Ol' Blue has a ways to go

Wow. Impressive.

I noticed the Passat rolled over on 233k yesterday. I'm not as confident about it as I am about 'Ol Blue, though.
 
oh come on its a marvel of german engineering!
 
tonycondon said:
oh come on its a marvel of german engineering!
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Which translates to "expensive and difficult to fix WHEN it breaks". As long as the Lucas Oil 'Stop Oil Leak' stuff keeps working, I'll be OK. ;)
 
If the air conditioning still works I'm really impressed. She's not going to able to get R-11 to recharge it. I can't even get my 97 fixed. I guess it can be converted to R-14.
 
CJones said:
Which translates to "expensive and difficult to fix WHEN it breaks". As long as the Lucas Oil 'Stop Oil Leak' stuff keeps working, I'll be OK. ;)
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My buddy, an Audi enthusiast, says Audi ownership begins when your check engine light comes on.
 
286,000 miles now. just put new 45,000 mile tires on it today. this is at least the third set of tires where the owner seriously wondered if they would be the last.
 
mikea said:
If the air conditioning still works I'm really impressed. She's not going to able to get R-11 to recharge it. I can't even get my 97 fixed. I guess it can be converted to R-14.
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It's R-12 and any car after 1994 doesn't have it. Your 1997 has R-134 which is available everywhere.
 
tonycondon said:
286,000 miles now. just put new 45,000 mile tires on it today. this is at least the third set of tires where the owner seriously wondered if they would be the last.
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Wow. Go Blue go!

Yep.. I know I said "Well, one more set of tires should do it" at least once.

Meanwhile, the Passat has mysteriously started leaking coolant, although I can't find any puddles underneath, and there isn't any white exhaust. :mad2: It's sitting on 239,8xx miles right now. Hopefully I can squeeze it out to 240k before it bites the dust completely.
 
the cloud of blue smoke is gradually getting bigger at start up but as long as i park into the wind it doesn't bother me. usually adding a quart every 1000 miles-ish. typically two between oil changes. i think the thermostat needs changed out again too as i've noticed the temperature moving around a bit. we're looking at 2 or three round trips to Moriarty, NM this year plus who knows what else.
 
bartmc said:
My buddy, an Audi enthusiast, says Audi ownership begins when your check engine light comes on.
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My F-I-L has owned a three Volvos and always got good service out of them, but I told him if he spent as much money servicing any other vehicle they would last just as long.:D They would plan trips around getting the cars to the Volvo dealer to get the service done, even oil changes:dunno: But like Audi, BMW and Mercedes, when they break, they break big. :mad2:
 
I knew a guy a few years ago who had a small manufacturing business and used his '89 Chevy Silverado to run between Durant, OK and somewhere in Lousiana a couple times a week for years. He was closing in on 700,000 miles when I knew him. The engine and tranny were original. That was almost 10 years ago and I have since moved. I wonder how many miles he got out of it, or if it's still rolling.
 
chris had the engine overhauled at 90K after the crankshaft broke. i'm sure that pretty much everything that can be replaced has been at least once.
 
tonycondon said:
chris had the engine overhauled at 90K after the crankshaft broke. i'm sure that pretty much everything that can be replaced has been at least once.
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]

Yep. I think I did all of the bolt-on accessories at least once while I had it and I think you've done a few of them again since you've had it. On top of the more 'internal' type stuff you have done to it, I would say most of the 'replaceable' parts have been replaced.

The only thing I've ever done to the transmission is had a shift solenoid replaced. I think I only changed the trans fluid it in once (in addition to the shift solenoid replacement).
 
i had the transmission flushed once about a year after i bought it from you. after reading more about that now i'm thankful it didn't knock a bunch of stuff loose and destroy it. haven't touched it since. i wouldn't be surprised if 75% of the miles i've put on it are pulling a trailer.
 
Did you ever do the valve seals or just dumped more oil in? Also consider the radiator or cooling fan depending on the circumstances causing your temp fluctuations.

Chris, sounds like the car is eating coolant - maybe head gasket. Just keep on dumping water in this summer and drive it until it explodes,
 
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Ted DuPuis said:
Did you ever do the valve seals or just dumped more oil in? Also consider the radiator or cooling fan depending on the circumstances causing your temp fluctuations.

Chris, sounds like the car is eating coolant - maybe head gasket. Just keep on dumping water in this summer and drive it until it explodes,
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fan is a good idea, it seems to wander more when it is warm out. i replaced the radiator a few years ago after it developed a crack. the crack was in the very top so it would empty out the reservoir, leave the radiator full, and still keep the engine cool.

haven't done valve seals, just add more oil.
 
BTW you should mount a gopro on the dash. Video of the impending explosion would be great to see.
 
Tony, I'd look at the fan and clutch - clutch is probably going out. Make sure you buy a good clutch, a crappy one won't be worth its weight in scrap.
 
Reading this thread I feel like a martian looking through a telescope wondering about the strange behaviors of earth people.

In other words I'm on a different planet maintenance wise.
 
Alexb2000 said:
Reading this thread I feel like a martian looking through a telescope wondering about the strange behaviors of earth people.

In other words I'm on a different planet maintenance wise.
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how so?
 
My dad was a cheap old guy. He bought a used Rambler wagon in 1962, I think it was a 1959. He was still driving it when a drunk hit him in 1999. It had 540K miles on the original engine, trans, diff.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Chris, sounds like the car is eating coolant - maybe head gasket. Just keep on dumping water in this summer and drive it until it explodes,
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tmyers said:
BTW you should mount a gopro on the dash. Video of the impending explosion would be great to see.
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After not seeing a puddle on the ground, my first assumption was head gasket. At this point, that would be more effort than I want to put into a 240,000 mile vehicle that, as far as I know, has never had the clutch replaced which would be the next thing to go out.

Might try the *gasp* Radiator Stop Leak *gasp* tonight and see if that does anything for me. At this point, multi-year longevity is not the goal for this vehicle - 'YouTube fame' here I come. ;)
 
That's true, in your case the stop-leak stuff might make sense and work. In the Jaguar world I learned to hate it because it clogged the already undersized radiators. For you, worth a shot. As you said, the car isn't one you care to put extra money or effort into.
 
tonycondon said:
how so?
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I'm just one of those guys that feels compelled to fix every little thing. I even do some replacement of parts likely to fail. My truck just turned 150K, it was running and working fine, but I put $1500 in parts alone on it last winter during my yearly heavy PM.

Even I know this kind of thing doesn't make financial sense on an old vehicle.

That's why I said I'm from another planet.
 
Alexb2000 said:
I'm just one of those guys that feels compelled to fix every little thing. I even do some replacement of parts likely to fail. My truck just turned 150K, it was running and working fine, but I put $1500 in parts alone on it last winter during my yearly heavy PM.

Even I know this kind of thing doesn't make financial sense on an old vehicle.

That's why I said I'm from another planet.
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i might not look like as much as an alien as you think. the last two years, before soaring season gets started, i've done like i did today. drop it off at the mechanic, say hey i'm going to put about 10K miles of trailer pulling on this summer, take a good look through everything and let me know what you think it needs. i knew the tires were probably used up and he agreed. last year we pre-emptively replaced a serpentine belt. I had a new one in the toolbox on the truck ready to go. Also have a couple other spare parts in there. Starter, Alternator, etc. It is fun to try to get the truck to 300K but the mission for it is to transport Leah, me and my glider to contests etc. On top of that Leah does a fair bit of solo driving with the trailer behind chasing me on XC flights. She's not going to be replacing parts on the side of the road so she pays for a AAA membership and I try to make sure that doesn't need it.
 
I probably wouldn't look as alien, either. I've spent about what I paid for my Mitsubishi in parts for repairs and upgrades. The last alternator change resulted in a coolant flush, new radiator hoses, new battery, and some other things. The Avalanche I'm trying to get to 300k or more, and I'm getting the Sibirban started for my brother in law with the expectation that he get it to 300k or more. The Avalanche will get a new front end this summer.
 
Tony, sometimes a catch can installed in the PCV line can do a lot to stop the morning smokes.
 
Good luck with Ol' Blue, Tony... I will soon be in a similar (land) boat, as I've recently gotten my own "Ol' Blue" ('87 Chevy 4WD longbed, and yes, it's blue).

Planning to sell the Mustang and get a motorcycle, so the truck will be my foul-weather ride and utility vehicle. Needs a new windshield and a few other odds and ends, but it runs OK.
I can't recall if I've even checked the odometer yet, but I'm sure the mileage is definitely way up there. Got it for nothing from a friend (on the condition she gets first dibs for borrowing it), so whatever it costs over the next few years won't hurt much. I never pay anybody to do any auto work I can't do myself, so it will only be parts or major engine work. I really want to swap the slushbox for a manual transmission, but I've done that before; not a big deal.
So far I've enjoyed working on it... no need to jack it up to work underneath, and even with the 305 V8 in there, it's very easy to get at everything under the hood (if I stand on something, LOL). Should be on the road this summer, in all its rusty, faded blue glory. :D

Other than for hauling glider trailers, it will come in handy for all sorts of things. Never owned a pickup before; I'm pretty excited.
 
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I've got a 41 year old Alfa Romeo that's got 355,000 miles on it. Of course the convertible top has been replaced three times, the engine rebuilt twice, the transmission rebuilt once and those aren't the original floor pans but other than that she's been relatively trouble free :D
 
Silvaire said:
I've got a 41 year old Alfa Romeo that's got 355,000 miles on it. Of course the convertible top has been replaced three times, the engine rebuilt twice, the transmission rebuilt once and those aren't the original floor pans but other than that she's been relatively trouble free :D
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:rofl:
Nothing like a vintage Italian car... I had to give up on my '76 124 Fiat Spider because much as I loved her, she was going to eat me out of house and home eventually. Sigh... I miss that little minx.
 
CJones said:
After not seeing a puddle on the ground, my first assumption was head gasket. At this point, that would be more effort than I want to put into a 240,000 mile vehicle that, as far as I know, has never had the clutch replaced which would be the next thing to go out.

Might try the *gasp* Radiator Stop Leak *gasp* tonight and see if that does anything for me. At this point, multi-year longevity is not the goal for this vehicle - 'YouTube fame' here I come. ;)
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Ah, radiator stop leak. How do you think Nautilus made it under the polar ice cap back in the 1950s? They had a leak. Stopped in Seattle and the captain handed out cash with orders to the crew to go out and buy every can they could find. Worked fine.

How do I know? Met a member of the crew when I worked nuclear engineering at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in 1975.


rottydaddy said:
:rofl:
Nothing like a vintage Italian car... I had to give up on my '76 124 Fiat Spider because much as I loved her, she was going to eat me out of house and home eventually. Sigh... I miss that little minx.
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FIAT - Fix It Again Tony. Looks like you knew that already. :D
 
CJones said:
After not seeing a puddle on the ground, my first assumption was head gasket. At this point, that would be more effort than I want to put into a 240,000 mile vehicle that, as far as I know, has never had the clutch replaced which would be the next thing to go out.

Might try the *gasp* Radiator Stop Leak *gasp* tonight and see if that does anything for me. At this point, multi-year longevity is not the goal for this vehicle - 'YouTube fame' here I come. ;)
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My uncle put that stuff in a 1975 continental and it fixed the leak for years
 
bartmc said:
My buddy, an Audi enthusiast, says Audi ownership begins when your check engine light comes on.
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You have a check engine light?

I should be so lucky.

1990 Jetta (Mk 2) with Digifant.

It's check engine light consists of the engine quitting with no warning.
 
CJones said:
After not seeing a puddle on the ground, my first assumption was head gasket. At this point, that would be more effort than I want to put into a 240,000 mile vehicle that, as far as I know, has never had the clutch replaced which would be the next thing to go out.

Might try the *gasp* Radiator Stop Leak *gasp* tonight and see if that does anything for me. At this point, multi-year longevity is not the goal for this vehicle - 'YouTube fame' here I come. ;)
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After not seeing a puddle on the ground, your first assumption should be anything short of a major hose leak.

A common failure point is the water pump, but very few leaks will make puddles unless they are huge. Most water pumps have a weep hole to vent coolant that makes it past the seal. Look for corrosion around this hole.

Also look for crusty deposits around joints on the radiator and heater core. Replace the thing that has crusty deposits on it.

There are two really easy tests for blown head gaskets. First, if coolant is leaking into the oil, it will be really obvious. Check the dipstick. If it's just a tiny bit of leakage, you'll see it condense on the inside of the oil cap. Looks like Vaseline. Second, coolant can breach into the cylinders -- this will make clouds of persistent white smoke out the tailpipe, even after the engine is fully warmed. Exhaust will also make its way into the coolant; you can see the bubbles if you idle with the rad cap off. If none of that is present, a head gasket leak is very unlikely, and it has little consequence. If your coolant isn't going into the oil or the cylinders or to the outside where you can see it, it's not explaining your coolant loss.

You can put fluorescent dye to help find the leak, but I've never found that truly necessary.

Use stop leak only if you can't make a real repair. Many vehicles use sized orifices to control coolant flow through the head(s). Excessive stop-leak can interfere with this. You can also partially clog the radiator, leading to poor cooling performance in heavy traffic.
 
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CJones said:
After not seeing a puddle on the ground, my first assumption was head gasket. At this point, that would be more effort than I want to put into a 240,000 mile vehicle that, as far as I know, has never had the clutch replaced which would be the next thing to go out.

Might try the *gasp* Radiator Stop Leak *gasp* tonight and see if that does anything for me. At this point, multi-year longevity is not the goal for this vehicle - 'YouTube fame' here I come. ;)
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I would NEVER use that stuff. You can go to Napa, Autozone, etc. and rent (for free) a combustion gas tester. That way you can find out if you have a very small head gasket leak.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHp5E7XnbXo

Others have suggested common areas for coolant leaks. Sometimes if they are slow then they can take some effort to find, but it is worth finding out.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I probably wouldn't look as alien, either. I've spent about what I paid for my Mitsubishi in parts for repairs and upgrades. The last alternator change resulted in a coolant flush, new radiator hoses, new battery, and some other things. The Avalanche I'm trying to get to 300k or more, and I'm getting the Sibirban started for my brother in law with the expectation that he get it to 300k or more. The Avalanche will get a new front end this summer.
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I've got 246k on my 2004 Avalanche. Hoping to get 300k. If I get there ill shoot for 350k.
 
Ghery said:
FIAT - Fix It Again Tony. Looks like you knew that already. :D
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It actually did pretty well for a while... my daily driver, over 100 miles RT, for about a year. Paid $300 for it with 70K on the odo, cleaned it up, and kept it going with cheapo repairs like tying a bandanna around the leaky distributor housing and replacing the rear pumpkin myself with a junkyard unit. also pulled what was left of the 4th gear synchro out of the trans, and just shifted around 4th from then on. :D Found a reasonably priced "Tony" guy to tune it up once, but everything else I did myself. That was the first car I tinkered with, and I learned a lot from it.
It was SO much fun to drive, although terrifying in any amount of snow and not happy idling in traffic. Finally, something in that crazy little aluminum engine blew, and it was time to say "Ciao, bella". :sad: Actually got $175 for it, from some guy who only wanted the hood. :D
 
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