Engine failure poll?

[Paul_A]

Hi Phil,
Yes, I do ... when I can afford it... Lol! Was lucky enough to get a whole load of bottles of stp fuel additive for free... which I use (and it does seem to work!) with the 97 ron fuel.
What I do when I do an oil change though (and I know it sounds "Old fashioned") is run "flushing oil" in there for 20 mins. Surprising how much more crud comes out!
A "magnetic" sump plug is a good investment.... cheap too!
Speaking to the guys on the Frontera forum no one seems to have suffered with rod bearing failure running the same 3.2 engine.In fact it seems to have something of a reputation as "Bullet proof." They do get similar problems with stuff like the intake gaskets etc though.
It seems the problem is far more prevalent with the 3.5 engines.
As they are basically the same engine just bored and stroked, I'm wondering if that extra stress is just a "little too much"........
Something I am looking into is whether the oil cooler may be a little bigger on the Frontera than the Vx... If it is... it might be a good preventative measure.

[89Vette]

same engine just bored and stroked, I'm wondering if that extra stress is just a "little too much"........

Seriously doubt that. The best theory I heard was the oil ring (aka ring land) on the stroked version set too close to smallish drain-back holes. This could cause gunk to build up over time, interfering with proper oil flow. I also think it was supposed to have been corrected in either 2001 or 2002. (not sure) If you look around here, you'll find a thread with a better explanation.

Either way, cleaning it like you mention could be one of the keys for longevity. Regular (frequent) oil changes might be a huge plus for this issue too.

Lots of people have blamed PVC valves here but I don't know that the 3.2's would have had a different one.