Background Info: The 97 Camry V-6 is one of those infamous sludge monsters which are notoriously hard on oil.
Today, as I was leaving school, I saw a 97 Camry V-6 parked in the school auto shop service bay, getting an oil change.
As the guy was adding new oil, I noticed how thick the sludge was in the oil filler hole. It was a 1/4 of an inch thick and the funnel could barely stay in the oil filler hole.
I asked the guy when was the last oil change done (he didn't know as it was his mom's car) but I checked the window sticker, which showed that the last oil change was done at Brake Master's (Pennzoil 10w-30 dino and Pennzoil Filter, OKAY the Pennzoil filter he pulled off the car confirmed this) was done 12,000 miles ago, as the car had 121,000 miles, and the last service was done at 109,000.
The Oil Filter seemed quite light (didn't collapse though) and I could see bits of sludge on the inside. I guess the filter went into bypass mode and was no longer filtering.
I put a new sticker on the windshield (OKAY I reused it as the writing was so faded out; I put the new "next service due" 3000 mile from now
)
to remind the owner to NEVER let it go that long again!
Just wanted to pass this along.
Mike
Today, as I was leaving school, I saw a 97 Camry V-6 parked in the school auto shop service bay, getting an oil change.
As the guy was adding new oil, I noticed how thick the sludge was in the oil filler hole. It was a 1/4 of an inch thick and the funnel could barely stay in the oil filler hole.
I asked the guy when was the last oil change done (he didn't know as it was his mom's car) but I checked the window sticker, which showed that the last oil change was done at Brake Master's (Pennzoil 10w-30 dino and Pennzoil Filter, OKAY the Pennzoil filter he pulled off the car confirmed this) was done 12,000 miles ago, as the car had 121,000 miles, and the last service was done at 109,000.
The Oil Filter seemed quite light (didn't collapse though) and I could see bits of sludge on the inside. I guess the filter went into bypass mode and was no longer filtering.
I put a new sticker on the windshield (OKAY I reused it as the writing was so faded out; I put the new "next service due" 3000 mile from now
to remind the owner to NEVER let it go that long again!
Just wanted to pass this along.
Mike
