1999-2009 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
You might have the head bolts retorqued, and while the VC is off, inspect for signs of sludge. If clean and using dyno or semi, then switch to Mobil 1 0W40 oil. If the head gasket fails from loose head bolts, you are in for a nasty bill of over $1000. Converting to a full synthetic after heavy sludge deposits can speed up lubrication failure as softened deposits then get loose and plug up the overly fine oil pump pickup screen. So today, we know that one should not blindly change to synthetic without knowing the state of affairs inside the engine.
If costs are a concern, do your own routine maintenance.
Get a spare DI. If the original one dies, you are in for dealer cost if DI, dealer diagnostics and labor, plus sales tax. A dealer in Denver charges $700 for a DI for folks passing by. Do not forget the cost of a tow truck and waiting in the cold and dark.... got cel phone? And if the DI fails on a highway run, the CAT converter will be damaged and that is another $700 or more, plus labor etc etc. So after 60K, might be best to install a new DI now to protect from CAT damage and keep the old one as your emergency spare.
Some will argue that you do not need a spare DI. But many folks get more DI failures than flat tires. So perhaps the folks to are against having a spare DI should also remove the spare tire and jack from their vehicles. And they also neglect the all too often descruction of the CAT converter by a deal DI. So that is a $1500 flat tire.
At 60K, you should replace the upper idler pully and do the short belt mod. I do not know if the tensioner pully needs to be replaced at this time. These are larger and on the NG900's outlasted many engines. The new ones are plastic, the old were metal. But the important thing is that these are larger and spin at lower rates. But do not neglect that upper idler pulley, they all will fail. When it fails you loose engine cooling and power steering. You really need a tow truck at that point in time. If the belt melts or gets wound around the crankshaft pully, there can be a mess or damage that can be labor co$t intensive.
So preventative maintenance includes the DI, belt&pulley(s) and head bolts. Running M1 0W40 should eliminate any chance of oil sludging and mechanical damage if things are clean so far.
Cabin air filter in your list?
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