Almost official

[ddalder]

The screws may offer enough adjustment. I believe that harofreak00 also wrote something up about adjusting the motor assembly by one gear-tooth if this doesn't work for you.

I've always wanted a Red/Ebony GXP :( I love that colour!

[Kevin Amstutz1]

So now it's official, I purchased the GXP. No oil leaks and everything checked out good. We drove her the 1000 miles home and she ran like a champ. I will say that I love the V-8 rumble from the Northstar and unfortunately for me so does my wife and now we "Might" be looking for a white GXP for her.

I checked all the cam cover bolts and none were loose. I flushed the coolant, which was Dex Cool and replaced with Peak. Changed the oil and filter and remembered how much she holds for oil. The sunroof adjusted although it's at the max of the adjustment.

Lane, you would be interested to know that one fog light worked when I got the car. I purchased two new H-3 bulbs and replaced both bulbs. The grounds were not overheated and I left the covers off the housings. I will say it was a fun job resulting from a very poor design.

Two other notes, the fuel filler door does not have the fuel cap hanger that my 02 & 03 SSEI's have and the cabin air filter is missing the plastic housing. Was this production flaw for the 2005's ?

Thanks, Kevin

[ddalder]

If you want the cabin air filter you can purchase the plastic frame which is GM P/N 15807286 (I don't recall if this comes with the push-in retainer or not, but if it doesn't you should be able to get one at pretty much any auto parts store). I'm not sure what year these were discontinued as a factory option but my 2004 never came with it either. Also, in 2004 when GM stopped installing the fuel door lock solenoid they also stopped providing the fuel cap tether hanger.

[Kevin Amstutz1]

It makes no sense that GM stopped the fuel tether hanger when it keeps the cap off the paint. The cab filter catches a lot of trash as well.

Thanks for the update.

[CMNTMXR57]

Cost. Everything GM does is a cost! Not making it with a plastic tether, saves costs and one less thing to have to assemble when building the car.

I hate the tethers. I'd rather have the fuel filler door cap holder that GM likes to do instead.

[DRWBRTq19]

Kevin, I think that Youngstown craigslist ad is actually for the car I bought.

I also needed both the cabin filter and bracket.

I got both together @ NAPA, pn# 4474 for about $15.



It's a very tight fit, and I've yet to install it because I haven't wanted to force it to much because I'm not ready to break stuff on her just yet.

I figure it might actually be easier to just open up that end of the cowl (of course I could be very wrong too).

I was also wondering about a tether hook.
Since my wife's 04 Sunfire had one, I was surprised to find that the Bonnie didn't.

Out of curiosity, can an earlier gas door with the hook be swapped in?

Drew

[bobgto65]

That's the first Crimson Tricoat that I've seen with the gray interior. I like that combination a lot better than the beige interior. Nice clean looking car.

[BBamm]

It's a very tight fit, and I've yet to install it because I haven't wanted to force it to much because I'm not ready to break stuff on her just yet.

I figure it might actually be easier to just open up that end of the cowl (of course I could be very wrong too).

Even pulling the cowl up won't help. The metal below is close to the same size. I had to install one when I first got my car. It DOES fit but it's VERY tight. There's a write up somewhere on here about it and it says right before it feels like you're going to break everything it pops right in. That's precisely what happened for me.
Good luck!

[DRWBRTq19]

So this may be a dumb question, but does the bracket stay in the car once it's in or does it come out every time the filter is serviced?

(Kevin, my apologies for hijacking your thread)

Drew

[BBamm]

Bracket has to be removed each time. It can be reused if you get a fold-able replacement filter and you haven't broken the bracket.