Updates! Got everything on and took it to the shop to have them figure out the bleeder screws and to check on a leaky brake line (or it's the little valve at the master cylinder, I dunno). Anyway, got it back and I guess they got the screws loose, but also didn't exactly do anything about the brake line. Oh well; everything works, at least. Except that that the brakes are a bit... less effective. I'll adjust the pedals, try to adjust the booster pushrod if I need to(which I asked them to do too), and bleed everything again myself, and see if it helps.
Also replaced the bumper, so the lights had to come off. But hey, now you can see the nice fancy grille. Ha.
I did however stumble upon a pretty nice-looking 1985 Ford EXP on CL and have been veeery tempted, except that I don't need it. And it's older. And very slow. But... it's so cool; and I'll probably never see another one that nice... Oh well. I am, though, trying to figure out the line between "fix the 'Scort" and "just find something else". I just wish that I was at that line right now.
Methinks it's time to find a more helpful shop 
Uhh the wagon keeps stalling at idle. And of course most of the time, it happens RIGHT when the light I'm at turns green.
The engine usually hiccups quite a bit before it shuts off. It also may be worse in heat. Just started recently, though it's always idled a little rough. Vacuum leak? Air flow issue?
In other news I noticed a wheel-related squeal today, from the front I think.
Ugh. Well. This car is handy but it's getting annoying; just little things but I'm probably just being too-easily irked I guess.
Well, guess you shouldn't clean air valves with throttle body cleaner. Tried that and just made it worse, as in it wouldn't idle at all until after being driven for a while. So, I got a new valve and it works better. Still hiccups and almost stalls after sitting for a bit, but it's better than it was. Thinking it might be an ERG problem, since the whole thing started after I FIXED the broken pipe from exhaust mani to ERG valve.
Yeah, it runs better, but now (today being the first extensive driving after replacing the IAC valve it this weekend) the check engine light goes on after about 2 minutes of driving.
Okie dokie. A couple weeks ago, on a Monday morning, I broke down on the freeway.. about a half mile from my exit. Got it towed to the work parking lot, where a. it sat for 2 weeks and b. I discovered a broken timing belt. Hmm. Supposedly that was replaced relatively recently by the PO. (Fortunately I have a nice brother who let me use his 318 while he was on his honeymoon).
In the process of replacing the timing belt, which included a few days of staying a while to try, only to find I didn't bring appropriate tools, I also discovered that the tensioner pulley was broken, in that there were bits of it stuck in the ball bearings, causing it to not turn. Probably contributed to the breaking of the belt. In any case, I did eventually replace the belt and tensioner and now it runs fine, and doesn't stall anymore. Also the check engine light is off.
In the meantime, I purchased a $900 Saturn wagon which I hoped I'd be able to drive right away while the Escort was out of commission, but it has more wrong with it than I thought (very wheel wobbles, no brakes, etc) and one tire is leaky. I will end up fixing that up, since it has nice things like air conditioning and a CD player, and will probably be more reliable, and getting-a-rid-of the Scort.
Well, I made a few dollars today.
It was time for the 'Scort to go at last. It'd been sitting still since last spring while I turned my attention to the Saturn. As much a pain as this car had been, it did make it on two road trips totaling approximately 2,830 miles without any trouble, so I have to give credit where it's due.
I did have to swap the wheels and could have very easily punched a hole in the bottom of the car with the jack if I wasn't careful. My brother ended up using it as an educational resource for his students and in the process broke the remaining two valve cover bolts. To get the brakes loose and enough corrosion off the rotors, I had to turn them with a hammer and punch.
I have a keepsake, at least...
~fin~
