Three years ago last May my wife and I bought a new 03 Subaru Forester for her. I told the owner of my gas station/independent repair shop that I hoped they were familiar with Subarus, tho I was sure they were as there's Subarus all over Montana. The owner told me that he has been servicing, since it was new, a Subaru wagon that "a little old lady" owns that, at that time, had 875,000 miles on it, all on the original engine. This is the H or Boxer, 2.5 liter, 4 cyl., engine, with the cylinders that move sideways instead of up and down, that Subaru's used for a long time. He said it burned a little oil, but not much. I got the impression that he maintained it regularly, and he's a believer in the 3,000 mile oil and oil filter change.
Anyone out there with 500,000 miles or more?
- Thread starter gulledge
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WOW!
Just curious did you ever have to change the rings on any of those cars, Saturn or Cutlass.
How much do they burn or leak. How about flushing the engine, was it done?
Lastly what oil is recommended for the Saturn and do you drive it in the winter?
I've bought 2 with over 700K miles on them at the time, and Dad's bought 3. The highest we got to on any was ~900,000 miles when we got rid of it, but they were all Freightliners with Cummins (or 1 Detroit Series 60) ebgines in them
None had been in-framed yet, though.
I've never done a ring job on any of the cars except the 50 Ford and the Superbee, which have recieved a rebuild in the course of their long lives. Oil on these is 20w50 Castrol and neither burn or leak oil. I did flush them with K+W engine flush before tearing them down, just to loosen up some of the packed in crud.
The 73 Cougar leaks about a quart every 100 miles, a lot of burning and seal leaks. 20w50 Valvoline is the oil I choose here.
The Oldsmobile saw 10w30 Kendall for it's first couple of years. Consumption began at 1 quart every 1500 miles at 120k, I then switched to Castrol 20w50 which stopped the burning. Slight leak around the oil pan gasket. No flush ever done. Head gasket replaced once and intake gaskets replaced twice. 15w40 Delvac ran during a few OCI's to clean up the internals just a bit.
On the Saturn the previous owner used 5w30 Pennzoil in the winter and 10w30 Penn in the summer with 3k OCI's. The engine was quite sludged but the K+W flushed it out pretty good. From then on I used 10w30 Havoline and Valvoline mostly (sometimes the occasional off brand like Wolf's Head or Supertech) and consumption started at around 200k at 1qt every thousand miles. I switched to 20w50 Castrol, Halvoline or Valvoline and no more burning but a slight leak near the timing belt cover. This car was used as a Taxi so I don't reccomend the heavy weight unless you have a lot of miles or drive the mess out of it. From what I know now I'd stay away from Pennzoil or Quaker State and stick with any good non synthetic for 3000 mile changes. 5w30 would probably be good all year round in Michigan but if you have any burning or leaking I would try the 10w30. FWIW I used mostly STP or AC Delco filters on this one.
What kind of advise are you looking for?
With your type of driving your car will last loooong time.
Long trip freeway driving + warm AL climate + few cold start-ups + good synthetic in the crankase...
I hope you like your Civic, cause under those condtions, chances are, it will be able to easily reach the 500K mi mark and beyond without major problems.
Now try the stop-in-go or extreme short trips in cold weather, rough roads in the snowbelt states with salty roads, and your car will be lucky to get to the 150K mark without major problems.
Sorry, too much time on the Vortex. It was a 1986 VW Jetta 1.6L Turbo Diesel inline 4/ 5 speed manual with no intercooler and only 1 elecrical engine management component- a power wire that ran to a solenoid on top of the pump to cut fuel when switched off.
Now I saw a VW Jetta gas engine car with 760k miles on her. 1.8L I4 FI with a 5 speed when I was tech in Charlotte. Belonged to a traveling saleswoman from Ohio. The engine looked OEM and very dirty. Can't remember what she came in for but it wasn't engine related.
Kingrob:
Thanks for the info, however you didn't say whether or not you use 20W50 in the winter. And since I'm not familiar with the winters in NC what is the coldest it gets down there?
I previously owned a 92 Cutlass that I bought at 25,000m and sold at 150,000m which isn't a big deal but I ran 5w30 QS all those miles with around 3,000m OCI and it seemed to run like new when I sold it. Liked the car alot and was very dependable but started to rust and just wanted to try the SUV thing. So I bought a 01 Xtreme Blazer now, sharp but it's a big ***. Mechanically it's fine but alot of little things are broke on it. Anyway I'm going try M1 5W30 EP in the winter and switch over to Havoline 10W30 in the summer, that seems like the right thing to do from what I've been reading here.
What do you think!
Thanks for the info, however you didn't say whether or not you use 20W50 in the winter. And since I'm not familiar with the winters in NC what is the coldest it gets down there?
I previously owned a 92 Cutlass that I bought at 25,000m and sold at 150,000m which isn't a big deal but I ran 5w30 QS all those miles with around 3,000m OCI and it seemed to run like new when I sold it. Liked the car alot and was very dependable but started to rust and just wanted to try the SUV thing. So I bought a 01 Xtreme Blazer now, sharp but it's a big ***. Mechanically it's fine but alot of little things are broke on it. Anyway I'm going try M1 5W30 EP in the winter and switch over to Havoline 10W30 in the summer, that seems like the right thing to do from what I've been reading here.
What do you think!
Warstud:
I did use 20w50 during the winter, but keep in mind this was used as a taxi so the engine stayed hot pretty much 13-14 hours a day. If this was just a daily driver I would have used 10w30 year round, as the winters here don't usually drop past -0 very often. I prefer the 10w30 on the 3.1 and 3.8 engines because the piston slap isn't as loud as with the 5w30.
As for your Blazer, that sounds like a pretty good idea. My buddy in Royal Oak runs M1 5w30 year round in his Blazer, but a little Havoline never hurt anything.
I did use 20w50 during the winter, but keep in mind this was used as a taxi so the engine stayed hot pretty much 13-14 hours a day. If this was just a daily driver I would have used 10w30 year round, as the winters here don't usually drop past -0 very often. I prefer the 10w30 on the 3.1 and 3.8 engines because the piston slap isn't as loud as with the 5w30.
As for your Blazer, that sounds like a pretty good idea. My buddy in Royal Oak runs M1 5w30 year round in his Blazer, but a little Havoline never hurt anything.
Hey Vad,
I've got 180k miles on my chev k1500 with the 350 vortech. It was run on 3k miles dino oci's and has had no major problems...other than the dreaded intake manifold leak...and other consumables like a water pump and an alternator. I've got tons of starts at -40 degrees celcius in the winter, and tons of short trip city driving.
My brother in law has a '97 dodge 4x4 with the 318 and he has 288k miles with 4k miles OCI's and 8 years of cold starts (-40 C) a good portion of the year with not engine issues either.
My dad, 200k miles on an '89 toyota pick-up with the 3.0L v6. 3k miles OCI's Cheapest Canadian Tire Dino oil (Shell/Esso depending on the year). That truck was never plugged in for 16 years and had NOTHING but short trips and similar cold starts. Not one single problem with that truck ever. Nothing. When he traded it in this year on a new Toyota tacoma he was still getting 30+ MPG (2wd auto v6). He would have kept it forever, but he didn't get air conditioning...and finally just wanted a new truck.
Just about killed him to get rid of it though. No question he'd buy another Toyota.
As far as I'm concerned re: engine longevity, this IS the "good old days".
I've got 180k miles on my chev k1500 with the 350 vortech. It was run on 3k miles dino oci's and has had no major problems...other than the dreaded intake manifold leak...and other consumables like a water pump and an alternator. I've got tons of starts at -40 degrees celcius in the winter, and tons of short trip city driving.
My brother in law has a '97 dodge 4x4 with the 318 and he has 288k miles with 4k miles OCI's and 8 years of cold starts (-40 C) a good portion of the year with not engine issues either.
My dad, 200k miles on an '89 toyota pick-up with the 3.0L v6. 3k miles OCI's Cheapest Canadian Tire Dino oil (Shell/Esso depending on the year). That truck was never plugged in for 16 years and had NOTHING but short trips and similar cold starts. Not one single problem with that truck ever. Nothing. When he traded it in this year on a new Toyota tacoma he was still getting 30+ MPG (2wd auto v6). He would have kept it forever, but he didn't get air conditioning...and finally just wanted a new truck.
Just about killed him to get rid of it though. No question he'd buy another Toyota.
As far as I'm concerned re: engine longevity, this IS the "good old days".
Jim,
1. The Chevy K1500. 180K miles. How many years did it take to accumulate those miles?
2. The '97 Dodge. The Dakota? 288K miles in 8 years. That's a whole lot of freeway driving, my friend - 36K per year!!! Cold starts or not.
3. The '89 Toyota Pickup. I don't know man. You keep telling us that the truck has seen nothing but short trips, yet it was covering on average 12-13K miles per year, which is a pretty standard number for the mixed freeway/city driving.
I would like to see a car with that kind of mileage that has been operated under the extreme city conditions.
Short trips - no more than 10 miles each way, 20 miles per day, 5 days per week.
Which comes to no more than 5K miles per year.
It would take 20 years to get to the 100K mark!
Imagine all the wear on that engine!
There would be no comparison in between a motor like that and another engine with the same number of miles on the odo which was being operated under the completely different driving conditions, like 20K annual miles accumulated within a 5 year service period.
1. The Chevy K1500. 180K miles. How many years did it take to accumulate those miles?
2. The '97 Dodge. The Dakota? 288K miles in 8 years. That's a whole lot of freeway driving, my friend - 36K per year!!! Cold starts or not.
3. The '89 Toyota Pickup. I don't know man. You keep telling us that the truck has seen nothing but short trips, yet it was covering on average 12-13K miles per year, which is a pretty standard number for the mixed freeway/city driving.
I would like to see a car with that kind of mileage that has been operated under the extreme city conditions.
Short trips - no more than 10 miles each way, 20 miles per day, 5 days per week.
Which comes to no more than 5K miles per year.
It would take 20 years to get to the 100K mark!
Imagine all the wear on that engine!
There would be no comparison in between a motor like that and another engine with the same number of miles on the odo which was being operated under the completely different driving conditions, like 20K annual miles accumulated within a 5 year service period.
On December 17th, 1975, I treated myself to an early Christmas present and purchased the first Jeep CJ-7 to arrive in my hometown.
Although rust is now getting to be rather severe and may be the death of her yet, the clock shows 490,000+. I'm sure this is well over 500K because I have run oversized tires for years which slows the odometer at least 10%.
This is the 258ci inline six.......has to be one of AMC's better designs. No lube related problems in all these years, but did crack a head once. A $25 replacement off of a junked Pacer and she has been good to go ever since. Never left me stranded anywhere.
Generally have used whatever oil & filters were on sale or convenient at the time, with changes every 2K to 3K. Started with 10W30, later moved to 10W40, and now use 20W50. There is some oil consumption with the lighter grades, but the 20W50 hardly moves at all between changes. She's fallen into disuse now, kept at my mountain vacation home, and used only on visits there, so we're now down to once yearly lube services.
Sure is a pleasure to work on and service this vehicle! Everything is out in the open on the in-line six and it's nearly 100% metal. The filter is easily reached from inside the engine compartment and there is plenty of ground clearance to slide under and drain the oil. They don't make-em like this anymore!
Although rust is now getting to be rather severe and may be the death of her yet, the clock shows 490,000+. I'm sure this is well over 500K because I have run oversized tires for years which slows the odometer at least 10%.
This is the 258ci inline six.......has to be one of AMC's better designs. No lube related problems in all these years, but did crack a head once. A $25 replacement off of a junked Pacer and she has been good to go ever since. Never left me stranded anywhere.
Generally have used whatever oil & filters were on sale or convenient at the time, with changes every 2K to 3K. Started with 10W30, later moved to 10W40, and now use 20W50. There is some oil consumption with the lighter grades, but the 20W50 hardly moves at all between changes. She's fallen into disuse now, kept at my mountain vacation home, and used only on visits there, so we're now down to once yearly lube services.
Sure is a pleasure to work on and service this vehicle! Everything is out in the open on the in-line six and it's nearly 100% metal. The filter is easily reached from inside the engine compartment and there is plenty of ground clearance to slide under and drain the oil. They don't make-em like this anymore!
Vad,
You're quite right on two of the three:
1. The Chevy truck was a company truck and accumulated those miles mostly on the highway inside of the first 3 years of its life.
2. the Dodge truck is a full sized 4x4...same deal, company truck, tons of highway miles.
3. The toyota truck got all its miles driving short trips, less than 3 miles with the occasional highway trip. My dad lives in a town of 50,000 and nothing's more than 3 miles away. All of those miles were to work and back or to the coffee shop and back. Never plugged the truck in and did only 3k dino oci's.
No word of a lie..bought in late '88 and traded in mid 2005. Every spring and fall he did a 2k mile trip, racking those miles up in about 10 days each. That accounts for 4k of easy miles per year. Apart from that fact, it's pretty close to the conditions you're talking about. His 2.7L 4cyl replacement truck is nice he says, but doesn't have anywhere near the power that his beloved 3.0L v6 toyota had.
Anyhow...for what it's worth, toyota sold him a really good vehicle in his opinion.
You're quite right on two of the three:
1. The Chevy truck was a company truck and accumulated those miles mostly on the highway inside of the first 3 years of its life.
2. the Dodge truck is a full sized 4x4...same deal, company truck, tons of highway miles.
3. The toyota truck got all its miles driving short trips, less than 3 miles with the occasional highway trip. My dad lives in a town of 50,000 and nothing's more than 3 miles away. All of those miles were to work and back or to the coffee shop and back. Never plugged the truck in and did only 3k dino oci's.
No word of a lie..bought in late '88 and traded in mid 2005. Every spring and fall he did a 2k mile trip, racking those miles up in about 10 days each. That accounts for 4k of easy miles per year. Apart from that fact, it's pretty close to the conditions you're talking about. His 2.7L 4cyl replacement truck is nice he says, but doesn't have anywhere near the power that his beloved 3.0L v6 toyota had.
Anyhow...for what it's worth, toyota sold him a really good vehicle in his opinion.
No one has brought up Irv Gordon yet?
Irv Gordon is the high-mileage Volvo guy isn't he? I was under the impression that his car had undergone one or more rebuilds to exceed one million miles.
A couple of months ago I went up to Stratton, Vt. th the Saab owners convention for the day. What impressed me the most was a Early 90's (can't remember the year)Saab 900 that had.... Hang on now...
956k miles. The owner was obviously quite proud and it was still on its original turbo without any engine rebuild !!
Tom
Cape Cod
956k miles. The owner was obviously quite proud and it was still on its original turbo without any engine rebuild !!
Tom
Cape Cod
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