About High Mileage

[LynxMS]

What actually happens to your engine when you have a high mileage car? Does it get old and wear down?

Thanks

[DVSNCYNIKL]

Depends on the maintenance of the engine. As some cars get to the point where the engine can no longer perform, it dies. But I've seen plenty of high mileage cars and they run like the same day they were purchased. The key to a good running engine is maintaining a strict schedule of proper maintenance at the time of service. For higher mileage engines, like mine at 139,000, I make sure the oil, fuel filter and other things like timing belts, etc. are in good working order.

Not sure if I answered your question, but I think you get the idea.

[LynxMS]

Yea i get it but i was thinking is there a such thing as a deadline? Like you maintaining till it cannot perform at all.

[enginerd]

Many parts do in fact become worn in a high-mileage engine. First you've seen old cars which blow smoke when started after sitting for a period of time. This is caused by worn valve stems. Second are worn piston rings. These cause a lack of compression which lowers power. These two symptoms are the most common. In case of Diesels, one must be very vigilant about checking the oil, as old diesels will suck it up and burn it soon causing the engine to self-destruct from lack of oil. Don't be scared off from a high mileage engine, I've seen engines with over 400,000 miles on them running strong!

[DVSNCYNIKL]

Originally posted by LynxMS
Yea i get it but i was thinking is there a such thing as a deadline? Like you maintaining till it cannot perform at all.

As enginerd explained, you have parts that over time become so worn that they fail. But this can be said about anything that has moving parts. Usually you hear of car blowing a lot of smoke out the exhaust, a car burning oil, failures here and there. All signs that parts are worn out. Which is why I said that with maintenance, the likelihood of this happening is minimal since you always keep things new. Some people rebuild their engines. Others do swaps and such. Depends on what floats your boat.

[enginerd]

In the case of what I mentioned, you could drive the car for quite some time before the engine completely "gave up the ghost". Most engines really don't completely wear out, often something really expensive breaks and a new engine is cheaper than repairing the old one.

[LynxMS]

Thanks now im sure how high mileage works!

[JBL85]

usually after around 150k you will lose compression/power

if its mainly high freeway miles its not as bad...car can handle it a little better, but its still wear and tear and that will always bring a car to its knees