Is it possible for a car to act badly when the last oil change was a dog's age?

[StageLeft]

And by dog's age I mean a long time. We have some friends who's car was making a nasty sound. I can't remember what, but anyway they claimed that they changed the oil and it went away. If this is even possible then I'm presuming the oil was a useless sludge and obviously they'd have done permanent engine damage, but is it possible for no oil change to cause engine damage in such a way that changing it would then put the engine back to sounding normal? Their vehicle has about 130k on it (honda passport).

 

[ElFenix]

how long did it go?

my aunt and uncle didn't change the oil... the engine froze... so now they lease so that the dealer will send them a letter to tell them to come in.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
how long did it go?

my aunt and uncle didn't change the oil... the engine froze... so now they lease so that the dealer will send them a letter to tell them to come in.

I have no idea how long...

 

[Pepsi90919]

sure it is.. even more so if they changed teh filter.

oil contains many additives that are designed to keep parts moving smoothly as to shut up things like lifters, valves and piston slap... plus when you add in fresh new oil the detergents will start to get rid of the sludge and move it into the filter.

if it were my car (well if it were my car i'd be running synthetic and change it at decent intervals) i would change it again in a thousand miles or so... the oil might be black again by that time anyway because of all the crap it's cleaned out.

 

[Cyberian]

Is this the original (Isuzu Rodeo) Honda Passport?
Good - Honda is the best car in the very, very whole wide world.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
sure it is.. even more so if they changed teh filter.

oil contains many additives that are designed to keep parts moving smoothly as to shut up things like lifters, valves and piston slap... plus when you add in fresh new oil the detergents will start to get rid of the sludge and move it into the filter.

if it were my car (well if it were my car i'd be running synthetic and change it at decent intervals) i would change it again in a thousand miles or so... the oil might be black again by that time anyway because of all the crap it's cleaned out.

What sort of distance would you need to put on a car for it to get that bad that you can hear that it needs an oil change?

Is this the original (Isuzu Rodeo) Honda Passport?

Yep.

 

[Lvis]

I don't know if this applies to modern engines, but years ago when a vehicle suffered from a sticking lifter, the first thing a mechanic would do is change the oil.

The fresh oil would sometimes make it go away.

 

[Pepsi90919]

very, very far potentially...

if he starts it up the next morning cold and the noise is there, well then he's probably worn the pistons, valves or lifters.