My Chevy Overheated Engine
On Sunday, November 7th, 2004, at around 11 a.m., while driving west on I-30, just east of Texarkana, Arkansas, with 593,074 miles on my Chevy, I glanced at the temperature gauge and saw it was pegged at 260 degrees. Fortunately I was near an exit. I shut the engine off and attempted to open the hood. It was so hot I could barely touch it!
I was greeted with what sounded like boiling antifreeze, along with the sounds of the engine cracking and popping. Like what you hear when dropping food in a deep fryer. I thought to myself, ‘You’ve just ruined your engine.’ I’ve never seen an engine reach this level of heat without cracking a head or block.
Right away, I noticed the serpentine belt had fallen off. Upon closer inspection, I realized the idler pulley was missing! After driving nearly 600,000 miles, I had never replaced the idler pulley—DUH! It must have either seized up or the bolt holding it in place had come loose and fallen out, as the bolt was also missing.
After being towed 54 miles to Texarkana, AR…to an auto parts store, wouldn’t you know, they did not have the pulley in stock nor could they locate one in another store. It would be Monday before they could have it. I was 600 miles from my delivery. I had to make my delivery first thing Monday morning. Ok Lord, what do I do now?
The answer came. Put on a shorter serpentine belt! I had a ‘used’ serpentine belt stored in my van. I took it to the service rep in the auto parts store, and asked him to give me three belts, all shorter than the original belt. He cautioned, ‘That won’t work. You won’t have enough surface tension on the alternator and AC pulleys. The belt will slip.’ I replied, ‘I’ll take that chance.’
After trying two of the shorter belts without success, the third one finally seemed to have the right tension. I added over a gallon of distilled water to the radiator, said a prayer, and started the engine.
The Engine Idled Smoothly As If Nothing Had Happened
The engine idled smoothly, as if nothing had happened—no knocking, no tapping. Then I crawled underneath the van, inspecting for oil leaks and antifreeze leaks. None, zero! I kept thinking, ‘How could this engine have survived such severe overheating and still run so smoothly?
Amazingly, the Amsoil synthetic oil did not break down because of the extreme heat and continued to provide a layer of lubrication to all the internal parts of my 350 engine.
The shorter serpentine belt worked flawlessly. About three months later, when I took my van to the dealership for maintenance, the technician informed me that I needed to install the idler pulley and the original serpentine belt. I complied and did so. Now, I make it a point to replace the idler pulley, the tension pulley, and the alternator every 220,000 miles. From my experience, for normal driving, these components may need to be replaced every 8-10 years.
Engine Replaced At 930,599 Miles
“Prove The 999,999 Miles” … you’ll get a sneak peek at the inside of my engine. There was less than one percent wear on the internal parts of the engine.
If you could drive an entire year or 25,000 miles without changing your oil, would you do it? The Amsoil Signature Series synthetic oil is guaranteed for 25,000 miles or one year, whichever comes first.
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Amsoil Synthetic Oil…Quality You Can Trust
I have a favorite saying…“Putting Amsoil Products Throughout Your Vehicle or Equipment…Will Make It Almost Immortal!”
Installing Amsoil products throughout your vehicle, it’s almost like purchasing a lifetime warranty for your engine and transmission. I’ve proven that Amsoil synthetic oils took my vehicle’s engine and transmission well over 900,000 miles. What an incredible insurance policy!
The beauty of the 25,000-mile oil change is that if I’m out on the road, away from home, and notice the oil needs changing, I don’t have to worry about stopping into some fast lube shop or store that may not securely tighten the oil plug, install the correct oil filter, or put the right amount of oil in the engine.
You can confidently drive back to your hometown and have your vehicle serviced at your trusted local dealer or lube shop, knowing that your oil and filter are still effectively doing their job.
How can I say that? I’ve driven my 99 Chevy Van over 1,000,000 miles, and on several occasions I’ve exceeded the 25,000-mile mark between oil changes without any issues.
The reason I had such confidence in exceeding my ‘oil change’ interval without worrying was due to my first oil change with Amsoil. I caught a sample of the oil and sent it to Amsoil’s lab for analysis. They informed me I could drive another 10,000 to 15,000 miles on the same oil—just change the oil filter!
I’ve Done The Work…You Get The Benefits
I’ve personally logged over 1 million miles with one vehicle changing the engine oil and filter every 20 – 25,000 miles and the transmission oil and filter every 150,000 miles.
For a decade, I journeyed across the country, documenting and testing Amsoil products. I recorded every detail of the servicing and maintenance of my ’99 Chevy van. Maintaining these detailed records stemmed from a mission—a mission to determine if Amsoil products could truly deliver on the promise of a 25,000-mile oil change.
The reason I’m so passionate about sharing the results I’ve achieved with Amsoil products is, they’ve saved me an extra $2,000 a year in fuel and oil change expenses. (That’s based on driving 100,000 miles a year.)
Whether you use your vehicle for earning a living or simply for commuting, installing Amsoil products throughout your vehicle’s engine and drivetrain will not only significantly extend its lifespan but also save you money and provide peace of mind.
Purchase Amsoil Products at Rock Bottom Prices!
Let’s Get Started 3 Ways To Purchase Amsoil Products
1. Purchase Online Or Via Phone: You can purchase Amsoil products at retail prices by going to Amsoil’s online store or by calling Amsoil at (800) 777-7094 from 8 am to 5 pm Central Time, Monday – Friday.
Thank you for using my ID#516778 as your referral.
2. Become A Preferred Customer: Save 25% off retail prices by becoming a preferred customer. Cost: $10 for 6 months or $20 for 1 year (Canada $30). When signing up as a preferred customer, you’ll receive your own ID# giving you access to the online store to purchase all your products at wholesale prices. You can call Amsoils toll-free ordering number at (800) 777-7094 to order at wholesale.
Preferred Customers receive an information kit on AMSOIL products and the monthly AMSOIL Action News magazine containing powerful testimonies and updates about the Amsoil products.
3. Become A Dealer: Start your own business and become an Amsoil dealer. Cost: $50 yearly (Canada $65) save 25% off retail prices and share the Amsoil products with your friends, sign up Preferred Customers and Dealers under you and earn a commission off their orders. When signing up as a Dealer you’ll receive your own ID# giving you access to the online store to purchase all your products at wholesale. You can call Amsoils toll-free ordering number at (800) 777-7094 to order at wholesale.
Have questions? Or need help in selecting the right oil and filters for your vehicle or equipment? Feel free to contact me anytime at (937) 417-1127 or jbs777@gmail.com. If you reach my voicemail, leave a message or text, and I’ll respond as soon as possible.
Thank you for using my ID#516778 as your referral when ordering.
Happy Trails
John Schlimmer
www.MillionMileChevy.com
PS: Most Japanese models take the Ea15K oil filter…good for 15,000 miles. If you drive over 15,000 miles a year…change the oil filter…no need to change the oil until 25,000 miles or one year. European cars … oil and filter need to be changed at the recommended mileage by the owner’s manual.
