SO for the first time in the 11 years since I bought it, I ran a Carfax report on my 1996 Roadmaster Wagon. I bought the car 11 years ago in San Antonio and it had 70K miles on it at the time. Has 135K now. Was a San Antonio car since new, and I thought I had all the records. Carfax had reports going back to 2002 on it. One JUMPED out at me... 06/29/2006 57,486 mi Alamo City Auto Repair & Tire Services Performed: Engine replaced Drive belt(s) replaced Drive belts checked Body lubricated -Texas Mike
Yeah, good ol' Jackie Coogan. Back then, those V8s were having troubles; one of our customers, back when I was working at a shop '98-'02, their Roadmaster sedan was about the same year as Mike's wagon, she had hers replaced under warranty. I don't remember if she told me why it was replaced, but it was two or three years before I began working on it.
I'm really shocked. I know the Optispark was troublesome, but I thought the basic engine was bulletproof.
My company had two 1992 Roadmaster Limited's with the 350 Chevy. Both had their engine's replaced under warranty because of severe knock. I never did get an answer if it were rods or piston's but it sure was loud.
Now that you said that, it had something to do with the oiling system, since the dizzy got moved to the front of the engine. And Mike, take it from me: 'Bulletproof' implies 'foolproof,' but nothing is foolproof as fools are ingenious.
I actually have a LOT of records from that shop that came with the car. The previous owner lived near them, and after the factory warranty ran out that's where he went for service. I've got records from there for a transmission service and rear diff service at around 50K miles, lots of state inspection and oil change receipts, and alignment at 40k and a fuel system flush, and others. One of the things I liked was all the records my car had when I bought it, but I never saw an engine job receipt in the folder! Especially one that was just about one-year and 12K miles before I bought the car. Oh and for those that don't know, this car was traded in at the local Lincoln dealer there in San Antonio in 2007. The dealer didn't want it, and sent it to auction. A small local lot bought it, and it sat on their lot for a few months. I spotted it on Craigslist, and watched it a few weeks before doing a yard run to SA from Austin, and on a whim stopped to look at it....and I fell in love. I had to sell my Caddy Catera Sport to buy it...which was hard, since the Catera was totally sorted and beautiful, and the Roady needed some work, but the low miles and service history in the glove box sold me. But yeah, had no clue about any motor work. As found in 2007: Today: You just never know! -Michael
Quite a difference from photo #1 to photo #2 Do you feel any differently about the car now that you know the engine was replaced?
No, if anything I'm glad to know the motor still has well under 100K! It's always fun great since I've had it. 11 years and 70+K miles and still going strong! It is funny though, back in 2008 I had to do a water pump....and I know that was the original pump. I can't imagine installing a new motor and not replacing the water pump...
It could very well just be a mistake in the report. Maybe it is supposed to say "engine sensor replaced", but it somehow got shortened to "engine replaced" or something stupid like that. It isn't like Carfax reports are completely infallible.
You know, the wagon is so unique, they might remember it at that shop. I'd ask them about what happened.......
Do that. See if they still have the customer's records. Plus, if the water pump goes out, you do the Opti-Spark unit and wires, not just the cap and wires, as you have to take it all apart if it goes bad. And that cap on it is the exact type as the ones on the Vortec pickups, which means in-cap cross-firing. Chevrolet could've saved GM a big headache if they had pushed for DIS on these engines, instead of Opti-Spark.
Happily knock-on-fake-wood I've never had a single issue with the Opti on my car. I did do the cap, rotor and wires at about 120K, Mine is the newer version with the vent hose to the intake, which I'm told is a lot better than the earlier ones. Also...the car does not see bad weather, which may have helped. -Mike
Yeah, she had too much of his lightbulb fetish. That's why they broke up. Now, he's the one full of thread marks, since he has no one else but himself for a walking talking socket
