Semi Retired Camry Motor Oil

[landtoy80]

The 96 Camry is only driver when daughter is home from college, less than 100 miles a week. Rest of year it sits. Have been using 10w30 Kendal oil from Firestone.

How often should I have the oil changed and is Kendal oil good for the driving conditions of the Camry or should I use a different oil? Reason for Kendal and Firestone is its cheap to have them change the oil with coupon.

 

[eljefino]

You're doing fine with that. Changing every other year would be fine. Splurge and do it every year with those coupons, considering what you must be paying for plates.

I'd be worried about the brakes rusting over, getting "lot rot".

 

[landtoy80]

$75 for plates. All the added value or ownership tax tax is gone. Its a 10 plan in CO for ownership tax, after 10 years all you pay is the plate fee. Its around $75.

 

[zrxkawboy]

The Kendall oil is fine. I'd change it once a year.

 

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted By: zrxkawboy
The Kendall oil is fine. I'd change it once a year.


+1

 

[Kuato]

If she's home in summer only, agree with 10w30. But if she's home in winter also I'd consider a 5w30 unless it is garaged.

Yearly or semi-yearly either one should be fine.

 

[KingCake]

Those engines make sludge. Especially with short trips. I wouldn't do yearly in those. And do we really think a firestone filter will hold up to 2 years?

 

[B320i]

Originally Posted By: KingCake
Those engines make sludge. Especially with short trips. I wouldn't do yearly in those. And do we really think a firestone filter will hold up to 2 years?


I agree. Reading on TN forums some folks were using Walmart oil on shorter intervals and had no issues.

I would personally suggest a decent conventional oil that you can get at a decent price. Put a good filter on, however, as with short trips a lot of "stuff" will end up in the oil. Short trips are also a perfect recipe for sludge/varish - so make sure the annual oil change occurs AFTER it gets its short annual runs, so its stored with fresh oil (this is an aviation thing, and old oil can become acidic if in poor condition).

 

[bigt61]

Originally Posted By: KingCake
Those engines make sludge. Especially with short trips. I wouldn't do yearly in those. And do we really think a firestone filter will hold up to 2 years?

I think they sludged up when they were run low on oil and many miles. If kept topped off with a reasonable OCI (5k), most didn't have problems. For the OP, if the car is garaged, I'd change it every 3k or 5 yrs - if not garaged, every 3k or 3 yrs. Keep it topped off, the Kendall is fine.

 

[KingCake]

Originally Posted By: bigt61

I think they sludged up when they were run low on oil and many miles. If kept topped off with a reasonable OCI (5k), most didn't have problems. For the OP, if the car is garaged, I'd change it every 3k or 5 yrs - if not garaged, every 3k or 3 yrs. Keep it topped off, the Kendall is fine.


You think wrong. It's a design issue with the oil returns in the pistons.

 

[NO2]

The Toyota V6 engines were the sludgers. We had no issues back in the day using M1. Hopefully the OP has a 4 cyl.

 

[B320i]

Originally Posted By: NO2
The Toyota V6 engines were the sludgers. We had no issues back in the day using M1. Hopefully the OP has a 4 cyl.


4cyls were also prone. PCV design in combination with very hot heads and cheap conventional dealer oil run for far too long an interval for some usage conditions (short-tripping)