2001 toyota avalon 3.0v6 what oil to clean with ?

[crazyoildude]

my sister just got a 2001 toyota avalon with 143,000 miles the 3.0 v6 looks very dirty inside the oil cap. it seems to run well but my friend says it is an engine known for sludge. what oil can i use to clean this sludge out and what filter. he said i should not flush it. the old owners had the oil changed twice a year at the dealer.

should i use synthetic or regular oil?

 

[tig1]

My grandson is using M1 5-30 in his 2002 Camry V6 at 10K OCIs, and his oil never gets black on the dip stick. We feel that his engine is staying clean. 155K on the odie.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: tig1
My grandson is using M1 5-30 in his 2002 Camry V6 at 10K OCIs, and his oil never gets black on the dip stick. We feel that his engine is staying clean. 155K on the odie.


I believe the sludge motors were 1997-2001 on Toyota's. Your grandsons 2002 is not affected.

 

[MONKEYMAN]

I take care of 2001 Lexus RX300 with that motor. Looking inside the oil cap is deceiving since there is a baffle that gave appearance of sludge. Not sure if it is same with the Avalon.

It started life with Pennzoil 5w-30 from dealership. I switched it to Pennzoil Platinum, and now Pennzoil Ultra 5w-30. I use an extended Mobil 1 filter since it usually comes with the oil deal. Of the oils, Ultra is working out the best.

I too have concerns about sludge. Motor is now at 50,000 miles. It has a July build date. They fixed the sludge issue in August for the Lexus. You may want to see if Avalon had the engine updates already.

I did change PCV with OEM one as soon as I took over maintenance of the 3.0. Oil change intervals are not going past 5,000 miles or about 1 year.

 

[901Memphis]

He said 2001 Avalon so it would be affected.

I would use Pennzoil Platinum or Ultra at 5k intervals with a synthetic media filter if you assume it's dirty. PU is great for cleaning and with the low NOACK you shouldn't be contributing to any new sludge.

 

[Rolla07]

PU for 5k mile intervals and see how it does

 

[BillyTheKid]

I've had luck with valvoline maxlife.

 

[bigt61]

Originally Posted By: BillyTheKid
I've had luck with valvoline maxlife.


+1 Probably less likely to leak also after the sludge starts to clear. Maxlife blend - red bottle - stick w 5000 mile OCI.

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
what oil can i use to clean this sludge out and what filter.


I'm using Mobil 1 High Mileage 5w-30 with a Motorcraft FL-400S on that same engine.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3180047

Make sure to change the PCV Valve! It's easily accessible, cheap to buy, and of the utmost importance!

 

[hypervish]

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
my sister just got a 2001 toyota avalon with 143,000 miles the 3.0 v6 looks very dirty inside the oil cap. it seems to run well but my friend says it is an engine known for sludge. what oil can i use to clean this sludge out and what filter. he said i should not flush it. the old owners had the oil changed twice a year at the dealer.

should i use synthetic or regular oil?


Don't you own an engine shop? Shouldn't you be aware of the baffle?

These engines have a baffle, you can not look into the valve train via the oil fill hole.

If you want to check to see how clean the engine is, do it the right way. Pull the front valve cover. It's a 10 minute job.

 

[kschachn]

Just like a couple of the other posters here have mentioned, if that baffle is there then you can't see the valvetrain. Worse, the baffle has a gritty black coating that makes you think it is a deposit. You have to pull that whole cover and then you can see what you have or don't have in that engine. And to your second question, if it is a 1MZ-FE then IMHO you should use nothing but a top quality synthetic oil changed out on a relatively short (7,000 mile) OCI.

 

[bigjl]

Obviously we get less petrol engines in the fuel economy obsessed UK

But we have had the hybrid Lexus SUV both as regular UK models and many older ones imported from Japan used (I think they can be as old as '99)

Going by a comment above the same engine as the OP's is in the Lexus, [censored] model is actually badged as a Toyota for Japan.

But they have no reputation for sludging

Is this perhaps due to the UK owners more likely to use synthetic oil?

I think it is a possibility, so perhaps use of synthetic oil is a good idea for this engine, especially if some years are prone to sludging

I am still surprised that so many US cars are bothered sludging

Hasn't been an issue in the UK really and when it was full synth oil and a reduced OCI was the cure, such as with turbo charged Saabs.

 

[ecotourist]

As mentioned, you will have to pull the valve cover. (Assuming it's similar to my Solara) there's a gritty looking baffle that's blocking your view and is quite deceiving.

I had a 2000 Solara SE V6 5MT. I used only Mobil-1 synthetic, changed every 6 months.

Ecotourist

 

[KitaCam]

Baffle seen through the fill hole and from under the valve cover.

 

[rw19]

Pennzoil ultra! I know I am a newbie. But I am a old user with a new name

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Pull the valve cover off. It probably needs new valve cover gaskets by now anyways if they haven't been replaced yet.

 

[Falcon_LS]

Originally Posted By: bigjl
Obviously we get less petrol engines in the fuel economy obsessed UK

But we have had the hybrid Lexus SUV both as regular UK models and many older ones imported from Japan used (I think they can be as old as '99)

Going by a comment above the same engine as the OP's is in the Lexus, [censored] model is actually badged as a Toyota for Japan.

But they have no reputation for sludging

Is this perhaps due to the UK owners more likely to use synthetic oil?

I think it is a possibility, so perhaps use of synthetic oil is a good idea for this engine, especially if some years are prone to sludging

I am still surprised that so many US cars are bothered sludging

Hasn't been an issue in the UK really and when it was full synth oil and a reduced OCI was the cure, such as with turbo charged Saabs.


Lubricants sold in the UK adhere to stricter ACEA standards, which are tougher than the API/ILSAC default standards in the US. I would suspect that, along with Euro IV/V fuels, has a lot to do with it.

 

[Bebop367]

Consider changing the PCV.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: tig1
My grandson is using M1 5-30 in his 2002 Camry V6 at 10K OCIs, and his oil never gets black on the dip stick. We feel that his engine is staying clean. 155K on the odie.


I believe the sludge motors were 1997-2001 on Toyota's. Your grandsons 2002 is not affected.


Others here have said the 2002 V6 was a sludger.