GM 2.2L Ecotec- Cracked Head- 365k miles
- Thread starter The Critic
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I thought for sure he was headed for 400,000 miles. I would have to drive my ION for 18-20 years to reach that kind of mileage.
Hopefully I will have retired before that happens!
Hopefully I will have retired before that happens!
I would certainly have fixed that thing. That would have been a heck of alot cheaper than a new car. From the way he described it, the car was still in good shape.
"only" 365K miles.
I bet if he used a good synth oil, he could have went to at least 375K
I bet if he used a good synth oil, he could have went to at least 375K
I would have fixed it as well if $1200 was an accurate estimate for the head.
I also think he gave up too easily. Now I bet he's really regretting it, as he's driving a minivan. I would have found a different mechanic and had a used engine dropped in. The vehicle sounded like an otherwise pretty trouble-free machine.
Also, not meaning to bash GM or the Ecotec, but though this engine made it 365k, it seems like the block should have held together longer than that. The block didn't sound like it had the longevity of a Volvo Red Block or Slant Six. Still, he certainly got his use out of it. Supposedly, he also did it on the original clutch as well. Very impressive.
Also, not meaning to bash GM or the Ecotec, but though this engine made it 365k, it seems like the block should have held together longer than that. The block didn't sound like it had the longevity of a Volvo Red Block or Slant Six. Still, he certainly got his use out of it. Supposedly, he also did it on the original clutch as well. Very impressive.
I would have slaped a head on her and kep her truck'en..
Yep, it was a 2004 model so surely it was many, many highway miles.
I know it was a lot of miles, but you'd think being mostly highway it could've gone even further... I know of an Integra with over 600,000 miles on it.
Probably would've lasted longer if it didn't have Death-Cool in it.
I respectfully disagree. Thats a good beginning on some cars with good maintenance. I'd say he did well but even at those miles a cylinder head shoud not crack unless it's been hot. I think he should have kept it. The story about a new head causing the bottom end of an engine to knock is so full of fertilizer I can't believe it's still used from time to time. A good reman head is around 4-5 hundred bucks with several hundred for labor. Why get a new ride to pound those kind of miles on.
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He probably misquoted the mechanic ..or the mechanic was having an episode when he said it. He surely could have meant that putting a new head on would (perhaps) cause more blow-by due to new valves and whatnot.
I would have thrown a reman head on it without a second thought. This engine can't be that old regardless of the mileage (wear-wise).
I would have thrown a reman head on it without a second thought. This engine can't be that old regardless of the mileage (wear-wise).
I agree with you. I generalized all cars into one bucket. Like I said its luck at that mileage range thats were those "some cars" fall into. Its irrelevant to brand/make/model too. I know people with those "unreliable" VW's running at 250k+ miles without issue while Accord's and Camry's having serious issues (tranny, valves etc) at 160k miles.
Luck is a huge factor beyond the quantitative things like maintenance and driver habits(easy driver).
After thinking on the mileage of the Saturn I think I should give the car more credit than I did in my previous post. That's good miles on a car if the owner did as little to it as he said he did and even though the head cracked(which it should not have)he still got his money's worth from the car. The most telling part of the whole post for me was that he did not buy another one but still went with a Honda. I wish he would have specified what he meant when he said he didn't like the direction Saturn was taking.
Mokanic, Saturn's direction is no longer the Saturn of the 90's...the Saturn that was born to compete directly with the imports.
It's turned into just another GM outlet, not the original and different car.
The Saturn experience still retains the haggle free pricing (VERY nice) but no longer offers a product that's different and competes with the imports. It once was a "thing" to own a Saturn! Back in '92 I saw another Saturn that was the same color, we waved at each other. Just like motorcycles that wave at each other when they pass.
That "thing" is gone. Long gone.
It's turned into just another GM outlet, not the original and different car.
The Saturn experience still retains the haggle free pricing (VERY nice) but no longer offers a product that's different and competes with the imports. It once was a "thing" to own a Saturn! Back in '92 I saw another Saturn that was the same color, we waved at each other. Just like motorcycles that wave at each other when they pass.
That "thing" is gone. Long gone.
He said he did all of the routine maintenance. Engine oil, filters, plugs, coolant, brakes, etc...what else is there to do?
I'm also on the side of slight disappointment. While 365k miles is a lot (and I hope to make it to that mark someday), doing it in 3 years is a whole lot easier on an engine than doing it in 20. To achieve than kind of mileage, the car has to be taken on a lot of long highway trips where the oil is at operating temp for a high percentage of the time compared to a regular commute. I'd like to know what they think the reason for the crack was. I don't see how you can simply crack a head without overheating or some other issue. If it was maintenance related, I would expect something along the lines of worn rings, etc. It doesn't look like maintenance played a role in this engine's demise. It could simply be a weak head on the Ecotec or a production defect on that particular engine.
Any metal under cycles of stress will develop cracks, so even if it is within ideal operation condition, it will have a limited life. Most are designed with a life of 150k to 300k miles, so 350k is not bad.
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