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Oil Change - READ ONLY

46 messages,  Last post on Jul 10, 2003 at 2:03 PM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Camry, Engine, Oil, Sedan

Messages Page 5 of 5

#37 of 46 Re:TIME vs MILEAGE by dustyk

Jun 14, 2003 (5:49 pm)

Motor oils suffer from a number of depletion factors. Shearing is normally a product of excessive RPM operation, long use in high temperature conditions, or improper oil selection for cold weather operation.
 
With low mileage over time, or vehicles operated for very short durations, the biggest problem is moisture build up and subsequent water dilution. This, coupled with engines that never reach full operating temperature for very long, leads to premature sludge build up as well.
 
Modern engine oils, especially multiviscosity oils, actually stay stable longer under high temperature operation than they do when they start to pick up moisture. Modern multi-vis oils have improved so much in the last thirty years, that I would rather put 10,000 miles on the oil in one month, than 2000 miles on in three months.
 
Regards,
Dusty

#38 of 46 Is it possible to add oil of different viscosity grade? by acelink

Jul 03, 2003 (8:44 pm)

Had a DIY oil change using 5W-30. I am short about 1/2 quart. I am wondering if I can simply add 5W-40 that I have on hand. Is this possible?

#39 of 46 oh, yah, sure by swschrad

Jul 04, 2003 (2:46 pm)

worst case you are going to end up with 5w-31.33684... if there is enough mileage on the 5w-30, so the additive package may be partially worn out, you could be 5w-29.88886478. close enough.
 
and then you can lay in 5w-30 for future top-offs, and all will be happy.

#40 of 46 Oil change interval by austinman7

Jul 08, 2003 (7:17 pm)

I bought my '03 Camry XLE V6 in December. This is the engine that was the subject of the very long thread about oil sludge that ran last summer at this site. I'm guessing all of that is still archived here at Edmunds somewhere.
 
At any rate, I've received lots of conflicting information from my dealership and from Toyota on the subject of oil change intervals. My salesperson recommended 3,500, at the same time she was handing me a flyer produced by the dealership that said, "Performing oil change services every 3,000 miles will eliminate a condition known as 'oil gelling' or 'oil sludge.' These conditions cause severe engine damage and are not covered under the manufacturer's warranty."
 
The information from Toyota that came with the car recommends 5,000 or 7,500 mile intervals, depending on how you use the car. This flyer also has a dire warning about "oil sludge build-up."
 
Then, I received a flyer in the mail sometime in February from the service department suggesting that I come in at 5,000 miles for my first service.
 
My point in posting all this is to show that Toyota obviously is very concerned about the possibility of oil gel with this particular engine, and also very contradictary in its advice to me on how to handle the situation. In all my 40-plus years of owning automobiles, I've never had a manufacturer give me any kind of warnings at all about this potential problem, or be so equivicating about their advice.
 
So, with all this conflicting advice, my own decision has been to change the oil every 3,000 miles. Maybe I'm wasting time and money, or maybe it's "beter safe than sorry." I really don't know. It's a confusing situation to me. But, if you do have this engine, I would suggest a cautious approach, at the very least.
 
Other than that, I'm enjoying the heck out of the car. Smooth, quiet, comfortable, a pleasure to own and drive.

#41 of 46 Toyota Sludge by gluan

Jul 08, 2003 (9:40 pm)

This sludge business is like being HIV positive and may or never having AIDS.
 
Anyway, I would go further using a synthetic oil in case that I cannot bring the car in on time by 3500 miles oil change.
 
I also have 3.0 L V6 engine in my car. No problem so far (knock on wood...).

#42 of 46 yeah, if I had that one, I'd probably go synthetic as well by swschrad

Jul 08, 2003 (11:04 pm)

for resistance to temperature effects and because it doesn't have any paraffins to separate out and become sludge.
 
doesn't matter as much on most cars.

#43 of 46 Using a synthetic oil by canoe2

Jul 09, 2003 (6:42 am)

Would it be safe to use synthetic oil after 6000 miles or 9000Km for engine breaking properly?
I noticed the V6 engine is extremely hot even after few hours it has been shut off.

#44 of 46 Thanks, gluan.... by austinman7

Jul 09, 2003 (6:02 pm)

...for the idea on synthetic oil. I'll see what my service rep has to say at the next oil change.

#45 of 46 synthetic oil for WRX auto by duff8

Jul 10, 2003 (8:45 am)

Should I use a synthetic oil in my 04 auto WRX? Would it be helpful? If so, do I keep it on it's regular schedule?

#46 of 46 synthetic oil by rob35cts

Jul 10, 2003 (2:03 pm)

The new cadillac cts requires you to use synthetic, Like mobile 1 from day 1!. all synthetic oils are not the same. Some do not meet the same standards. The owners manual states that it must meet standard gm4781m. I asked cadillac about the previous motor that did not require synthetic, if it would be ok and they said it would. The said as long as it meets min requirements the warranty would not be voided. So I have been using mobile 1 from day 1! In fact all corvettes cadillacs porshes bmw's and many more come from the factory with mobile 1 in them.

Messages Page 5 of 5

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