How to prolong engine life after 100k

[Atreus21]

Hey fellas.

My camaro is approaching the 100,000 mile mark, and I was looking to set up a maintenance schedule in the interest of maintaining the car's life for as long as I can. I take as good care of the car as I can afford to, and I'd like to keep her until she dies, so I'm wondering how to ensure that everything is in good working order, apart from timely fluid changes.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Vanquish]

Re: How to prolong engine life after 100k

Continue to keep as good of care as you can afford and that is the best you can do. Remember, these cars are a money pit and if you don't have much money to spend on them at the end of the month, then you can't really afford it.

And, unless you sell it, I can assure you that you will have it until it dies. :)

[crysmatic]

Re: How to prolong engine life after 100k

flushing the coolant and oil. use distilled water, 20% antifreeze, and water wetter. use synthetic oil and change every 6k miles or better. change the plugs, general tuneup, air/fuel filter. flush the injectors. use the best gas once in a while. just keep it clean.

as far as the design goes, if you keep it at stock power, no parts should ever break.

[Vanquish]

Re: How to prolong engine life after 100k

I just noticed that you live in NOLA. I have another tip for you to prolong the life of your car. Stay away from the streets in the city that like to suddenly drop down or just have 3 foot pot holes that can take an oil pan off in a clean swipe.

Those roads are just hideous and I used to dread going to work........when I worked for Gateway Computers right off of Canal.

[Atreus21]

Re: How to prolong engine life after 100k

I just noticed that you live in NOLA. I have another tip for you to prolong the life of your car. Stay away from the streets in the city that like to suddenly drop down or just have 3 foot pot holes that can take an oil pan off in a clean swipe.

Those roads are just hideous and I used to dread going to work........when I worked for Gateway Computers right off of Canal.

Friend, you're preaching to the choir. My oil pan is already dented pretty bad, and it's the source of my lone oil leak. I'll probably take it in soon to be replaced. That's a job I don't want to do myself. I wonder if there's any such thing as a low profile oil pan. I suppose I could jack the car up to a truck's height. That'd be attractive.

I work for UNO right now doing database work, and it is my extreme pleasure to be able to take Lakeshore drive to work, which is considerably smoother, faster, and more scenic than having to take Robert E. Lee, which is a nightmare for any car, let alone anything as low or lower than a camaro.

Navigating the worse parts of New Orleans' streets is like playing hop scotch through a mine field. that's why I'm never, EVER getting ground effects. They'd look awesome, until I started driving the car. Then they'd go to hell.

[Vanquish]

Re: How to prolong engine life after 100k

Just to let you know, you can take up the costs of the oil pan change with the city council and if they claim you suitable they will pay the cost of it.

My friend scrapped so bad it ripped a whole in his oil pan and he figured everything was fine and dandy so he kept driving then about 20 minutes later his oil light came on and smoke was pouring from under the hood. They later paid for his car to be fixed when he told them what happened and pleaded his case.

And yes, Robert E. Lee is a nightmare. I almost hit a cop car once trying to avoid a part of the road and he pulled me over and asked what the hell was my problem. I told him to go drive over that bump faster than 5 mph.

[Tech]

Re: How to prolong engine life after 100k

use synthetic oil and change every 6k miles or better.

I would NOT recommend this as he has a high mileage motor and may have problems with leaks. Best thing is to pick a motor oil and stick with it. You might want to move from castrol gtx to gtx high milage or mobil clean to mobil extended life, etc. But I think you should be fine as long as you keep up on fluid levels :)

[josh98bird]

Re: How to prolong engine life after 100k

I would NOT recommend this as he has a high mileage motor and may have problems with leaks. Best thing is to pick a motor oil and stick with it. You might want to move from castrol gtx to gtx high milage or mobil clean to mobil extended life, etc. But I think you should be fine as long as you keep up on fluid levels :)

gtx high mileage and i'm at 135k no problems except for leaks from seals and gaskets... didnt even do a tune up, wish i had.

[crysmatic]

Re: How to prolong engine life after 100k

imo, all these oils they've come out with are marketing ploys. there isn't much difference at a specific price point.

putting in inferior oil because your seals are shot is just masking the problem. i know seals aren't a normal maintenance item. how long can you run a motor with bad seals? i thought the series 2 was well buttoned up.

i bought my 99 regal dec 12, and i didn't have the benefit of using synthetic from day 1. i'll do a seafoam/synthetic oil change in the next week. i have 122k miles. i'll let you know how it goes.

aside from performance, i prefer synthetic because you can go much longer on oil changes - less pollution, and less reliance on foreign oils. don't you want a stable economy?! :)

[kala]

Re: How to prolong engine life after 100k

gtx high mileage

yup....Castrol GTX high mileage FTW............i just hit 86k and thats i have been using since 75k ...........i like it........i change my oil every 2 month (3000 miles) ........that way i keep the engine clean and it will help prolonging the engine life................



:)

[Camaro Dom]

Re: How to prolong engine life after 100k

the single most important thing you can do to prolong a motor's life is to change that oil. theres not really such thing as too often. i change it every 3000 but i think you can go all the way to 5000 w/o a problem.

[kuttman]

Re: How to prolong engine life after 100k

I use havaline and lucas oil treatment every 3000 and Im at 164000