# Unknown maintenance records



## gggto (Sep 21, 2011)

Here is where I stand. Last week I bought a 2004 gto with 42k miles on it . The car is a manual trans. The gentleman I bought the car from had owned it for about 3 years and 7k miles. He Is not aware of any of the maintaince that has been done to it. The only issue I've had thusfar is yesterday morning the clutch would not fully disengage and I could not get it in gear (yesterday was the first time I drove it when it was cold outside). I checked the clutch fluid fill and it was dry. I filled it with dot 4 brake fluid and worked the pedal for 20 min and it has shifted fine since. However, this is making me think that the car may not have been maintained properly. I plan on changing the oil this week even though the guy I bought it from said the oil is fairly new. My question is, what other service should I have performed at this miliage since I have no knolowlge of what service has and has not been completed? Thank you in advance for your responses


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## fattirewilly (May 26, 2006)

I'd assume the worst case scenario and change every fluid in it.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

It's 7 years old, wouldn't hurt to change all the fluids. My vette is a 99 and I haven't changed brake fluid or antifreeze, but that's me, I should. You don't really have to do anything at that mileage, but if your keeping it, it's "cheap" insurance to do it and you'll know everything is new.


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## gggto (Sep 21, 2011)

I love the word cheap in quotes. I guess I should just suck it up and change everything. Even though this car is already getting expensive and every part I get for it is special ordered. How do you feel about my clutch fluid situation? Do you think I'm safe there? It only took a tiny splash to fill it back up.


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## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

Change ALL your fluids and filters. It is something that you should probally do with any used car bought.


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

Trans fluid you could probably let go for now, but yeah, coolant, oil, and diff fluid should be changed sooner than later. I'm one to talk though, I haven't touched my diff fluid (I'm at ~46,000 miles) but I plan on changing out the differential in spring, so I don't think it's worth the $20... that and I'll probably put on only 500 miles between now and then...


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

gggto said:


> How do you feel about my clutch fluid situation? Do you think I'm safe there? It only took a tiny splash to fill it back up.


The clutch fluid doesn't evaporate, so it went somewhere.. But, it only lost an ounce over 7 years I assume, or it is leaking slowly, and could get worse in time. Just something to watch, not a happy thing, but something you have to deal with..
Congrats on your new toy and good luck!


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## gggto (Sep 21, 2011)

jetstang said:


> The clutch fluid doesn't evaporate, so it went somewhere.. But, it only lost an ounce over 7 years I assume, or it is leaking slowly, and could get worse in time. Just something to watch, not a happy thing, but something you have to deal with..
> Congrats on your new toy and good luck!


Correct me if I'm wrong but as the clutch wears the slave has to move further to disengage requiring more fluid.... however, the amount does seen excessive for wear. I planned on changing the clutch, and slave within a few months because of the fluid situation. The clutch feels strong but it I'm going to tear it apart I might as well change the clutch while I'm in there. It I keep it full and bleed... Even with that slow of a leak I should be good for at least a few months right ?


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## BobS (Jul 28, 2005)

I'd go for the trans fluid change, if I were you.
When I changed Trans fluids in my '05 after 25k miles, it was totally nasty. Way worse than I would have ever guessed.


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

gggto said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong but as the clutch wears the slave has to move further to disengage requiring more fluid....


Yep. Just like brakes.....


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## gggto (Sep 21, 2011)

HP11 said:


> Yep. Just like brakes.....


Ok well would it require enough additional fluid to empty the clutch res. I know it's not very big ..... Since I filled the clutch fluid up a week ago it hasn't even budged a millimeter. So do I have a leaking slave or not?


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

If it only took a 'splash' to fill it after 7 years that could well be from normal wear and not topping it off.


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## LS-1 (Sep 25, 2011)

The LS-1 in my vette has "dexcool" coolant in the engine and its very important to change it at 5years or 100k mi.If not its breaks down and can cause a lot of problems in the cooling system.Im new to the gto world and i dont know if that coolant is used or if it just has the regular green stuff....... 
Rock on


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

Dexcool.....


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

LS-1 said:


> The LS-1 in my vette has "dexcool" coolant in the engine and its very important to change it at 5years or 100k mi.If not its breaks down and can cause a lot of problems in the cooling system.Im new to the gto world and i dont know if that coolant is used or if it just has the regular green stuff.......
> Rock on


I heard all the woes of dexicool and learned something pretty interesting. The 3.1/3.4 GM motors used composite gaskets on the intake that blew early. They blamed dexicool while it was a bad gasket issue. I trust GM and haven't had an issue with corrosion or anything on my 100K 99 Vette, and it's original. OK, I don't trust GM, but the dexi isn't bad stuff, and I'll change it soon, along with the brake and tranny fluid.:cheers


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## NEEDLEZ (Oct 21, 2009)

My uncle owns a successful body shop in central Indiana and he was telling me the other day that he has never seen a single '04 and up GTO come through his shop that wasn't an absolute clunker. I had just enlisted in the Marine Corps. when these cars were first released and the first thing on my "to do" list was buy one, but I was sent to Okinawa, Japan for 2 years and had to settle for a Skyline(equivelant to our mustang) instead. 

After reading as much as I have about them and wanting one for so long I think I dodged a bullet.


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## Falco21 (May 11, 2010)

NEEDLEZ said:


> My uncle owns a successful body shop in central Indiana and he was telling me the other day that he has never seen a single '04 and up GTO come through his shop that wasn't an absolute clunker. I had just enlisted in the Marine Corps. when these cars were first released and the first thing on my "to do" list was buy one, but I was sent to Okinawa, Japan for 2 years and had to settle for a Skyline(equivelant to our mustang) instead.
> 
> After reading as much as I have about them and wanting one for so long I think I dodged a bullet.


Not quite sure what any of that meant. Your uncle thinks the GTO is a clunker? Your happy after reading through the forum that you didn't pull the trigger on one? 

I think you need to re-evaluate your views. Just like any car, there are going to be problems. The constant problems you see people having is either due to the previous owner beating the car to hell, or simply the new or past owner not taking care of the vehicle. Calling the GTO a clunker is a bit cretinous. 

My car was purchased with 30k miles or so on it. The car was in MINT condition. I am about to hit 50k miles and the car is still in Mint condition. Have not had one issue with it other than the normal wear and tear parts. Not sure you dodged a bullet there. More along the lines of you basing your decision off of an unlettered response of one individual. 

Not sure how a Skyline is equivalent to a Mustang either. Still trying to figure that one out.


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

Falco21 said:


> Not quite sure what any of that meant. Your uncle thinks the GTO is a clunker? Your happy after reading through the forum that you didn't pull the trigger on one?
> 
> I think you need to re-evaluate your views. Just like any car, there are going to be problems. The constant problems you see people having is either due to the previous owner beating the car to hell, or simply the new or past owner not taking care of the vehicle. Calling the GTO a clunker is a bit cretinous.
> 
> ...


Having read a couple of his other posts, I would surmise that NEEDLEZ is an 'old school' GTO owner and, like you or I or anyone esle here, he's entitled to his opinion. I know many people that don't even consider the 'new age' GTO to be....well...a GTO. Isn't that their call? You might also want to look up the meaning of words like 'cretinous' or 'unlettered' before referring to someone you don't know in those terms.......we're just talking about cars here.


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## Falco21 (May 11, 2010)

HP11 said:


> Having read a couple of his other posts, I would surmise that NEEDLEZ is an 'old school' GTO owner and, like you or I or anyone esle here, he's entitled to his opinion. I know many people that don't even consider the 'new age' GTO to be....well...a GTO. Isn't that their call? You might also want to look up the meaning of words like 'cretinous' or 'unlettered' before referring to someone you don't know in those terms.......we're just talking about cars here.


Never once said he was not entitled to his own opinion. Just as he is, I am as well. I just said that maybe he should re-evaluate his views before he makes a comment of that nature. I never stated he was not allowed to pronounce his own opinion. I am sure he is an "old school" GTO owner, due to the fact that he is on here as a member, and apparently he "dodged the bullet" of purchasing a new age one. I certainly know what those words mean, hence why I use them in my vocabulary. I was not referring to him as cretinous or unlettered. I was referring to his statement and the statements of the other individual involved in his story. No one was criticizing or taking a shot at anyone's personal being.


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

The 'other individual' in the story is his uncle. To call him 'unlettered' is to basically call him illiterate. I just can't come to that conclusion simply because he feels that 04-06 GTO's are clunkers. I've got nothing else on this.......I promise!


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## Falco21 (May 11, 2010)

I guess this is part my fault for not making my response clearer. I was not referring to his uncle as unlettered. I was referring to his comments as unlettered. I do not know NEEDLEZ and I am not here to criticize him. I respect his opinions and I took the time to read it and understand it. I just do not agree with making those kind of comments about a vehicle that he has had no chance of owning. He did say these things on a GTO board. We all own GTO's here, whether it be an 'old school' goat, or a new one, we all basically own one. To call my car and the other member's car's on this board 'clunkers', just does not sit well with me.

To state that his uncle has never seen an '04 and up GTO that was not an 'absolute clunker' is a foolish remark. The definition of clunker is an old and badly working piece of machinery; especially a dilapidated automobile. Does not sit will, considering that it is the exact car I drive, that he is referring to. I guess I should have traded it in when they were having that "Cash for Clunkers" deal going on. Could have got a couple grand out of it.


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