98 Camry 1MZFE oil change interval

[celicaxx]

I've gone about 5000 on most of my cars, with semi-syn/conventional oil most of the time. As shown in my recent Ford Five Hundred valve cover pic thread, https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...over-pics-186k-miles-conventional-oil.368547/ it hasn't really gone too bad.

However, I have a new to me 98 Camry with the 1MZFE V6 and 160K on it, and it's a very very nice car, not much rust, very clean body, paint, and interior, and it runs well. The story of the car is somewhat sad, I bought it from a lady I only knew a little (neighbor of a friend) who was on her deathbed at the time, and she died about two weeks after I got the car registered. It's all been really well maintained and perhaps just calling the mechanic she used is a better strategy than prognosticating on the internet.

So I was reading about sludge on this motor, and am wondering if people here think I should be fine on a 5K interval with today's API SP "conventional" syn blend oil or not. The oils I have a lot of on hand are NAPA blue bottle conventional, and some Valvoline Maxlife, both in 5w30. It doesn't seem to leak or use oil now, however, when I first got it for a few days it smelled like burning oil just a little bit, now that I've had it and it's been driving for a few weeks, the smell is about 99% gone. I've never seen any drops under the car yet, though.

The car was sitting without being driven since about 2020 when she got too sick, and the last oil change was done in 2020 as well, according to the sticker. The oil was essentially new in the crankcase, with only a few hundred miles on it and super clean looking. So I've put about a thousand miles on that oil now. Should I just keep running this oil, likely whatever shop bulk oil, until 3000 or 5000 miles, or should I get it out? It seems to have done well as a stop leak, so I'm hesitant to dump it, and the car seems to run fine and everything. I understand the risk is trapped moisture, but I figure over a thousand miles that's burnt off, so...

Also, what's more worrying, my neighbor who is a Camry fanatic looked it over, and my transmission fluid is fairly dark, and he suggested changing it soon. Should I drop the pan and change the filter, or just do a drain and fill with Valvoline Maxlife?

What do you guys think? Should I drain the old oil out early, or just leave it in? And of course, the main question, 3K or 5K OCIs with "conventional" oil in this car. Right now I have 2-3 oil changes left with NAPA/Valvoline, but it might get Supertech unless the NAPA Valvoline goes on sale again.

 

[Furious]

1MZ-FE is a known sludge monster, stick to a full synthetic oil and under 5,000 mile oil change intervals.

And change the PCV Valve.

Personally I have Valvoline Full Synthetic High Mileage in my 1MZ-FE right now and it is the quietest oil so far out of all I tried.

As for your transmission, it doesn't actually have a filter it is more of a mesh screen but I do recommend you change it at least once, go with Dexron VI, My A541E transmission is running great on O'reilly's Dexron VI.

 

[MSCH]

those late 90's Camry's dont seem like they ever quit, judging by how many of them are still on the road.
change the oil every 5k, you should be good to go.

I might be the only person who had one of those late 90's Camry's crap out.. threw a rod.
sold car to somebody I know with an engine for one of those.
He tells me the coating Toyota paints on the inside of the oil pan came loose and got in the oil pump pickup.

I liked the car...

 

[Furious]

those late 90's Camry's dont seem like they ever quit, judging by how many of them are still on the road.
change the oil every 5k, you should be good to go.

I might be the only person who had one of those late 90's Camry's crap out.. threw a rod.
sold car to somebody I know with an engine for one of those.
He tells me the coating Toyota paints on the inside of the oil pan came loose and got in the oil pump pickup.

I liked the car...

Supposedly the 2.2 had issues with the rod bolts not being tightened but it didn't cause issues on people driving the cars like a grandma.

 

[supton]

Supposedly the 2.2 had issues with the rod bolts not being tightened but it didn't cause issues on people driving the cars like a grandma.

I must have a good one, I've driven mine like a rented mule at times. Still like the car.

To the OP, I'd probably just do 5k, today's oils are better than yesterday's. If you want, do a short OCI and cut open the filter, and gauge how much crud is in there, or just drop the filter and cut that open (since the oil isn't due for a change).

Now the transmission oil... I'm a believer in doing a flush, or full exchange if you'd prefer. Now the worst of the oil is in the bottom of the pan, and doesn't drain, yet it's oh so much fun to drop the pan, and for what? it's very like a strainer, if it caught anything then you don't want to know about it... drain, fill, then pull a cooler line and drain a quart while dumping one in. Go until clean comes out. Redo in 10-20k (chances are it will darken up as stuff gets picked up), although that may well be overkill.

 

[Furious]

I must have a good one, I've driven mine like a rented mule at times. Still like the car.

To the OP, I'd probably just do 5k, today's oils are better than yesterday's. If you want, do a short OCI and cut open the filter, and gauge how much crud is in there, or just drop the filter and cut that open (since the oil isn't due for a change).

Now the transmission oil... I'm a believer in doing a flush, or full exchange if you'd prefer. Now the worst of the oil is in the bottom of the pan, and doesn't drain, yet it's oh so much fun to drop the pan, and for what? it's very like a strainer, if it caught anything then you don't want to know about it... drain, fill, then pull a cooler line and drain a quart while dumping one in. Go until clean comes out. Redo in 10-20k (chances are it will darken up as stuff gets picked up), although that may well be overkill.

I can't personally confirm it is the case, car care nut on youtube claims it to be the case. I have seen some low mileage 2.2's blown up but many more with 200,000+ running fine.

 

[bbhero]

those late 90's Camry's dont seem like they ever quit, judging by how many of them are still on the road.
change the oil every 5k, you should be good to go.

I might be the only person who had one of those late 90's Camry's crap out.. threw a rod.
sold car to somebody I know with an engine for one of those.
He tells me the coating Toyota paints on the inside of the oil pan came loose and got in the oil pump pickup.

I liked the car...

You are Exactly Right ^^^^^

There are still many, many late 90s early 2000s Toyota Camrys on the road.

My wife Camry included. 234,000 plus miles and still runs great.

There is a rather big money home right where I live that has a Camry from that era… Mint condition too.

Darn I’d like to buy that car because I bet an older person has it and I bet it is low mileage too.

 

[Oro_O]

I have one of these now with 330k miles on it** and it runs great. Here’s how I have maintained it:

- Mobil 1 10w30 HM every 7,500 miles. it does not require make-up oil in that interval, only loses/uses about 16ozs. There are rebates 2x a year on this oil so using it is not a cost factor.
- Fram ultra filter every 21,000 miles (to reduce the annoying filter removal because of the problematic location under the exhaust header)
- Toyota T-IV drain/fill every 30k, with Lubeguard red additive. PS system the same.

If you don’t live in a zone really requiring it, 10w-30 will reduce the sludging potential in the engine by having less additives more prone to sludging. CT is not cold enough to dictate 5w (I used to live in northern VT as well as MA so am familiar).

Adding some Lubegard blue/biotech to the oil will also be good insurance against sludging. I do that but have only done so about the last 100k miles, not the whole life of the engine.

There are other ways to maintain it, but this has worked extremely well for me and provided less labor. I would use T-IV in the transmission and not the thinner replacement fluids like WS/MaxLife. That transmission was spec’d for either Dexron III or T-IV (check). I get less accurate shifting with the thinner fluid, but I believe the 5 speeds are more sensitive to this than the 4s. Trans service on these is very simple. I’d pull the cooler hose, pump out and fill 3qts three times in a row. Establish a solid baseline. Then do a pan spill/fill every 30k.

They usually need VCGs every 150k, so check that. Run a finger under the rear bank near the front (pass side). Note the advice given on PCV valve and put in a new one now and then clean it regularly and change on a schedule, like every trans service or something. That my be crazy conservative, but it’s critical and it’s cheap.

** it is the 2002, which has the same engine but revised valve cover to reduce sludge, BUT runs even hotter back there than the 98. Same basic transmission but 5 vs 4 speed- same series transmission, the Aisin U 100 series.

ETA: oh, and as to the Q about the current fill: After I verified the PCV valve, I’d run it to maybe 3k or so and then switch to a quality synthetic. Modern oils are very oxidatively stable and the old “12 month” rule is really antiquated.

 

[bbhero]

I can't personally confirm it is the case, car care nut on youtube claims it to be the case. I have seen some low mileage 2.2's blown up but many more with 200,000+ running fine.

A WHOLE, WHOLE bunch of them still on the road well past 200,000 miles.

 

[bbhero]

1MZ-FE is a known sludge monster, stick to a full synthetic oil and under 5,000 mile oil change intervals.

And change the PCV Valve.

Personally I have Valvoline Full Synthetic High Mileage in my 1MZ-FE right now and it is the quietest oil so far out of all I tried.

As for your transmission, it doesn't actually have a filter it is more of a mesh screen but I do recommend you change it at least once, go with Dexron VI, My A541E transmission is running great on O'reilly's Dexron VI.

This ^^^^^^^

Is a very good answer in my opinion.

And yeah Valvoline full synthetic oil has run extremely quiet in my wife’s 98 2.2L Camry too.

 

[nickaluch]

It's a beater at this point run the oil in it keep checking the level. Any 5w30 will work just keep the oil changes reasonable. My mom had one reasonable oil changes Dino worked fine on it don't extend oil change

 

[We're Metals]

(Not my video, no affiliation)

 

[Furious]

I have one of these now with 330k miles on it** and it runs great. Here’s how I have maintained it:

- Mobil 1 10w30 HM every 7,500 miles. it does not require make-up oil in that interval, only loses/uses about 16ozs. There are rebates 2x a year on this oil so using it is not a cost factor.
- Fram ultra filter every 21,000 miles (to reduce the annoying filter removal because of the problematic location under the exhaust header)
- Toyota T-IV drain/fill every 30k, with Lubeguard red additive. PS system the same.

If you don’t live in a zone really requiring it, 10w-30 will reduce the sludging potential in the engine by having less additives more prone to sludging. CT is not cold enough to dictate 5w (I used to live in northern VT as well as MA so am familiar).

Adding some Lubegard blue/biotech to the oil will also be good insurance against sludging. I do that but have only done so about the last 100k miles, not the whole life of the engine.

There are other ways to maintain it, but this has worked extremely well for me and provided less labor. I would use T-IV in the transmission and not the thinner replacement fluids like WS/MaxLife. That transmission was spec’d for either Dexron III or T-IV (check). I get less accurate shifting with the thinner fluid, but I believe the 5 speeds are more sensitive to this than the 4s. Trans service on these is very simple. I’d pull the cooler hose, pump out and fill 3qts three times in a row. Establish a solid baseline. Then do a pan spill/fill every 30k.

They usually need VCGs every 150k, so check that. Run a finger under the rear bank near the front (pass side). Note the advice given on PCV valve and put in a new one now and then clean it regularly and change on a schedule, like every trans service or something. That my be crazy conservative, but it’s critical and it’s cheap.

** it is the 2002, which has the same engine but revised valve cover to reduce sludge, BUT runs even hotter back there than the 98. Same basic transmission but 5 vs 4 speed- same series transmission, the Aisin U 100 series.

A541E calls for Dexron III, it is listed on the dipstick.

 

[bbhero]

That’s what used in the 98 Camry… Dexron III from Warren Oil. And then Dexron III from Castrol has well. I’ve done 5 drain and refills on the car since we got it from my wife’s grandmother.

 

[Oro_O]

A541E calls for Dexron III, it is listed on the dipstick.

Yep, that’s correct. They put the newer PWM U141 in the ES300 but left the old A series in the Camry at that time. So it’s DIII. That is why I suggested he check; toyota swapped around several different transmisions and fluids in that powertrain in the years around 2000.

 

[supton]

I can't personally confirm it is the case, car care nut on youtube claims it to be the case. I have seen some low mileage 2.2's blown up but many more with 200,000+ running fine.

Not too surprising. Been long enough, all the bad ones likely have quit, I could see that.

 

[Furious]

Yep, that’s correct. They put the newer PWM U141 in the ES300 but left the old A series in the Camry at that time. So it’s DIII. That is why I suggested he check; toyota swapped around several different transmisions and fluids in that powertrain in the years around 2000.

My bad, I didn't see where you mentioned that at first.

 

[Gebo]

I purchase my Dex III from Toyota. They still have their own. It's called Toyota Automatic Transmission &
Power Steering Fluid.

 

[celicaxx]

So I actually called the shop up today that used to service her vehicle. They told me they always used conventional and she always did 3000 mile OCIs.

One thing I do notice about this engine that is interesting is the oil currently on the dipstick, even 1300ish miles later is very light. It looks like oil I just put in 300-400 miles later on most other cars. So I'm guessing there's very little sludge in the engine based on this. I don't want to pull the valve cover because they've actually been recently done and aren't leaking, I can see the RTV from whoever did them last.

I've been doing 5K conventional oil changes for years on most of my cars, should I keep this thing going at 3K like it was, or go to 5K? Oils used will probably be NAPA Syn-Blend, and Valvoline Maxlife, maybe Supertech again, but I figure go buy NAPA if it's on sale rather than support Wal-mart. NAPA Syn-Blend on sale is the same price as ST ($16 per 5qts) on sale.

 

[bbhero]

Napa oil made by Valvoline is a very good choice. I found that Valvoline Maxlife and Valvoline Maxlife full synthetic ran very quiet in my lady’s 98 Camry. Warren Distribution oil made for Federated Auto parts ran the same. Though the Camry burned that oil noticeably more than other oils.

You can run it to 5k. I have done the same with my lady’s Camry.