Daughters 96 rolled over to two hundred

[ifixalot]

Last weekend my son in law and I did front brakes and a new AC condenser on my
daughter's 96 Z26. She reports this week it just rolled over 200K.
I wonder what will go next, timing chain, fuel pump, transmission??
Time will tell.

[themixer]

transmission is my guess

[Asylum]

If the LIM gaskets haven't gone yet I suppose you dodged the bullet and have the late ones.

DO NOT flush the trans!! Top it up as required and leave it alone.

Keep up with the oil changes and you may well be surprised how long it will service you.

[ifixalot]

I did head gaskets a couple years back and so LIM were replaced.
My son in law was asking about the changing the trans fluid and
I mentioned we had never done it in the 70k miles we've had it so
we'll leave it alone. I do have another good trans if this one were to die.
We use synthetic and change it about every 5000 miles.
The oil still looks translucent when changed.
It's funny her door jambs look good but the underside of the rocker has holes.
I'm going to try soon to add some sheet metal to close it off to extend the life.

[Rettax3]

DO NOT flush the trans!! Top it up as required and leave it alone.

Agreed 100% about not flushing the trans, but what about dropping the pan, changing the filter and replacing the 60% or so that comes out that way? I've had very good results over the years doing that -it helps get rid of some of the contaminates suspended in the fluid, without shocking the trans with all fresh fluid, and it doesn't dislodge chunks of debris like a flush can. It seems like there is no good way to treat an auto tranny...

When you did the LIMGs, did you upgrade to the steel and rubber set? The newer style OE-type with the brass stand-offs helps, and it is good for preventing damage from over-torquing, but if it ever overheats, that plastic is still likely to fail, and will just get brittle over time even if it never gets too hot.

Congrats on keeping the car going! It seems like most people just scrap them out -it is a disposable world, I guess...

[ifixalot]

I don't recall exactly what gaskets I used. I just went to Autozone and bought
whatever Fel-Pro gasket kit they had. And of course torque to yield bolts.
It was maybe four years ago I did that.
The motor is still dry so I must have used the right ones.

I get tempted to get different cars but I know what I've got and what parts I replaced.
You buy a different car and who knows what gremlins you'll find.
I bought my first mini van at five years old with 70 k miles for $9000.
I got nine years and 100k miles before it ate a cam bearing and killed the engine.
So it cost me at least $1000 a year minimum to drive.
My second mini van cost $900 with 130K on the clock. I still have it with 180K
on it. I have to fix the trans but still not as bad as the first.
So buying late model low mileage used vehicles hasn't worked so well for me.

[Rettax3]

I'm with you on that. I really don't think they are building them very well these days. Or maybe it is just that the good cars from 'the day' are still around and the bad ones got junked already... Who knows, but you couldn't sell me a new car right now, not even a Honda.