Well, I guess it's not the end of the world, but I have just experienced my first mechanical problem with the S-10.
I noticed antifreeze dripping off the front of the engine yesterday. There was a puddle under my truck when I came back out of the grocery store. I looked under the truck, and there was a rapid drip of antifreeze just below the harmonic balancer, so I guess the water pump went bad- there's nothing else that would cause a leak to show up in that particular spot.
If that is the original water pump, then I guess it was about time for it to go, after 140K miles.
I hope that's all that is wrong, and I really believe that it is.
The shop down the road that does my mechanical work is closed on Mondays, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to have it fixed. I'll just have to drive my Jeep to work the next couple days.
I'll let everyone know how this turns out.
The truck had a vibration when I first bought it, and I had the U-joints changed, which fixed that problem. So, other than that, this is the first problem I've had with it, and I think this will turn out not to be a "biggie." But it still bugs me- I can't stand it when one of my vehicles has something wrong with it! I'll see no peace until it is fixed.
Glad to see you're still checking things out here in this group. Hadn't heard from you in a while.
Yep, that is VERY good gas mileage! You ain't gonna hear me complain about that. I have seen the gas mileage as high as 28.3 on a long trip with that little truck.
I am TOTALLY happy with that truck (just wish that water pump was replaced, but that will be taken care of tomorrow, I hope).
Hope by the way nobody gets annoyed at a Ranger owner butting in, but I've been using it for the last 3 oil changes on my Ranger, which is now at almost 80 thousand miles. No problems whatsoever, no excess oil consumption, and idling seems smooth and even. Oil always comes out without any large shavings, which was not the case last time I drained whatever stuff out they use at the dealership. I know this is only anecdotal, as I haven't had oil analysis done, but it works well for me and I plan to keep using it.
I've got a 91 S10 4.3L with automatic tranny w/overdrive. I'm up to 151K miles and am starting to wonder how long it will hold out. I will have the tranny fluid and filter changed this week and I'm getting ready for the tranny shop to tell me bad news.
What's your experiences on the life of this transmission???
You are welcome here. We can always hope that you will come over from the dark side, see the light, and buy an S-10.
Seriously, I appreciate your post. I'm the one that's been looking for input about the Max Life oil, so your post was very welcome.
I am trying it in my '89 S-10, which has 140K miles on it, and after only 300 miles since the oil change, I am seeing no difference with it. Of course, if it's doing its job, then I wouldn't see any difference yet. I would know by now if it was causing problems, though, and that doesn't seem to be the case.
Welcome! I'm afraid that I can't answer your question, since I have no experince with that tranny. My purpose in posting this message is simply to welcome you and to encourage you to keep posting with us.
I have the same setup in my "Older S-10" as you do. I am almost afraid to post this since mine now has 149,000 + miles on it and all I have done is have the auto trans fluid changed. Let us know what you find out from the trans. place! I will be very interested since I keep thinking I need to take mine in but don't want to hear what they "might" tell me...
If you have 100K+ on your transmission in virtually ANY car, and you have not changed the fluid on a regular basis or at all, then changing it will likely cause it to fail. This is because the new fluid will remove much of the varnish that help the bands to work. The new fluid also acts like a detergent on the old parts, washing away even more varnish.
You can also sometimes look for an older transmission to fail as soon as you have a severe weather change. When you go from, say, 50 or 60 degrees at night to your first cold snap of the low 30s to upper 20s, old seals tend to crack and pumps fail. One day it is fine, the next morning, nothing.
If you have changed the fluid every 25-30K miles, a fluid change at 150K shouldn't be any different unless you have noticed a change in the way it shifts.
Just the fact that you made it to 150K without a rebuild says that you are not hard on the truck. With reasonable care, those thransmissions can go 175K or more. I would, however, start talking to other owners in order to find a good shop in your area. Just be aware that the most expensive shop is not automatically the best. You are eventually going to need a new transmission.
Don't rule out getting a price from your Chevy dealer on a GM Goodwrench rebuilt unit; they will have all the latest GM upgrades and often carry a 3 year/36K or 50K miles warranty. If there are several dealers in your area, they may be very competitive with local transmission shops in order to get more business. If the dealer has one in stock, you should only be out of the truck one day. You can also check GM dealers on the internet for a GM Goodwrench transmission. The savings may more than offset the shipping costs.
Now all I have to do is wait for all the responses from those that like to argue by telling me that they had to get theirs rebuilt at 25K, 45K, 60K or 75K and that I'm an idiot for suggesting that you can go to 175K on your current transmission.
As I expected, the problem with my truck was the water pump. It was probably the original one, so it lasted for 140K miles.
They put a rebuilt water pump on for $81.78 with labor and taxes and all. Not too bad, huh?
I was going to spend the extra money for a brand new pump, but no one had one in stock around here. I guess the casing is all they use from the old one when you buy a rebuilt pump anyway, so I guess I'm just as well off.
Sure is nice to have that little truck back! I drove my Jeep Monday and Tuesday to work, but I was back in that little S-10 today.
The boys at the shop said I need a new fan clutch, so I'll get that taken care of soon. Their phone is out at the shop and they couldn't call me about the fan clutch, or else I would have had them take care of it while they had the fan off already for the water pump job.
Don't waste big bucks on a new stock clutch fan. Is yours squeeling ? Does it shake ? Same some $$$$ go to your favorite parts house and get a composite one for a lot less.....Geo
I had to replace a factory clutch fan on my 90 gmc full size..It was squeeling bad drove me nuts ! Mr Dealer wanted like $150. I went to the local parts house and got a 7 blade composite (fiberglass i think) for like 25 bucks and installed myself. .......Geo
my 1993 S-10 is still running fine. that little 2.8 still pulls hard and i am getting 23 mpg overall...about 50/50 highway/city driving. it still looks nice and recently turned over 111,000...on its way to 200k, as i always say i know there are routine service thing to do for it but so far in its two years with me, i have done what i always do for my vehicles. i change the plugs once a year, change oil every 3k, and when i change oil i also top off fluids and grease fittings, and i run a bottle of injector cleaner through it. having differential fluid and rearend fluids changed is a new one for me. how often do i need it done and how much is it going to set me back? i also want to drain and refill my tranny (five speed stick). any tips? and one more question: my truck vibrates in first gear as i let the clutch out and even after i have engaged the clutch and press the gas to accelerate. its got enough gear oil and clutch fluid, and it only occurs in first gear. the clutch is not slipping, as i tried the old "put it in fifth gear at a standstill and pop the clutch" and it stalled. a universal joint would cause all gears to vibrate, and i just got new tires mounted and balanced. suggestions?
I'm not saying it IS the U-joints, but don't rule them out yet. Mine were bad, and I thought that it must be something else, because the vibration was only for certain speeds and didn't seem to change when I either accelerated or let off the gas. (I thought that the U-joints would respond to changes in torque on the driveshaft if they were bad.)
I finally had them changed, and that was the end of the vibration.
Are you sure that your U-joints have been geting lubricated when you have the oil changed? There were grease fittings on both the front and the rear U-joints on my truck, but it sure didn't look like the previous owner was having them greased.
Funny how things hit all at once, huh? I smelled hot insulation in the cab of my truck on the way to work this morning, and finally, I could actually see some smoke. I noticed about that time that my heater fan wasn't running, even though it was supposed to be on.
I turned the heater/air conditioner to the off position, and the smoke stopped.
Had to buy a heater fan, and our two electricians in our maintenance department at work changed it out for me. The fan was $29.67 with tax, so that wasn't bad.
You've gotta expect things like the water pump and the heater fan to go bad when you have a vehicle with 140K miles on it, but it just seemed strange that those two unrelated items failed so close to the same time.
Oh, well.
These things have not dampened my enthusiasm for that little truck one bit. Still love it!
i do all my maintenance myself, and i simply grease the fittings which i can see, such as the ones on the tie rods and behind the front wheels and such. if the u-joint fittings are separate from these, then yes, they have been neglected. i have had several long-lived vehicles in my family and never heard of changing diff. fluids and such...what else have i missed?! 1989 Probe LX...168,000 1989 F-150...130,000 (still counting) 1988 Ranger XLT...112,000 1979 F-100 Ranger...110,000 1979 Dodge full size truck...210,000 1989 Honda Accord...230,000 Early 70's Dodge truck...over 200k...not sure of exact mileage Several Aerostar vans we had also did the trip to 100k with ease.
how much to do the U-joints? i have family who have the resources and a place to do the work...but if i decided to take it in, what can i expect? what do the parts cost? also, how much to change the belts and hoses on it? if its going to go high-mileage, i know this needs to be done.
i wonder how far those would have gone had my dad not been the type who considers car maintenance a pain, and considers proper maintenance (changing hoses, belts, draining fluids, etc) to be unnecessary "playing" with one's car?
You probably ain't gonna find a deal like this, but I had both U-joints changed for $37.00 with tax and labor! There's a shop about a half a mile from my house at the end of my road, and the guys there only charged $15 labor to do both U-joints! They have a chasis dyno and sometimes have very loud cars on the dyno, so they try to do work cheap for the neighbors to build good will, and, hopefully, keep the neighbors from complaining about the noise. (The sound of a sooped up engine isn't noise to me. More like beautiful music.)
Anyway, it was about $20 for the two U-joints, so you can add whatever labor cost you think you will have to that figure.
I think a mechanic could inspect the U-joints for excessive "slop" and tell you if he thinks they need replacing. The rear one on my truck had some play in it, but it wasn't real bad. It was enough to be the source of my vibration, though. When we got those U-joints off, it was evident that they hadn't seen grease in a long time- they were dry as a bone.
is a long bed Tahoe package, black almost to the rocker panels and a deep red after that. i dont have any pics as of yet, since our digital camera isnt co-operating with me and we cant find the software...lol i will try to get one though. i think i will have my future father in law take a look at those u joints...sounds like it cant hurt.
Well, owning a truck with 140K miles on it gives a guy a few things to take care of, and, for the most, part I have enjoyed having these things done. Guess that sounds weird, but there is some kind of satisfaction in getting an old truck like mine in tip top shape.
Since buying the truck on 7/16/01, I have done the following:
1. Had the radiator and block flushed and new coolant added (about $50)
2. New serpentine belt (about $35 installed)
3. Had flat part of bench seat re-upholstered ($100)
4. Front and rear U-joints replaced ($37.00)
5. Water pump replaced ($81.78)
6. Heater fan replaced ($29.67)
7. Fan clutch and thermostat replaced ($92)
8. Feeling I get knowing what a great little truck I have (priceless) This isn't a credit card commercial, is it?
Besides the mechanical and cosmetic stuff (seat re-upholstery), I have added a real nice CD player, powered sub woofer, and a couple Rockford Fosgate speakers with dome tweeters to replace the dash speakers.
That might sound like a lot of stuff, but that S-10 of mine is such a good truck that it is worth it! You can see how it looks almost new in that picture in post #10. It runs great and gets super good gas mileage too. The things that have been done are just things that you could expect a truck with that many miles on it to need.
I guess the battery and alternator might need replacing one of these days before too long (no sign of trouble with either right now), but I really don't know of anything that my truck needs right now.
why dont you list a "top ten" maintenance tips on how to keep one's truck or car 'alive' as long as possible? i have been wanting to keep mine going to 200k, due to money being tight (wedding, college, etc). anyone want to give their two cents' worth on the subject?
I'll answer that question, but I do not pretend to be an expert, and I hope that others will chime in, so that I, too, can get some good tips.
1. Oil and filter changes on a proper schedule are a must! (People will argue about the type of oil and the frequency of the oil changes, but for me, 3000 miles is all I will go on regular oil or 5000 miles on full synthetic. I ALWAYS have the filter changed at every oil change. That might be overkill in some people's minds, but oil changes are cheap, and I would rather go overboard on them than to wonder if I could have gotten longer life out of my engine if I had changed the oil more often.)
2. Lubrication: At each oil change, be sure that all grease fittings are being lubed. Find out where they all are, and supervise the lube job to be sure that all of them are getting attention.
3. Cooling System: Flush cooling system and replace anti-freeze every couple years.
4. Automatic Transmissions: Automatic transmissions can be as expensive as an engine or even more, so having the fluid and filter changed often enough is a biggie. Someone else can offer their opinion, but every 30K miles or so would be what I think is appropriate for an interval on this service.
5. Be nice to your engine! Don't hotrod it.
6. Be nice to your auto tranny. Don't switch from drive to reverse or vice-versa before the vehicle comes to a complete stop. Don't use the transmission to hold the vehicle when you are stopped on an incline: use the brakes. Don't shift to park until the vehicle is fully stopped.
I'm sure there are a bunch of other things, and I am hoping others will post on this subject.
I was so excited to see a topic on older S-10's. About 2 years ago I bought my childhood dream truck (what did I know, I was a kid!) from my aunt and uncle. Its a 1988 S-10 Ext. Cab 4x4 auto with the 4.3. It now has only 108,000 miles, and runs like a champ. My aunt and uncle babied it for many years before buying a nearly identical 2001 S-10. Its nice to see how much more reliable the older S-10's are than some of the new ones.
I tow a small camper with my S-10 (about 1200 pounds). It tows it great except up long inclines. On flat roads, though, it will drive at 70 very easily. My gas mileage suffers a bit, though. Without the camper, I get about 15/20. With the camper I'm getting about 13 or 14 mpg on the highway. I would be curious to hear other towing stories with S-10's.
Overall, though, I love having an old truck to play with. I don't really have anything new to add to the postings, but thanks for starting this section. Very entertaining.
Welcome! Nice to have someone with such enthusiasm for their "old S-10." That's why I started this discussion, hoping to attract a lot of folks who were proud of their trucks, like I am proud of mine.
I saw an add in the paper for a '92 S-10, V6, five speed, air conditioner, 23,310 miles! They were asking $4100.
I called about it, and that was really the mileage on the truck... 23,310! The truck sold earlier today.
I probably wouldn't have bought it, but my cousin is looking for an older S-10 pickup, and I'll bet he would have jumped all over that one. It was a solid medium blue.
I would be leary of a 9 year old truck with 23,000 miles. IF the odometer hadn't bbeen rolled back, then that means it had probably had mostly stop-and-go driving for much of its life, whic hcan be hardest on a car.
It is possible....There is a 90 yo fella that lives up the street from me that has a 88 s-10 with under 10k miles. Drives it to church and grocery store twice a week... He stops into my bar sun and thurs. on his way to have 1 beer and 2 cigars his wife sez no smoke in her house......LOL My granny had a 72 duster that was taken by the rust bug in 85 with under 20k miles.
But just think of all the carbon build up in that engine and exhaust system after all those 5-10 minute trips. It can seem like you're getting an a vehicle with tons of life left with because of all those miles, but the excessive wear caused by short trips, where the engine often never even has a chance to warm up, can lead to problems later. Which is why when I price used cars I prefer to see mileage normal mileage for the age of the vehicle rather than super super low miles on an older car.
Positraction has been an option on the S-10 since it first came out. I bought a 2WD in 1982 that came with posi. In 1989 I bought a 4WD that also had posi. It was an option that our dealer always orders on every truck they sell. You could find one in a junkyard, you could get an after-market unit, or you could go for an ARB locker. Lots of options out there.
Too bad this topic wasn't going a little sooner. I loved my two trucks. They were just perfect for me. The only reason I didn't get another one is that the long bed is no longer available in 4WD. I looked at a Ranger, but then I came to my senses and bought a 2001 GMC Sierra.
Anyway, my experience: Bought an 82 in 82. 2.8 V-6, automatic, without much else. Great little truck that I put 40k miles on. I sold it after I went to college in CA. Pretty trouble-free for a brand new truck line. In 89 I got a loaded 89 S-15. Just about every option except A/C. It was Aspen Blue over Silver and I fell in love with it when I drove by the dealer and saw it. I just sold it earlier this year with 111K miles on it. The 4.3 was still tight and used no oil in between 10K oil changes. I used Mobil 1 since 9K and got lazy during the last few years. Normally I keep a vehicle for about 60k miles, but my S-15 was so perfect for me I just had to keep it. While I love my new Sierra, I miss being able to whiz in and out of tight spots. There was plenty of room left over in my garage with the S-15, but now my Sierra uses all but about 4 inches. Oh well, at least I have plenty of room, so there are some pluses to the Sierra.
Having a lot of experience with the S-10/15 line I'm more than willing to share that experience with others. Just give a holler.
I'd agree with everything Tom said in #128. However, some things need to be adjusted based upon your climate. For example, the only salt we have in San Antonio is on the rim of a margarita glass, so rust is not a problem. However, the severe heat (SA is on the edge of a desert) kills paint, plastic dashes and rubber parts. So, keep in mind that my top ten list is for a hot to very hot climate.
1. Oil changes. No way around it. Synthetic is a big plus in any engine below about 5 years of age or less than 80K miles. I've seen Dodge and Ford vanpool V-8s torn down for preventive maintenence at 150-180K that were run on synthetic--you'd swear the engine had 30K miles. If you drive a lot of highways or higher speeds which allow most water-based contaminants to boil out, you may want to use a high-quality filter like a Castro MaxPro Plus (sold at K-Marts) which traps more dirt in the 4-15 micron range in the SAE #HSJ806 test. If you do that, you can go to 10,000 mile changes, but you MUST change the filter at 5,000 miles and replace the oil lost when you change the filter. The AMSOIL people sell a filter even more efficient that will allow you to go to a 25K change interval, but I'm not sure it's worth the price.
2. Lube: ditto. If you don't know where all of your car's lube fittings are, get them from your dealer. Many FWD GM full size cars have lube fittings on the rear axle.
3. Regular preventive maintenance. Waiting for something to break down hear means you get to enjoy even more of the Texas heat while sitting in a hot truck on the side of the road. Be specific, detailed and complete. Here's a suggested breakdown:
30,000 miles: a. Flush the radiator, replace the coolant, unless you are using DEXCOOL (the orange stuff). b. Flush the crankcase, change the oil and filter. c. Lube all fittings as well as the door, hood and tailgate hinges and the hood release. d. Change the transmission fluid and filter. e. Change the fuel and air filters and PCV valve. If equipped, change the small oil breather filter f. Clean the air inlet while the engine is running with something like Berryman's B-12 carb cleaner or a good fuel injected engine spray cleaner. g. Change the plugs if they are not platinum plugs. Stay away from the exotic gimmick plugs. Use ACs in a GM product, Champions in a MOPAR and Motorcrafts in a (ugh) Ford. h. Rotate the tires, check the pressure. i. While the tires are off, check the brake shoes and pads. j. Check every hose, including the vacuum hoses. k. Change the wiper blades. l. Have the brake fluid flushed by a competent brake shop, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE ABS. m. Add a can of BG 44K to a full tank of gas.
60,000 miles: Repeat all the 30K items. At this point, if you haven't replaced your front brake pads, go ahead; you are probably on borrowed time. When replacing the plugs, replace the plug wires, distributor cap and rotor, if equipped. Replace the serpentine belt. Replace the thermostat. If you drive in a lot of heat, replace the DEXCOOL now; DO NOT wait until 100-150K; this stuff is building a reputation for causing pinholes in some GM engines if not replaced often enough. Also, consider changing all four shocks. If you don't do it now, plan on doing it at 90K. Also, replace the power steering fluid. If your differential doesn't have grease fittings, consider changing your U-joints out with some that do have grease fittings.
90,000 miles: All the 30K items, plus these items: This time, replace the radiator and heater hoses. Take the radiator out and have it rodded out at a radiator shop. If any of the vacuum hoses appear dry, replace them. If you haven't done the plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor, do them now.
120,000 miles: All the 30K items plus check and consider replacing the shocks if replaced at 60K. When changing the coolant, replace the water pump and thermostat.
4. More preventive maintenance: Add a transmission cooler to your automatic.
mine did that once last winter and i checked it over and nothing was wrong. it hasnt come on since and the vehicle hasnt needed any work in the full year since. maybe yours is the same, maybe the gas cap worked loose or wasnt on tightly enough and you got a loss of pressure, maybe a wire got too hot under the hood, who knows. you know your fuel pump, water pump, etc are working and the engine is still running. you have an 89... so its not like theres a bunch of computer stuff to go wrong in the first place.
Ben, I have a 91 S10 with the 4.3 and automatic. I average about 22-23mpg when I'm not towing. When I'm towing my boat (about 1800#)I get about 15mpg. Flat stretches aren't bad, but if you are going thru any type of hills, the auto tranny has a big downfall. It seems in the 60-65 mph range that the drive gear is really winding out and you are still too slow to put it in overdrive.
My 91 S10 (4.3L 2WD auto) broke down on me Friday morning. I was coming around a corner when i heard a pop, backfire, and then the engine died. I coasted to the side of the road where I tried to start it again with no luck. It would crank and crank but not fire. I had the truck towed to my mechanic and had him take a look.
When I called today the mechanic said it fired right up for him. He had it running 2 hours with no problems. He suspected a weak fuel pump and is checking on that right now. That was my first huntch also.
Any other possible ideas on what could cause this? I know it must be fuel system or electrical system related because everything else functions fine.
An engine backfires when ignition is cut off, but fuel continues to flow, then the ignition (or SOME ignition source) ignites the fuel which has built up in the exhaust system.
If the problem pops up again, replace the crank angle sensor. Better yet, replace it anyway. No need for it to fail and leave you stranded somewhere. There is no way to test one when they are working, but your problem describes a bad CAS perfectly. Your mechanic should have picked up on it.
after all the great service i got from my s-10, i finally have it in the shop. the drivers window is rough to crank up, the manual tranny 'fluid' needs changed, and the mechanic thinks the clutch plate it warped, causing the "shudder" in first gear. sounds expensive to me. also, i am getting the u-joints replaced at tom's advice. i will keep you posted.
Get that fixed. Happened to my dads and i had his truck in chicago this summer for a cubs game well when me and my gf were leaving i rolled the window down to get some air and i heard a thud window fell into door panel.
Had to drive home an hr and a half down the expressway with the window down not a good thing
I hadn't thought of the backfire thing but thats a good point.
I got the truck back yesterday and everything is running fine. The fuel pump tested out ok and there were no error codes in the computer.
Is the crank angle sensor something thats relatively easy to get at? I will look it up in my Chilton book tonight but I doubt I will find any info in that book.
anyone know what the going rate for draining and refilling the manual tranny on my 1993 s-10? how about a new clutch/installation? i asked them to fix the window and also check belts and hoses and replace u-joints...gonna be costly i bet...any ideas?
However, when they do fail, they will not set an error code in the computer, because when the computer doesn't get a signal from the CAS, it just assumes the engine is not running, and shuts the ignition down.
MATT: As for the estimate to fix the items you listed, you can go to alldata.com and subscribe to their information database for your truck for about $20. That information will give you the shop labor rates for virtually all major repair functions.
Comments
I noticed antifreeze dripping off the front of the engine yesterday. There was a puddle under my truck when I came back out of the grocery store. I looked under the truck, and there was a rapid drip of antifreeze just below the harmonic balancer, so I guess the water pump went bad- there's nothing else that would cause a leak to show up in that particular spot.
If that is the original water pump, then I guess it was about time for it to go, after 140K miles.
I hope that's all that is wrong, and I really believe that it is.
The shop down the road that does my mechanical work is closed on Mondays, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to have it fixed. I'll just have to drive my Jeep to work the next couple days.
I'll let everyone know how this turns out.
The truck had a vibration when I first bought it, and I had the U-joints changed, which fixed that problem. So, other than that, this is the first problem I've had with it, and I think this will turn out not to be a "biggie." But it still bugs me- I can't stand it when one of my vehicles has something wrong with it! I'll see no peace until it is fixed.
tom
Yep, that is VERY good gas mileage! You ain't gonna hear me complain about that. I have seen the gas mileage as high as 28.3 on a long trip with that little truck.
I am TOTALLY happy with that truck (just wish that water pump was replaced, but that will be taken care of tomorrow, I hope).
tom
I've got a 91 S10 4.3L with automatic tranny w/overdrive. I'm up to 151K miles and am starting to wonder how long it will hold out. I will have the tranny fluid and filter changed this week and I'm getting ready for the tranny shop to tell me bad news.
What's your experiences on the life of this transmission???
Seriously, I appreciate your post. I'm the one that's been looking for input about the Max Life oil, so your post was very welcome.
I am trying it in my '89 S-10, which has 140K miles on it, and after only 300 miles since the oil change, I am seeing no difference with it. Of course, if it's doing its job, then I wouldn't see any difference yet. I would know by now if it was causing problems, though, and that doesn't seem to be the case.
Thanks again, and feel free to join us any time.
tom
tom
You can also sometimes look for an older transmission to fail as soon as you have a severe weather change. When you go from, say, 50 or 60 degrees at night to your first cold snap of the low 30s to upper 20s, old seals tend to crack and pumps fail. One day it is fine, the next morning, nothing.
If you have changed the fluid every 25-30K miles, a fluid change at 150K shouldn't be any different unless you have noticed a change in the way it shifts.
Just the fact that you made it to 150K without a rebuild says that you are not hard on the truck. With reasonable care, those thransmissions can go 175K or more. I would, however, start talking to other owners in order to find a good shop in your area. Just be aware that the most expensive shop is not automatically the best. You are eventually going to need a new transmission.
Don't rule out getting a price from your Chevy dealer on a GM Goodwrench rebuilt unit; they will have all the latest GM upgrades and often carry a 3 year/36K or 50K miles warranty. If there are several dealers in your area, they may be very competitive with local transmission shops in order to get more business. If the dealer has one in stock, you should only be out of the truck one day. You can also check GM dealers on the internet for a GM Goodwrench transmission. The savings may more than offset the shipping costs.
Now all I have to do is wait for all the responses from those that like to argue by telling me that they had to get theirs rebuilt at 25K, 45K, 60K or 75K and that I'm an idiot for suggesting that you can go to 175K on your current transmission.
Joe
They put a rebuilt water pump on for $81.78 with labor and taxes and all. Not too bad, huh?
I was going to spend the extra money for a brand new pump, but no one had one in stock around here. I guess the casing is all they use from the old one when you buy a rebuilt pump anyway, so I guess I'm just as well off.
Sure is nice to have that little truck back! I drove my Jeep Monday and Tuesday to work, but I was back in that little S-10 today.
The boys at the shop said I need a new fan clutch, so I'll get that taken care of soon. Their phone is out at the shop and they couldn't call me about the fan clutch, or else I would have had them take care of it while they had the fan off already for the water pump job.
tom
clutch fan. Is yours squeeling ? Does
it shake ? Same some $$$$ go to your
favorite parts house and get a
composite one for a lot less.....Geo
tom
my 90 gmc full size..It was squeeling bad
drove me nuts ! Mr Dealer wanted like $150.
I went to the local parts house and got a
7 blade composite (fiberglass i think)
for like 25 bucks and installed myself.
.......Geo
it still looks nice and recently turned over 111,000...on its way to 200k, as i always say
i know there are routine service thing to do for it but so far in its two years with me, i have done what i always do for my vehicles. i change the plugs once a year, change oil every 3k, and when i change oil i also top off fluids and grease fittings, and i run a bottle of injector cleaner through it.
having differential fluid and rearend fluids changed is a new one for me. how often do i need it done and how much is it going to set me back?
i also want to drain and refill my tranny (five speed stick). any tips?
and one more question: my truck vibrates in first gear as i let the clutch out and even after i have engaged the clutch and press the gas to accelerate. its got enough gear oil and clutch fluid, and it only occurs in first gear. the clutch is not slipping, as i tried the old "put it in fifth gear at a standstill and pop the clutch" and it stalled. a universal joint would cause all gears to vibrate, and i just got new tires mounted and balanced. suggestions?
I finally had them changed, and that was the end of the vibration.
Are you sure that your U-joints have been geting lubricated when you have the oil changed? There were grease fittings on both the front and the rear U-joints on my truck, but it sure didn't look like the previous owner was having them greased.
tom
I turned the heater/air conditioner to the off position, and the smoke stopped.
Had to buy a heater fan, and our two electricians in our maintenance department at work changed it out for me. The fan was $29.67 with tax, so that wasn't bad.
You've gotta expect things like the water pump and the heater fan to go bad when you have a vehicle with 140K miles on it, but it just seemed strange that those two unrelated items failed so close to the same time.
Oh, well.
These things have not dampened my enthusiasm for that little truck one bit. Still love it!
tom
The fuse in the spot indicated for the heater fan was a 25 amp fuse, which is what the owners manual calls for.
Think someone may have by-passed the fuse and hot wired the fan? Didn't look like that was the case.
?
tom
1989 Probe LX...168,000
1989 F-150...130,000 (still counting)
1988 Ranger XLT...112,000
1979 F-100 Ranger...110,000
1979 Dodge full size truck...210,000
1989 Honda Accord...230,000
Early 70's Dodge truck...over 200k...not sure of exact mileage
Several Aerostar vans we had also did the trip to 100k with ease.
also, how much to change the belts and hoses on it? if its going to go high-mileage, i know this needs to be done.
Anyway, it was about $20 for the two U-joints, so you can add whatever labor cost you think you will have to that figure.
I think a mechanic could inspect the U-joints for excessive "slop" and tell you if he thinks they need replacing. The rear one on my truck had some play in it, but it wasn't real bad. It was enough to be the source of my vibration, though. When we got those U-joints off, it was evident that they hadn't seen grease in a long time- they were dry as a bone.
tom
What color is your truck? Short wheel base?
I guess you've seen that post with a picture of my truck back in the earliest posts in here?
Gotta eat breakfast and get to work, so I'll see you guys later.
tom
i dont have any pics as of yet, since our digital camera isnt co-operating with me and we cant find the software...lol
i will try to get one though. i think i will have my future father in law take a look at those u joints...sounds like it cant hurt.
I went to that shop that had done the water pump job and had them replace the fan clutch and the thermostat.
Now, I should be fixed up for a while (I hope).
tom
tom
Since buying the truck on 7/16/01, I have done the following:
1. Had the radiator and block flushed and new coolant added (about $50)
2. New serpentine belt (about $35 installed)
3. Had flat part of bench seat re-upholstered
($100)
4. Front and rear U-joints replaced ($37.00)
5. Water pump replaced ($81.78)
6. Heater fan replaced ($29.67)
7. Fan clutch and thermostat replaced ($92)
8. Feeling I get knowing what a great little
truck I have (priceless)
credit card commercial, is it?
Besides the mechanical and cosmetic stuff (seat re-upholstery), I have added a real nice CD player, powered sub woofer, and a couple Rockford Fosgate speakers with dome tweeters to replace the dash speakers.
That might sound like a lot of stuff, but that S-10 of mine is such a good truck that it is worth it! You can see how it looks almost new in that picture in post #10. It runs great and gets super good gas mileage too. The things that have been done are just things that you could expect a truck with that many miles on it to need.
I guess the battery and alternator might need replacing one of these days before too long (no sign of trouble with either right now), but I really don't know of anything that my truck needs right now.
tom
anyone want to give their two cents' worth on the subject?
1. Oil and filter changes on a proper schedule are a must! (People will argue about the type of oil and the frequency of the oil changes, but for me, 3000 miles is all I will go on regular oil or 5000 miles on full synthetic. I ALWAYS have the filter changed at every oil change. That might be overkill in some people's minds, but oil changes are cheap, and I would rather go overboard on them than to wonder if I could have gotten longer life out of my engine if I had changed the oil more often.)
2. Lubrication: At each oil change, be sure that all grease fittings are being lubed. Find out where they all are, and supervise the lube job to be sure that all of them are getting attention.
3. Cooling System: Flush cooling system and replace anti-freeze every couple years.
4. Automatic Transmissions: Automatic transmissions can be as expensive as an engine or even more, so having the fluid and filter changed often enough is a biggie. Someone else can offer their opinion, but every 30K miles or so would be what I think is appropriate for an interval on this service.
5. Be nice to your engine! Don't hotrod it.
6. Be nice to your auto tranny. Don't switch from drive to reverse or vice-versa before the vehicle comes to a complete stop. Don't use the transmission to hold the vehicle when you are stopped on an incline: use the brakes. Don't shift to park until the vehicle is fully stopped.
I'm sure there are a bunch of other things, and I am hoping others will post on this subject.
tom
I tow a small camper with my S-10 (about 1200 pounds). It tows it great except up long inclines. On flat roads, though, it will drive at 70 very easily. My gas mileage suffers a bit, though. Without the camper, I get about 15/20. With the camper I'm getting about 13 or 14 mpg on the highway. I would be curious to hear other towing stories with S-10's.
Overall, though, I love having an old truck to play with. I don't really have anything new to add to the postings, but thanks for starting this section. Very entertaining.
Ben
Post often.
tom
I called about it, and that was really the mileage on the truck... 23,310! The truck sold earlier today.
I probably wouldn't have bought it, but my cousin is looking for an older S-10 pickup, and I'll bet he would have jumped all over that one. It was a solid medium blue.
tom
tom
lives up the street from me that has a 88
s-10 with under 10k miles. Drives it to
church and grocery store twice a week...
He stops into my bar sun and thurs. on his
way to have 1 beer and 2 cigars his wife sez
no smoke in her house......LOL
My granny had a 72 duster that was taken
by the rust bug in 85 with under 20k miles.
Too bad this topic wasn't going a little sooner. I loved my two trucks. They were just perfect for me. The only reason I didn't get another one is that the long bed is no longer available in 4WD. I looked at a Ranger, but then I came to my senses and bought a 2001 GMC Sierra.
Anyway, my experience: Bought an 82 in 82. 2.8 V-6, automatic, without much else. Great little truck that I put 40k miles on. I sold it after I went to college in CA. Pretty trouble-free for a brand new truck line. In 89 I got a loaded 89 S-15. Just about every option except A/C. It was Aspen Blue over Silver and I fell in love with it when I drove by the dealer and saw it. I just sold it earlier this year with 111K miles on it. The 4.3 was still tight and used no oil in between 10K oil changes. I used Mobil 1 since 9K and got lazy during the last few years. Normally I keep a vehicle for about 60k miles, but my S-15 was so perfect for me I just had to keep it. While I love my new Sierra, I miss being able to whiz in and out of tight spots. There was plenty of room left over in my garage with the S-15, but now my Sierra uses all but about 4 inches. Oh well, at least I have plenty of room, so there are some pluses to the Sierra.
Having a lot of experience with the S-10/15 line I'm more than willing to share that experience with others. Just give a holler.
I sure do love my little '89 S-10! Great truck!
tom
1. Oil changes. No way around it. Synthetic is a big plus in any engine below about 5 years of age or less than 80K miles. I've seen Dodge and Ford vanpool V-8s torn down for preventive maintenence at 150-180K that were run on synthetic--you'd swear the engine had 30K miles. If you drive a lot of highways or higher speeds which allow most water-based contaminants to boil out, you may want to use a high-quality filter like a Castro MaxPro Plus (sold at K-Marts) which traps more dirt in the 4-15 micron range in the SAE #HSJ806 test. If you do that, you can go to 10,000 mile changes, but you MUST change the filter at 5,000 miles and replace the oil lost when you change the filter. The AMSOIL people sell a filter even more efficient that will allow you to go to a 25K change interval, but I'm not sure it's worth the price.
2. Lube: ditto. If you don't know where all of your car's lube fittings are, get them from your dealer. Many FWD GM full size cars have lube fittings on the rear axle.
3. Regular preventive maintenance. Waiting for something to break down hear means you get to enjoy even more of the Texas heat while sitting in a hot truck on the side of the road. Be specific, detailed and complete. Here's a suggested breakdown:
30,000 miles: a. Flush the radiator, replace the coolant, unless you are using DEXCOOL (the orange stuff). b. Flush the crankcase, change the oil and filter. c. Lube all fittings as well as the door, hood and tailgate hinges and the hood release. d. Change the transmission fluid and filter. e. Change the fuel and air filters and PCV valve. If equipped, change the small oil breather filter f. Clean the air inlet while the engine is running with something like Berryman's B-12 carb cleaner or a good fuel injected engine spray cleaner. g. Change the plugs if they are not platinum plugs. Stay away from the exotic gimmick plugs. Use ACs in a GM product, Champions in a MOPAR and Motorcrafts in a (ugh) Ford. h. Rotate the tires, check the pressure. i. While the tires are off, check the brake shoes and pads. j. Check every hose, including the vacuum hoses. k. Change the wiper blades. l. Have the brake fluid flushed by a competent brake shop, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE ABS. m. Add a can of BG 44K to a full tank of gas.
60,000 miles: Repeat all the 30K items. At this point, if you haven't replaced your front brake pads, go ahead; you are probably on borrowed time. When replacing the plugs, replace the plug wires, distributor cap and rotor, if equipped. Replace the serpentine belt. Replace the thermostat. If you drive in a lot of heat, replace the DEXCOOL now; DO NOT wait until 100-150K; this stuff is building a reputation for causing pinholes in some GM engines if not replaced often enough. Also, consider changing all four shocks. If you don't do it now, plan on doing it at 90K. Also, replace the power steering fluid. If your differential doesn't have grease fittings, consider changing your U-joints out with some that do have grease fittings.
90,000 miles: All the 30K items, plus these items: This time, replace the radiator and heater hoses. Take the radiator out and have it rodded out at a radiator shop. If any of the vacuum hoses appear dry, replace them. If you haven't done the plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor, do them now.
120,000 miles: All the 30K items plus check and consider replacing the shocks if replaced at 60K. When changing the coolant, replace the water pump and thermostat.
4. More preventive maintenance: Add a transmission cooler to your automatic.
Hope this helps keep you rolling.
I checked my gages, and the temp and oil pressure were normal, and the engine seemed to be running fine.
Why would that light have come on like that?
tom
I guess it could be an O2 sensor going bad, and I don't know how much that would cost me.
I ain't gonna worry about it unless it comes on again.
Thanks again.
tom
I have a 91 S10 with the 4.3 and automatic. I average about 22-23mpg when I'm not towing. When I'm towing my boat (about 1800#)I get about 15mpg. Flat stretches aren't bad, but if you are going thru any type of hills, the auto tranny has a big downfall. It seems in the 60-65 mph range that the drive gear is really winding out and you are still too slow to put it in overdrive.
Wish I had a 5 speed.
My 91 S10 (4.3L 2WD auto) broke down on me Friday morning. I was coming around a corner when i heard a pop, backfire, and then the engine died. I coasted to the side of the road where I tried to start it again with no luck. It would crank and crank but not fire. I had the truck towed to my mechanic and had him take a look.
When I called today the mechanic said it fired right up for him. He had it running 2 hours with no problems. He suspected a weak fuel pump and is checking on that right now. That was my first huntch also.
Any other possible ideas on what could cause this? I know it must be fuel system or electrical system related because everything else functions fine.
Thanks for the help,
Rob
Hope it's nothing serious.
Tom
If the problem pops up again, replace the crank angle sensor. Better yet, replace it anyway. No need for it to fail and leave you stranded somewhere. There is no way to test one when they are working, but your problem describes a bad CAS perfectly. Your mechanic should have picked up on it.
Joe
Get that fixed. Happened to my dads and i had his truck in chicago this summer for a cubs game well when me and my gf were leaving i rolled the window down to get some air and i heard a thud window fell into door panel.
Had to drive home an hr and a half down the expressway with the window down not a good thing
Luckily it was hot out
Ryan
I hadn't thought of the backfire thing but thats a good point.
I got the truck back yesterday and everything is running fine. The fuel pump tested out ok and there were no error codes in the computer.
Is the crank angle sensor something thats relatively easy to get at? I will look it up in my Chilton book tonight but I doubt I will find any info in that book.
i asked them to fix the window and also check belts and hoses and replace u-joints...gonna be costly i bet...any ideas?
However, when they do fail, they will not set an error code in the computer, because when the computer doesn't get a signal from the CAS, it just assumes the engine is not running, and shuts the ignition down.
MATT: As for the estimate to fix the items you listed, you can go to alldata.com and subscribe to their information database for your truck for about $20. That information will give you the shop labor rates for virtually all major repair functions.
Joe