Changed the spark plugs last week to Bosch Platinum +2, lucas oil fuel injector cleaner (again, works nicely), changed the oil tonite, and the oil filter - Castrol 20w50, bosch oil filter, inspecting the belts for the drive ahead, and noticed that 2 of them, the a/c and alternator belts were both on their way out - it has been a few years since they've been changed, maybe 4, checked the coolant, and brake fluid - everyting is great.

Went to auto zone for the new belts, the a/c and alternator - but I bought the power steering belt instead of the alternator belt...I found this out after I pulled all 3 belts off - thinking I bought the last 2 belts, the a/c and alternator.  So, I installed the alternator belt again, and just drove to auto zone - no power steering, that sucked, and no a/c, but I didn't need it - was only 1/2 mile away.  Got back home, pulled off the old alternator belt, installed all 3 new belts, then...the nightmare begins.

The alternator belt (which connects to the water pump pulley) was seated sideways in the pulley.  Go ahead and imagine my language after I see this.  So, I took out the airbox and loosened up the alternator - which doesn't move I found out, and tried to get the belt to seat over the water pump pully correctly, with less slack...nooooo oooooo good.

Language continues, and I'm thinking - ok - this is 2 days before I leave for Sebring, what's going to stop me tonite?  So, I got down to it, and stopped wasting time - pulled off the 2 front belts, and reseated the alternator belt, which was harder than french kissing a cobra.  That took about 20 minutes to get that thing lined up - every time it went on, it wanted to twist sideways - the most annoying thing.  Finally got it - installed the 2 other belts seamlessly.

Things are good - car's ready for another 3k miles now - and won't strand me on the way to, at, or back from Sebring.  In October of 2003, I had a coolant hose bust the night before I was leaving for Road Atlanta - the one that runs on the drivers side from the throttle body to the back of the engine - what a difficult hose that was.  I just don't want anything to go wrong