Piston Slap: Saturn Squeaks for a New Serpentine Belt?

Josh writes:

I’ve asked you a few questions over the years, and the answers have always been excellent. Well now… I’ve yet another: about a month ago I picked up a rather humble ’99 Fleet Car White Saturn SL1. Despite an intermittent “Service Engine Soon” idiot light (which I suspected to be the typical rather crusty EGR valve, and was right), rear power windows I was warned by the owner “to not put them down,” it was clean overall, had traveled only 110k miles in its lifetime, and was a one-owner car. I paid the sum of $1,100 cash money and became the proud new owner.

It has four new tires (that match!), doesn’t piss any of its fluids or smoke, and has cold air conditioning. And three cheers for damned near 40 mpg. On to my question: when the engine idles, it sounds “squeaky.” Not squeally, like belt squeal… but squeaky. And it’s more than just a squeak when it idles, it’s present while driving. I can hear the squeak while I drive down the highway even!

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Piston Slap: My Pick Up's Failing Clutch Pick Up?

TTAC Commentator halftruth writes:

My 2012 Tacoma has a temperamental clutch. Sometimes it catches high, sometimes low. This is most annoying on a grade when the pedal comes up and very little happens, then — boom! — it grabs all at once or it catches a little at a time and eventually works as it should. The ambient temperature does not seem to matter nor if the truck is hot or cold.

I noticed the pedal linkage is all plastic and has lots of play in it. I have also noticed this in other Tacomas of the same generation. I did adjust the actuator gap as it was way out of spec at about 8 mm, but it did not make a difference.

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Piston Slap: The Self-Lathing CRX?

Gareth writes:

Good afternoon Sajeev,

Read your latest and I’m determined to help you out. I recently had a bone-stock 87 CRX Si follow me home from an impound auction and, if I can get the damn thing through an Ontario Safety Inspection, I’ll let TTAC’s very own Derek K drive it.

Therein lies the rub, or brake rub really. The front discs were rubbing, a lot. Constant grinding sound as the wheels turn. I have since removed/lubricated the caliper sliders (they were a bit stuck from sitting) and measured the discs and pads using a measuring tape and straight edge, everything is above min specs.

With the pin lube the grinding noise has abated somewhat but continues, worst is passenger side.

The discs don’t feel warped (no front shudder under hard braking).

Your thoughts?

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  • ToolGuy You people worry too much. I voted today, and I made some very solid choices. Trust me, your problems are over.
  • ToolGuy Meanwhile Jim Farley, Ford CEO is driving a China EV.
  • SCE to AUX It's cheap for a Lucid, and probably too cheap to make a profit.
  • Tassos At $80k worthless, cackling Kamala Dollars it will sell a few lousy cheap Lucids. But if you are asking if it will sell a MILLION UNITS A YEAR, NOT IN YOUR SILLY DREAMS. NO OTHER MODEL THAN THE Model 3/Y has been able to Achieve this sTUNNing success.
  • AMcA Lyriq was a slow seller early this year - I went on the website and looked at dealer inventory, and they were stacked up like cord wood. I tried the same search a couple weeks back and it looks like they're in short supply now, only a handful in my area. It appears it's caught on, which justifies this further variant.