Blog expanded to include all vehicles

I am highjacking this blog to include my entire fleet. The Red Green truck (1997 Chevy Silverado, 2WD, 350 engine). Green truck with a red (maroon) cap by A.R.E. Company. My dad and I liked the Red Green show on PBS. Also the 1995 Saturn SL2. It has about 208,000 miles on it. The motor is in poor condition, but trying to keep it going. Uses lots and lots of oil. It survived a year or so with Jessica and now Kristen is abusing- I mean using it. Got new front tires on it a few months ago $200. The shocks are worn out though. Alignment unknown.  On the Saturn recently (sept 1st) we replaced the headliner. Been ripped to shreds for years. Took several hours if not 3 or 4. Fabric from Walmart ($6). Spray adhesive from Advance Auto $12.  Kristen found over $4 under the rear seat.  Then I replaced the fuel filter. I have had a new one for maybe 3 years but never installed it. Hopefully this will end the stalling Kristen has encountered lately.  Red green Truck 9/14/12 Friday: a problem that has been getting worse over 4 years. Yes it was noted on a repair report 4 years ago that left rear wheel cylinder was leaking. In the last year I began adding brake fluid to reservoir.  By now it had covered the shoes with fluid so bad it was not  working at all. Truck pulls to the right when stopping.  I replaced both rear brake wheel cylinders ($22). Went smoothly. Did not have to remove the springs or shoes at all. Near the end of job a small squirt of brake fluid got in my eye. Rushed into bathtub and flushed my eye. It seems ok. Then I bled the brakes. Road test. Ok but still the brakes are a little spongy. Always have been slugish or not very crisp. The pull to the right is now much less. May take a while to get fluid off shoes.   Saturday. Replaced the spark plugs with Bosch platinum 2. Test and can't tell a difference. Old plugs ( AC Delco ) looked pretty good despite the age of the engine and miles put on them. Plugs were about $16 a few years ago when I bought them.  Off to Walmart. Bought 2x5 quarts of oil and 4 oil filters. $50.  Oil and filter change. Took out the 5000 mile old synthetic and put in Valvoline NexGen MaxLife 10W30. It is made with recycled oil. They say it is better than crude oil for a basis to make new oil. Plus it "closes the loop". It is in the green bottles. Also I upgraded the filter to a Fram Toughguard with 6x protection. Supposed to trap more particles. I want the engine to last a long time. At 182,000 miles now.  While under the engine I see oil leaking from the front seal area. It can wait.  Took almost 20 quarts and 5 oil filters to Walmart for recycling.  By the way this summer I had to pay $1,100 for a new fuel pump on the redgreen. Dealership did the job. I replaced the little pump but it still kept not starting so I gave up. They found a short in the pump module and replaced the whole thing. Had to tow it once to Firestone and again to dealer. rental car cost about $200. About $1,500 total for the ordeal. Fuel pump went out in Atlanta about 3 years ago at the airport. Rental car and repair cost about $1,500 then.  Pray for my fuel pump.  Sunday 9/16/12 Anyhow the antifreeze or coolant replacement has been overdue for years. I have had all the supplies for 6 months now. About $25 for 2 gallons of new plus a little jug of Zerex super flush. Took from 2-8 pm doing this.