Vehicle Maintenance - Tips & Tricks

00GTP4ME · 06-06-2008, 10:53 AM

I am almost religious about maintaining my vehicles. I have a pretty good routine down, but I am always wondering if there's anything more I could do to make my vehicle run better, longer, etc.
Here's a list of my general maintenance schedule:

3,000 mi - Oil Change & Fuel Inj. cleaner
5,000 mi - Tire Rotation
15,000 mi - Air Filter & PCV Valve change
15,000 mi or 1 yr - Fuel Filter Change
60,000 mi or 4 yrs - Fan Belt Change
25,000 mi - Transmission Fluid & Filter Change
25,000 or when needed - Alignment
35,000 mi - Spark Plug Change
70,000 mi - Spark Plug Wires, Distributor Cap & Rotor Change
50,000 mi - Fuel Inj. Flush
1 yr. - Radiator Flush (non-aluminum radiators)

I would love to know if anyone has anything further that they do to keep their cars in top notch shape!

Thanks!

BNaylor · 06-13-2008, 12:17 PM

For anyone that has a GM car with the L67 SII 3800 engine I would recommend changing the supercharger oil out annually. 12K-15K miles.

On the 3K fuel injector additive I use Chevron premium unleaded which has the Techron additive.

00GTP4ME · 06-13-2008, 12:19 PM

I never thought about the supercharger. I always make sure the oil is topped off, but that's it. Is there an easy way to change that fluid?
Is it me or does supercharger oil smell like sweaty gym socks?

BNaylor · 06-13-2008, 12:40 PM

GM just requires checking SC oil level every 30K miles but better to change the stuff out. The blower will last longer.

Oh yeah the ole SC oil smell. Fish oil or maybe nasty smelling snatch.

Same old method we all use either a syringe, turkey baster, or suction pump. The ones with the electric motor like for transmissions works good.

00GTP4ME · 06-13-2008, 12:46 PM

lol.

Do you know how much S/C it takes to fill that thing up from empty?

BNaylor · 06-13-2008, 12:54 PM

About 6 ounces on a typical drain. Little more on a rebuild.

00GTP4ME · 06-13-2008, 01:21 PM

So would you say to change the fluid every 30K?

BNaylor · 06-13-2008, 01:25 PM

It is up to you. I do mine both GTP and Regal GS every year just to be safe. Even after several months with the new oil the stuff looks dark or black.

00GTP4ME · 06-13-2008, 01:29 PM

Where do you find you get the best deal on S/C fluid? I see it on eBay from time to time and it's usually pretty cheap. Anywhere else? (Dealer obviously).

BNaylor · 06-13-2008, 01:51 PM

Maybe not the best deal around but a lot of us get ours from ZZPerformance. They have a pre-packaged container with 6 ounces for around $10.00.

wlkjr · 06-14-2008, 06:00 AM

I change oil and filter every 5000 miles (analysis says can go longer), plugs and wires not before 125,000 miles (unless one goes bad, and the factory wires quit early and were replaced-----the last set of plugs and wires were still good after 175,000 miles on them, not the car.) I haven't found the distributor cap and rotor yet. Hoses and belts as needed or when other maintenance gives better accessibility. Keep spares in trunk.
Don't drive it "like I stole it", rather like I want to keep it for a long long time.

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