Advice on high mileage maintenance

[LuminaPat]

Hello all,

I have a 98 that I purchased with very high mileage (120k) and I've had it about a year and have put tremendous mileage on it as well. Its currently at 190k!!! The previous owner as well as myself were heavy commuters which is the reason for the high mileage. The previous owner had a basic tune up at 90k and did regular oil changes. Other than oil changes, I've done nothing to it (except a brake pad change). I need some advice on where to start on some serious maintenance as I have decided to keep this car for as long as possible. BTW, I'm no longer commuting.

I'm getting the feeling my car is trying to tell me to service it from the following examples:
1)The car doesn't accelerate quite like it did a year ago
2)Sometimes the engine seems like it shaking a little bit
3)My service engine soon light came on and lit solidly. However, I noticed my gas cap wasn't on right and when I screwed it back on the light went away. Don't know if that had anything to do with it, but hasn't come on since.
4)The other day the transmission slipped pretty hard after I did some serious highway driving that day, about 500 miles total.

I dont want another car payment and really like my Lumina but don't know if I should put too much money into it with the high miles and all. So any advice would be greatly appreciated, but in particular should I consider changing various belts and hoses in addition to the tune up process? Also, what about tranny service? I've heard so many horror stories from people who had their trannys flushed and what not.
Thanx guys.

[paulfischer]

I have 99 lumina LTZ with the 3.8. I have 130,000 miles on it.
Here is what I've done as of maintance. i did alot of driving, mostly highway, but alot of stop and go rush hour shit.
The gas cap not on tight can cause the light to come on. Something with the evaporation control system.

i would do the following if it was mine:
1. change plugs, wires, air/ fule filter. Use only ac delco plugs. (on my 3.8, anything else car runs like crap) and get good wires.
2. Replace PCV valce.
3. Run some seafoam or gm top end cleaner through it.
4. do coolant flush and refill. I'd repalce the hoses, all of them. Radiator and heater hoses.
5. Replace the thermostat.
5. As for tranny, at 100,000 miles I just changes the fluid and filter, and put in a bottle of LUBEGARD ATF PROTECTANT, and I have not had any problems. I stayed away from the "flush", too many bad stories.
6. I would change the belt also.

Thats all I can think of.

Paul

[MT-2500]

Well at 190K
With engine not running right and trans acting up and check engine light on.
You have gone past the mantiance stage.
It is time to repair.
You are going to need a major engine tune up and a good trans service.
Are you going to do the work yourself or have a repair shop do it?

[LuminaPat]

paulfischer - Thanx for the info, sounds like a very good starting place. Out of curiosity, what does the seafoam or gm top cleaner actually do? I've never heard of these.


mt-2500 - I'm definitely having a professional do all of the work. My problem with that is am I better off going to the dealer or finding a highly reputable mechanic? I would prefer to go with an independent mechanic and I'm wondering are there any advantages to going to a dealership service facility?

[MT-2500]

Your best bet is a good repair shop.
Dealers are a hit and miss some good and some not so good.

Check around Ask around
Word of mouth.
Family friends coworkers neighbors business people and delivery people.
Mailmen and parcel delivery people get around and notice a lot of stuff.
Even a good parts house knows what shops are good and not good.
Chamber of commerce and better business bureau and city hall.
If you find a good referral to a repair shop go look them over and talk to them.
Look for a clean looking busy place with nice people running it.
Ask a few questions and ask about their qualifications and training.
Not all places have trained tech/mechanics.
If they do not find a place that does.
Even all dealers do not have all trained techs/mechanics.
Good Luck
MT

[paulfischer]

they are used to remove any carbon buildup from the cylinder head combustion chambers, valve train. You put it in thru a vaccum line, usually the brake hose coming off the booster. You add it slowly while car is running, when you get close to the end of the can, you pour it in a little faster so that it stalls the car out. Let it sit for a while. Start it up, and be prepapred for a LOT of white smoke. Again let it run for a while, I drove mine for a little while to burn off the carbon. I changed plugs and oil after I did this.

[LuminaPat]

The last concern I have is should I have a diagnostic before hand and if so, should I do it at a different shop than I'll have my repairs done at. I'm just a wee bit paranoid of garages and I guess I'm trying to get some info on what to expect. I'd be leery if I had a ton of recommendations whether they were valid or not. I guess thats the point in finding a reputable repair facility, but I also want to be able to budget my repairs going with the "must do" stuff first if need be. I know there's no way to know how much its going to cost, but is there a loose ball park figure or a range of what you guys think the kind of work I'm looking for will cost?

[MT-2500]

The main thing is to find a good reptuable repair shop.
Any shop that repairs it needs to do the diagnostic and check out before repair their self.
Just have them check it out and give you a estiamate of repair.
If you want a idea on the check engine light auto zone and some other parts places will give you a free code check for codes. Just get the codes and post back to us the code no.
But Do not by the parts they try to sell you at that time.
But the main thing is to get it in and repaired now before it does any more damage.
It is hard to say just how much thngs is going to cost and a lot depends on how bad the trans\eng is.
I would figure a least 500$ up.
Good luck
MT

[99DenaliMan]

Any shop that repairs it needs to do the diagnostic and check out before repair their self.
agreed 100%. I had a 99 Yukon that had a slight vibration/shudder when stopped/excelerating and was told by a local shop "We'll start by doing a fuel injector cleaner". I told the guy it was 100% my drivetrain and he told me he thought differently. I basically argued with the guy, then he told me for $70.00 he'll diagnose it. I walked out replaced the u-joints, etc to find I had a seal leaking and my slipyoke into transmission was leaking and drying up.
This is from a very clean, reputable, busy, shop. Dealerships try to upsell more than the required parts. I have always had good luck with Firestone Locations. But just as Dealerships or any other place they are hit and miss. Good luck.

[jeffcoslacker]

If the ONLY time the tranny ever messed up was after that long highway run, and only if right after that and not still happening the next day or whatever, it might be worth having the transcooler flushed, NOT the tranny, I personally think that's a crapola service and causes more problems than it prevents. But a hogged up cooler will keep heat from dissapating from the fluid, and make it run hotter and hotter the farther you drive, and it'll begin to slip or flare on upshifts.

If that were the case, though, I'd expect it to get hot and begin to slip in heavy stop and go traffic as well....

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by 99DenaliMan

I had a 99 Yukon that had a slight vibration/shudder when stopped/excelerating and was told by a local shop "We'll start by doing a fuel injector cleaner". I told the guy it was 100% my drivetrain and he told me he thought differently. I basically argued with the guy, then he told me for $70.00 he'll diagnose it. I walked out replaced the u-joints, etc to find I had a seal leaking and my slipyoke into transmission was leaking and drying up.
.

What a dope. Driveshaft flutter is very distinctive, and only occurs under very tell-tale conditions. It's pretty hard to misdiagnose.

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by 99DenaliMan

Any shop that repairs it needs to do the diagnostic and check out before repair their self.
agreed 100%. I had a 99 Yukon that had a slight vibration/shudder when stopped/excelerating and was told by a local shop "We'll start by doing a fuel injector cleaner". I told the guy it was 100% my drivetrain and he told me he thought differently. I basically argued with the guy, then he told me for $70.00 he'll diagnose it. I walked out replaced the u-joints, etc to find I had a seal leaking and my slipyoke into transmission was leaking and drying up.
This is from a very clean, reputable, busy, shop. Dealerships try to upsell more than the required parts. I have always had good luck with Firestone Locations. But just as Dealerships or any other place they are hit and miss. Good luck.

Hey Denali...ever wonder if your truck could fly? This happened here last year. Guy had just shot and killed his ex-wife and her friend in front of his two kids during a custody swap. then led police on this chase .

Watch closely, just before the rollover he goes airborne over FOUR LANES of a busy crossroad, about 15' off the ground . Never would have thought that truck could clear it. He was really moving.

Killed when ejected from the rollover. Good riddance.

http://media.ebaumsworld.com/SUVchase.wmv

[99DenaliMan]

Sweet vid man. Funny thing is I'm going thru the same divorce crap, that's one of the reaons why I sold the SUV. Bet those kids are tramatized, they'll probably grow up to be a couple of anti-gun EXTREME liberal (I emphasize extreme, because not all liberals are wacks) nut jobs. Well, I'm off to drop the kid off at daycare and make the guy an offer on his Lumina. Enjoy

BTW: there was no diagnostics per se, it was more like. -These are my problems, and they said they will try a fuel injector cleaning.