257,000 mi of Valvoline conventional 5k OCI (pics)

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Originally Posted By: 4ever4d
After nearly 40 years of using conventional oil (mostly Valvoline and Quaker State) with no problems i have no reason to use synthetic oils..just saying.
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The point often made is that using synthetics saves you time, less frequent oil changes, less hassle, and performs well. Who changes their oil for entertainment value? (OK, some do here.)
 
Originally Posted By: FetchFar
Originally Posted By: 4ever4d
After nearly 40 years of using conventional oil (mostly Valvoline and Quaker State) with no problems i have no reason to use synthetic oils..just saying.
49.gif


The point often made is that using synthetics saves you time, less frequent oil changes, less hassle, and performs well. Who changes their oil for entertainment value? (OK, some do here.)

I used/use synthetic oil in my car for this reason. My OCI with conventional is 6 months and double it to 12 months with synthetic. Filter is once a year.
 
Originally Posted By: rustypigeon
Just a few other maintenance details for this vehicle...

-I changed the differential and transfer case oils every 50k (Valvoline Durablend 80W90)
-I changed the manual transmission fluid every 50k (Redline MT90)
-I changed the coolant approx. every 60k (Toyota Red & distilled H20)
-I replaced spark plugs approx. every 90k (Denso Iridium)

Other than the routine maintenance items such as tires, brakes, belts and filters... the only parts I had to buy for this vehicle were 1) a power door lock actuator at about 150k, and a single o2 sensor at about 240k. Every other part is the same one that drove off the dealer lot in 2003.


Sounds like a well maintained keeper to me! Now if you can just keep the idiots from hitting you...
 
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Just read the entire thread...what in god's name is wrong with you people....

To the OP, great going, keep doing what you're doing. Varnish doesnt mean a whole lot to me.

If it bothers you at all, do a few shorter oil changes. If it doesn't, keep doing what youre doing and you should get another 100k out of it easy.

I would be interested in seeing your compression numbers going across.
 
A little late in the game here - but referring to the original post :

What a great pic! This gets me excited. I want to say that it's probably more due to the reliability and awesomeness of the Toyota engine than the Valvoline but Valvoline is a great oil and I use it in my toyota too. In fact it is my main oil. Nice work!
 
Originally Posted By: Nayov
Quite a bit of varnish. I would not be happy.


257k on that engine. You can't be serious. That pic is beautiful.
 
Wow reading this whole thread really makes me remember that members here are more concerned about measuring their 'dipstick' sizes and one upping than giving compliments for a job well done.

I'm not one of those guys. So again I say nice pic and congrats.
 
You "varnish" guys crack me up. Ever pull a valve cover in the 1970s / 1980s? Man, you were doing GREAT if your engine was as clean as that 257k mile picture after only 15k miles!! Somehow I've had many a carbureted 1980s engine that ran just fine to 150k miles with minimal consumption, even with a layer of black sludge under the valve cover. Can't imagine that little bit varnish in the OPs picture will hurt a thing.
 
Originally Posted By: novadude
You "varnish" guys crack me up. Ever pull a valve cover in the 1970s / 1980s? Man, you were doing GREAT if your engine was as clean as that 257k mile picture after only 15k miles!! Somehow I've had many a carbureted 1980s engine that ran just fine to 150k miles with minimal consumption, even with a layer of black sludge under the valve cover. Can't imagine that little bit varnish in the OPs picture will hurt a thing.


Not IN the 1980's but I've had a few engines of that vintage apart and the ones run on a quality synthetic (pretty much means Mobil 1 or AMSOIL as there wasn't much else available) were clean. That includes the one from my '87 GT T-Top.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: novadude
You "varnish" guys crack me up. Ever pull a valve cover in the 1970s / 1980s? Man, you were doing GREAT if your engine was as clean as that 257k mile picture after only 15k miles!! Somehow I've had many a carbureted 1980s engine that ran just fine to 150k miles with minimal consumption, even with a layer of black sludge under the valve cover. Can't imagine that little bit varnish in the OPs picture will hurt a thing.


Not IN the 1980's but I've had a few engines of that vintage apart and the ones run on a quality synthetic (pretty much means Mobil 1 or AMSOIL as there wasn't much else available) were clean. That includes the one from my '87 GT T-Top.


Even in the late 70s I was using M1 5-20 at 10K OCIs and my engines stayed very clean.

I am a little surprised that the Mods will continue to let some members resort to name calling in this thread.

This is BITOG where most seek out lubrication excellance for their engines. Many here trive to keep their engines as clean and long lasting with the longest OCI that's practical for their driving style and engine type. The OP has done well with his engine, but some of us has offered advise on ways he might improve on his next engine.
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Originally Posted By: Dallas69
I get the feeling that alot of folks here never get their hands dirty


I like you.

And I agree fully.

You pull valve cover off at over a quarter million miles and it looks like that, I dont care if you've been blending atf, diesel, and goat urine...you keep on doing it.
 
I literally laughed through the few pages where posters expressed concern over the possible state of the piston rings in this engine. No one who regularly works on cars would look under that valve cover and see anything other than an indication of a well maintained engine who's owner has obviously changed the oil at a reasonable interval with a quality product. Based on your results thus far I would say you are not very likely to experience an oil related failure. Continue doing what you have been and that engine wile outlast the vehicle or your desire to own it.
 
Great job, Rusty! Thanks for the posting the pics. My local Wally World hs the 5 qt jugs on special for under $16, so I just put 5W30 Valvoline in the wife's '02 Trailblazer.

I use both Conventionals and Synthetics in the 3 vehicles here (not much of a Brand-Loyal guy, I buy whichever Brand Name is on sale when I need the oil) and I have a stigma against going past 5000 on Conventional (more like 4000, please don't flame me!), I typically go 6000 miles when I use a Synthetic (looks like a waste of money and resources now). Seeing your pics is making me re-think using Synthetics in my Corrola; and I switch back and forth in the wife's Trailblazer. I put Synthetic in her SUV before late Fall. I'm definitely thinking any name brand SN rated Conventional would be more than fine for my applications and OCI.

Rusty, once again, great job and thanks for the pics. This is stuff I like to see.


P.S. on a bit more on the Conventional vs Synthetics topic, I know a comparison between a passenger automobile using a conventional pcmo to a commercial semi-truck using a conventional hdeo is by no means an apples to apples comparison, but I was recently in one of the maintenance shops at one of my company's terminals (I drive big truck for an LTL company), and I climbed up on a steer tire to look into the top of a Detroit DD15's head that was in getting a pm service. The company uses 15W40 Mobil Delvac conventional and changes the oil every 50,000 miles(!)

Every other company I've driven for would change the oil between 20K to 25K, and I've been wondering if a 50K service interval would leave deposits. The Mechanic was checking and adjusting the valve's gaps (part of the PM) and I asked if I could take a look. The overhead cam, -everything I could see for that matter, was absolutely spotless! I asked if he had to scoop anything out first, he looked at me like I was nuts and said: "I've seen deposits over the years, but never since I've been working here."

As I said, I know that's not an apples to apples comparison, but I was totally blown away by how clean the inside of the head was, and the odometer reading was just over 750,000 miles on the motor. The company routinely runs motors past the 1 million mile mark.

My thinking is today's Conventional oils are very darn good!
 
Dak27,
Convential oils are better now than in the past. However synthetic oils are better.
 
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