21 yrs & 520,000km's - engine untouched

[caprice_2nv]

Sorry about the pics being sideways,

520,000km's is over 322,400 miles. Original engine still runs like new and timing chain has no slop. It is however leaking and burning a bit of oil on my daily commute over an hour driving at 75mph and probably a bit down on power compared to new.

I'm trying to decide whether to fix all of the little things wrong with it and keep driving it in the winter just so I can see how long it will run. Lockup torque converter clutch doesn't work, drivers window doesn't work, lots of wind noise leaking past the shot window seals, drivers seatbelt needs replacement (almost worn through), headliner falling down, body mounts in back need replacement, speedometer acts up when cold, etc. I'd like to fix them all but some of the guys at the garage I work keep asking me why i'd spend so much time working on this old p.o.s.

Guess I should mention the things that do work still - cruise control, heat, delay wipers, tilt steering, power trunk release, automatic headlights, almost everything else really. It starts in -20 and colder weather.

 

[sicko]

What's been your maintenance routine with it? And have you had it since new

 

[Scienceman]

fix it up and see how long it will run.

 

[eljefino]

If I fixed anything it'd be the TCC even if it meant putting in a toggle switch. On canadian cars of that vintage it's a vacuum/governor system instead of computer control, right?

Good news is it's all tinkering stuff. The body mounts you could find some scrap metal and hockey pucks and drill holes. You can get foam house weatherstripping at the dollar store for your wind whistle. Maybe the power window issue is a pinch in the wire going through the door? My cutlass ciera did that...

 

[Johnny]

Exactly what is this old p.o.s.? What engine is in it, and what oil and how often do you change it?

 

[caprice_2nv]

It's a 1989 Chevy Caprice Classic with the 305 TBI (throttle body injection). I bought it for $400 with 490,000km's (about 290k miles), before that it had conventional 5w30 every 3-4k miles for 19 years by the 2 previous owners (I met both). Other than that both owners just fixed it when it broke which apparently was very rarely.

I started running synthetic in it soon after I got it now at about 4k intervals to try to help clean it up. Going to go with 15w50 Mobil 1 on my next oil change to see if it helps consumption any.

 

[Bill in Utah]

I'd bet its a mid 80s caprice. 5.0l V8

 

[addyguy]

I'm usually the first to say 'ditch it and get something new'...but here I'm going back on that.

That car is fast becoming a classic, of a type you rarely see anymore. I'd fix it up and keep driving, and maybe someday you can restore it.

 

[caprice_2nv]

The oil before i got it would usually have been dino bulk 5w30. It's a roller cam 305 sbc with fuel injection. There are still a number of them driving around this area, some of them beat to [censored] and rusty, some of them look like brand new. So it's not really all that rare yet.

 

[caprice_2nv]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
If I fixed anything it'd be the TCC even if it meant putting in a toggle switch. On canadian cars of that vintage it's a vacuum/governor system instead of computer control, right?

Good news is it's all tinkering stuff. The body mounts you could find some scrap metal and hockey pucks and drill holes. You can get foam house weatherstripping at the dollar store for your wind whistle. Maybe the power window issue is a pinch in the wire going through the door? My cutlass ciera did that...



The TCC issue isn't the solenoid, I already replaced that and checked a number of other things. It's a mystery which is part of whats frustrating me about the car right now. It's only getting about 21-23mpg imperial and these cars are capable of higher high 20's even in the winter.

The window is just a broken clip, it's actually manual windows which I've had more problems with than power windows. I think its mainly cause our arms are harder on the window regulator and other parts than the little electric motor would be.

 

[addyguy]

But they are going to get rarer and rarer every year.

The 'mint' ones will get tucked into garages, the 'beaters' will land in junkyards....the 'middle of the raod' ones that are out and about will become non-existant.

 

[caprice_2nv]

Your right, I hate to send it to the junkyard at this point, as I almost consider it a working experiment that gets me to work. I know of other Caprice's that have gone over 600,000km's with basic maintenance and nothing fancy. I'd like to see mine turn over 1,000,000km's which isn't completely out of the realm of possibility considering the cost of parts and all the spare parts I already have for it.

None of the stuff that needs fixing will cost me a whole lot of money and the car has good tires, brakes, front end, etc. which means a lot.

 

[Bluestream]

Has it had MMO in it?

 

[shpankey]

I know it sounds weird, but I very much enjoy fixing all the little things, one at a time on an old car that has served you well. It's what I'm doing now on one of my old cars, a Z24.

If you think about everything it needs all at once, it's discouraging. That's why I only think about one single issue and fix it on the week-end. Usually the easiest things first, just so I can feel I'm accomplishing a lot.

If this is your daily driver, that's a different story though. If you can afford to park it and have a different DD. Then I think you might enjoy giving back to a vehicle that's done you so right all these years.

 

[Scienceman]

Originally Posted By: caprice_2nv
Your right, I hate to send it to the junkyard at this point, as I almost consider it a working experiment that gets me to work. I know of other Caprice's that have gone over 600,000km's with basic maintenance and nothing fancy. I'd like to see mine turn over 1,000,000km's which isn't completely out of the realm of possibility considering the cost of parts and all the spare parts I already have for it.

None of the stuff that needs fixing will cost me a whole lot of money and the car has good tires, brakes, front end, etc. which means a lot.


YES it does.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
But they are going to get rarer and rarer every year.

The 'mint' ones will get tucked into garages, the 'beaters' will land in junkyards....the 'middle of the raod' ones that are out and about will become non-existant.


+1

 

[LS2JSTS]

Scratching my head......how is any of this even possible? I thought the Domestics only built unreliable junk.....lol.



OT.....Keep it and keep her running. Someday we'll all be longing for a nice heavy RWD vehicle. Get em while you can!

 

[caprice_2nv]

The car will be parked all summer when I'm driving my 84 Cutlass so I can definitely work on all the little stuff over the summer. That way my Cutlass doesn't have to get driven in the winter through all the salt and sand.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: caprice_2nv
The car will be parked all summer when I'm driving my 84 Cutlass so I can definitely work on all the little stuff over the summer. That way my Cutlass doesn't have to get driven in the winter through all the salt and sand.


You should drive the Caprice when it rains during the summer, that way you keep the Cutlass out of the rain and get the Caprice up to 600,000 km a little faster too!

 

[caprice_2nv]

I typically only insure one vehicle and have one set of plates active for cost reasons. Last summer I did drive both just to make sure the Caprice was reliable to drive before winter.