How fast can varnish happen? Past 6 or 7 months it didn't seem to be running as it should. Changed the pcv and things got a bit better. The varnish on the rockers isn't thick I took a small steel brush and lightly brushed it. Came right off.
105k civic r18 valvetrain pics
- Thread starter Firehawk409
- Start date
- Status
Not real impressive given the supposedly awesomeness of the AMSOIL SS oil. I suspect boring old Mobil 1 off the shelf at Walmart would have produced at least the same results, if not better. Are you sure that your PCV system is working correctly? Compression is good?
Ive said a few times I just changed it recently. So stock pcv at 100k. My gto doesn't have one that can be replaced and I never thought about it with the civic. Again.. As I said. The only thing varnished is the rocker arms and the coating on the valve cover. Everything else is nice and shiney. Even my 9yo son walked up and commented on how shiny the chain was. Looking at it all.. Something must have happened.
I'm not an amsoil fan boy. I don't think it's the end all be all of oils. I just decided that's the oil I wanted to use. From past oil samples posted on here and others comments... This doesnt seem to be the norm.
I hesitated to post this because I know how it goes with Amsoil the ones that love it and the ones that hate it. I just hope to be able to sort through that and get good info... Which so far I have.
I'm not an amsoil fan boy. I don't think it's the end all be all of oils. I just decided that's the oil I wanted to use. From past oil samples posted on here and others comments... This doesnt seem to be the norm.
I hesitated to post this because I know how it goes with Amsoil the ones that love it and the ones that hate it. I just hope to be able to sort through that and get good info... Which so far I have.
As I said past 6 or 7 months it has been down on power. Idle a bit rough. Now that valves are adjusted its running great.
Right.. I should have said that. I was just so concentrated on the rockers. The surrounding edges wiped right up after spraying parts cleaner.
Not trying to be an arse but this is how your engine should look with those miles.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...8-f-150-4-6l-with-250k-miles#Post5140557
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...8-f-150-4-6l-with-250k-miles#Post5140557
Right.. I get it. It's why I posted the pic. Though it just my head that's varnished. None of the moving parts are.
Originally Posted by robertcope
Not real impressive given the supposedly awesomeness of the AMSOIL SS oil. I suspect boring old Mobil 1 off the shelf at Walmart would have produced at least the same results, if not better. Are you sure that your PCV system is working correctly? Compression is good?
Except the Mobil 1 engine would've been clean with almost no varnish.
Not real impressive given the supposedly awesomeness of the AMSOIL SS oil. I suspect boring old Mobil 1 off the shelf at Walmart would have produced at least the same results, if not better. Are you sure that your PCV system is working correctly? Compression is good?
Except the Mobil 1 engine would've been clean with almost no varnish.
Originally Posted by Newman88
Not trying to be an arse but this is how your engine should look with those miles.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...8-f-150-4-6l-with-250k-miles#Post5140557
Yeah, that engine looks great for having half a million miles on it and the last 125k was on "lowly" SuperTech!
Too many variables and above my pay grade for me to say with any certainty what caused all that varnish in the OPs engine. It is what it is at this point. Beyond using up your Amsoil stash, I'd just switch over to a good cleaning oil like a Pennzoil and a flush if you feel it's warranted to clean out some of the smaller engine orifices, valve guides/seals, oil pump pick up screen etc that might have gotten sludge/gummed up by that junk. Ironically, I hear Amsoil makes one of the "safer" flushes but in time I think a good detergent oil will dissolve most of, if not all that varnish.
Not trying to be an arse but this is how your engine should look with those miles.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...8-f-150-4-6l-with-250k-miles#Post5140557
Yeah, that engine looks great for having half a million miles on it and the last 125k was on "lowly" SuperTech!
Too many variables and above my pay grade for me to say with any certainty what caused all that varnish in the OPs engine. It is what it is at this point. Beyond using up your Amsoil stash, I'd just switch over to a good cleaning oil like a Pennzoil and a flush if you feel it's warranted to clean out some of the smaller engine orifices, valve guides/seals, oil pump pick up screen etc that might have gotten sludge/gummed up by that junk. Ironically, I hear Amsoil makes one of the "safer" flushes but in time I think a good detergent oil will dissolve most of, if not all that varnish.
Yes exactly. They don't tend to look like this. So it was a complete surprise to me. The car itself has 170k on it. The engine was replaced at 65k. So the pcv could have 105k or 170k. Idk if they replace all that when doing an engine swap.
So some of this could be my fault? Maybe...
So some of this could be my fault? Maybe...
Originally Posted by Firehawk409
I do not think this is normal. I gave amsoil a try in this civic and my gto. I'm not super happy with how the civic looks under the valve cover. Indeed this is a replacement engine and as I have said... I never felt it ran as good as the first one. So who knows. Being I have amsoil stock left I'm going to go ahead and use it. I plan on shortening the interval.
I don't have a need to but when the weather cools off I think ill pull the valve covers off the gto.
Now for our brand new 2018 CRV it uses 0w20 and i dont think I'll be using a amsoil.
Was the replacement engine new or used?
EDIT: Never mind. Found the answer in a previous post.
I do not think this is normal. I gave amsoil a try in this civic and my gto. I'm not super happy with how the civic looks under the valve cover. Indeed this is a replacement engine and as I have said... I never felt it ran as good as the first one. So who knows. Being I have amsoil stock left I'm going to go ahead and use it. I plan on shortening the interval.
I don't have a need to but when the weather cools off I think ill pull the valve covers off the gto.
Now for our brand new 2018 CRV it uses 0w20 and i dont think I'll be using a amsoil.
Was the replacement engine new or used?
EDIT: Never mind. Found the answer in a previous post.
Last edited:
2006 honda civics had an issue that was called "weeping block". Coolant would seep out the block due to a bad casting. Honda replaced it under warranty. According to the dealer they replaced it with a new long block.
Our 1st engine would avg 29mpg in city. This one would get 26. Hwy was 38 vs 35 on this one. I did the valve adjustment yesterday and it drives better then it ever did.
Our 1st engine would avg 29mpg in city. This one would get 26. Hwy was 38 vs 35 on this one. I did the valve adjustment yesterday and it drives better then it ever did.
ok, makes sense, incorrect total mileage on the motor is being ruled out.
well, I'm running same oil in my 1.5T civic you were but I'm staying at 7-8K intervals (yes, what a waste of money/oil many would say). got one more fill left and then M1 5w30EP
Back to the topic, top end condition is important but what more important is the bottom end, oil pump, cylinder walls, piston skirts etc. IMO
well, I'm running same oil in my 1.5T civic you were but I'm staying at 7-8K intervals (yes, what a waste of money/oil many would say). got one more fill left and then M1 5w30EP
Back to the topic, top end condition is important but what more important is the bottom end, oil pump, cylinder walls, piston skirts etc. IMO
Originally Posted by Firehawk409
Wife drove it for the majority of ownership. 20miles round trip for work....few longer trips here and there to visit family. She drives very slow and not aggressive at all. Ihave been driving it the past 6months. Lots of city driving... Uber eat delivery. Running errands and what not. I drive it a bit more aggressively.
Amsoil recommendeds no more then 15k interval for the civic. I change the oil and filter once a year and thats about 10 to 12k. The pcv I just changed at few months ago. I have to admit that I forgot all about it.
Valves are now adjusted and cleaned out egr.
Try taking it to the highway when you have a chance, get the oil up to temperature and give that engine some revs.
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by gathermewool
No one should care about the varnish. It means NOTHING. Stop listening to any poster who tells you to do this or that to fix the varnish.
I've never heard that and this 👇 article by a gentleman who has extensive experience with lubricants and serves as a U.S. delegate to the ISO tribology and oil analysis working groups, seems to disagree with your assertion that varnish is "nothing" to worry about.
https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/268/oil-sludge-varnish
My understanding is that varnish and sludge are the product of oil degradation, so in just my lay observation seems the OP's running that Amsoil too long. I don't use high end oils at all and when I did my valve covers i didn't have nearly that much varnish. I had some but not that much. But hey, every car and every driver and their habits are different so maybe that's considered a somewhat "normal" amount of varnish for a Honda engine with that many miles. Dunno... just seems odd to me to see that amount of varnish given how expensive and supposedly how high quality Amsoil is but that's purely a subjective observation on my part and I could be way off.
This
Wife drove it for the majority of ownership. 20miles round trip for work....few longer trips here and there to visit family. She drives very slow and not aggressive at all. Ihave been driving it the past 6months. Lots of city driving... Uber eat delivery. Running errands and what not. I drive it a bit more aggressively.
Amsoil recommendeds no more then 15k interval for the civic. I change the oil and filter once a year and thats about 10 to 12k. The pcv I just changed at few months ago. I have to admit that I forgot all about it.
Valves are now adjusted and cleaned out egr.
Try taking it to the highway when you have a chance, get the oil up to temperature and give that engine some revs.
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by gathermewool
No one should care about the varnish. It means NOTHING. Stop listening to any poster who tells you to do this or that to fix the varnish.
I've never heard that and this 👇 article by a gentleman who has extensive experience with lubricants and serves as a U.S. delegate to the ISO tribology and oil analysis working groups, seems to disagree with your assertion that varnish is "nothing" to worry about.
https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/268/oil-sludge-varnish
My understanding is that varnish and sludge are the product of oil degradation, so in just my lay observation seems the OP's running that Amsoil too long. I don't use high end oils at all and when I did my valve covers i didn't have nearly that much varnish. I had some but not that much. But hey, every car and every driver and their habits are different so maybe that's considered a somewhat "normal" amount of varnish for a Honda engine with that many miles. Dunno... just seems odd to me to see that amount of varnish given how expensive and supposedly how high quality Amsoil is but that's purely a subjective observation on my part and I could be way off.
This
I thought varnish was made from heat and/or too long on the OCI. I wonder if the thermostat is ok. Beyond that, sounds like the oil just wasn't up to snuff.
Edit: that level doesn't worry me, but I do think it's a good process indicator
Edit: that level doesn't worry me, but I do think it's a good process indicator
Last edited:
Originally Posted by supton
I thought varnish was made from heat and/or too long on the OCI. I wonder if the thermostat is ok. Beyond that, sounds like the oil just wasn't up to snuff.
Edit: that level doesn't worry me, but I do think it's a good process indicator
Check out the link I posted, it's a good read on sludge and varnish and what causes it blah blah blah...
Essentially there are known factors that determine how and where varnish lays down but both sludge and varnish are the results of oil degradation. I suppose you can say your "heat and too long oci" contribute/cause of the degradation process, yes??
I thought varnish was made from heat and/or too long on the OCI. I wonder if the thermostat is ok. Beyond that, sounds like the oil just wasn't up to snuff.
Edit: that level doesn't worry me, but I do think it's a good process indicator
Check out the link I posted, it's a good read on sludge and varnish and what causes it blah blah blah...
Essentially there are known factors that determine how and where varnish lays down but both sludge and varnish are the results of oil degradation. I suppose you can say your "heat and too long oci" contribute/cause of the degradation process, yes??
Last edited:
- Status
Similar threads
