For the car gurus: oil problems? *UPDATED*

[KMurphy]

Hey,

I'm just trying to give the OP hope that his engine isn't fuxor'd. If he is that low on oil after that few of miles then there is a big problem.

I wonder why my GM 4.3L with 150K miles doesn't burn a noticeable amount of oil on the dipstick between 4000 mile changes?

 

[xgsound]

To Zenmervolt:
The Toyota 4 cyl particularly tends to sludge up even with regular oil changes (so the forums said) unless synthetic is used. It seemed questionable to me too, but there were many comments back when I was checking into it. My first 2 changes after going to synthetic got dirty quickly, but since then it has been normal.

I didn't know the "mixing oil" was a myth. Thanks.

To the OP:
It doesn't HAVE to be synthetic oil, but check the level every 2 weeks and keep the level full.

EDIT: TO ebeattie:
Is there any truth to the bolded part above? What's your experience been? That's the only reason I changed to synthetic. Since I did, after the 2 initial changes, the oil stays cleaner between changes.


Jim

 

[kumanchu]

185k miles on my '97 corrolla. always used regular oil, no problems with oil light or anything like that.

still running like a champ. i'm getting ~30mpg with mixed city/hwy driving. auto.

i wonder what happend between 97~99 to the motor. i know the body is different...

 

[kumanchu]

oh yeah its a DX so i have the 1.8

 

[madeupfacts]

ur car is exploded, better get a tank

 

[brikis98]

I updated the OP, looking for more advice. Thanks folks.

 

[JJWalker]

The reason you're only getting ~30mpg is that the Corolla VE has a 3 speed automatic transmission. All the other Corolla's of that year had 4.

 

[skyking]

OK, the car is new to you. No telling what the previous owner did.
1)Find out the exact grade of oil recommended. It is in the manual.
2)Change the oil and filter, and note the oil consumption.
3) I observe the 5K max for non-synthetic oils. YMMV, but that is my recommendation also.

I have a '98 camry with 150K miles. Like a typical know-it-all, I figured 10W40 would be fine for it.
boy was I in for a surprise. before that oil change was due again, I had sticky lifters and who knows what else. it turns out my engine wants 5W30, period.
I got rid of that oil, and within 2k miles, the lifters were happy again.
What I'm trying to say is, the previous owner might have used the wrong oil, the wrong schedule, who knows what. Put the right oil in and give it a good test.

 

[Itchrelief]

"Normal" service is a misnomer. If you read the fine print, basically any city driving, short trips, dust, or anything else that you would normally think of as everyday driving makes you a "severe" service driver. They can get 99% of all people to be excepted from normal service because if you live near any population center, you are most likely driving stop and go traffic, even on the highway if you are driving rushhour. If you live in the boondocks and can do 99% highway driving, the dust and junk will probably get you.

That long service period is only a marketing gimmick.

I've always heard that white smoke = coolant being burned (possibly leaking head gasket, or somehow water got into your gas) and that bluish smoke = burning oil. I'm no gearhead, so I don't really know. Then again, if the smoke is faint, how can you tell the difference between light blue and white?

I guess a mechanic would probably know a better way to tell, like check the coolant for oil, or the oil for coolant, or something. Maybe you're burning both ;p

 

[flot]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
He's probably lost 2-3 quarts in the 4,500 miles since his last oil change, at most that's a quart every 1,500 miles. That's not enough oil to be visible in the exhaust. It's also within the "normal" amount of oil consumption for an automotive engine.

ZV, while I usually agree with your automotive posts, I have to take exception to the 1 quart of oil per 1500 miles comment. Of the 6 vehicles I've owned, (vintage 79 to 04) some were imports, some domestic; 160 to 400 hp, and not one of them has burned enough oil to take me out of the "safe" range on a distick (which I assume is approx .5 to 1 qt) in a normal 3500-5000 mile oil change interval.

I really think that the 'quart per 1500' rule is something manufactuers claim to avoid replacing poorly manufactured engines. IMO if my engine burned a quart or more in between 5000 mile oil changes, I would be concerned. I am sure there are some specific engines where this becomes observed normal behavior, but I find it hard to believe that it's really "okay" and not a design flaw.

 

[herbiehancock]

Now hwere's something I've always wondered about............the "Change your oil every 3K miles" mantra had been around forever, well, at least from the late '60's, which is as far back as I can remember.

Now, API/"S" ratings of oil back then, at least in 1971, was SF. In 1981 the oil characteristic requirements, such as wear, detergency, deposit control, oxidation, rust, etc., were improved and the oil now had to carry an SG API rating.

Since then, oil specifications have gotten more stringent as auto manufacturers have used tighter tolerances and improved metallurgy in engine design and production, and emission requirements have tightened, and engines have been subjected to smaller underhood spaces with greater heat.

We are now at an API/"S" classification of SM, four steps and improvements to the oil capabilities removed from the old oils of the 1980's, yet we still are being told 3K miles is the max, or maybe 5K miles as the "technician" above said, for oil changes. But with the much improved engine designs, metalurgy in bearings and such in engines, and much imporved oils, why haven't the oil change intervals gotten any better?


As a side note, can anyone tell me how a car that requires premium gasoline can suddenly be able to use regular just by switching motor oils, as is being claimed by an AMSIOL website I came across? I always thought the compression ratio of the engine determined the gasoline octane requirements and not the oil used?

 

[brikis98]

well, i'm taking the car to the mechanic tomorrow... hopefully, this is nothing major, but who knows...

 

[LennyZ]

After the mechanic examines your car and tells you your car is sludged to hell-
google autorx,order it and use it exactly as the instructions state.
AUTORX
After the autorx cycle is over start using synthetic oil.

Or just buy a replacement motor that the mechanic will try to sell you.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: ebeattie
5000 miles is the MAXIMUM I recommend for ANY car. And to let you guys know, any in town or citry driving is considered SEVERE duty. Now I realize that you do alot of highway driving, but 30 mpg from a Corolla is about average.

BMWs have a change interval of 15k. That always seemed high to me, and if I were to own one, I might change the oil more frequently, but I don't think you can say that 5k is the max for "any" car.

Originally posted by: herbiehancock
As a side note, can anyone tell me how a car that requires premium gasoline can suddenly be able to use regular just by switching motor oils, as is being claimed by an AMSIOL website I came across? I always thought the compression ratio of the engine determined the gasoline octane requirements and not the oil used?

You're right. Changing the oil will in NO way affect the grade of fuel you require. I shudder to think that somebody out there might take that site at face value, and start putting regular in (say) a blown engine.

 

[zixxer]

fyi


1) you probably overfilled it.
2) those toyota motors (the 1.5 or whatever is in corollas... or is it 1.8?) are really well known for sludge problems. If it has sludge, it's a pita to fix because running those cleaners through can break loose pieces and cause worse problems. Personally I'd change the oil every 1k miles 2-3 times then run a cleaner through it (autorx or equivalent)

 

[SuperSix]

YES, those engines have sludge issues. Going 7500 on an oil change is risking sludge buildup.

YES, Toyota's oil filters are superior to Fram, Purolator etc...

YES, you should use the manufacturer recommended oil weight.

YES, you should go no longer than 5k between changes.

YES, Your driving is probably classified as "severe", so change it every 4750 like the manual states

YES, synthetic oil is a waste, even with these motors, just change it every 4740 miles. Not to say it's not "better" than dino oil, just not appreciably better to justify the extra cost. The motor was designed to run on Dino. Now a Corvette motor? DESIGNED to run synthetic.

Since you don't know the history of the car, and if you plan to keep it, I would peform all of the routine scheduled maintenance as if it hadn't been done, better to err on the side of caution.

And how do you go 7500 miles without checking your oil? Christ, man, check it at MOST every 3-4 fillups, as well as the car's other vital fluids, most are a simple visual inspection. (Coolant, brake fluid, etc)

There's no excuse for your oil getting too low - do it a few more times and see where that get's ya!

 

[fleshconsumed]

Originally posted by: jagec
BMWs have a change interval of 15k. That always seemed high to me, and if I were to own one, I might change the oil more frequently, but I don't think you can say that 5k is the max for "any" car.

BMW's use syntetic, hence 15K miles servicing period. On mineral 5K should be the max. Personally I wouldn't let it go over 4K on mineral though, 3-3.5K is preferrable.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: ebeattie
Well unless you like letting the crap that turns your oil black called blowby (particulate carbon and HC combustion by products) build up and sludge the jesus out of your oil, 5000 max per oil change is not bs.

Funny. At 5,000 miles, my oil is still golden. You must have been working on cars with shot rings or some other serious engineering flaw in the engine.

ZV

 

[brikis98]

well, the mechanic didn't tell me anything new. he basically said the car burns oil, many toyota's do, some more, some less. it's not a serious issue and not much can be done about it. i'm just going to have to check the oil more often and add some periodically. kind of a pain, but oh well.

 

[SuperSix]

Originally posted by: brikis98
well, the mechanic didn't tell me anything new. he basically said the car burns oil, many toyota's do, some more, some less. it's not a serious issue and not much can be done about it. i'm just going to have to check the oil more often and add some periodically. kind of a pain, but oh well.

That's called owning a car. Manufacturer's recommend checking the oil every fill-up. While I think that's extreme, I don't think taking less than five minutes every other week or so to make sure the most vital fluid in my $5,000 (guess) car is full to be that much of a burden.

Don't like it? Take a bus.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: SuperSix

Originally posted by: brikis98
well, the mechanic didn't tell me anything new. he basically said the car burns oil, many toyota's do, some more, some less. it's not a serious issue and not much can be done about it. i'm just going to have to check the oil more often and add some periodically. kind of a pain, but oh well.

That's called owning a car. Manufacturer's recommend checking the oil every fill-up. While I think that's extreme, I don't think taking less than five minutes every other week or so to make sure the most vital fluid in my $5,000 (guess) car is full to be that much of a burden.

Don't like it? Take a bus.

actually, i wish i could take a bus. or a train. or the subway. or ANYTHING besides a car.

i'd very much prefer commuting to work on public transportation instead of having to drive, but because people are so obsessed with their f*ucking cars in this country, there is no public transportation to where i work. so i HAD to buy a car (which IMO is a huge waste of money) and now i HAVE to go through the headache of maintaining it (not to mention paying insurance).