Check It Out!

[vintageracer]

My daughter hit a milestone yesterday when her "Daily Driver" 2001 Chevrolet Crew Cab 1500HD 6.0 litre truck with the 4L80E automatic transmission rolled 350,000 miles on the ORIGINAL LS ENGINE that has never been opened up. Just water pump, PS pump, alternator and the usual hang-on's that wear out over time.

Ya it still rattles a little when you start it in the morning however I also rattle a little in the morning. We have always run the synthetic oil change special at the parts store and change every 5K miles. Last oil change the truck only used 3/4 of 1 quart of oil in 5K miles.

Not bad for 350,000 miles!!!!

[David B.]

It sure is nice that they don’t make them like they used to. This gives me hope for my 1993 GMC 5.7 Liter with 163,000 miles on it. So far everything is original, and I to use synthetic with a 5,000 mile change interval. Keep on truckin.
Dave & Paula

[k0wtz]

I once owned a 1990 cadilac I drove it 350k it too had never had any problems except 1 transmission. that 4500 was a great engine tops out any n/star I have owned it was so simple to work on.

bob

[dblcola]

Is that a gas or diesel engine> That's impressive either way.

[Captleemo]

If you plan on keeping a vehicle for a long time synthetic lubricants are the way to go.

[GregandTeresa]

My wife's 2008 Avalon just turned 312,000 miles, with the original engine. We got a good deal on a new Avalon on black friday, so will be passing the old one on to my mom this weekend.

[dmad1]

R.T.- The 6.0 is a gasser. They did come out with the Duramax diesel in '01 but it was a 6.6 liter.

[dblcola]

Originally Posted by dmad1

R.T.- The 6.0 is a gasser. They did come out with the Duramax diesel in '01 but it was a 6.6 liter.

Well I've got to say that's impressive and encouraging for gasser. Makes me want to keep mine a little longer.

[dmad1]

I am beginning to feel the same about my wife's Tahoe at 100k. Maybe it has more life left in it than I thought. She has been wanting a new one but now I can just tell her that her's is just 1/3 used up.

[Joe & Cherie]

That's sweet!! I'm a huge fan of full size GM trucks, and YES Mobil 1 in EVERYTHING!!

[stude]

Originally Posted by k0wtz

I once owned a 1990 cadilac I drove it 350k it too had never had any problems except 1 transmission. that 4500 was a great engine tops out any n/star I have owned it was so simple to work on.

bob

:come on guys my pop used to put 300,000 miles on all of his Dodges then took them out of the fleet of Taxis then the new ones got put on board. Some of them even hit 350,000 miles before they finally got there change over and one a 1960 Dodge Seneca 4dr my mom got first after removal then I got it and I sold it with 475,000 miles only one engine rebuild and nothting to the tranny I talked to the people who bought it from me and they were still driving it with 650,000 miles on it but slowly starting to go. All this with a Carburetor. Carbs are okay down at sea level but no once you go above 4000' then you start getting the Vapor locks.
Stude

[ZachO]

I'm sure everyone has a "story" of someone else's experience, but I'd bet most people haven't put much more than 200,000 miles (and quite a few never even that much) on any of our vehicles. Unless they've been treated really well, they just start to nickel and dime you, or worse, by that mileage.

300,000 is impressive.

But engines are definitely getting better. 225,000 on my 98 Tacoma right now, and I'm definitely expecting to see 300,000 without any major work.

So far, like that Chevy, just a starter, radiator & hoses, water pump and timing belts, along with some new valve cover gaskets. Time to do the timing belts & water pump again but it's expensive even if I do it myself...so I've been putting it off. Can't for much longer...

[stude]

Originally Posted by ZachO

I'm sure everyone has a "story" of someone else's experience, but I'd bet most people haven't put much more than 200,000 miles (and quite a few never even that much) on any of our vehicles. Unless they've been treated really well, they just start to nickel and dime you, or worse, by that mileage.

300,000 is impressive.

But engines are definitely getting better. 225,000 on my 98 Tacoma right now, and I'm definitely expecting to see 300,000 without any major work.

So far, like that Chevy, just a starter, radiator & hoses, water pump and timing belts, along with some new valve cover gaskets. Time to do the timing belts & water pump again but it's expensive even if I do it myself...so I've been putting it off. Can't for much longer...

I see the Toyota trucks and some cars are getting upwards of 400,000Kms and more which in my eyes are good but have to have EFI Motors to do that and change the oil every 5000KM's and even better if you run on propane. I cut a item out of the paper the other day where they are now in Canada and USA where gas will have 15% Ethanol up until now Canada only 10% if that. Does not pay to have old collector car anymore.
Stude

[Jon in AZ]

Kudos to your daughter!

A friend of mine put 450K hard, work-related miles on a 1998 Ford F-150 4x4. His son-in-law is a Ford mechanic, so it got good care, and he did put a few nickels and dimes into it, mostly suspension and brake work due to extensive travel on washboard dirt roads and lots of towing/hauling. No major engine or transmission repairs. It was still going strong when an errant cow took it out. I know another guy with 600K on a Chevy 2500 4x4- a Navajo rancher who does all his own mechanical work.

Took Mom's Chevy Roadtrek in for an oil change back in April, and the mechanics were effusive in praise of the 6.0L drivetrain. She has let me know we can have it when she's done traveling. Wonder if it can pull our Scamp?

Most manufacturers have some drivetrains that are known for their long-term durability and others that are not. Assuming you have one of the stout ones, 100K is barely broken in.

Zach, I hear you- even with a solid drivetrain, many vehicles begin to have other problems starting around 200K. If you're willing to work through them, you can get to the really high miles, but it takes patience, money, and accepting some downtime. Like you, I tend to move on around then, too, leaving some good miles on the table.

[k0wtz]

any of you remember your dad or you in its day out there in the cold replacing plugs and those points. Now a little electronic block controls all the things we had to replace every 15 or 20k if you were lucky!

That little el. block so easy to get in and out within a few minutes no fussing or adjusting after that just get in and drive. they last for thousands of miles and never give any trouble.

but I did have a Lincoln for some reason ate those things I always carried an extra and that little ford tool to get it out. we have things so easy now with the advent of electronics!!

bob

[ZachO]

Originally Posted by stude

I see the Toyota trucks and some cars are getting upwards of 400,000Kms and more which in my eyes are good but have to have EFI Motors to do that and change the oil every 5000KM's and even better if you run on propane. I cut a item out of the paper the other day where they are now in Canada and USA where gas will have 15% Ethanol up until now Canada only 10% if that. Does not pay to have old collector car anymore.
Stude

Ahhh, we're talking MILES though.

According to the internets, 300,000km = roughly 186,000 miles.

I agree, old vehicles don't do so well with todays gas.

[ZachO]

Originally Posted by k0wtz

any of you remember your dad or you in its day out there in the cold replacing plugs and those points. Now a little electronic block controls all the things we had to replace every 15 or 20k if you were lucky!

That little el. block so easy to get in and out within a few minutes no fussing or adjusting after that just get in and drive. they last for thousands of miles and never give any trouble.

but I did have a Lincoln for some reason ate those things I always carried an extra and that little ford tool to get it out. we have things so easy now with the advent of electronics!!

bob

I bought a 75 Honda motorcycle last year. My first experience with points!

Fun if it's a "recreational" vehicle. Not so much for daily drivers, I guess.

My 98 is the newest vehicle I've really owned. Just the fact that I have over 200,000 miles and it doesn't need a valve adjustment is crazy! I did them about every 20,000 miles on my older Toyotas.

[k0wtz]

zack in all my cars I never owned one that the valves had to be adjusted what a pain!

my sister had a 70 volks beetle that had to have that she didn't do it. big overhaul job!!


bob

[ZachO]

Luckily the R-series Toyota 4 cylinders were easy. Not more than 45 minutes to do the job, no parts necessary. Though replacing the few dollar gasket wasn’t a bad idea every few times.

[frank_a]

You guys are all a lot luckier than me. Here I'm a maintenance nut, synthetic oil and only the best filters; we had a trans go out on a Pontiac GTP we owned years ago, then the motor on a Subaru Outback, then the motor in a Chevy Aveo, and then the motor in my '01 F150.

I've about had it with cars and tow vehicles, but what's a guy to do?!?

Frank