Couple of repair parts issues

[Isuzuzuki man]

Is there a serviceable fuel filter for the 02 Esteem? And secondly, does anyone know where I can get some good CV boot service kits for it? All the parts stores have are uni-fit boot kits by Dorman-motormite, the quality and fit are questionable.

My 02 Esteem just tore a boot at 72K miles. I was kind of shocked to see that so soon.

[jim_naisium]

I don't know anything about the fuel filter for that year.

As far as the boots go you will save yourself a lot of time and trouble by just replacing the entire axles, they are already greased and have brand new boots on them, mine were about $55 each.

My website is for the 99 Esteem but the procedure should be just about the same to replace the axles and took less than two hours to do.

http://home.comcast.net/~lj_robins/99suzuki/

[Isuzuzuki man]

I once liked the idea of replacing the axle, but the rebuilds I got in the past were nothing but crap, many had a vibration or wobble, I had trouble with A1 Cardone, and CCT (car component technologies). I don't know if their rebuild standards are poor or what.

Advance auto has a new brand of axles out now, I am looking into one of those, and saving my core, the boot just split not long ago so the axle is rebuildable, and I know the history of it, unlike the rebuilds that are a batch of parts from old worn out axles thrown together.

[jim_naisium]

Mine split and I did nothing about it and drove them through two rainy seasons, it was our only car at the time and someone always needed it for something, finally the axles were making so much noise I replaced them.

The noise went away and some lost horse power came back also, the axles are going into their third month I have had no problems with them (vibration or otherwise).

[Isuzuzuki man]

Originally Posted by jim_naisium

Mine split and I did nothing about it and drove them through two rainy seasons, it was our only car at the time and someone always needed it for something, finally the axles were making so much noise I replaced them.

The noise went away and some lost horse power came back also, the axles are going into their third month I have had no problems with them (vibration or otherwise).

Do you remember what brand re-builder they were?

[jim_naisium]

I had to return the boxes when I returned the old ones, I'll try to find out next time I go by there, it is whatever brand Knechts Autoparts uses.

[Isuzuzuki man]

I may be in luck, the parts webpage lists the boots I want for 1995-2000, so 2000 should be the same as 2002?

The uni-fit boot numbers match from 2000 and 2002, its seems they just dropped the good ones in 2000.

[Isuzuzuki man]

Well for the sake of someone else doing this job, the 01-02 boots are bigger. not so good for me. So I have the old OEM boot off and cleaned up to save for measurement purposes.

Roughly the outer measures 3" x 15/16" x 3 5/8"

And also I see a few boots in my PTC catalog that are very close in dims and style, they are cheaper and better quality. Gonna check the store stock for those tomorrow. Progress!!!

[Isuzuzuki man]

I ordered the uni-fit boots and as I suspected the boots are thin and cheap, I returned those and ordered some that measured as close as possible from the catalog, meanwhile PTC emailed me with the correct numbers for both my Esteems, WHY the numbers are not in their catalog is beyond me. So now I must return and reorder again, Advance auto is really liking me right now ha ha

And BTW I did try to order the complete shaft, they don't offer one.

So I have the PTC boot part numbers with pics and dims if anyone needs it.

I also have the joints completely disassembled, I should take some pics and post them up for archive purposes.
I can see an end to my headache.

[Isuzuzuki man]

To update this thread for all 2 of you that may be reading it, I have taken a pic of the disassembled shaft,the best part is it takes no special tools to disassemble them.
I found some boot kits at Auto-zone made by Fenco, the numbers are the same as PTC except the prefix is a "K" instead of a "6" I found all the part numbers listed for both Esteems by entering the part number direct. Why they do not list the numbers under the Esteem application is beyond me.


Finished product