What to do with a HIGH MILEAGE engine
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 502
From: Central Mass and NH
what is up with people thinking 100k is alot of miles. if its been taken care of, thats nothing. My 115k miles LT1 has zero sludge in it and almost perfect compression across the board. Run a fully synthetic oil and change every 3k miles, and you will be fine with a H/C/I setup for many miles to come.
My car has 117k miles now, and i would feel very confident throwing a set of heads and a cam in there to make over 400 at the wheels and still be able to drive it every day without blowing it up
My car has 117k miles now, and i would feel very confident throwing a set of heads and a cam in there to make over 400 at the wheels and still be able to drive it every day without blowing it up
Registered User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,855
From: Ohio
what is up with people thinking 100k is alot of miles. if its been taken care of, thats nothing. My 115k miles LT1 has zero sludge in it and almost perfect compression across the board. Run a fully synthetic oil and change every 3k miles, and you will be fine with a H/C/I setup for many miles to come.
My car has 117k miles now, and i would feel very confident throwing a set of heads and a cam in there to make over 400 at the wheels and still be able to drive it every day without blowing it up
My car has 117k miles now, and i would feel very confident throwing a set of heads and a cam in there to make over 400 at the wheels and still be able to drive it every day without blowing it up
Last edited by bombebomb; Oct 8, 2008 at 12:17 AM.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 3,499
From: PORTLAND, OR, MULTNOMAH
IMHO, if you have a gentleman who knows little about engines and will have to have everything done by a pro, then why in the world would you not just advise him or her to buy an engine that is already complete? Seems to me given the cost of a pro charger alone, you could purchase a plug and play 400+ hp mill. I'd want to get something that came with a guarantee---something that I could turn the key and go. 
Registered User
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 3,499
From: PORTLAND, OR, MULTNOMAH
And....even if an engine with those miles on it (if taken care of properly) should last many more miles, if he wants to go fast---we all know it takes money to go fast. And if he has the do re me to go with a SC, then he has the $ to go with a plug and play NA engine. Regardless of one's opinion that 100+ thou on an engine is not much----it is well-broken in and installing power adders will put sufficient strain on the engine increasing the odds of having to do some work to hold it together. JMHO
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 140
From: Mesquite, Tx
I like my engine and wanna rebuild some of it. Like the pistons and rods and bearings. Id like to do the heads and cam first. I guess Ill change the bearing before putting the cam on. I just dont wanna spend money to make it fast then have trouble with the engine later on. Id rather make my engine stong with fresh pistons, rods and bearings , then work on speed.
Good idea or any other ideas?
Jack
Good idea or any other ideas?
Jack
Registered User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,855
From: Ohio
I like my engine and wanna rebuild some of it. Like the pistons and rods and bearings. Id like to do the heads and cam first. I guess Ill change the bearing before putting the cam on. I just dont wanna spend money to make it fast then have trouble with the engine later on. Id rather make my engine stong with fresh pistons, rods and bearings , then work on speed.
Good idea or any other ideas?
Jack
Good idea or any other ideas?
Jack
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 502
From: Central Mass and NH
My 135,089 mile LT1 had zero sludge in it, ran strong had normal track times, ran synthetic oil, changed it every 3k miles, and spun a rod. Stock cam, Stock heads. If I had a 115k mile lt1, no way would I put a cam in it. Not without replacing the bearings. Also just to add to it, this is his DD so even taking the chance on a spun bearing is not a good idea. Even with 'only' 100k miles.
Your car was stock, and you spun a rod bearing. His car is stock and his DD, and he could still spin a RB. Like i said before, it really depends on how youve taken care of the car.
Registered User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,855
From: Ohio
that could happen to anyone, the point is, i would feel confident throwing a H/C/I setup on my car. Worst case scenario, i spin a rod, and rebuilt the bottom end with an already stout top end. Its not like if he spins a rod bearing all of those head/cam parts would go to waste.
Your car was stock, and you spun a rod bearing. His car is stock and his DD, and he could still spin a RB. Like i said before, it really depends on how youve taken care of the car.
Your car was stock, and you spun a rod bearing. His car is stock and his DD, and he could still spin a RB. Like i said before, it really depends on how youve taken care of the car.
Also him putting a cam in it greatly increases the chance of a spun bearing, which is my main concern. If this car spins a cam bearing he is going to need to find a way to work. Just seems to risky to me, on a DD. He can do whatever he thinks is right, but id atleast make sure I had some cash saved.