06 Corolla Sludge :: MMO Experiment

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: hominid7
Come to think of it, doesn't walmart use Fram's on the cars they service?

99% of the time its Supertechs around here. Then AC Delco if they don't have the ST and then Fram.

Bill

 

[c3po]

Originally Posted By: mikered30
Will you pull the valve cover?


This may be a great thing to do, since there could be the possibility that the oil return holes in the cylinder heads might be slightly clogged.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: Catera

Okay...

You have the BOX of the old Fram filter?

Did you put another one on?

One of those "cheap fram filters"?

Interesting...

 

[addyguy]

BTW Catera, you're screwed. There's enough sludge in that engine that its toast pretty darn soon. MMO might just accelerate that process. If that engine lets go, GUESS WHO'S ON THE HOOK FOR IT???

Even if you're not on the hook for the engine, this chick will blame you for her engine going belly-up, your girlfriend will side with her, and you can kiss BOTH of them good-bye.

NO good deed goes unpunsihed in the world we live in today - NONE.

 

[OLAFF]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: hominid7

I would think it's doubtful that the dealer used a Fram. I would think it's at least possible that a Jiffy Lube franchise may have bought a Fram if they ran out of their regular stock, rather than turning a customer away. Perhaps the hand written date was some kind of inventory/signature to verify when it was purchased, etc...


Most of the Toyotas use the same filter. The other Toyota filter works on a Corolla. Their computer system orders filters when they start to get low depending on the part number.

I SERIOUSLY doubt that Fram came from Jiffy Lube. (and I've seen them state "sorry we don't have the part so no service" on weird / not seen often vehicles when they don't have the part)

And I've never seen $8 a hour managers at Jiffy Lube. They make a lot more than that. So do most of their workers (who are well out of high school)

Catera, Did you use to work there and get fired? It's obvious you have "issues" with Jiffy Lube?

Bill


Nope Bill, I never worked there, never had a grudge against them either. When we fist moved to the US, I used to take our car to JiffyLube since they had a very good reputation. But soon after the oil changes were just too expensive and I started doing them at home.

I was just making assumptions only because I live close to a jiffy lube and every time I drive pas there the service people who look no older then 18, are sitting at the front door smoking cigarettes, and there are hardly ever any cars there. The young staff just makes me wonder about their qualifications... not saying that they don't have any, maybe they do.

My father works at a small repair shop and they use PartsMaster stuff, oil and filters.
He told me has see customers come back from long trips and having done oil changes at JiffyLube based on the window sticker, he often sees the black parts master filter on the engine which means they didn't bother with it. He also asked if I saw some yellow stuff on the plug which I did, not sure what it was for, maybe its like locktite...

 

[OLAFF]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: Catera

Okay...

You have the BOX of the old Fram filter?

Did you put another one on?

One of those "cheap fram filters"?

Interesting...



She asked me to do a cheap oil change since she doesn't have money for 50$ JiffyLube service... so I got M1 5000, and a Fram filter... thats all they had at walmart... cost 15$...

I would have put M1 Synthetic and a nice filter but she wanted it done cheap... just like the brakes so... for 40$ I did brake pads, and oil change, with some MMO. Labor is free, a friend in need is a friend in need, I couldn't say no.

 

[OLAFF]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
BTW Catera, you're screwed. There's enough sludge in that engine that its toast pretty darn soon. MMO might just accelerate that process. If that engine lets go, GUESS WHO'S ON THE HOOK FOR IT???

Even if you're not on the hook for the engine, this chick will blame you for her engine going belly-up, your girlfriend will side with her, and you can kiss BOTH of them good-bye.

NO good deed goes unpunsihed in the world we live in today - NONE.


You do bring an interesting point... maybe I should have said I did the oil change and just wiped the filter clean... she wont know the difference...

If anything I hope I can help the engine go past 100K.

Valve cover lift is possible, I will have to talk her into it, and see if I will need any special gaskets to reseal it.

 

[saberz]

Catera, btw love your car(looks sharp).

The oil looks like chocolate milk, filter looks like it actually held together(strange i know). Lots of sediment on the filter from the images.

Certain dealers and oil lube locations will use different filters. When they run out or low on a specific make/model series filter they may call up an auto parts location and have the items delivered and expensed till a replacement shipment comes.

This doesn't hold true for all dealers and quick lubes but only reason a fram would be on there. A dealer wouldn't use a Fram, they would use their filter.

My Nissan came with a Honda filter(bought from Honda dealer used). Toyota with Toyota/Denso filter, Nissan with Nissan/Denso filter etc. Short supply or someone did her oil for her 2 years ago.

I myself have only every brought one of my cars to a quick lube place, but it was a place with a very good reputation. Service manager would be over seeing all their guys, guy would bring the oil and filter to the car and present it to me as I am watching. Guy would speak out what he was doing and manager would log it(was almost military style).

Synpower 5w20 x amount. Oil filter etc. Pit team below would be like "filter and drain bolt removed. And you can see them the whole while. $70 later I left and never went back. Service was good, but to pay for all that, they charge the customer insane money.

Continuing on, Jiffy-lube bolted the drain bolt back in to my cousins Eclipse crooked and tried to blame it on whomever did the oil change before(my mechanic buddy). He is systematic and careful and double even will tripple check his work before letting a car out of his garage. Yet to this day she still brings it to jiffy lube(now an Endeavor).

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: Catera


She asked me to do a cheap oil change since she doesn't have money for 50$ JiffyLube service... so I got M1 5000, and a Fram filter... thats all they had at walmart... cost 15$...

I would have put M1 Synthetic and a nice filter but she wanted it done cheap... just like the brakes so... for 40$ I did brake pads, and oil change, with some MMO. Labor is free, a friend in need is a friend in need, I couldn't say no.


So I guess we will retract the "cheap fram filter" comment you made. (The Supertech was cheaper and would have been my choice. Why? Its cheaper)

And guess what? I'd would have done exactly what you did!

And the Mobil 5000 (notice no #1 after Mobil) is a excellent product as is the Fram filter. She will have no problems making 100k with the engine.

But she is not telling you the truth IMO.

Too many things not coming together in the story.

I'm NOT trying to bust your chops. But this board HAS to STOP with the non factual bashing of places, products and such (or the koolaid praising) because it damages our rep in providing ACCURATE data for people coming here for info.

MILLIONS of engines get their oil changed at Jiffy Lube and while they are not my choice (I'm old school, do it YOURSELF and if something happens, look in the mirror for who is at fault.) Jiffy Lube does provide a service that does get the oil changed and allow the motor to be maintained.

In her engine, Mobil 1 would have not done a single thing better than the Mobil 5000.

Make sure you get the oil changed sooner than later this time for her (or have her get it done)

I'd still like to see the receipts...

 

[addyguy]

Originally Posted By: Catera
Oh, another odd observation, the oil was not only thick, and very black but it also had a very awful smell to it... cant even describe it.

Next time I see her I will discuss the oil change situation with her... its only going to be around 15$ to do it again... so maybe like you guys say I will do another at 500mi, and another at 1000mi. Not sure if I should use any more MMO though!?


I'd keep using a quart of MMO at every change for at least the next 3-4 changes. In fact, it won't hurt if you use it at every change from now on, and it might just clean the engine slowly enough to bring it back to good shape.

 

[saberz]

I blame the actual location. Not all places are good or bad. Bad that specific Jiffy Lube made a boo boo and tried to pass it off. I had no qualms with my Quick Lube place except for the price, and that's even explainable(pay for staff, personnel etc).


In a pinch they can be ok to use, but with the price of oil changes your wallet gets the worst of it. If I ever have to go back to one it would be for the $19.99 Conventional oilchange.

 

[Nick R]

I would dump all but a quart of MMO into it, like PP the last quart. Start it up and let it idle for like 5-10 minutes, and then drain.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: GROUCHO MARX
Man, give us a warning that this material may not be suitable for all viewers at the top of the post!


You guy`s are crazy!!

 

[Durango]

If it were mine I'd have the engine flushed well and replaced with a decent oil and checked once per month.

Durango

 

[OLAFF]

If I had the money and time to do this I would just put some dye in the oil and have her go for the oil change at their set interval.

Then I would take a look at the car myself to see if they did what they should have in first place.

In this case it could be an isolated incident, maybe that particular place has bad habit of doing silly things.
She is not one to know much about cars at all. Dealer serviced her car while under warranty, then JiffyLube after that, seems convenient for her, its fast clean etc.

As far as receipts, I doubt she keeps any of them, she is not the most organised person in the world. I will see if they will let her get a print out of the oil changes from them.

 

[ronrackley]

I don't know if it is just the quality of the photograph, but the oil being poured out of the cut-off filter case with its lighter chocolate milkshake-looking color has the look of the nasty emulsion you get with antifreeze in the oil - such as when there is an intake manifold gasket leak in some engines. Then again, the oil in the other pictures looks like regular very dirty oil from what I can tell.

I'd add looking into whether it has been using antifreeze to checking the PCV system.

 

[OLAFF]

Originally Posted By: ronrackley
I don't know if it is just the quality of the photograph, but the oil being poured out of the cut-off filter case with its lighter chocolate milkshake-looking color has the look of the nasty emulsion you get with antifreeze in the oil - such as when there is an intake manifold gasket leak in some engines. Then again, the oil in the other pictures looks like regular very dirty oil from what I can tell.

I'd add looking into whether it has been using antifreeze to checking the PCV system.


Its pitch black, but the flash makes it look like milk chocolate...

Without flash its too dark for the camera to pick anything up.

Sorry, I will try outdoor pics next time.

 

[saberz]

Anyone for a milkshake? Chocolate Chunk goodness!

 

[getnpsi]

I don't see how a oil change place runs out of anything that fits a Toyota. That thread works on many dodges and fords too. (all three signature vehicles run the same filter, score for me)I don't know what jiffy's policy is on using the next size up filter if it physically fits however. What's done is done however, lets hope she doesn't have to get another engine because of this...but its not your money you can sit back and go uh-huh if she does have to.

You should pull all the accessible vacuum hoses and blast them out, replace the pcv and pull the valve cover. Actually in reverse order but you know what i mean.

 

[sangyup81]

even if they ran out of that filter, there are a ton of the oversizes