3]

i think that car would be worth it to put a little more money in it looks pretty clean for what it is..

[pbdanny]

I agree on the it probably not being the fly wheel, but I have no idea. I don't know what it takes to break or damage a fly wheel. The only way I think they could prove that's even the problem, would be if they went to a transmission shop, and maybe if the trans was taken out. I don't know if that's necessary though.
On the other hand, I might be buying a 94 blazer with 130lk for CHEAP, opinions? This car would have been for my moms.

[steveofsatan]

keep looking.

hey i live in 734 lulz

[The Executioner]

If it's automatic, its not a flywheel, it's a flexplate.

[F1VENOM]

Originally Posted by The Executioner

If it's automatic, its not a flywheel, it's a flexplate.

Which leads to an even more pressing question of why would a flexplate fail on that car.

[M3frontman]

Originally Posted by F1VENOM

Which leads to an even more pressing question of why would a flexplate fail on that car.

repeatedly "starting" it with the engine running?

it'd **** up the ring gear, but it wouldn't crack a flexplate. and the starter would be toast too.

Originally Posted by pbdanny

I just can't imagine them charging more than 500 bucks to do the job, at most shops,]

to drop and reinstall a tranny without parts or work you're probably looking at ballpark 6-8 hrs labor fees. average labor rate is roughly $100/hr.

[F1VENOM]

Originally Posted by M3frontman

repeatedly "starting" it with the engine running?

it'd **** up the ring gear, but it wouldn't crack a flexplate. and the starter would be toast too.




to drop and reinstall a tranny without parts or work you're probably looking at ballpark 6-8 hrs labor fees. average labor rate is roughly $100/hr.

True, but then why would they say it went bad? Either way I wouldn't buy the car and average labor rate for cars is ~$60-80 here.

[M3frontman]

Originally Posted by F1VENOM

True, but then why would they say it went bad? Either way I wouldn't buy the car and average labor rate for cars is ~$60-80 here.

i have no idea why they would say it went bad without checking the car out on a rack. i also wouldn't buy the car.


what area do you live in? that's hella cheap, and unless the cost of living is low i'd hate to be a tech there.

GOOD techs here make $25-30 an hour and a good employer will never pay a tech more than 30% of their labor rate.

in fact, about an hour down the road is the best tech GM has in the state, he makes $30/hr flat rate on a90-100hr/week average turn.

[pbdanny]

Yeah most shops in our area are 35-65 an hour.

[M3frontman]

$35 an hour?

**** that. i'm only halfway up the pole for VW and nissan and i don't work for less than low to mid 20's in my pocket. i charge $30 an hour for side work with no overhead, middleman or corporate structure to pay for.

[pbdanny]

Originally Posted by M3frontman

$35 an hour?

**** that. i'm only halfway up the pole for VW and nissan and i don't work for less than low to mid 20's in my pocket. i charge $30 an hour for side work with no overhead, middleman or corporate structure to pay for.

I'm also not talking about dealership mechanics, I'm talking about your local family owned or small business.

[M3frontman]

Originally Posted by pbdanny

I'm also not talking about dealership mechanics, I'm talking about your local family owned or small business.

still looking at $85-90 here for that.

last time i worked an independant shop we were still at $92.00/flat rate hour.

[The Executioner]

After my dads buddy helped me out on my car, he says he is no longer accepting a Volkswagen in his shop, evidently mine was the first one he'd ever tooled with.

[M3frontman]

Originally Posted by The Executioner

After my dads buddy helped me out on my car, he says he is no longer accepting a Volkswagen in his shop, evidently mine was the first one he'd ever tooled with.

yeah. when i worked in a goodyear for a bit the rest of the techs would turn away VW's, or any other german car. you really gotta know and <3 them, and understand DIN diagrams and all that jazz. and most generic global scan tools can only access the ECM and TCM on a VW and nothing else, unless they have the proper CAN network protocols.