60,000 mile question
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,513
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '11
60,000 mile question
Okay, I am a bit of a noob when it comes to new cars. I bought my coupe new in 2004 and have now reached 60,000 miles. Is there anything that I should be doing maintenance-wise at this point (I meant to ask at 50K, but...).
I have changed the battery and the brakes but have not done anything else major. There are no problems that I have encountered - the car runs like a champ. However, I cannot find anything as to regular maintenance - just the standard lists that always include rotating tires so I know they are not Corvette specific.
I am wondering about the coolant and the manual transmission - I have heard varying reports about 100,000+ miles for coolant and that manual transmissions do not need fluid changes and I find all that hard to believe.
Can anyone help me out on what I should be looking to do
I have changed the battery and the brakes but have not done anything else major. There are no problems that I have encountered - the car runs like a champ. However, I cannot find anything as to regular maintenance - just the standard lists that always include rotating tires so I know they are not Corvette specific.
I am wondering about the coolant and the manual transmission - I have heard varying reports about 100,000+ miles for coolant and that manual transmissions do not need fluid changes and I find all that hard to believe.
Can anyone help me out on what I should be looking to do
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,899
Likes: 1,839
From: Hot Springs AR
Your '04 is approaching 6 years of age. If you haven't changed out any given fluid by this time I'd do it, regardless of mileage. That includes coolant, tranny, diff, and brake fluid.
Other than that, keep on driving!
Have a good one,
Mike
Other than that, keep on driving!
Have a good one,
Mike
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,513
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '11
Thanks, I was kind of leaning that way already.
What about belts and such - is there a recommended time to change them? I inspect them and they appear to be in good condition, but I know they will wear out at some point.
What about belts and such - is there a recommended time to change them? I inspect them and they appear to be in good condition, but I know they will wear out at some point.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 538
Likes: 0
From: Edmond Ok
If you are inspecting I think you fine, as part of the inspection I would be listening for sqeals and squicks, On my tahoe the tensioner went out before the belt.
Include on your list the clutch fluid, just suck it out with a turkey baster and put in fresh brake fluid.
Good luck.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,899
Likes: 1,839
From: Hot Springs AR
Have a good one,
Mike
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
Belts should last 100,000 miles. Inspect them for cracks or any missing ribs. If they are not making noise, you can probably get a few more miles out of them. However, I usually end up changing belts after 5 or 6 years, and keep the old belts as an emergency spare.
Dexcool is supposed to be good for 5 years or 100,000 miiles, but I never let antifreeze go more than 2 or 3 years, even extended life antifreeze. I have a 2004 Z06 and I will probably change mine for the second time within the next year.
Transmission fluid is not contaminated by combustion products like engine oil, so 60,000 miles is not excessive. Automatic transmissions, I tend to change the fluid every 30,000 to 40,000 miles.
On other cars, I never worried much about flushing the brake fluid, but since I had to replace my master cylinder last year, I went ahead and flushed the system until I had clean brake fluid coming out at each caliper. It does look much better to have clear brake fluid in the reservoir than dark fluid with particulates floating around.
Engine oil, I go by the oil life monitor, which ends up being about every 4,000 miles.
Dexcool is supposed to be good for 5 years or 100,000 miiles, but I never let antifreeze go more than 2 or 3 years, even extended life antifreeze. I have a 2004 Z06 and I will probably change mine for the second time within the next year.
Transmission fluid is not contaminated by combustion products like engine oil, so 60,000 miles is not excessive. Automatic transmissions, I tend to change the fluid every 30,000 to 40,000 miles.
On other cars, I never worried much about flushing the brake fluid, but since I had to replace my master cylinder last year, I went ahead and flushed the system until I had clean brake fluid coming out at each caliper. It does look much better to have clear brake fluid in the reservoir than dark fluid with particulates floating around.
Engine oil, I go by the oil life monitor, which ends up being about every 4,000 miles.
Last edited by TEXHAWK0; Jan 22, 2009 at 08:03 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,037
Likes: 9,799
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Okay, I am a bit of a noob when it comes to new cars. I bought my coupe new in 2004 and have now reached 60,000 miles. Is there anything that I should be doing maintenance-wise at this point (I meant to ask at 50K, but...).
I have changed the battery and the brakes but have not done anything else major. There are no problems that I have encountered - the car runs like a champ. However, I cannot find anything as to regular maintenance - just the standard lists that always include rotating tires so I know they are not Corvette specific.
I am wondering about the coolant and the manual transmission - I have heard varying reports about 100,000+ miles for coolant and that manual transmissions do not need fluid changes and I find all that hard to believe.
Can anyone help me out on what I should be looking to do
I have changed the battery and the brakes but have not done anything else major. There are no problems that I have encountered - the car runs like a champ. However, I cannot find anything as to regular maintenance - just the standard lists that always include rotating tires so I know they are not Corvette specific.
I am wondering about the coolant and the manual transmission - I have heard varying reports about 100,000+ miles for coolant and that manual transmissions do not need fluid changes and I find all that hard to believe.
Can anyone help me out on what I should be looking to do
Bill
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,513
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '11
Thanks everyone for your input. I had read the owner's manual, but that is where I found that a manual transmission does not need to have the fluid changed and so I was not willing to base my maintenance ideas on that - I wanted some real life input.
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