When to do a overhead run?

Oil samples are a lazy man's way. if your really curious, take the time to open the engine up.

Besides, if your taking oil samples at 10-15 thousand miles intervals.....ALOT can happen to an engine between the fresh oil change and 10 or 15k miles that an oil sample isnt gonna catch.

 

I love my N14 500 that I have now. Easy to work on, parts are affordable (relatively speaking), and it has been exceptionally reliable. Best part is minimal sensors and electronics. Oh yeah, no EPA garbage either!

 

Well oil samples are great. There is no reason not to do it. It may save some skin on your rear. However things can happen. I bought my first truck with 13 speed trans out. But owner claimed it was less than 200k on overhaul. Bought it. Did clutch, trans, driveshaft, odds and ends, everything I could find before I put it on the road. 56k miles later lost a head gasket. Pulled it down. Yes it had beem inframed. Liners pistons, bearings. But cam, rocker shafts, rockers, bullgear, were shot, and liner heigh was way off. By the way. Im a 18 year truck tech, 4th gen owner operator. We all make bad choices at some time or another. So short story I rented a truck and had a detroit dealer rebuild it. Well it didnt run right, burnt oil, missed, and had bad mpg, 3 rebuilds later, a letter from attorney, then a Oem reman and 2 years later its doing good. I put 2013 rears and susp. From a 50k mile truck. Rebuilt almost everthing. OHIO ODOT responsible for a accident that took 1 year for them to pay. Then a old gramdma that tried to cut me off in a honda two months later. 1.4 million miles and its my baby, wouldnt take any of it back.

 

Which one do you use?

 

that's enough justification to warrant buying or leasing brand new for me. there's stuff you just can't see inside unless you take it apart, and there's no telling how the previous users used or abused it. if you have stack of money already you could buy used with the anticipation of rebuilding it as it breaks, but if you've only got enough for a down payment and an month or two of bills support, buying used is crazy risky.