Have you ever worn out an engine?
I read recommendations made about the value in changing oil. I have been operating roughly 20 diesel engines at a time over the last 30 years. Some are 40 years old and still running. I have a Cat C15...
Forum Discussion
usmohls2@yahoo.com wrote:Lessmore wrote:ib516 wrote:
No, because I look after mine. But I have seen plenty of them worn out by neglect and abuse. Very few worn out by proper use.
When my dad had the GM dealership, we had a pair of brothers (customers) that used Astro vans to deliver the city newspaper around to the surrounding small towns 6 days/week. We did their maintenence. I did an oil change on one van that had 600,000 or 700,000 Km on it and it still ran fine. They'd be in for an oil change every week or two. They did manage to wear out the front wheel bearings though :)
Moral of the story is, modern engines (other than a few flawed designs) generally will outlast the rest of the vehicle if looked after IMO.
When I first got my Astro with it's 4300 Vortec V6, I asked one of the mechanics at the small country Chevy dealer I used, how these engines lasted. He said that it was a popular engine in farmer's pickups and he had a couple where he changed the oil...original engines had 450,000 kms on them. Still running fine, no major services needed.
The 4300 vortec V6 has the same bore & stroke as a small block chevy. Was told once, It was a 350 CI with the front 2 cylinders cut off.
You're correct, the Vortec 4300 is the small blck Chevy with 2 cylinders cut off and the another great engine...the 90 degree Buick 3800 V6 was essentially the old Buick 215 cube aluminum V8 from 1961...but with two cylinders cut off. Both Chevy and Buick 90 degree V6's had lots of evolving and modifications over the years...from their original designs...to keep them current.
The Rover V8 which the British are fond of promoting as one of 'their' best engines...originated from that early 90 degree, aluminum Buick V8. Rover bought the Buick tooling from GM in the 1960's.
