The Peckish Synapse

[KARNUT]

20 minutes ago, OnTheReel said:

I happen to really like the fleet I have currently. And I modify and drive them hard. Success for me is having wear rates much lower than universal averages in spite of that. Simply by paying attention to many of the same things Grump preaches. You can dislike his delivery or just not care about your vehicles as much he does. But that doesn’t change what I’ve tested and observed on my own vehicles. 

It’s up to the individual. It’s one thing to preach to people about going past 200K. And calling people out for not seeking that goal. And only having one to show for it. And what a problem it was getting there. I have 3 over 160K. They burn no oil. Two had 10K oil changes until I got them. No transmission service before 100K. And now get 5K oil changes only because of time usually not miles. And 30K transmission service. That same person gets a new vehicle while cutting back on driving higher mileage vehicles. The only real difference between him and the others he keeps spending money on the highest mileage one. Where most people would have cut their losses. So he’s the genius. I rather have three reliable older vehicles. The money I saved pays the maintenance. If I really liked the problem child oil user. I would have rebuilt the engine, not buy a new one. That’s what a real high mileage driver would have done. 

[diyer2]

Real simple, better fluids, better results. More frequent fluid changes without better fluids = longevity.

[Grumpy Bear]

On 6/23/2025 at 9:48 PM, Atlas said:

 

Mine has 213 miles. No reason to crack the valve covers.

 

Success for me is happiness. Very little to do with owning a truck or showing everyone how my top end is clean at 168k. I've seen and owned engines that have gone more miles and they're still clean. Some of them didn't even use synthetic for most of their miles. So I'm not really sure what your point is? A modern engine going 168k with regular changes is frankly...unremarkable.

[Grumpy Bear]

Happiness, that's the marker for a successful engine program? Oh, I get it. "Not what you asked". Exactly what I asked, context gave the ask, and as usual for those the hate without a true cause you don't have an answer. My call is on the fact you have, have had or ever will have a motor that went the long and is THAT CLEAN. Not that it made it. Lie, deny, delay misdirect. Your not trying to have a conversation. Your interest is in disruption. You don't do and so don't want anyone else to either. That is petty and small. 

 

Go back and read @OnTheReel 's last reply. He has markers, data, a direction, a program and it will lead to a conclusion that he can and will adjust to be better the next time every time. PURPOSE DIRECTION toward EXCELENCE.

 

You have what? Allot of "I don't have proof"   To the junk drawer with you....   

[Grumpy Bear]

Yes Teacher

 

Learned a new lesson recently I'd hoped never to learn. 

 

I had the misfortune of catching a stone in the radiator of Raven, our 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage. That in itself was sad but it happens. No, it was the repair that educated me. 

 

I bought this car 75 miles away. There is a closer dealer but neither has shown competence. That as well is unremarkable. Sad and yet. No, the first jaw dropper was that the cost of the Mitsubishi sourced Denso OEM radiator was $800! Something I sourced from Rock Auto for $125 after shipping. Under a hundred. WOW!

 

Tiny car that I haven't any experience with so I go to the Internet to find some video and a shop manual to see what the job looks like and where the landmines are. Thankfully I watched the videos, not in English, first. Why thankfully you say?

 

The shop manual has you removing just about everything but the power train from the firewall forward and gives a ridiculously long 'shop hours' number. Like more that double the time required even by an old guy with a bad back in scorching weather working a few minutes here and there.  At $200 an hour there was baked into the job a grand in labor cost. We haven't counted the 'extraneous supplies and towing cost yet'. Yet well north of $2,000 USD and more than six months waiting time. 

 

I expected some parts gouging. I was not expecting Mitsubishi to steal legally by abusing the book hours with such an obvious padding that Joe Average would not have even noticed nor is it actionable! That's the lesson. They steal with approval! Just standing in the shadow of the door they sneak around in the law. 

 

This isn't unique to Mitsubishi. A quick query of my mechanic friends paints a pretty sad picture of the dealership experience. 

 

I did the job myself for an out of pocket cost of just under $150 all in and a pitcher of tea. And I still beat the book. I could do it the second time in half the time now that I've seen and done it. Oh, and the wait was 5 days shipping and the best part?????

 

It was the identical Denso radiator!! 

 

 

[Atlas]

 

1 hour ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Happiness, that's the marker for a successful engine program? Oh, I get it. "Not what you asked". Exactly what I asked, context gave the ask, and as usual for those the hate without a true cause you don't have an answer. My call is on the fact you have, have had or ever will have a motor that went the long and is THAT CLEAN. Not that it made it. Lie, deny, delay misdirect. Your not trying to have a conversation. Your interest is in disruption. You don't do and so don't want anyone else to either. That is petty and small. 

 

Go back and read @OnTheReel 's last reply. He has markers, data, a direction, a program and it will lead to a conclusion that he can and will adjust to be better the next time every time. PURPOSE DIRECTION toward EXCELENCE.

 

You have what? Allot of "I don't have proof"   To the junk drawer with you....   

 

I'm still unclear on why you think a modern vehicle hitting 168k is some kind of feat worthy of praise. How clean is your top end?

Nobody cares, that's how clean it is. But I guess we all have to find something to be proud of and preach to others.

[Grumpy Bear]

1 hour ago, Atlas said:

 

 

I'm still unclear on why you think a modern vehicle hitting 168k is some kind of feat worthy of praise. How clean is your top end?

Nobody cares, that's how clean it is. But I guess we all have to find something to be proud of and preach to others.

 

Then let me tune you up;  you simply do not understand the roll clean has on motor life. GM does. Enough so that DEXOS has it's own standard that is tighter than the API. GM and all other manufactures have such standards. Because? Besides the fact those deposits hinder cooling? STUCK RINGS. Oil control. Plugs hydraulic ports for the AFM/VVT and oil pump circuits. Vacuum pump circuit that is your power brakes if you don't have electric brakes. It was and has been the first go to for GM every time there is a deposit related issue. What is the first step? Lower the OCI, Why? Prevent deposits they KNOW FOR CERTIAN will be there because? There license ALLOWS IT. Mine does not. Mine is ZERO. I'm still using the OEM brake pump many others has replaced on recall. Did have the ABS calibrations done that are suppose to catch it when it fails either. Why were they failing? Tight screen in the inlets was PLUGGING WITH DEPOSITS. Varnished over not sludge. Ditto many a VLOM failure. 

 

That statement "NOBODY' is simple not true. GM cares allot. Add every major car manufacture in the world. Add all top tear blenders. I care allot and it is significant. Enough to point out with "receipts' (photos) It is proof that the program does what DEXOS combine with the OEM OLM recommendations is failing at. It's proof you don't have to live with that situation and it's a guide for others that care. 

 

You are not the world un to itself you think you are. What you mean to say is, "I don't care". Great!  But is it necessary  to pee in everyone's cereal because you see no value in it? Again, such actions are petty and small.  

 

 

[Atlas]

38 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

Then let me tune you up;  you simply do not understand the roll clean has on motor life. GM does. Enough so that DEXOS has it's own standard that is tighter than the API. GM and all other manufactures have such standards. Because? Besides the fact those deposits hinder cooling? STUCK RINGS. Oil control. Plugs hydraulic ports for the AFM/VVT and oil pump circuits. Vacuum pump circuit that is your power brakes if you don't have electric brakes. It was and has been the first go to for GM every time there is a deposit related issue. What is the first step? Lower the OCI, Why? Prevent deposits they KNOW FOR CERTIAN will be there because? There license ALLOWS IT. Mine does not. Mine is ZERO. I'm still using the OEM brake pump many others has replaced on recall. Did have the ABS calibrations done that are suppose to catch it when it fails either. Why were they failing? Tight screen in the inlets was PLUGGING WITH DEPOSITS. Varnished over not sludge. Ditto many a VLOM failure. 

 

That statement "NOBODY' is simple not true. GM cares allot. Add every major car manufacture in the world. Add all top tear blenders. I care allot and it is significant. Enough to point out with "receipts' (photos) It is proof that the program does what DEXOS combine with the OEM OLM recommendations is failing at. It's proof you don't have to live with that situation and it's a guide for others that care. 

 

You are not the world un to itself you think you are. What you mean to say is, "I don't care". Great!  But is it necessary  to pee in everyone's cereal because you see no value in it? Again, such actions are petty and small.  

 

 

 

This is clearly an important subject to you, but it isn't to me. Regular maintenance gets the vast majority of these GM trucks to high mileage without issue. If you think driving a truck to 168k like you mentioned above is some huge achievement because of your maintenance regimen, go ahead, celebrate it. 

[OnTheReel]

Most motors will get there but not every motor with 168k is equal. Some have very little wear and will do another 168k easily. Others are on their third cam, use a quart every 1k and are just about ready for the bin. But yeah, it made there I guess.

“High mileage” on its own doesn’t impress me. I’ve rolled plenty of odometers.

Now, high mileage vehicles that look and function like they aren’t? Yeah, that’s pretty cool. Takes effort. 

[KARNUT]

I don’t know if going past 250K is that much of an effort these days. I have more than a few I’ve passed along to my family members. Most are approaching 200 to 250K. My 91 dodge diesel was nearing 500K when our shop Forman sold it. I only used it for moving equipment for 100K miles. Then a crew got it, then it was used a shop truck etc. Do I break them apart to see inside? Why would I? They all run well and use no oil. My mother drives her 2001 Ford diesel every day. Last I looked it was past 250K. Most of ours get nothing special some just regular maintenance. My brother still tools around in his 79 little red express truck. Longevity is nothing new to us. Especially since harsh winter isn’t a problem. Our whole family for the most part likes nice clean vehicles. This over infatuation with oil usually is tied to bad engines. We research and buy reliable vehicles. Some even go by the minder, gasp. I recommend less. No failures, yet.

[OnTheReel]

39 minutes ago, KARNUT said:

I don’t know if going past 250K is that much of an effort these days. I have more than a few I’ve passed along to my family members. Most are approaching 200 to 250K. My 91 dodge diesel was nearing 500K when our shop Forman sold it. I only used it for moving equipment for 100K miles. Then a crew got it, then it was used a shop truck etc. Do I break them apart to see inside? Why would I? They all run well and use no oil. My mother drives her 2001 Ford diesel every day. Last I looked it was past 250K. Most of ours get nothing special some just regular maintenance. My brother still tools around in his 79 little red express truck. Longevity is nothing new to us. Especially since harsh winter isn’t a problem. Our whole family for the most part likes nice clean vehicles. This over infatuation with oil usually is tied to bad engines. We research and buy reliable vehicles. Some even go by the minder, gasp. I recommend less. No failures, yet.

Modern engine design is like 500k miles away from that pre-emissions 160hp 5.9 Cummins. It’s gonna take a lot more care and effort to do that with anything new.

[KARNUT]

6 minutes ago, OnTheReel said:

Modern engine design is like 500k miles away from that pre-emissions 160hp 5.9 Cummins. It’s gonna take a lot more care and effort to do that with anything new.

I bought a 2017 Camry that my granddaughter drives now. A regular non turbo 4Cylinder. I believe it will run up to 500K. Of course that wouldn’t be considered a modern engine since they went to turbo charging. There aren’t many modern vehicles I’d buy these days. 

[KARNUT]

1 hour ago, OnTheReel said:

Modern engine design is like 500k miles away from that pre-emissions 160hp 5.9 Cummins. It’s gonna take a lot more care and effort to do that with anything new.

I’ll add most vehicles I drove until recently were anything but stock. From just turning up the injection pump to full banks kits. Gas to tunes and exhaust. To supercharge. Driven hard and work hard. 

[OnTheReel]

33 minutes ago, KARNUT said:

I’ll add most vehicles I drove until recently were anything but stock. From just turning up the injection pump to full banks kits. Gas to tunes and exhaust. To supercharge. Driven hard and work hard. 

Yeah, I did a lot to my Cummins back in the day. Stupid easy to make power with those, and they just don’t care. New diesels I won’t touch. They make triple the power of mine right out of the box but far too much complexity. Same with pretty much anything today.

Think that’s some of Grumps point. There aren’t any 5.9s or Vortec 5300s being sold in new cars anymore. The engines that replaced them are more complicated and typically built much worse to boot. So you have to adjust maintenance to get more longevity, or just bury your head in the sand like some here. Pretend nothing changed. 

[OnTheReel]

12 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Yes Teacher

 

Learned a new lesson recently I'd hoped never to learn. 

 

I had the misfortune of catching a stone in the radiator of Raven, our 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage. That in itself was sad but it happens. No, it was the repair that educated me. 

 

I bought this car 75 miles away. There is a closer dealer but neither has shown competence. That as well is unremarkable. Sad and yet. No, the first jaw dropper was that the cost of the Mitsubishi sourced Denso OEM radiator was $800! Something I sourced from Rock Auto for $125 after shipping. Under a hundred. WOW!

 

Tiny car that I haven't any experience with so I go to the Internet to find some video and a shop manual to see what the job looks like and where the landmines are. Thankfully I watched the videos, not in English, first. Why thankfully you say?

 

The shop manual has you removing just about everything but the power train from the firewall forward and gives a ridiculously long 'shop hours' number. Like more that double the time required even by an old guy with a bad back in scorching weather working a few minutes here and there.  At $200 an hour there was baked into the job a grand in labor cost. We haven't counted the 'extraneous supplies and towing cost yet'. Yet well north of $2,000 USD and more than six months waiting time. 

 

I expected some parts gouging. I was not expecting Mitsubishi to steal legally by abusing the book hours with such an obvious padding that Joe Average would not have even noticed nor is it actionable! That's the lesson. They steal with approval! Just standing in the shadow of the door they sneak around in the law. 

 

This isn't unique to Mitsubishi. A quick query of my mechanic friends paints a pretty sad picture of the dealership experience. 

 

I did the job myself for an out of pocket cost of just under $150 all in and a pitcher of tea. And I still beat the book. I could do it the second time in half the time now that I've seen and done it. Oh, and the wait was 5 days shipping and the best part?????

 

It was the identical Denso radiator!! 

 

 

It seems to me more and more that dealers simply don’t want to service their cars anymore. Dunno how else to explain this. You can walk in and drive out with a new car in an hour. But replacement radiator for the same new car? 6 months! I mean there’s just no effort to even be competitive. Maybe some people fall for it but can’t be many.