miles

[DHolmes]

just wondering how many miles tell ur engine is worn out,or starts to wear out,and how u can prevent this,,,,,thanks

[Christopherrr]

uh...that's tough to say.

I got 269K on my engine with no problems...no leaks or oil burning.

Joe had 129K on this LT1 and when he peered into the cylinders it still had the honing on the walls...

So, when does an engine wear? It starts the minute the key is turned...but with frequent oil changes and proper mantainence wear can be kept to a minimum.

[Joshu]

Change the oil every 3K, use appropriate octane levels (nothin but '93 for my baby), change other fluids accordingly, don't drive it into a ditch or bus stop, and regular maintenance = forever theoretically.

But I would say 150K seems do be the dooms marker if anything for most cars even some can go 300K +. My opinion.

[Wild Willy]

I have seen 150 and 80 k mile LT1's torn down, and, yes, you can still see the cylinder honing marks-
Between tighter manufacturing tolerances, and improved lubricants, there is no reason these engines won't go a long time- Taxi companies were typically putting over 300,000 miles on the Caprices- In the northeadt, the body will rust off before the powertrian fails-

Keep the RPM's reasonable, change the oil and filters, and keep them tunes so they running smoothly- fix problems when they are small, for example, easier to have your tires balanced rather than and replacing wheel bearings- same goes with plugs, wires, etc-

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Mobil 1

[Joe 1320]

Mobil 1

I took apart an Lt-1 at 140K miles. It had always used mobil 1 synthetic changed every 3K miles. The cylinders still had the original crosshatch hone and there was no noticable wear.

I've taken apart others at the same mileage and many were already toast, they used cheap oil and changes were not as frequent. Draw you own conclusion.

[DHolmes]

I took apart an Lt-1 at 140K miles. It had always used mobil 1 synthetic changed every 3K miles. The cylinders still had the original crosshatch hone and there was no noticable wear.

I've taken apart others at the same mileage and many were already toast, they used cheap oil and changes were not as frequent. Draw you own conclusion.

so u guys recconmend using mobile one,

[Joe 1320]

so u guys recconmend using mobile one,

yep.


And as an example, my WS6 got even quicker as the miles rolled on. Mainly because of added bolt ons, and partly because internal friction decreased.

[Joe K. 99 Zeee!!]

I had about 134k on my LT1 when I sold it. I had some accessories replaced...water pump, optispark rebuild, etc.. The tansmission needed a rebuild as well.

The engine itself was great! It was running strong with no problems whatsoever. I should've kept the car and not sold it...ah well.

[3800_Firebird]

Should 10W30 be used instead of 5W30? I've been using 5W30 for a while and everytime I look online at oil sites, it seems to suggest 10W30 is the recommended grade for the ol' 3800. Does it matter either way?

[Wild Willy]

Heavier weight oil *may* slightly decrease your mileage, harder to move around. It is sometimes used as a bandaid if you have wear in the engine, to hold a little higher oil pressure.

If you have adequate pressure, particularly at idle, with the 5W oil, use it- you will get like a half a percent better mileage- if you need higher pressure, you can use the 10W- Not sure what the General specs for the 3.4 motor-

[Joe 1320]

Should 10W30 be used instead of 5W30? I've been using 5W30 for a while and everytime I look online at oil sites, it seems to suggest 10W30 is the recommended grade for the ol' 3800. Does it matter either way?

Check the owners manual, it will tell you the recommended viscosity.

[Injuneer]

Heavier weight oil *may* slightly decrease your mileage, harder to move around. It is sometimes used as a bandaid if you have wear in the engine, to hold a little higher oil pressure.

If you have adequate pressure, particularly at idle, with the 5W oil, use it- you will get like a half a percent better mileage- if you need higher pressure, you can use the 10W- Not sure what the General specs for the 3.4 motor-

10W-30 is not "heavier" than 5W-30, except on cold startup. Once they both reach normal engine operating temp, they both exhibit the viscosity of a "30" weight oil. There will be no change in fuel mileage nor in oil pressure, and using 10W-30 is not a "band-aid".... its just a recognition that in warmer climates, you may not need the flowability of a 5W on cold starts. 5W provides better criculation and lubrication on cold start, and that is when a majority of the engine wear occurs. But even GM indicates that 10W-30 is acceptable if the ambient temp does not drop below 0*F.

As Joe said, read the Owner's Manual.

[3800_Firebird]

Once they both reach normal engine operating temp, they both exhibit the viscosity of a "30" weight oil.

That was my understanding of the xW portion of the grade. I'm sticking to 5W-30.