[antiSUV]

It would be really great if every GT owner would reply to this post and tell me how many miles they have on their engine, how much oil it uses, and how soon they think they'll have to replace the engine.

I have 179,000 on mine now. It's never been touched exept for timing belt replacements and a new head gasket. It seems to run really good and hasn't lost any power over my 85,000 miles of ownership, but I am starting to get converned about longevity.
Last night this dumb old lady in a Ford Explorer tried to race me (Ill, get off racing and to the point Mr. Moderator). I was cruising along at 55; she came up on me around 70. I waited until she was a few car lengths behind, downshifted into 3rd and hit it. I was at 70 before she even got beside me, but when I looked in my rearview I was a bit upset to see my own exhaust behind me!
I've never seen my own exhaust before, and have used that fact as a measure of my engine's health.
I've always used synthetic Mobil 1 10-30, and it never uses more than a quart in 1500 miles. (Is this excessive for an 180,000 mile car? I don't really think so.)

Being realistic, what mileage can you expect from a 1st gen turbo? Does anyone have more miles than me?

 

[mx6turbo89]

I've got 196K. I rebuilt the engine at 195K because I was getting embarrased about the cloud of smoke that I'd leave after a full throttle run. Upon further inspection (after engine disassembly), I found the pistons had a lot of side-to-side play within the cylinders (I.E., the rings were worn out). Before the rebuild, it was using maybe a quart per 800 miles or so. I use synthetics too, but only started that at 142K when I got the car which was too late for the engine to reap the benefits of synthetic oil. The engine still ran great up until the day I took it apart. Even the main and rod bearings had hardly any wear marks on them despite the nearly-200k miles.

The 1500 miles per quart is not bad at all for the amount of miles your car has. But the smoke is a result of oil blow-by through the rings and there's not a lot you can do about it except ring replacement and cylinder honing. Bottom line: If you can live with the oil usage and the tendancy to smoke under full throttle, then the engine will probably live many more miles.

 

[Rbodeman]

Don't count me. I only have 78,000 miles on my 1991 GT. I used synthetic for about the last 8,000 but I think I will go to a blend. Maybe 25% sythentic.

 

[anarchyx34]

I've got 153k on mine. Original everything. THe engine runs great, and uses practically no oil (I use semi-synth 10w-40). Did you get the valve stem seals done when you changed the head gasket. THat could definitely be your oil burning problem. Other than that it could be the turbo oil seal, but I bet teh stem seals are the problem as it's quite common (and not difficult to fix either).

 

[antiSUV]

stem seals

I've never gotten that checked out but I will pretty soon when I have my timing belt changed in a 1000 miles or so?
I've done a few more "checks" for visible exauhst since lately and haven't seen any smoke behind me. When it happened before it wasn't a huge could or anything, just a little puff, so maybe I was seeing something else. I hope so.
Thanks for the tip

 

[Steve Sturrock]

I bought my car for $2000 (canadian) 3 months ago and i got totally taken. It burns oil like crazy, i needed an entire new braking system, and all new tires. The body was the only decent part of the car, and decent i stress for 2 grand. But i love my mx6 and i have put alot of work into it. It has 185K on it (KM) and i think i am going to put in a rebuilt motor soon. These cars are great but i am just pissed off that the previous owner took such shitty care of it. I have to add a litre of oil every 2 weeks, i hope its just the head gasket but i doubt it. I just wanted to say thanks for all the great tips you guys provide. I hope my car lives a fulfilling life!

 

[91MX-6]

I have 243 and some odd hundred. I use about a quart every 1000-1500 miles. Everynow and then I see smoke when I start it up, but nothing to major. I have a stock 91 LX. No mods or performance parts. I still have great accelerating power and love to mess with people. my car look spretty beat up, Landlords Explore rolled down his driveway across the lawn and plowed into the front of my car so my grille and hood are messed up alittle. I also have fender damage which I pounded out. So I get looks all the time and I love messing with people in my car. Guess they feel it looks so bad it can't run. Looking like I will be getting a used engine and rebuilding it so I can keep driving my car. I love it to much to get rid of. I bought it brand new in 91 so I've been the only driver, along with my brothers. Can anyone tell me of the 91 LX came with Cruise or Power door locks or Power windows. Thinking of adding these features.

Thanks,
Greg

[Edited by 91MX-6 on 11-02-2000 at 03:17 PM]

 

[anarchyx34]

Your LX didnt come with cruise, power windows/locks? Are you sure it's an LX then? My old '89 LX had all that a sunroof, and the auto adjusting suspension. I thought that was pretty standard.

 

[hurddawg]

My DX has nothing on it. Sure it wasn't a DX? I know for a fact the power Sunroof was an option for the LX. The LX came with power features as standard on that trim.

Adding power mirrors to the car is very simple, however powerwindows and doorlocks can be very tricky. First you'd have to find a MX6 that had the power features, then you'd have to take out its body wiring harness or make your own. Your car may have the complete wiring for the power windows/Locks, but mine only had it in the doors (it didn't connect to anything) I only had the complete wiring for the power mirrors.
I can tell you taking out and replace the body wiring harness is very messy-gooey and a 1 full day job. its a bitch. I did it for the AAS system in my 626.

It depends on what type of smoke you saw, was it bluish or blackish? If it was bluish then you're burning oil and if it was blackish you have a problem with your ignition system.

I was using 1 quart of oil for every 350mi, about a gas tank. I changed the valve stem seals recently and I have burned none or very little. So far I've got 600 mi and no change in oil level.

[Edited by hurddawg on 11-02-2000 at 11:06 PM]

 

[91MX-6]

Was changing your vavle stems pretty tough. Any special tools needed. I need to do that, thought about just changing the whole head and came shafts. The smoke is more of a grayish color. It isn't black and it isn't blue. Put some flex pipe on it the other day since I didn't have the money to buy the piece of pipe for $75

 

[hurddawg]

depends on how you want to do it

If you're planning to change the whole head, you don't. But if you plan on changing just the valve stems you do. (With the head on the engine) You need a valve spring compressor, a air compressor and a fitting to plug into the sparkplug holes to pressurize the combustion chamber. The air compressor is a must in this particular procedure because without pressure in the combustion chamber the valves will fall in when the spring is removed. I'd say it was an 1 hour job. You can take the head off of the engine and do it without the air compressor but it'll cost you a head gasket. Also you would need to know the torque sequence and a torque rachet.

Valve spring compressor:
http://www.digital-reverb.com/pics/valvespring.jpg

[Edited by hurddawg on 11-06-2000 at 07:10 PM]