plumalan

I have a 2007 corvette which now has 16,250 miles. It still has the original tires and battery due to the use of the ctek battery maintainer. The car is shown below. Should I consider having all of the various fluids, coolant, clutch fluid, power steering fluid and whatever changed and or flushed. The car is and has always performed flawlessly. I keep it in an air conditioned garage and don't have to drive it everyday to work because I have a business adjacent to my home. It is a pure pleasure in every sense of the word. Any advice and or opinions would be appreciated.

NY3quartrs5-oh

If you like to work on your own car, I would say yes, change everything a little at a time. If you're going to pay people to do it, it can wait a little while cause of the low miles.

I have 28k on mine and I've changed the dif fluid, brake fluid bleed, and just changed the coolant. All could have gone further with no issues, although I could def see a difference in the brake fluid. All three fluids I changed were relatively easy to do and saved me a ton of money i'm sure....

Rocketmanwpb

No need to change the tranny, but the diff could use a change, the coolant is over due by time-not mileage, the power steering is probably OK (there is no bleed on the power steering so it would have to have one of the lines to the rack removed to drain it), you should do the Ranger method of changing the clutch fluid by drawing out the fluid from the reservoir (note the clutch uses synthetic fluid or DOT 4/5), the brake fluid should be changed every two years (you will need to have a professional change the brake fluid to activate the anti-lock system so the fluid is completely drained from the system). GM does not recommend ever changing the tranny fluid, but I tend to change mine around 50K.

HOXXOH

Next up will be someone telling you that because your tires are more than 5 years old, you'll have multiple blowouts and run off a cliff and die.

The only thing that is reasonably important, is the brake fluid if it's real dark. And it can be changed at home if you understand the correct procedure.

LS WON

My tires were 7 years old when I replaced them at 44,000 miles.
Still on original 2005 battery. It was about 1.5 years ago that I started to use CTEK battery tender.

Like dem Vettes

I have the following systems flushed every two years: brakes, power steering, and coolant. The time to replace fluids is when they are still good. After fluids break down, they do harm. I realize that Dex-Cool supposedly lasts five years, but that assumes that the cooling system is in perfect condition. Yes, I can use a test strip but I prefer to be on a two-year cycle.

As far as tires, the rubber can break down in unseen areas. Look at the tire manufacturer's site for longevity recommendations.

AORoads

I agree w. above. Read up on "the Ranger method" here on CF for clutch fluid change. And be careful since brake fluid can be caustic to paint!

It can't hurt to drain and fill the PS fluid.

Brake fluid every two years is good, for every car.

Coolant definitely overdue by time, not miles.

Differential if only for newer-recommended fluid.

Trans can't hurt to change.

I don't particularly like "flushes" but drain and fill is what I do. As to tires, most mfrs. now have a stated life of anywhere fr. 6/7 to 10 years. Like low pressure, sometimes it's not "visible" from the outside.

jackcasual

I have an 09 vert. I drive less than 5000 miles a yr. I change oil once a yr before storage for winter. Oil monitor usually around 50%. I do zerks at same time, Z51 car. I change clutch fluid 4 times a yr, using Ranger method. Since I do clutch fluid I replace brake fluid yearly and bleed brakes. I've got wheels off anyway to clean wheel barrels. I have not gone to dealer for ABS thing. I changed power steering fluid this year for first time. I had changed transmission fluid at 600 miles to try and cure notchy shifting. I did first oil change at same time. I'll change coolant next yr. Probably do transmission and rear end at same time. I do enjoy working on my car.

BEAR 55

I have a 08 vert with very low miles. I just had the coolant flushed and filled, brake fluid changed and fuel injectors cleaned. Getting ready to change the battery. Already had the diff. fluid changed to get rid of the chatter.

0Anthony @ LGMotorsports

If the car was driven more.....I wouldn't worry about much other than brake fluid and engine oil.....unless we are talking about a track car.

Sitting however can do a bit more wear on a car, especially if it is only driven on short trips and never really gets everything up to temp. You start to get a lot of water condensation build up.

So with that being said, engine oil will probably do every 3k miles and use a good oil in the car. If it is going to be 'put up' for the winter then change it before putting the car up and don't run it while it is in storage.

Brake fluid, I would probably do every two years, unless it would see any kind of track use then before the events.

Trans/Diff, shouldn't worry about either at this time however going to a better diff fluid can stop any of the diff clutch chatter that plagues so many of them.

Coolant...change it over time, not miles.

Gearhead Jim

Even though it's not on the GM maintenance list, many manufacturers recommend flushing the brake fluid every couple of years. Since I sometimes use the brakes hard in the mountains, I have mine flushed each year. Trackheads do it before every event!

The coolant is supposed to be replaced by 5 years, regardless of mileage. I would get that done, either use the premixed 50-50 or give the shop three gallons of distilled water to mix in the Dexcool.

Then, go enjoy your car some more!

sisoul

Question regarding brake fluid changing. Im going to borrow my buddies vacuum bleeder to suck out the reservoir and then use the vacuum bleeder starting from the caliper furthest away. Im using the dot 4 synthec stuff as well. But my question is, someone said something about ABS and something special you have to do. Can I just bleed the fluid like normal and not have to do anything with the ABS? By the way I have already done 2 track days and have almost 30k and never changed it yet.

0Anthony @ LGMotorsports

OMG.

Stay on top of the brake fluid, especially if you are going to track it. To me that is a big safety issue with any car.

As for the ABS, as long as you do not let the system run dry you will be fine. I'm still a fan of the two person bleed system and having a person at the wheel with a bottle and wrench because they can see the condition of it and you are pushing the fluid through it's normal travel.....the vac. bleeders do work well if you have to do it by yourself though.

LS WON

Get those Amsoil synthetic fluids in there.

sisoul

Its only 2 track days its okay lol. But yeah it really needs to be changed. Im going to run the now illegal blue stuff.

Gearhead Jim

Illegal?
Against the rules?

Wondering why...

Gearhead Jim

I've been told that to get all the old fluid out of the ABS plumbing, you need a Tech2 or similar machine to exercise the system.
Hopefully, someone can tell us if that is correct.

My thinking is that changing 90% of the fluid is better than not changing anything, so if I had to do it the old-fashioned way, I'd just do it more often and be sure to "exercise" the ABS on a slick surface shortly before the partial flush.

Hoping for an education here...

jimmie jam

I have an 07 Vert that will be seven years old on january 2, 2014. I've got 6,157 miles on it and have had it on a tender since new. Nothing has been touched yet and I see no reason to start. It's your call. FWIW I have an 03 Avalanche with less than 19,000 miles on it and other than a battery 5 years ago nothing has been touched on it. It's your call. I've owned and been driving for 45 years now and have kept two Corvettes for more than 25 years from new. I don't get carried away with this stuff and have never had issues. Alot of this "maintence" is overdone IMSO.

Larry/car

Even changing oil once a year is questionable. GM devises maintenance for the worst case. If the engine is always operated up to normal operating temperature and shut down hot, no moisture will form and create acids, follow DIC change recommendation. Engine cooling system, test fluid for acidity, if it passes no reason to change.

HOXXOH

And I'm on the other end of the spectrum with 113K on my '08. I'm guessing a lot of these Vette owners don't treat their other cars the same way.