German Castrol in V-6 Camry -- I'm Concerned.
- Thread starter ekpolk
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Yes, it's always good to check ones' work. He's also perceiving performance and audible changes, so IMHO try a filter change just to rule out all other variables, then don't hesitate to drain the GC.
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions.
Change 1: today, I yanked the Mobil-1 filter, and replaced it with a standard sized K&N, and topped off with enough additional GC to bring the level back to where it was before. I've driven it about 20 miles since the change. The change seems to have taken the edge off the raspiness I noted above 4000 rpm. Now I'm sliding into the subjective, but I don't think it's as smooth as it was with the previous oil, but it's better. Maybe the Toyota V-6, German Castrol, M-1 filter combo just isn't meant to be. More precisely, perhaps the relatively thick 30 wt oil just wasn't flowing well enough through the somewhat restrictive M-1 filter.
I'll watch the mileage over the next couple of weeks and see how it goes.
Change 1: today, I yanked the Mobil-1 filter, and replaced it with a standard sized K&N, and topped off with enough additional GC to bring the level back to where it was before. I've driven it about 20 miles since the change. The change seems to have taken the edge off the raspiness I noted above 4000 rpm. Now I'm sliding into the subjective, but I don't think it's as smooth as it was with the previous oil, but it's better. Maybe the Toyota V-6, German Castrol, M-1 filter combo just isn't meant to be. More precisely, perhaps the relatively thick 30 wt oil just wasn't flowing well enough through the somewhat restrictive M-1 filter.
I'll watch the mileage over the next couple of weeks and see how it goes.
I posted a UOA on this oil back in July. After about 750 miles or so, the oil-engine combo seemed to settle down. Starts which had seemed rough smoothed out. Mileage turned out, on average, to be about the same as the oils I'd tried earlier (M1 (0w- 5w- and 10w), RP).
Here's the UOA: 5k Mile UOA for V-6 Camry on GC
As you can see, the GC performed beautifully in the 1MZ-FE V-6. Also, given what I now know about Blackstone's TBN testing methods, I think I was unduly harsh in my comments about TBN retention in the initial post at the link.
Why all the head scratching? Spark plugs this/tires that, etc....all the guy did was change oil.
IMO it is the GC....for this particular application. Isn't GC close to a 40 weight? My sons Ford Focus 2.0L DOHC Zetec hated the stuff. Noticable drop in mpg and seat of the pants performance/butt dyno. Rev'd slower.
Now my 97 Aerostar AWD 4.0L OHV loves the stuff. I have nearly 100,000 miles using it (224,000 miles on van)MPG did not drop compared to previous use of Synergyn,Torco or Mobil 1. Hot or cold weather, she just QUIETLY purrs along.
Change the oil and be done with it!
[ December 26, 2004, 03:42 PM: Message edited by: tenderloin ]
IMO it is the GC....for this particular application. Isn't GC close to a 40 weight? My sons Ford Focus 2.0L DOHC Zetec hated the stuff. Noticable drop in mpg and seat of the pants performance/butt dyno. Rev'd slower.
Now my 97 Aerostar AWD 4.0L OHV loves the stuff. I have nearly 100,000 miles using it (224,000 miles on van)MPG did not drop compared to previous use of Synergyn,Torco or Mobil 1. Hot or cold weather, she just QUIETLY purrs along.
Change the oil and be done with it!
[ December 26, 2004, 03:42 PM: Message edited by: tenderloin ]
Always start with the smallest things and work your way up!
Double check everything under the car to ensure you didn't knock some wire lose or something of that nature.
I have a very hard time believing engine oil would make an engine run rough....especially new oil.
Double check everything under the car to ensure you didn't knock some wire lose or something of that nature.
I have a very hard time believing engine oil would make an engine run rough....especially new oil.
You guys should read the entire thread. It wasn't the GC afterall.
GC/SLX was developed with mpg targets in mind. They are part of MB 229.3. SLX shows something like 2.75% increase in mpg over standardized 15w-40, according to Audi tests. Does the Starburst mean AMSoil tested against a control oil like 15w-40? There would be the answer. FTR- I take any short-term mpg calculations with a grain of salt, unless there is an onboard computer. With fresh GC, my mpg gets stupidly high, 33-35 on smooth roads. V6, wagon, auto, AWD.
I languish at 29 with my current Rotella Syn/DCO blend.
I think it actually did, but it cleared quickly. Terry explained what may have happened to cause this. On the other hand, we can't say for sure what this was. I think if I had kept the Camry long-term, it would have done very well for a very long time on the GC. Great stuff.
No, I got so scared I traded the car and got a G35 insteadquote:
Originally posted by Blue99:
These engine noise topics/mysteries always intrigue me.
ekpolk - Did you switch back to Amsoil ASL 5W-30 or are you sticking with GC?
Don't know about Camrys, but after changing to SLX from Mobil 1 0W40, my 95 Taurus 3.0L jumped 3 mpg, is incredibly smooth and the oil pressure light goes out almost instantaneously (as fast as I can ever remember). The Audi has always had it in so I cannot do any comparisons with it.
Same here. On my 4Runner from inside the truck all you can hear is the exhaust and that's only when one of the windows is open. If you stand by a front fender when it's running all you can hear are the injectors.quote:
Originally posted by Blue99:
These engine noise topics/mysteries always intrigue me.
ekpolk - Did you switch back to Amsoil ASL 5W-30 or are you sticking with GC?
The 2 Pathfinders we've had recently have some valve noise from time to time and the same exhaust noise no matter what oil is used, and some startup valve rattle with thicker oils when it's cold. All you can hear on the Mustang is the exhaust.
I just never hear or feel any of the pronounced differences between oils that a lot of people seem to notice...
The problem is not the oil!!!
The drop in MPG from 29 to 25 is close enough to 10 % to make me think it *might* be reasonable to blame it on you getting mostly gasohol rather than straight gas and/or the usual drop in MPG when going from summer blend gas to winter blend.
I don't know about you, but I see differences of several percent from one tank to the next (same gas, usually same station, I am a creature of habit...) and it seems to me this is just variations in how full I get the tank. When I get a really high or low MPG number in my log, usually a low one follows an unusually high one (ie, didn't get it quite full last fillup)
I don't know about you, but I see differences of several percent from one tank to the next (same gas, usually same station, I am a creature of habit...) and it seems to me this is just variations in how full I get the tank. When I get a really high or low MPG number in my log, usually a low one follows an unusually high one (ie, didn't get it quite full last fillup)
Guys, I keep long term records of fuel/service on my 96 A4 2.8. I drive 30K per year, in conditions that are pretty consistant month to month - 80% Interstate, 20% mixed highway.
Over the last 24 months, I see a cyclical pattern of MPG drop off in October, followed by an increase in April-May. I strongly belive this is due to seasonal GAS FORMULATION, and feel this has had a FAR greater impact on mileage than any of my choices in oil or tires.
FY
96 A4 2.8 150,000mi
currently running MaxLife synth 5-30
2000 323i on GC 0-30
1995 530i on Rotella synth 5-40
Over the last 24 months, I see a cyclical pattern of MPG drop off in October, followed by an increase in April-May. I strongly belive this is due to seasonal GAS FORMULATION, and feel this has had a FAR greater impact on mileage than any of my choices in oil or tires.
FY
96 A4 2.8 150,000mi
currently running MaxLife synth 5-30
2000 323i on GC 0-30
1995 530i on Rotella synth 5-40
i have had the opposite experience with my '02 v-6 Camry insofaras start-up chatter and highspeed revs....(i don't track milage though when i used M1 10w30 with a M1 filter, i would hear a very faint ping for 2 or 3 seconds, the only other change i made when i went in GC was that i put on a Baldwin filter....could the filter make this difference aside from th GC???
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