Automotive » Buick Centry maintenance log

Front two tires were rotated to back in standard pattern. Two new Doral SDL Sport tires were installed in front.

wo weeks of unrelenting cold killed the already-old battery. Battery and terminal ends were replaced.

EGR valve suddenly got stuck open, leading to occasional stalling and rough idle. EGR valve and gasket were replaced within the week.

Power steering started to squeal on sharp turns at low speed. 1 quart of fluid was taken out of the reservoir and replaced with 1 quart of FRAM fluid. This did not fix the concern, but it did make steering easier.

Front right strut catastrophically failed upon hitting a massive pothole at ≈82,400. Both front strut assemblies were replaced with Monro Roadmatic struts.

Front right turn signal replaced with Sylvania amber type.

Oil was drained & replaced with about 4½qt of FRAM 5W-30. Filter was replaced with a Carquest Premium filter. Drain plug was replaced as well and torqued to spec.

Engine air filter was replaced with FRAM standard type filter.

Cabin air filter was replaced with Purolator brand.

Odometer and shift indicator lit up intermittently and did not respond to the dimmer switch, starting at ≈85,800. Four dimmer resistors on the instrument panel circuit board were replaced with ¼W 150Ω through-hole resistors.

Spark plugs were inspected and seen to be fouled and corroded. All six spark plugs were replaced with Autolite brand single-platinum plugs, and all six spark plug wires were replaced with Carquest Premium wires. Performance and fuel economy significantly improved afterwards.

Tires rotated in standard pattern. Wheels balanced.

Throttle body was cleaned with throttle body cleaner. Mass air flow sensor was cleaned with MAF sensor cleaner. This was done as preventative maintenance.

Fuel filter was replaced on account of its being stock. This was done as preventative maintenance.

Presumably due to an undetected rich condition, the catalytic converter became clogged and exacerbated existing stuttering and hesitation. The catalytic converter was replaced with a Walker OE-style cat.

PCV intake tube was accidentally leaned on and cracked open during light cleaning of the engine bay. Intake tube was wrapped with electrical tape as a temporary fix. Tube was replaced with ACDelco OE tube within two days (87 miles).

Fuel pump began making an ungodly grinding noise at about 87,800 that only got worse with time. Performance was seemingly unaffected at the time. Fuel pump was replaced with Carquest pump. Control lines were spliced to adapt to the new connector, for which a nub had to be cut off the lock ring.

Upon weekly fluid checks, I got tired of the vaguely diarrheal appearance of the power steering fluid. 2 quarts of fluid were taken out of the reservoir over several cycles and replaced with 2 quarts of FRAM fluid. Steering was made significantly easier, once again. (There is not a leak, according to the dipstick.)

After disconnection of the EGR valve from the intake plenum, the engine performed the same as if it was connected; this was indicative of clogged EGR passageways in the plenum. Disassembly very clearly confirmed this suspicion. The EGR passageways were cleaned using carburetor cleaner and a trombone snake. Additionally, as preventative maintenance while everything was already apart, the throttle body and IAC valve were cleaned with carburetor cleaner and a shop towel. Due to the nature of the repair, the intake plenum gaskets were replaced, as well as the EGR valve and throttle body gaskets.

I lost a couple bolts on the EGR valve and replaced them with identically threaded bolts, though the heads are of different size than OEM.

This whole ordeal resolved a P0401 error code.

The (then-)ongoing coolant leak via the (infamous) intake manifold gasket catastrophized and spurted out nearly a gallon of coolant out into the engine bay in the time it took to turn around on WV 5 and intermittently limp four miles back to Glenville all while keeping temperature just halfway up the gauge. Coincidentally, the intake manifold gasket set arrived in the mail the day before, as I was planning on doing this regardless; this just raised the urgency. The EGR valve, throttle body and intake plenum gaskets as well as the intake manifold bolts were also replaced due to the nature of the repair.

Oil and coolant were changed due to the nature of the intake gasket repair. The oil drain plug and gasket were reused. The original fluids could have been reused, but oil had leaked into the coolant when the intake manifold gasket leak went catastrophic, and the oil was due for a change anyway.

MIL came on at ≈88,990, throwing code P0701. Upstream O₂ sensor was replaced with an identical Denso OEM sensor, which got rid of the code.

Two Mastercraft tires were replaced with Solarus Starfire AS tires. (Good riddance.) A lug stud broke off the front driver-side hub during the procedure.

As the wheel was being taken off to replace a broken lug stud, yet another broke. Two lug studs on the driver-side front hub were replaced with Dorman studs, and the two unusable lug nuts were replaced with Dorman OE-style nuts. This process involved filing down part of the ABS plate in order to fit in the studs.

Upon installation of new lug sstuds, it was noted that the entire bottom half of the front driver-side sway bar link was just missing. Both front links were replaced with full Driveworks kits.

Squealing had been going on during tight turns since ≈85,000; at this point, the front left wheel bearing squealed when the wheel was rotated 90° either direction. Additionally, a slight vibration at all speeds cropped up at ≈89,800.

Wheel hub assemblies were replaced with Driveworks hubs.

Upon closer inspection of a strange smell, the front left caliper was found to be seized. Caliper was replaced with a Carquest Premium remanufactured caliper. The rotor was found to not be warped and as such was not replaced.

I broke the spark plug on cylinder #5 while taking it out for periodic inspection. Nothing else was visually abnormal. Plug was replaced with Autolite brand single-platinum, which coincidentally fixed a persistent misfire

Right CV axle started to exhibit occasional clunking and grinding at ≈91,800. Upon inspection, the boot was found to be torn and broken and grease flung everywhere. Axle was replaced with a Carquest Premium model.

Gas struts for the trunk were replaced with no-name ones bought on Amazon. The trunk is no longer at risk of decapitating me in a ⅓mph gust.

Oil was drained & replaced with about 4½qt of FRAM 5W-30.

Tires were rotated in standard pattern

Engine air filter was replaced with Purolator standard type filter.

Oil was drained & replaced with about 4½qt of FRAM 5W-30. Filter was replaced with a Carquest Premium filter.

Caliper was seizing and squeaking intermittently. Caliper was replaced with a Carquest Premium remanufactured caliper. The rotor was found to not be warped and as such was not replaced.

Sudden, extreme wear was found on the front ([BRAND]) tires indicative of negative toe, upon which a full alignment was performed. Enough tread was left all over the front tires to be safely driven for an indeterminate while longer. The rear tires had slight but not critical inner wear.

Upon an attempt at rotating the tires to extend lifespan after excessive wear from a previous toe-out condition, the tread on the front right ([BRAND]) tire was found to have been worn past the legal minimum.

The front end is aligned; this is from wear pre-alignment combined with normal wear post-alignment. Both tires were replaced with [BRAND] tires.

Trunk ligh treplaced with Sylvania 920

Oil was drained & replaced with about 4½qt of FRAM 5W-30.

Oil was drained & replaced with about 4½qt of FRAM 5W-30. Filter was replaced with a Carquest Premium filter.

Tires rotated in standard pattern. Two new [BRAND] tires were installed in the front position.

All six spark plugs were replaced with Autolite brand single platinum plugs.

Rust was cut out of rocker panels. New metal was welded onto the frame to cover the rocker panels. Paint was added to protect against rust.

Front brake pads were replaced with Carquest Standard organic type.