If you knew then ..what you know now ......

[Palut]

quote:

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Originally posted by IslaVistaMan: Palut, tell us more about your ARX-inspired oil leak. Was it your pan gasket, or what?

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I recently replaced a cracked oil pan, but that's unrelated to this leak. There is a leak from somewhere near the distributor which puts oil onto a brake line. The oil runs down onto the catalytic converter heat shield and burns. This leak started right when I ARX'd the car.

 

[wavinwayne]

quote:

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Originally posted by biscuitboy: Not exactly Slick 50, but close enough. I would never have used a Fram DoubleGard (with PTFE) on a 93 Accord. Very expensive lesson

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Are you saying the Fram filter actually caused damage to your Honda?

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

I would have bought Rhino ramps instead of the steel ones.

 

[Steve S]

At 12 years old I would have gotten gelded!

 

[wavinwayne]

DO you mean on your van, or on our own rides?

 

[Bill in Utah]

Gary, I'd do nothing different. I've never had to do engine work (unless the factory did not do their job correctly (my Taurus) With many of my cars that I've owned sold to family or friends, I can keep track of the miles and how they are running. My 1982 Toyota SR5 truck is still going 200k+. My 1986 Jetta is still going 270k+. My 1996 Chevy Truck is still going 170k+. My 1999 Taurus is still going (after head gaskets ) at 120k+. My Moms 1993 Caravan is still going 190k. My Uncles 1978 F250 is still going 180k. I could keep going.. Just change the oil every 4-5k with a filter and drive them well. (Let them warm up before getting on the engine. Don't sit in idle and rev to the rev limiter .. etc) Until the last year, I've never used ANYTHING in the oil. I've started using LC and FP with the thought I'd get better UOAs or MPG.. So far nothing to prove using is helping me... As far as VSOT and such, the oil is good enough for me.. In my 30 plus years of car/truck ownership, I have had the same maintanence mindset from day one and it seems to be working for me. Take care, Bill

 

[Matt89]

Like Bill, I'd just follow the manufacturer's recommendations for my conditions. I cringe to think how many extra oil/trans/coolant changes I've done looking for the holy grail. Switching around, tossing & turning thinking about this stuff. Not worth it to me any more. Makes me think of that Toby Keith song "I wish I didn't know what I didn't know then..."

 

[johnsmith]

^^^ Had to look it up. Automatically assumed it was something sexual anyway. ^^^ Was right.

 

[TallPaul]

I would probably not bother with UOAs, after my latest UOA experience (read linked thread from bottom up).

 

[Winston]

If you don't use it for towing or heavy duty stuff like that I would do the same as I always have done. Synthetic oil. 7500 mile OCI. Drain and refill coolant every other year. No bypass filters No additives

 

[Brett Miller]

I would have kept my 1987 Dodge Lancer.

 

[Ramblin Fever]

Would've found a way to keep my '91 Rodeo along with the '97 Rodeo. Miss it. As for how I've maintained their engines, wouldn't change a thing on these 2 trucks. In regards to the headgasket, followed by a cracked engine block on my '85 22RE, wished I would've spent more time trying to find out WHERE the antifreeze was going even though it wasn't overheating.

 

[peterr]

quote:

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Originally posted by kanling: C'mon, now! Somebody has to be willing to admit to "Slick 50"! Anybody?

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Well, never used Slick 50, but then I used to work for DuPont and knew that Teflon in an IC engine would not be a good idea. However, it was looking for information on what one of those Snake-y Oil-ish things really was that led me to BITOG (maybe Zmax or Bardahl Engine Restore?)

 

[Titan]

I would have kept my 54 Ford F100 truck, that I bought with the engine in big wire baskets, and assembled myself at 15 years old. Also would have kept my early 60's Falcon Station Wagon....what a neat little car that would be to still have today.

 

[ex_MGB]

quote:

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Originally posted by javacontour: Not married my ex-wife. Not used Mobil 1 in the minivan she traded in at 50K miles on an 04 New Bettle to look cool for her affair partner. (Yeah, ouch) Instead of getting married and taking care of her, bought myself a Boxster S

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This is probably Bitog's best example to date where the use of a quality conventional motor oil would have proven more than adequate. One can only hope the dealer sold the minivan to a deserving person. BTW, hard to go too wrong with a Boxster S. [ April 29, 2006, 09:37 AM: Message edited by: ex_MGB ]

 

[Titan]

I don't like the cloacal exhaust pipe on the Boxter....very unappealing.

 

[spf182]

I would have changed the timing belt on my '86 CRX. I would have kept insurance on the '82 Saab. I would have found a place to change my own oil years before I had a driveway. I would have learned the importance of changing fluids other than the engine oil sooner. Overall I've never been terribly neglectful of my car maintenance, and haven't had to pay the price as a result. The Honda thing was just annoying (used car I had for only 10k miles).

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

I wouldn't have predicted that the internet was a passing fad.

 

[m2200b]

Never have used ARCO graphite oil. Ditto on the GM 3.1 but I'd take the GM 3.8 leaks and all.

 

[sxg6]

i wouldve used dino or MC blend for my 7,500mi oci on the civic, instead of using synthetic.