About to hit 100k miles
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 440
Likes: 22
From: Houston Texas
About to hit 100k miles So my 96 TA is about to hit 100k miles. She's bone stock.
My plan is water pump, Opti spark, plus and wires, thermostat, radiator hoses, belt, coolant flush, power steering flush, possibly u joints, brake pads, maybe v Trans and motor mounts if they're dry rotted.
My question is, should i stick with all AC Delco parts, or is there something better to use? I'm referring to the water pump, spark plugs and opti. Should i stick with OEM or get something else?
Right now, I'm not looking for HP gains, just making her run good. I'm building up a list of what i want to do and will piece it together for when the time comes.
Anyways, what parts should i go with?
My plan is water pump, Opti spark, plus and wires, thermostat, radiator hoses, belt, coolant flush, power steering flush, possibly u joints, brake pads, maybe v Trans and motor mounts if they're dry rotted.
My question is, should i stick with all AC Delco parts, or is there something better to use? I'm referring to the water pump, spark plugs and opti. Should i stick with OEM or get something else?
Right now, I'm not looking for HP gains, just making her run good. I'm building up a list of what i want to do and will piece it together for when the time comes.
Anyways, what parts should i go with?
Don't replace anything unless you have to. Unless your w/p is making noise or leaking, leave it alone. If your wires aren't arching everywhere and causing a miss, leave them alone. If your t-stat is opening and closing on its own and keeping the engine within normal operating temperature, leave it alone. Unless your hoses are cracked, misshapen and/or leaking, leave them alone. If your u-joints aren't making any noise, leave them alone.
Check your brakes before just replacing them. Go ahead and replace power steering fluid if it's been in there a long time (there is a procedure on how to do this you can search for). Use Autolite, NGK or Champion spark plugs. No need to go stock on those. Use stock heat range. May be a good idea to replace coolant as well depending on how long it's been in there. Also a procedure on how to do this which can be found via search.
It's always best to stick with Delco if you can find it. If not, go with Delphi. Amazon is a good source.
Check your brakes before just replacing them. Go ahead and replace power steering fluid if it's been in there a long time (there is a procedure on how to do this you can search for). Use Autolite, NGK or Champion spark plugs. No need to go stock on those. Use stock heat range. May be a good idea to replace coolant as well depending on how long it's been in there. Also a procedure on how to do this which can be found via search.
It's always best to stick with Delco if you can find it. If not, go with Delphi. Amazon is a good source.
IMO I would replace all the fluids (rear end too) and check the belts/hoses if they are more than 5 years old and dried/cracked at all then you might as well replace them when you change the coolant, it only take 10 mins and they aren't expensive. I would not touch a functioning opti with a 40 ft pole....
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,610
Likes: 4
From: Maricopa, AZ
If you're an Auto, check the fluid for condition before replacing it. If it has never been flushed, don't. If the fluid is new looking (clear and pink), do the trans flush. If it looks dark red, leave it alone or just rebuild the trans now.
IMO I would replace all the fluids (rear end too) and check the belts/hoses if they are more than 5 years old and dried/cracked at all then you might as well replace them when you change the coolant, it only take 10 mins and they aren't expensive. I would not touch a functioning opti with a 40 ft pole....
Hoses, I would give them a squeeze, and if they are soft, I would replace them. I've had 2 soft hoses fail on me now. Do a coolant flush, use distiller water for the final fill up instead of hose water. Do all fluids, including rear end. Check your tie rod ends and bushings if they are cracked, replace them. Plugs and wires are cheap, but it SUCKS doing them on a stock car, if you can set aside 8 hours and have a friend/wife with tiny hands and skinny arms go ahead, NGK TR55 plugs gapped at 0.045, the $2 ones not the expensive ones. Wires go with Delco or Taylor, anything over 8.0mm is hard to fit in the stock looms. Or just wait and do them when you do long tube headers, and do the mounts then too because thats a shitty job. U joints leave alone if not squeeking.
I would do new shocks and replace the decarbons, get some bilstein HDs and it will feel like a new car.
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Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 440
Likes: 22
From: Houston Texas
It's an M6 car, car was sitting for a bit before i got it. Upper radiator hose just started to leak a bit, it's crispy, definitely needs hoses and a belt.
Should i not replace the cap and rotor on the opti? It runs fine i guess, get some backfires once in a while when i get over 3500rpm. That's if i rev it, not while driving.
Plug wires are brittle, i don't trust them. I assumed the u joints because they've been sitting, and i can't grease them, no fitting. So those are stock. These small things just concern me being stock, 20 years old.
I understand the "don't fix what ain't broke", but i like to fix things BEFORE they break. That's what I'm trying to figure out, what's gonna go next. My coolant fans are not kicking on either. I gotta figure that out this weekend, hopefully just the relay and i can wire in a switch instead.
On every car I've ever bought, the water pump is always the first thing i replace if it's stock, even if it's not bad. The heat can be a pain in the *** here in Houston traffic, so it's really just assurance for me.
Thanks for the advice guys. I'm gonna do all the fluids, plugs, wires, water pump, radiator hoses, brakes, and see how she runs. I'll leave the opti alone, I'm wanting to do away with it, so that's my first big project on this car, do a coil conversion of some kind.
Should i not replace the cap and rotor on the opti? It runs fine i guess, get some backfires once in a while when i get over 3500rpm. That's if i rev it, not while driving.
Plug wires are brittle, i don't trust them. I assumed the u joints because they've been sitting, and i can't grease them, no fitting. So those are stock. These small things just concern me being stock, 20 years old.
I understand the "don't fix what ain't broke", but i like to fix things BEFORE they break. That's what I'm trying to figure out, what's gonna go next. My coolant fans are not kicking on either. I gotta figure that out this weekend, hopefully just the relay and i can wire in a switch instead.
On every car I've ever bought, the water pump is always the first thing i replace if it's stock, even if it's not bad. The heat can be a pain in the *** here in Houston traffic, so it's really just assurance for me.
Thanks for the advice guys. I'm gonna do all the fluids, plugs, wires, water pump, radiator hoses, brakes, and see how she runs. I'll leave the opti alone, I'm wanting to do away with it, so that's my first big project on this car, do a coil conversion of some kind.
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