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Mileage
Aug 2, 2004 15:42:58 GMT -6
Post by rlouisa on Aug 2, 2004 15:42:58 GMT -6
My 1997 Autobahn Aurora has 111,000 miles on it now. I have always taken great care of it since I bought it at 38,000 miles. Changed over to synthetic oil, mobil 1 or Mobil Delvac if I could get over to the supplier, and I am a stickler for proper rotate and balance and such. To me there is nothing worse than hearing a car some by with a tire out of balance, I think it is worse than nails on a chalkboard.
I was speaking to a friend of mine who owns a Buick and was an Olds dealership. He has all of his certs for working on the cars and such and said that the Auroras are one of the toughest cars out there. Just a few problems with it, manly some seal issues causing oil leaks due to high heat. After looking again at my vehicle and seeing other Auroras coming in, he has no doubt in his mind that these cars can get at least 200,000 miles on them without a new motor or tranny. All he says is maintenance is key. I have 2 more payments then I own mine, so I am hoping for a good 3 more years.
Just for everyones FYI
Ryan
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Mileage
Aug 2, 2004 16:25:07 GMT -6
Post by erw38 on Aug 2, 2004 16:25:07 GMT -6
Thanks for the knowledge ;D
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Mileage
Aug 2, 2004 17:16:12 GMT -6
Post by JimW on Aug 2, 2004 17:16:12 GMT -6
Over the years those problems were corrected, despite the high heat created these cars use the heat very effieciently. As well the cooling system is second to none. I've said it before: the technology in place in these cars is staggering, but with all the technology comes the understanding that maintenance is key to success, its not a car you can just drive and expect all to be well...it has to be properly maintained. I'm glad I dont drive El Cheapo Corolla-One-owner-disposable-car And the knowledge gained by working on these cars is staggering, if you can fix an Aurora, you can fix anything. ;D
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Mileage
Aug 2, 2004 17:47:28 GMT -6
Post by rlouisa on Aug 2, 2004 17:47:28 GMT -6
I used to have a 1990 Thunderbird Super Coupe, lets just say that this was a ***** to work on. I had to jack the motor up and undo the motor mounts to change the spark plugs, so the aurora engine is a pleasure to work on compared to this. But I still do miss my SC, it was pretty close to the aurora weight wise and speed wise, but just a little bit quicker.
Ryan
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scottydl
Super Moderator
There's nothin' like an American V-8...
Posts: 7,373
Staff Member
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Post by scottydl on Aug 3, 2004 0:17:07 GMT -6
Along these lines, what is key when the general term "maintenance" is mentioned? Obviously oil and other fluid changes as needed, but are there other change-outs that our Auroras are specifically sensitive to?
And maybe this is a question for another thread, but I'd like to switch over to synthetic oil in my Aurora if it will extend engine life. Do I already have too many miles? I asked the salesman about it when I bought the car, and he said synthetics aren't good for most domestic engines (vs. foreign I guess). Thoughts?
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Post by JimW on Aug 3, 2004 7:18:41 GMT -6
The Aurora takes more oil then conventional cars, 7L as opposed to 5L (or 5.5L). Synthetic would get to expensive IMO. With regular intervals of 3000mile changes, conventional oil will be just fine.
Rad flush, proper tranny servicing, oil, coolant changes (esp with DexCool) is important. Monitoring your cooling system is paramount, the Northstar is all aluminum and generates a lot of heat.
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Post by Aurora40 on Aug 3, 2004 8:17:38 GMT -6
I have to say, I disagree on Jim's oil change regimen. I follow the oil-life monitor and change when it gets close to 10-15%. I use only Mobil 1 synthetic, but with a change interval of ~6-7,000 miles, it isn't all that expensive. Plus, it's less waste oil I'm producing. Good for the car, good for me, and good for the environment. Can't beat that!
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Post by JimW on Aug 3, 2004 8:32:46 GMT -6
Good point, oil life monitor With an older car I am more regular with my oil changes...
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Mileage
Aug 3, 2004 10:32:33 GMT -6
Post by erw38 on Aug 3, 2004 10:32:33 GMT -6
Make sure that when you switch to synthetic thought that you change your oild again abou 1500 miles after you initially changed it. Synthetic oil creates a lot better flow thus breaking up a lot of build up and junk that was in the engine before.
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Mileage
Aug 3, 2004 10:43:00 GMT -6
Post by Aurora40 on Aug 3, 2004 10:43:00 GMT -6
Make sure that when you switch to synthetic thought that you change your oild again abou 1500 miles after you initially changed it. Synthetic oil creates a lot better flow thus breaking up a lot of build up and junk that was in the engine before. I believe that too is just a wives-tale. If you look at Mobil's website, they have a rather in-depth FAQ about synthetic oil. The don't recommend any such thing, even though it would result in sales of more oil for them. There should not be a lot of crud just sitting in your engine anyway, and a better lubricating oil will prevent things from wearing more, hence less junk should end up in the oil.
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Mileage
Aug 3, 2004 11:57:59 GMT -6
Post by rlouisa on Aug 3, 2004 11:57:59 GMT -6
The actual oil isn't dirtier, it is the oil filter that get junked up. When I switched my aurora over at 38,000 the oil filter was changed 1500 miles after I changed to synthetic and it was absolutely unreal. All you have to do is replace the filter and add a little more oil. The dino oil burns easier in the engine and that is the junky the filter is catching.
As with changing over to synthetic oil, I would recommend it at any time except if you have a minor leak right now. Going over to synthetic will break up the gunk and cause oil leaks. If you have a ton of miles without going over to synthetic and have any oil leaks I would recommend a blend over straight synthetic. Just a thought though.
Ryan
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Mileage
Aug 3, 2004 12:40:11 GMT -6
Post by Aurora40 on Aug 3, 2004 12:40:11 GMT -6
Myth: I need to flush my engine before switching to Mobil 1Reality: No special preparation is necessary when switching from conventional motor oil to Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™. Myth: Mobil 1 will leak out of the seals of older cars.Reality: Mobil 1 does not cause leaks. In fact, new Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ was tested in dozens of industry standard and OEM tests to prove its seal performance. It is fully compatible with the elastomeric materials from which all automotive seals and gaskets are made. ExxonMobil engineers are wary of conventional oils that tout their use of additional seal-swelling agents. With extended use, these agents can over-soften engine seals, resulting in leaks. More to the point, an oil additive will not rejuvenate worn or damaged seals. The damaged seal may have been caused by a worn rotating metal component in the engine. If an older engine is in good condition and does not have oil leaks, Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ provides the same advantages as when used in a new engine. ExxonMobil recommends taking measures to repair the leaks, then using Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™. ExxonMobil also always recommends following the automobile manufacturer's manual for the proper oil to use. Taken from: www.mobil1.com/index.jspMobil 1 is not some magic formula. It is motor oil. It's just very pure, very uniform and consistent motor oil. It flows better at cold temps and is more stable at high temps due to being more pure. However it is still motor oil. It doesn't do amazing things that regular oil doesn't, and it can be mixed perfectly with regular oil.
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