Re: Medical guy learning how to keep my 2 toys goi

Status
Not open for further replies.
E

Eosyn

Joined
Jul 15, 2011
Messages
605
Location
Michigan
Hiya folks,

I'm new to forums and this is my first post here. Trying to learn how to keep my 2 Toyotas from becoming members of a junkyard.

My family sedan is an '05 Corolla LE. Been taking care of it myself since I got it with 25 miles on it. Been using Valvoline SynPower and Toyota oil filters with 6 months OCI.

just got a used '02 Toyota Celica GT for Father's Day this year and she comes with 119k miles on it. I can see sludge on the piston head when I pour in the new oil. Want to use Valvoline Maxlife full syn because it claims it has chemicals to bond to and remove existing sludge. Is that accurate advertisement?

I will be using Full synthetic in both vehicles with Wix filters and 6 month OCI (on mine and my wife's bdays). I've been using Valvoline synpower and Maxlife but been contemplating trying out M1.

Any suggestions will be most appreciated.

oh, PS. I've heard horror stories about Pennzoil leaving a bunch of sludge in the engine so I stay away from Pennzoil. Is there any merit to the Pennzoil horror stories?
 
Pennzoil is an excellent oil, possible the best easily-available oil out there. That 'engine sludging' rumour is not nly false, but 40-years out of date.

All Pennzoil oils are advertized to clean well - you want to clean an engine up good, you can't go wrong with Pennzoil Platinum or Pennzoil Ultra synthetics.
 
About how many miles do you do in 6 months?

Maxlife and all oils have dispersants to remove existing deposits. When you look in the oil fill, if you see gunk, a short run of convential oil before setting in on 6 month OCI's might not be a bad idea.

No, Pennzoil is a great oil. Quite possible it's had some issues, but has been a solid performer for the last few decades.
 
Originally Posted By: Eosyn
I can see sludge on the piston head when I pour in the new oil.
You cannot see the piston "head",which is the piston top by just pouring in oil.You are looking inside the valve cover/valvetrain area.that oil you use should clean all that out in time.
 
Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like you're doing fine with the Corolla, just keep doing what you're doing.

Some shorter runs with a good cleaning oil COULD clean your Celica, but you might need to use something like MMO or Kreen to get started. I'm sure others will chime in with more advice about that.

Pennzoil is fine oil, use it with confidence.
 
Pennzoil in all aspects is a great product. Likely the highest regarded brand on BITOG. Feel confident in using all flavors of Pen.

I would probably run a shoerter OCI in that Celica. I believe they were prone to sludge. This isnt due to maintance it's just the way the engine is. I'd run PYB for 4k on that one.

The corolla would love pennzoil Platinum or Ultra for atleast 8k
 
Last edited:
Coming from someone who's cleaned out his fair share of sludgy motors, here is my advice.

The Corolla sounds perfect, keep up with the changes as long as the mileage is under 8k in those 6 months.

With the Celica I would say go pick up 2 oil changes worth of Pennzoil Conventional in the Yellow bottle (PYB) except replace 1 quart with Marvel Mystery Oil(MMO). Fill the crank case with the Pennzoil and save 1qt of space for the MMO. Run that for 1000-1500 miles and drain. Refill with the PYB fully this time and run that for 3000 and drain.

Then take over with a Full Synthetic of your choice, Pennzoil Platinum, Mobil 1, and Valvoline Synpower are all great oils and usually have good deals going on at walmart/meijer/auto parts stores.

PS. Run anything but a Orange Can Fram on that Celica Please.
 
The celica will sludge no matter what you put in it. Short interval with dino is the ticket once you feel it's clean. If it's sludged its going to take much longer then 1 OCI. Oil has no cleaning ability in 1000 miles. Run it 2500 allow the oil to do it's purpose then boost it with MMO the last 500 miles.

Use good filters during this time like a Bosch or Pureone

I agree no Fram filters
 
Eosyn, welcome to Bitog.

Now, the important stuff. I have recurring pain in my backside. Can I come over to your house to get a diagnosis? Maybe a massage with MMO wintergreen liniment?

Again, welcome and beware the lunacy of being associated with this fine website.
 
Are you sure what you are seeing on the Celica is not the baffle that is painted/coated black?

Many have called this "sludge" and its not.

This is what your Corolla looks like (I've got a 2005 CE with 210k)
img1238oq2.jpg

Photo of many Toyota baffles with coating;

1MZOilFiller.jpg

NOT sludge.

Let's first get ALL the info before telling the new member what to do. Like how he drives. What type of use. What is the history of vehicles and any known problems.

You are pouring the oil into the oil filler located in the valve cover.

Give us more info and we sure will try to get some factual info thrown at you.

Take care, bill

PS:
welcome2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Smokefan1977

Search- "Toyota celica sludge problem". Then you will see my fact


And MANY are people looking at the baffle... Let's just make sure we know what he is dealing with.

Okay?
 
Originally Posted By: Smokefan1977
The letter toyota sent to 3.3million owners says different. Do you need documentation? a copy of the consumer report? or the news coverage?


And we KNOW that many of those "cases" were people following the 7500 mile OCI doing severe service (and NOT following the manual) or going even further than 7500 miles on an OCI. Add in the older API specs and that caused more problems.

It IS the reason why Toyota went to a flat OCI (shorter) with better API rated SL oils.

We have seen over the YEARS HERE that people once they look PAST the baffle above that looks like sludge that their engine was spotless.

Bill
 
Guys, thanks so much for the input. I've researched into Pennzoil on their webpage and never knew about their claim of cleaning up to 40% of engine sludge.

Scorch, thank you so very much for the acronym explanation. I was wondering what PYB and MMO stood for. LOL.

Dave66Nova, I apologize for my little to no knowledge of engine parts. it is not the piston head as you said.

BillinUtah, thanks for the pics! much easier for me to explain. My corolla oil-fill looks exactly like your first picture, everything is clean, no sign of gunk. The Celica, on the other hand, (using the same pic, first one) the center piece of the oil-fill (that I mistakenly thought was a piston top)has a thin film of black gunk on it. I ran my fingernail across it and it created a clean line across the black. The black gunk was in my fingernail.

Here is my other info, that I didn't know you guys needed.

1. I drive conservatively, tying to get the best gas mileage possible. My wife on the other hand is a lead-foot in the Corolla.

2. No problems at all with either vehicles. Celica runs very strong and shifts very smoothly and on the nose (automatic).

3.I drive about 1k miles/month in the Celica. Wifey-poo drives about 800 miles/month in the Corolla.

Now that you all have me looking at Pennzoil, I thought about using PYB with 3 month OCI for a year and then use the synthetic for the Celica to help clean out the gunk. Can I purchase the mentioned "MMO" at a parts store?

Thanks again for the input and for the patience with my "lack of automotive terminology"
 
Okay with that info I'd suggest the following;

For the Corolla pretty well any 5w30 SM/SN API rated oil for 5k or 6 months (whichever comes first) will do it fine. You don't NEED the syn but if you want to run it go for it.

For the Celica I'd run pretty well any 5w30 with the MMO dosed as they recommend and stick with a short OCI (3 months is fine) and change the filter every time. I'm not sure if the MMO will clash with whatever Pennzoil is using so I'm not too sure if I'd use both.

No problem. Don't worry about a little crud in the engine. It will come out. Also check the PCV system (and I'd just go ahead and replace the valve) in both rigs if it has not been done recently.

Take care, bill

PS: IF you follow normal OCIs the engines will be the same condition of "clean" no matter what type of oil you use. Yes MMO can be bought at parts stores and Walmart.
 
Last edited:
My advice, above all else, would be to listen to Bill_in_utah. There isn't going to be much about oil in a 1.8 Toyota engine he doesn't know.

Welcome, hope you stick around... though this site is addicting.

P.S., Pennzoil isn't some magical serum. It is a good conventional oil. If you're happier running something else, by all means do. There really is little difference between the majors as far as quality/sludge removal is concerned. Many long time people on this site are not very brand loyal (myself included) because of this.
 
I'd atleast address the PCV system. The issues were NOT 100% due to 7500 mile OCI. Take it for what it's worth. Also the fill hole has no determing factor with this situation. Just be advised it was and still is an issue.

How do you post pics? I have pics of one that was apart in my shop a few months back. They are real purdy

And the oil was changed every 3k. He may have used dino and fram filters but it was changed. The engine did not live. Had to be replaced due to plugged pickup screen
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Carlostrece
Oreilly Motor Oil for a 97 Buick Park Ave?
2
Replies
37
Views
2K
dlundblad
M
2AZFE and Valvoline R&P story/results so far
Replies
6
Views
693
svtrit
tired
Help with recommendation for motor oil for Toyota and Nissan daily drivers
2 3
Replies
55
Views
6K
Linctex
C
98 Camry 1MZFE oil change interval
2
Replies
26
Views
7K
THORROMIG
Boomer
My Random Thoughts on Keeping a Car Running for a while
2 3 4
Replies
63
Views
7K
Sweetride
Back
Top Bottom