Anyone have a vehicle long term to back their OCI?

[02SE]

A fellow 4Runner owner. I had a '97 SR5, V6, 5-speed, with the factory leather, moonroof, and rear diff locker for 22+ years. Finally sold it when some random guy offered me too much money to ignore. He knew what it was, and was willing to pay.

At any rate, I replaced it with a TRD ORP, which is accruing miles at about the same rate as the old '97 was towards the end of it's life with us, Give or take 1k per year.

It pretty much always had Mobil 1 in the sump. Back when it was being driven regularly, to eventually rarely. It was always clean under the valve covers. Just an FYI, the 5VZ-FE valve cover gaskets will start to seep eventually. Usually just gently snugging them back down stops any seepage. Torque spec is 4.4 ft lbs.

 

[SHOZ]

Never been the engine that killed them, always the rust.

 

[02SE]

Never been the engine that killed them, always the neglect.

Fixed.

Here's my old '97, the day I sold it after 22+ years. Original owner. It was operated on salt encrusted roads every year. It was rust free. How? I washed the salt off of it, including the undercarriage.

 

[Speedy!]

A fellow 4Runner owner. I had a '97 SR5, V6, 5-speed, with the factory leather, moonroof, and rear diff locker for 22+ years. Finally sold it when some random guy offered me too much money to ignore. He knew what it was, and was willing to pay.

At any rate, I replaced it with a TRD ORP, which is accruing miles at about the same rate as the old '97 was towards the end of it's life with us, Give or take 1k per year.

It pretty much always had Mobil 1 in the sump. Back when it was being driven regularly, to eventually rarely. It was always clean under the valve covers. Just an FYI, the 5VZ-FE valve cover gaskets will start to seep eventually. Usually just gently snugging them back down stops any seepage. Torque spec is 4.4 ft lbs.

Man I bet you regret selling that 4Runner. Rare 5 speed with rear locker and leather! Mine's an SR5 with leather (not sure how that even happened) but being a 2002 it's an auto. I wish it was a manual. I put a Detroit Truetrac in my rear diff many years ago and that works great.

I had a very small valve cover leak on the passenger side, and I did exactly what you did, and just gently tightened the valve cover bolts using an inch pound torque wrench. I think the little rubber grommets under the bolts shrink as they get old and it lets those bolts get lose. That and one oxygen sensor is literally all I've done to mine in 20 years other than fluid changes.

I've had people offer me what I thought was stupid money for it, but so far I've not been inclined to sell it. I guess they're sort of becoming classics at this point. Mine's always been garaged and has zero rust as well.

 

[02SE]

Nah. I enjoyed it from new for 22+ years. The new owner paid waay too much money. I even told him that. But like you said he knew what it was, and wanted it enough to convince me to sell. The sale of it covered the majority of the cost of the new 5th gen TRD ORP. I do like the 5th gen better. Despite it being an automatic.

The TRD ORP

 

[Speedy!]

I haven't been wild about the new models, they've lost that something that made the 3rd gens special. I keep hoping they'll build a bad to the bone 4Runner with a V8, but until then me and the mighty 3rd gen will ride on. I've considered an LS swap, but seems the 4WD system is in the way and I'm not up for hacking up the truck, especially considering the appreciation they seem to be having.

 

[Lyman]

Great looking 4Runner Speedy

 

[bithebay87]

2007 fusion SE 2.3dohc-vvt 300,500, bought with 20k.
All dealer bulk mobil 5w-20, 5k ocis.
Five repairs, two of were recalls, so three tru repairs in 300k..

 

[bullwinkle]

View attachment 70346

96 Crown Victoria- 366,741 miles before being retired do to extremely rusty conditions.

Oil changed every 5-6000 miles with 5w20-5w30 synthetic with motorcraft fl-820 oil filters.

And people tell me my (rust-free) ’03 MGM is toast at 135K! I always tell them, get back to me after you’ve gone through 2 newer vehicles… BTW, 7500 miles with Magnatec 5W20 & generally an OG Ultra for 2-3 OCIs, although it has an FL-820S on it right now. The ‘05 xB is also doing 7500 mile OCIs, 3 per OG Ultra, with M1 EP or AP 5W30. Bought new, engine UNTOUCHED at 113K.

 

[RazorsEdge]

And people tell me my (rust-free) ’03 MGM is toast at 135K! I always tell them, get back to me after you’ve gone through 2 newer vehicles… BTW, 7500 miles with Magnatec 5W20 & generally an OG Ultra for 2-3 OCIs, although it has an FL-820S on it right now. The ‘05 xB is also doing 7500 mile OCIs, 3 per OG Ultra, with M1 EP or AP 5W30. Bought new, engine UNTOUCHED at 113K.

Yeah I just laugh at people who think these high mileage vehicles are so close to certain death
I did it all with cheap synthetics (Kendall,Trop Artic,Mobil 5000) and FL 380S filters. The only thing I replaced was the replacement for the factory plastic intake manifold. Otherwise,it was all original from engine to rear- end .

 

[SHOZ]

Fixed.

Here's my old '97, the day I sold it after 22+ years. Original owner. It was operated on salt encrusted roads every year. It was rust free. How? I washed the salt off of it, including the undercarriage.

Bet you don't daily that 30 miles one way on Illinois salty highways in the winter.

 

[duck__dodgers]

2004 Honda Accord, 2.4 4-cyl. original owner, still in service at 189,000 miles. about to be replaced soon by a Toyota,
.

OCI 6 to 8k miles---whenever i could get around to it. 5w20, usually conventional. A few years ago the local Honda dealer switched to semi-synthetic for their 5w20.

2009 Honda CRV, 2.4 4-cyl, original owner with 289,000 miles, then sold in 2020 to my mechanic who still drives it now as a daily driver.

OCI = when the oil life display hit ~30%, never at or below 20%. 5w20, whatever was cheapest usually always conventional.

both cases, got more than the MSRP's worth from the cars. Both cases, the engine (and transmissions) was fine....the maintenance needs were replacing suspension and exhaust parts (bad potholes, salty winters).

Both cases, got the cars before I started reading BobOilGuy threads in-depth. Though I think I remember knowing that BOb theOil Guy existed around 2005.

 

[02SE]

Bet you don't daily that 30 miles one way on Illinois salty highways in the winter.

I daily drove it for years on salt encrusted roads every winter. The last 10 years or so it only was driven on salty roads in winter, or the occasional 4wd trail trip. Sorry, but rust is simply about neglect. Except for the Toyotas that had the defectively made Dana Corp frames.

The 4Runner has always been made in Japan, and didn't have those defective Dana Corp frames.

Edit

Not to mention lots of time spent on the Bonneville SALT Flats, every year.

 

[Bird's_Garage]

I had a Ford Transit Connect as a company car at my old job. It was the small van with the old Focus 2.0 4 cylinder. I did a lot of driving and was told there was only 1 place approved to go to get an oil change. That place was an hour away and I was required to "find time to get it done." This meant my OCI varied from 5k miles to sometimes 12k miles. It always got the "house brand" bulk conventional 5w-30, as they never had the 5w-20 in stock. I started driving the van with 20k miles and it was still going at 190k when I quit the job. It went through 2 transmissions, but the engine always ran. I think I remember it burning a quart every 5k once it hit 150k.

 

[HankHill]

2002 Ford Taurus with 293k on the clock. PO who is my close friend sold me the car at around 150k (ish). He was very negligent on oil changes, and oil used. Jiffy Lube, etc..
I purchased it for $500, and ran it to 293k without a single powertrain issue. I changed the oil with a mix of oils, always with a Motorcraft filter. When I sold it, the engine still never burned a drop of oil, and ran strong. 3.0l Vulcan motor.

I recently purchased another 2002, its completely rust free. I think it was a flood car, but it drives great!!

 

[SHOZ]

I daily drove it for years on salt encrusted roads every winter. The last 10 years or so it only was driven on salty roads in winter, or the occasional 4wd trail trip. Sorry, but rust is simply about neglect. Except for the Toyotas that had the defectively made Dana Corp frames.

The 4Runner has always been made in Japan, and didn't have those defective Dana Corp frames.

Edit

Not to mention lots of time spent on the Bonneville SALT Flats, every year.

My rust is all from failed seal sealers. What ever they used dried up and failed. I've pulled some out and replaced with window caulk. I guess if I washed the car every time I drove it in the winter........

 

[FastLane]

My Silverado I bought new. I just took it to Saskatchewan over the weekend. 1800 km trip. Runs like a top. Uses no oil in between oil changes.

Always synthetic oil with 5000-6000km OCI since new.

Oil is cheap. Engines are not.

 

[thastinger]

I've visited here for years (old SN Speedy1975), loads of great info. People seem to agonize over OCI, oil types, etc, and I'm curious if anyone has a vehicle they've actually owned for say more than 10 years that would back up their OCI and oil choices?

When I went to a once a year oil change many years ago lots of folks told me I'd ruin the motor in the car. I knew from analysis there'd be no problemo. Here it is 20 years later and still doing great. I don't drive 30K miles a year but the oil has done great for up to 12K - 15K miles the car will normally see in that time.

Vehicle is a 2002 Toyota 4Runner with a supercharger installed and water/meth injection basically doubling the OEM horse power. About 150,000 miles on the clock.

98F150 5.4 2V, 04 Escape 3.0, 2014 Armada 5.6, 2013 GT500 5.8
All owned since new...3 of 4 with the dreaded MC820S oil filter (not sure how I haven't grenaded one of those Ford motors yet with that terrible filter on them)
Via blackstone UOA, I was able to get the Armada up to 10K OCIs via the use of M1 Euro 0-40, which was the only oil I could get to go that distance in that 5.6 motor (supposedly known for its oil shearing capabilities), with a M1 110 filter.

 

[ChrisMU]

2003 Corolla (my wife’s). She bought it new, and I’ve been maintaining it since 2008 (40K). It now has 199k on it… I’ve done 5k OCIs with some flavor of Mobil 1… usually 5w30. Filters have been a variable: AutoXtra (cheap Wix), Wix, high-end Purolator, Mobil 1, STP, K&N, etc… i now upsize to a V6 Camry filter or Ford Ranger (3600/51616 size). My Kawasaki-powered John Deere walk-behind mower takes the same filter as a stock Corolla. First transmission fluid change at 60k, then every 30k thereafter with OEM Toyota fluid. I also use OEM coolant, flushed every 60k. It’s all probably overkill… but as many have said, “oil is cheap.”

 

[Speedy!]

Good input everyone. On my 4Runner I have always sprayed it down, especially the under carriage, and run it through a touchless car wash if I ever drove it on salty roads. Luckily that's only a few times a year where I'm located so it's like brand new top to bottom. I honestly want to have it painted that new Sunburst Orange color from Toyota but the paint is still in such good shape I can't bring myself to spend the dough.