'07 Toyota 4Runner 1GRFE, Valvoline Syn HM 10W30, HPL Engine Cleaner

[crainholio]

Lab results from my experiment with High Performance Lubricants Engine Cleaner 30W, ran it for 568 miles of this short 1,732 mile OCI before the oil became extremely black (as expected given the engine's poor maintenance history w/ the original owner for 162K miles). This despite > 80K miles of various synthetic HM oils, a few runs of Valvoline MaxLife syn blend, Shell Rotella T6, and diligent OCIs.

Iron may be artificially low as I have a FilterMag and 6x neodymium disc magnets on the oil filter and it showed metal paste on the can when opened as shown. HPL recommends 2K miles with their Engine Cleaner, I dumped the oil early out of concern for timing chain wear due to dissolved sludge abrasives...this may or may not have been necessary (no lab measurement of microscopic carbon abrasives known to cause wear at the pins & bushings?).

The most surprising change was the oil filter contents...no solid bits of sludge in the can as I've consistently seen in the past. The EC appeared to have worked as advertised, dissolving the crud and keeping it suspended in solution. I flush the pan every other oil change and consistently get solid sludge particles (lay a paper towel across the oil drain surface as a filter, see pic 3 for the pan flush results prior to this oil fill)...will do again after the current OCI is done.

It's unclear why the Flash Point was lowered, given the HPL stuff is not a "solvent" as Blackstone assumed. No indicators that the fuel injectors are leaking, LTFTs are in the +0.78% to +2.34% range and balanced within +/- 0.78% bank to bank.

Note that the 184,621 sample was the oil change after replacing the timing chains, sprockets, etc. with new Toyota parts, accounting for the high wear metals.

 

[demarpaint]

Interesting, thanks for sharing. I have the 30 grade engine cleaner in for a little over 2K miles in our 08 Liberty. Currently visual inspection of the oil on the dipstick indicates nothing out of the ordinary, in terms of the oil being darker, etc. That may or may not indicate anything. I read it as a positive, the engine is clean and well maintained. This is in no way a bash on the product. Next vehicle in line for it is my 88 E-150. I expect the outcome will be similar to yours based on the quality of oil used back in the day. I expect it to do some cleaning even though that engine was well maintained too.

 

[wlk]

Lab results from my experiment with High Performance Lubricants Engine Cleaner 30W, ran it for 568 miles of this short 1,732 mile OCI before the oil became extremely black (as expected given the engine's poor maintenance history w/ the original owner for 162K miles). This despite > 80K miles of various synthetic HM oils, a few runs of Valvoline MaxLife syn blend, Shell Rotella T6, and diligent OCIs.

Iron may be artificially low as I have a FilterMag and 6x neodymium disc magnets on the oil filter and it showed metal paste on the can when opened as shown. HPL recommends 2K miles with their Engine Cleaner, I dumped the oil early out of concern for timing chain wear due to dissolved sludge abrasives...this may or may not have been necessary (no lab measurement of microscopic carbon abrasives known to cause wear at the pins & bushings?).

The most surprising change was the oil filter contents...no solid bits of sludge in the can as I've consistently seen in the past. The EC appeared to have worked as advertised, dissolving the crud and keeping it suspended in solution. I flush the pan every other oil change and consistently get solid sludge particles (lay a paper towel across the oil drain surface as a filter, see pic 3 for the pan flush results prior to this oil fill)...will do again after the current OCI is done.

It's unclear why the Flash Point was lowered, given the HPL stuff is not a "solvent" as Blackstone assumed. No indicators that the fuel injectors are leaking, LTFTs are in the +0.78% to +2.34% range and balanced within +/- 0.78% bank to bank.

Note that the 184,621 sample was the oil change after replacing the timing chains, sprockets, etc. with new Toyota parts, accounting for the high wear metals.

View attachment 117457
View attachment 117459

View attachment 117460

What did you use to flush the pan? Thanks for the report. I have the EC30 in 3 vehicles, 2 are close to the end of a 5k mile oci. Need to cut the filters, have 3 sitting there to see what may have accumulated.

 

[Chris142]

With that much junk floating around I would put the larger ph8a/51515 oil filter on it to catch more before it goes into bypass.

 

[crainholio]

What did you use to flush the pan? Thanks for the report. I have the EC30 in 3 vehicles, 2 are close to the end of a 5k mile oci. Need to cut the filters, have 3 sitting there to see what may have accumulated.

I park the vehicle with the passenger side front & rear wheels on ramps, to tilt it putting the drain plug low and the dipstick high. After draining the oil, I place a paper towel over the drain pan surface and use a big automotive syringe as shown to push a half quart or so of either clean leftover oil or filtered used oil.

This brings out sludge particles not removed during draining as shown in image 2 below from 2020. I'll be doing this next oil change, and very interested in seeing what comes out after the short previous EC run.

1.) Pan flushing

2.) Pan flush results example from 2020, clean leftover 5W20 oil used

 

[crainholio]

With that much junk floating around I would put the larger ph8a/51515 oil filter on it to catch more before it goes into bypass

I understand, but that sludge wasn’t floating around. It was sitting on the pan floor, with some being sucked thru the oil pump pickup screen and getting pushed into the filter. I’ve cut open every prior filter and while there was some sludge in the pleats, it was nowhere close to enough to clog and force the bypass valve open.

With that said, I have a Fram Titanium 3600 on it currently.

 

[ZZman]

I park the vehicle with the passenger side front & rear wheels on ramps, to tilt it putting the drain plug low and the dipstick high. After draining the oil, I place a paper towel over the drain pan surface and use a big automotive syringe as shown to push a half quart or so of either clean leftover oil or filtered used oil.

This brings out sludge particles not removed during draining as shown in image 2 below from 2020. I'll be doing this next oil change, and very interested in seeing what comes out after the short previous EC run.

1.) Pan flushing
View attachment 118204

2.) Pan flush results example from 2020, clean leftover 5W20 oil used
View attachment 118205

Why not use some kerosene to flush it out?

 

[crainholio]

Why not use some kerosene to flush it out?

The leftover oil is fractional quart bottles that are not going to be used otherwise, e.g. 5W-20 and too thin for my mower, log splitter, etc. I've used diesel to flush the pan, followed by leftover oil to wash out the diesel...didn't seem to do any better or worse. I don't usually have any kerosene on hand.

Since the two HPL EC runs, last oil change nothing flushed out of the pan. Absolutely zero sludge particles on the paper towel. I'll flush again next oil change and if nothing again, I'm done flushing.

 

[AzFireGuy79]

The leftover oil is fractional quart bottles that are not going to be used otherwise, e.g. 5W-20 and too thin for my mower, log splitter, etc. I've used diesel to flush the pan, followed by leftover oil to wash out the diesel...didn't seem to do any better or worse. I don't usually have any kerosene on hand.

Since the two HPL EC runs, last oil change nothing flushed out of the pan. Absolutely zero sludge particles on the paper towel. I'll flush again next oil change and if nothing again, I'm done flushing.

Which oil do you plan to use once the flush is complete? Considering this for my high mile 4.7 V8 2uzfe. Thanks!

 

[ARB1977]

Lab results from my experiment with High Performance Lubricants Engine Cleaner 30W, ran it for 568 miles of this short 1,732 mile OCI before the oil became extremely black (as expected given the engine's poor maintenance history w/ the original owner for 162K miles). This despite > 80K miles of various synthetic HM oils, a few runs of Valvoline MaxLife syn blend, Shell Rotella T6, and diligent OCIs.

Iron may be artificially low as I have a FilterMag and 6x neodymium disc magnets on the oil filter and it showed metal paste on the can when opened as shown. HPL recommends 2K miles with their Engine Cleaner, I dumped the oil early out of concern for timing chain wear due to dissolved sludge abrasives...this may or may not have been necessary (no lab measurement of microscopic carbon abrasives known to cause wear at the pins & bushings?).

The most surprising change was the oil filter contents...no solid bits of sludge in the can as I've consistently seen in the past. The EC appeared to have worked as advertised, dissolving the crud and keeping it suspended in solution. I flush the pan every other oil change and consistently get solid sludge particles (lay a paper towel across the oil drain surface as a filter, see pic 3 for the pan flush results prior to this oil fill)...will do again after the current OCI is done.

It's unclear why the Flash Point was lowered, given the HPL stuff is not a "solvent" as Blackstone assumed. No indicators that the fuel injectors are leaking, LTFTs are in the +0.78% to +2.34% range and balanced within +/- 0.78% bank to bank.

Note that the 184,621 sample was the oil change after replacing the timing chains, sprockets, etc. with new Toyota parts, accounting for the high wear metals.

View attachment 117457
View attachment 117459

View attachment 117460

Crazy. I’ve thought about using HPL EC just to see if there’s anything in the piston rings even though my front end looks like this. I have no issues. 127K currently.

 

[We're Metals]

I park the vehicle with the passenger side front & rear wheels on ramps, to tilt it putting the drain plug low and the dipstick high. After draining the oil, I place a paper towel over the drain pan surface and use a big automotive syringe as shown to push a half quart or so of either clean leftover oil or filtered used oil.

This brings out sludge particles not removed during draining as shown in image 2 below from 2020. I'll be doing this next oil change, and very interested in seeing what comes out after the short previous EC run.

1.) Pan flushing
View attachment 118204

2.) Pan flush results example from 2020, clean leftover 5W20 oil used
View attachment 118205

After you're done with all this, flush your powersteering

Thanks for posting your results.

 

[crainholio]

After you're done with all this, flush your powersteering

Thanks for posting your results.

Flushed 3x since I bought it at 164k miles, current fill is LubeGard Complete Synth and it's nice & quiet.

 

[crainholio]

Which oil do you plan to use once the flush is complete? Considering this for my high mile 4.7 V8 2uzfe. Thanks!

My current go-to for the past few fills has been Valvoline Extended Protection 5W-30, keeps the valvetrain quiet like Shell Rotella Gas Truck used to. I have Valvoline EPHM waiting to go in next.

 

[crainholio]

Crazy. I’ve thought about using HPL EC just to see if there’s anything in the piston rings even though my front end looks like this. I have no issues. 127K currently.

This engine was neglected by the original owner, oil change records showed OCIs at 20k miles and up for the first 96k miles he had it. He got some religion after that, when P0016 hit and the dealer quoted a new engine pack due to sludge, but he dumped the truck on Craigslist when it wouldn't pass inspection due to the CEL.

If yours has been maintained properly you shouldn't have the kind of sludge I pumped out.

 

[Artem]

@crainholio — why on earth would you willingly purchase a vehicle with such a history?!?!

Did your inner BobistheOilGuy whisper in your ear that this would be an interesting engine to experiment with?

 

[ARB1977]

This engine was neglected by the original owner, oil change records showed OCIs at 20k miles and up for the first 96k miles he had it. He got some religion after that, when P0016 hit and the dealer quoted a new engine pack due to sludge, but he dumped the truck on Craigslist when it wouldn't pass inspection due to the CEL.

If yours has been maintained properly you shouldn't have the kind of sludge I pumped out.

Here’s my 4.0L with 128K. The front end is spotless. 6000-7000 mile oci with M1 and Amsoil. I’m mostly on Amsoil now.

 

[crainholio]

@crainholio — why on earth would you willingly purchase a vehicle with such a history?!?!

Did your inner BobistheOilGuy whisper in your ear that this would be an interesting engine to experiment with?

Oldest daughter was approaching driving age, so I bought a fixer-upper to use as a teaching project. She now knows how to use a service manual, tools, and her brain. The original plan was a junkyard engine swap but it only needed timing chains/tensioners/guides/sprockets.