Devin Posted January 26, 2007 Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 My 04 Impala is nearing it's 60,000 mile mark. I bought it in 2004 at 30,000 and haven't done much besides change the oil and brakes. I was wondering what should be done to it come it's 60K. I was going to have a tranny and radiator flush, some new brakes and probably tires. Come to think of it I should check the plugs. Anything else I should look at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted January 26, 2007 Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 Yeah i agree its time for the coolant and trans flush. Just check out your pads/rotors, they may have more life in them since you've already replaced them once. For me tires are always a run'em til their dead kind of thing. Fuel filter should get replaced. Clean the throttle body and MAF sensor, new air filter. Might as well replace the serpentine belt if its original. If you want to get anal, you could have the power steering and brake systems flushed as well, but for a 3 year old vehicle its not necessary IMO. Welcome to the board! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted January 26, 2007 Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 How are your rotors? My rears shit the bed around 54k: Everything Independentfool said is right on the money. I wouldn't worry about the spark plugs yet, however. The stock plugs are supposed to be good 'till 100k. What brand/model tires are on your Impy? Mine had the absolutely god-awful Goodyear Eagle LS's on it, and I replaced them with a set of Kumho 732 Touring Plus's around 46k. Man, what an improvement in ride, handling, and traction over the shitty "Badyears." A good site for "millenium" Impala info is http://www.impalahq.com . By the way, got any pics of your Impy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted January 26, 2007 Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 Don't flush the transmission, change fluid and replace the filter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devin Posted January 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 Sorry, I meant changing. I'll have better pics as soon as I wash It's my first Chevy so I have a lot to learn about it. Independant: What part of Shelton do you live in? My best friend used to live right off of the Totten Inlet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted January 26, 2007 Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 Independant: What part of Shelton do you live in? My best friend used to live right off of the Totten Inlet. HA i was wondering if you were in Burien, WA. you are pretty close to Seattle.Yep im in Shelton. in live in town on Capitol Hill. Nice clean ride! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted January 27, 2007 Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 Nice Impy . Your car's a combo of my 2 2004's! My '04 Malibu is Galaxy Silver. What to you think of this: I bought it from http://www.humount.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devin Posted January 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 Thanks. It's bone stock and thats the way the wife wants to keep it (it's her ride, I drive the 91 S10 Blazer until I get my SHO running). Nice HU delete. I wanted to get my wife a CD player for Christmas installed but all the shops wanted $250 for labor and $100 for a stupid harness to bypass the stock electronics. According to them GM ran a bunch of crap through the HU harness and it's a butt-load to change out the stock unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGBULS Posted January 27, 2007 Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 <60K miles? Um, sorry, but your Impala doesn't need shit if you drive it like a normal human being. The Service Manual calls for a coolant flush every 5 years or 150K miles, and EVERYTHING I've ever read indicates TIME is more important here.............so, a 3 year old, 60K mile car does NOT need this. Next, the Service Manual calls for 100 K mile transmission servicd intervals, or 50 K under "Severe duty" service. That means, UNLESS you drive at high speeds in hot weather, MOST of your driving is stop and go (also hot weather), you do Police/Taxi/Delivery duty, or if you tow...............you DON'T need it. Also, GM just specifies to "change the fluid and filter". Best way to do it, is a combination of BOTH a pan drop AND a flush. Just ensure that whomever does the flush, does NOT put any additives in it. STRAIGHT FLUID EXCHANGE ONLY. But again, NOT needed at your mileage (unless you do the "severe" shit). Finally, a tune-up...............at a MINIMUM it calls for spark plugs and a bunch of inspections. My advice is to throw in plugs/wire/PCV, and a fuel filter (while likely not necessary) wouldn't be a bad idea (it's cheap). But again........100K intervals. NOT needed. So, as long as the air filter has been changed at least once (you can actually TURN the filter to expose a less dirty area...........they can last > 40K miles if you do this), oil changes and tire rotations on a regular basis and your brakes aren't on the squeelers.............guess what. Your Impala needs NOTHING. BTW, if you don't believe me, take a look at the schedule in your owners manual. Pretty sure it says exactly what I just did Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGBULS Posted January 27, 2007 Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 Yeah i agree its time for the coolant and trans flush. Just check out your pads/rotors, they may have more life in them since you've already replaced them once. For me tires are always a run'em til their dead kind of thing. Fuel filter should get replaced. Clean the throttle body and MAF sensor, new air filter. Might as well replace the serpentine belt if its original. If you want to get anal, you could have the power steering and brake systems flushed as well, but for a 3 year old vehicle its not necessary IMO. Welcome to the board! See my above post, but also........... GM does NOT require power steering flushes on ANY vehicle at ANY interval. In fact, there is a TSB out stating that if for ANY reason you have to replace the power steering fluid, to do so on a straight fluid exchange basis ONLY. NO additives. Brake fluid is also NOT required unless the car gets tracked..............and I'm pretty sure the above 4 door does NOT Also, cleaning the MAF is ASKING for trouble if you are a novice. And guess what..............NOT needed. The SES lamp will come on if there are any MAF isues (some of which CAN be cured by a very CAREFUL cleaning). Finally, mid 90's and newer GM Serp. belts are lifetime belts. The Replacement spec is to have an average of 3 full depth cracks per cm across the width of the belt. Anything less, and the belt is ok. You should also look for any fraying to the back side, cords showing, chunking of the ribs etc. But unless the above happen, again........it's good for the life of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devin Posted January 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 Thanks for the information. I however plan to be proactive with this car, and I haven't heard of damage coming from changing fluids before the maintenance schedule. Also, the first 30,000 were it being used as a rental, so I can only imagine what it has been through. I'm not as much a novice these days. Well, at least to Fords. But a MAFs a MAFs a MAF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1234 Posted January 27, 2007 Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 so is that you in the picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3WH12-96 Posted January 27, 2007 Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 yeah wait till 100,00 miles to do all that by then you wont have to cause you will have already overhauled the trans and put two intakes on it i work at a medium size GM dealer and we have two guys that do nothing but trans all day long Independentfool is right on with all his recomendations top to bottom front to back sides a drain and fill is 5 or 6 quarts and a flush is more than 12.....and whoever thinks that shitass orange coolat is the bomb will be buying an intake sooner than later.....sorry I had to vent for a sec....but this website frustrates me sometimes you guys are so much in the "know" bout certain things and then something like this?? meh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1234 Posted January 27, 2007 Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 agreed. they say 100,000 miles, but they also want you to bring in your broken car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Actually, General Motors could give a shit less if you bring it back to them for maintance or not......they would actually rather have you be not at the dealership at all....customers don't like being their....thats why they come up with long life items. Orange coolant doesn't seem to be the cause of intake leaks.....hell, back in 1994 when the 3100 came out (and BEFORE orange was in) intakes were being done on cars with less than 10k miles. I've actually seen more green swapped engines have catostraphic leaks than orange coolant cars. I also work at a mid-sized GM dealer....we've got a couple transmission guys too.....20 years ago, half the shop was transmissions and the other half was on the tune-up line. You didn't have waiter oil changes because you could have a $4k transmission job torn down in that stall instead of $26.95 oil changes going in and out of it all day long. The 4T65-E does have a problem with the pressure control solenoid......and if not taken care off when it acts up will cause all the friction surfaces to burn up......but its a minor problem...there are worse things. I like replacing fuel filters because fuel pumps are expensive, and gas tends to suck in quality. Plus, you can't SEE the filter like you can with an air filter....although unhooking a line and letting the fuel on the dirty side drain back is a good way too see what the gas looks like....if its brown, its bad. Pull the dipstick on your transmission....look and smell the fluid, it is normal and okay for it to turn dark.....if you think it needs changed...do it! But, realise that you don't NEED too. There is nothing wrong with going that long.....nor servicing it too soon. ATF is barely oil as it is.....so there really isn't much to break down. Money might be better spent on tires and brakes......odds are you need at least one of those, if you haven't done so already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Also, the first 30,000 were it being used as a rental, so I can only imagine what it has been through. it was a rental!!!!!!!!!!!!! :willynilly: Oh dear god this car needs some lovin! It was abused as a child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGBULS Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 yeah wait till 100,00 miles to do all that by then you wont have to cause you will have already overhauled the trans and put two intakes on it i work at a medium size GM dealer and we have two guys that do nothing but trans all day long Independentfool is right on with all his recomendations top to bottom front to back sides a drain and fill is 5 or 6 quarts and a flush is more than 12.....and whoever thinks that shitass orange coolat is the bomb will be buying an intake sooner than later.....sorry I had to vent for a sec....but this website frustrates me sometimes you guys are so much in the "know" bout certain things and then something like this?? meh Weird, MY dealer has DOZENS of cars that service their trannies at 100K intervals and we've rebuilt like *1* in the last 6 months. Not to mention, I have quite a few that get 200K + put on them. Seriously, if he's overhauling the trans at 100K, he did something idiotic with it like tow a house or give the car to a teenager. And show me ONE SINGLE IOTA OF PROOF that Dexcool causes ANY problems with intakes on 3100/3400's. Go look at the gasket design dipshit, and tell me THAT isn't the problem. As for "in the know", YOU most assuredly AREN'T...........YOU are the guy telling somebody to spend more money than they need to. And Canada is dead on. PC solenoid is about it...........and guess what...you KNOW when it goes out, because it throws a code (P13XX or something I think) and turns on the SES light......weird. Sooooo, if you actually want to know why that annoying little light is on and get it fixed (it's not the cheapest job [3.5hrs or somesuh IIRC], but WAY cheaper than an overhaul), you have no problems.....ta-da. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGBULS Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 If you are REALLY worried about it being a rental, do a simple pan drop at 50K to keep the trans happy (rental IS severe duty) and do a REAL service at 100K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 BTW....what is a mid-sized dealer in your state? For instance, how many techs do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3WH12-96 Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 yes the 65 does fight solenoid probs cant argue that wit ya but all i was saying is that maintence will and could help but most i live round drive em till they drop. thats not my nature..... and my 4T60 is strong and begs for more...... maintain your vehicle is all im sayin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3WH12-96 Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 15 in all on the GM building Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devin Posted January 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Okay... All I wanted to know what the maintenance intervals were. I realize this vehicle is still fairly new however it had 30,000 miles on it in the first year of it being made, thus why I want to be proactive on this car. That's it. Thanks for the ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3WH12-96 Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 keep dreaming its fine my 60 does great its the 65's that blow out reverse shells and strip flashlights and i see it everyday so tell me im wrong ask my ASM and try to keep up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devin Posted January 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteCarloChick Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Finally, mid 90's and newer GM Serp. belts are lifetime belts. The Replacement spec is to have an average of 3 full depth cracks per cm across the width of the belt. Anything less, and the belt is ok. You should also look for any fraying to the back side, cords showing, chunking of the ribs etc. But unless the above happen, again........it's good for the life of the car. I had to replace mine at 87k.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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