Do engines even wear out any more?
- Thread starter glennc
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Kestas
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That depends on the undercoating used and how often it's applied. I've got 18 years on my winter driver and the undercoated surfaces are still pristine. But I refresh it every three years. My girlfriend's car has the same coating and after 10 years with no reapplication it is prone to trapping moisture.
NO single undercoating application can protect a car for 16, 17, or 18 years.
NO single undercoating application can protect a car for 16, 17, or 18 years.
What type or brand of undercoating do you recommend then? I already have the factory undercoating and have been thinking of applying a new coat.
I hear conflicting information on whether to power wash the underbody or not. Some say its good to wash the salt off and others say it removes the undercoating. Which is the lesser of the two evils?
I hear conflicting information on whether to power wash the underbody or not. Some say its good to wash the salt off and others say it removes the undercoating. Which is the lesser of the two evils?
Kestas
Staff member
Keep in mind that your worst corrosion occurs at the seams, nooks, and crannies, as Char Baby alluded to. Broad flat panels are the last to start corrosion.
Is the factory undercoating the one they call a sound deadener? Those coatings are worthless. They're brittle, easliy delaminate, and trap corrodants that accelerate corrosion.
I use Texacco Rustproof Compound L. It's basically a wool grease. It's available down to 5-gal pails. I don't know if it's available in Canada. There are other brands that are similar. I forget their names. I think Krown is one of them. I can't tell, their MSDS sheets are sparse on information.
Power washing can strip the undercoating. I'd do it only as preparation for new undercoating. A garden hose should be sufficient. Salt readily dissolves in water.
Is the factory undercoating the one they call a sound deadener? Those coatings are worthless. They're brittle, easliy delaminate, and trap corrodants that accelerate corrosion.
I use Texacco Rustproof Compound L. It's basically a wool grease. It's available down to 5-gal pails. I don't know if it's available in Canada. There are other brands that are similar. I forget their names. I think Krown is one of them. I can't tell, their MSDS sheets are sparse on information.
Power washing can strip the undercoating. I'd do it only as preparation for new undercoating. A garden hose should be sufficient. Salt readily dissolves in water.
Not really, a quart every 1000 miles to me is not worn out, some new ones use that. the transmission (if Auto) will wear out much soomer then the engine and then steering/suspension and body. gets to the point how bad how much and how much of a hassle to keep it going(reliability) , engines still run though.
Originally Posted By: Spector
Not really, a quart every 1000 miles to me is not worn out, some new ones use that. the transmission (if Auto) will wear out much soomer then the engine and then steering/suspension and body. gets to the point how bad how much and how much of a hassle to keep it going(reliability) , engines still run though.
It got to the point on my old $200 beater Celica that between repairs and rental cars it was cheaper to buy the TL. Engine still ran though.
Not really, a quart every 1000 miles to me is not worn out, some new ones use that. the transmission (if Auto) will wear out much soomer then the engine and then steering/suspension and body. gets to the point how bad how much and how much of a hassle to keep it going(reliability) , engines still run though.
It got to the point on my old $200 beater Celica that between repairs and rental cars it was cheaper to buy the TL. Engine still ran though.
My wife bought a 1996 Pontiac Grand Am 2.4L 4 banger auto and ran it 100k before we got married and I assumed the car. I drove it to 250k and traded it in on a new HHR. That car got 5k oil changes with that evil yellow bottle Penz. And to my knowledge never burned a drop, never smoked and still knocked back 30 mpg. The rest of the car was falling apart but engine and trany were great. I changed the trans fluid at 100k and again at 200k. What's funny in the story is she got her oil changed at Jiffy Lube and they told her every time if she didn't get her oil changed at 3k the car wouldn't last very long. She did 5k because that's what her dad told her to do. At 100k when we got married I took over maintenance responsibility and continued the same regiment, even though I despise Penz, at least I did! This car and regiment changed my mind about that. American cars just don’t last very long!
No I was just kidding being sarcastic, I was more than satisfied with the car.
I wish they made the body and everything else last long past 250k miles, as it's obvious engines are doing that very easily.
Originally Posted By: Ramblin Fever
I wish they made the body and everything else last long past 250k miles, as it's obvious engines are doing that very easily.
Couldn't agree more.
I wish they made the body and everything else last long past 250k miles, as it's obvious engines are doing that very easily.
Couldn't agree more.
You are correct the body of that car was, it's hard to describe, flexible as in nothing was stiff anymore. Everything rattled, wind noise and so on. Granted I drove it every day and drove it hard so that my have been a contributing factor. New cars are better though. For example, the car I had when we got married a 2002 Pontiac GTP, brand new she took it of course. I just changed the valve cover gaskets yesterday (big job) I ran Mobil 1 10w30 from the first oil change. I do 10k oil changes on that car it now has 140k on it and it was spotless under the valve covers I should have taken some pictures. Granted some might say the Mobil 1 caused the valve cover leak, but I don't think so, that's another story I think poor materials. The body on that car is so much better than the 96 was, at 200k that car will still be stiff and quiet, it's made so much better. It cost 35k too the 96 cost 17k.
A valve cover gasket leak after 140k doesn't seem like poor materials to me. Most cars I've had have needed that periodically or at least once. The problem IMO is making designs where changing them is such a big job.
My brother-in-law had an older Grand Prix and getting to that rear bank was a nightmare. Even worse was a leaking sensor doohickey of some sort right on the back of the motor, almost impossible to get to. It was when I saw that that I sort of swore off fwd V6s. Now though we have an Infiniti I30 which is of course a fwd V6, but the rear bank is actually pretty accessible and I don't think it will be too much of a nightmare to work on. Or need it all that much.
Knock on wood.
My brother-in-law had an older Grand Prix and getting to that rear bank was a nightmare. Even worse was a leaking sensor doohickey of some sort right on the back of the motor, almost impossible to get to. It was when I saw that that I sort of swore off fwd V6s. Now though we have an Infiniti I30 which is of course a fwd V6, but the rear bank is actually pretty accessible and I don't think it will be too much of a nightmare to work on. Or need it all that much.
Knock on wood.
I just did my 100k maintenance cycle on a Chrysler V-6 minivan, and yes the rear bank was a nightmare. The maintenance cycle was spark plugs and wires, and valve cover gaskets. I had to remove the intake manifold plenum and all was accessible from the top, but that was a royal PIA. I'd much rather have the simplicity of a fwd 4-cylinder in-line.
That said, having a 100k maintenance cycle and only doing spark plugs and wires and valve cover gaskets is a pleasure.
That minivan is garaged, and I fully expect it to make it to 200k miles as our primary driver. I don't know if it will last forever, but it will make it another 10 years easily.
That said, having a 100k maintenance cycle and only doing spark plugs and wires and valve cover gaskets is a pleasure.
That minivan is garaged, and I fully expect it to make it to 200k miles as our primary driver. I don't know if it will last forever, but it will make it another 10 years easily.
Originally Posted By: glennc
Now though we have an Infiniti I30 which is of course a fwd V6, but the rear bank is actually pretty accessible and I don't think it will be too much of a nightmare to work on. Or need it all that much.
Knock on wood.
I had a '95 Maxima, so I had the same engine and engine bay. My experience definitely agrees with your suspicions.
Now though we have an Infiniti I30 which is of course a fwd V6, but the rear bank is actually pretty accessible and I don't think it will be too much of a nightmare to work on. Or need it all that much.
Knock on wood.
I had a '95 Maxima, so I had the same engine and engine bay. My experience definitely agrees with your suspicions.
Originally Posted By: glennc
$701/month? Do I remember that right? Expensive Celica!
In two months I went through five tires, a transmission, shocks/struts, wouldn't pass smog so it was an extra $300, muffler, heater core, and radiator. While the tranmission was out, I had to pay for a rental car for a few weeks. At this time, the GN decided to eat one of it's headgaskets and TC clutch. A new TL seemed like a bargain.
$701/month? Do I remember that right? Expensive Celica!
In two months I went through five tires, a transmission, shocks/struts, wouldn't pass smog so it was an extra $300, muffler, heater core, and radiator. While the tranmission was out, I had to pay for a rental car for a few weeks. At this time, the GN decided to eat one of it's headgaskets and TC clutch. A new TL seemed like a bargain.
I've had a multitude of cars ranging from small 4 cylinders (Suzuki and Daihatsu), an Audi 90 Sport (great car), Lexus IS200 (handled like a gocart), Lexus RX330 and my present Lexus RX350. Kept all of them for between 4 and 5 years. Maintained them as per the manufacturers recommendations with 1 exception - Change oil and filter every 5000 Km's (3000 Miles. The latest RX350 only requires the oil to be changed once a year but I still stick to the same routine. In all cases I used the best oil available to me at the time (Castrol, Penrite, Mobil 1 and now AMSoil).
The result? The only failure I've ever had was with a rubber engine seal on the Audi (at 10 years of age) which perished to due continued exposure to high engine temps and leaked oil. No oil used by any of these cars (other than the Audi while it was leaking oil). All 3 Lexus have been absolutely bulletproof. The cost? More than most people but I don't have breakdowns. That is worth the extra cost to me.
The result? The only failure I've ever had was with a rubber engine seal on the Audi (at 10 years of age) which perished to due continued exposure to high engine temps and leaked oil. No oil used by any of these cars (other than the Audi while it was leaking oil). All 3 Lexus have been absolutely bulletproof. The cost? More than most people but I don't have breakdowns. That is worth the extra cost to me.
Our 1998 Camry V6 has 119k miles on Mobil 1 5W-30, changed every 4k because of short trips. The engine runs like new, but i wonder how long the automatic trans will last; anyone with experience there? Fluid has been changed twice.
Also, head gaskets? The valve covers are beginning to leak a bit, wondering if I should change them or plan on doing the head gaskets at 150k?
Also, head gaskets? The valve covers are beginning to leak a bit, wondering if I should change them or plan on doing the head gaskets at 150k?
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