✨HPL Results✨: Did 3,000mi make a Difference?

[RugopsOP]

One of my cars is a 2003 Hyundai Tiburon 2.0L
I do Mobil1 Full Synthetic oil changes on it every 3000mi (due to habit mostly) I also run a couple oz. of Seafoam through the crankcase before each OCI. I am the second owner and have had it for 7 years or so. The original owner was a girl who's parents bought her the car new for college.

At 223,900mi I pulled the valve cover to replace the gasket, but despite my meticulous maintenance I was disappointed to see significant varnishing (I posted a thread about it here awhile ago). I changed the oil at 225,000mi.
WELL, I was recommended to use HPL's synthetic cleaner oil so I substituted ⅗ quart of Mobil1 with HPL to engine. The engine does consume oil (1qt/1000-1500mi) So I used the remaining ⅖ of the HPL to top up. Car is now at 228,000mi. Here are the results:

 

[RugopsOP]

Under the Valve Cover... how's it lookin'?

Changed the valve cover gasket a few days ago. Car runs fine but consumes oil. This is what under the valve cover looks like at 224,000 original miles. Oil changes every 3k with Mobil 1 Full synthetic or for a whole I was running Shell Rotella T6. Kinda disappointed it wasn't cleaner. Thoughts...

bobistheoilguy.com

Original Thread & Original Valve Cover: 225k ^^^

Note photos in Posts #1 & #2 were taken at different times of the day.

 

[buster]

That is some heavy varnish going on there. I have no explanation for it especially based on those short 3k mile intervals.

When I see engines like this and intervals like that I always jump to the conclusion that its' an engine issue.

 

[Brian123]

What is not known is what oil and what OCI's were done by the 1st owner of this vehicle. I highly doubt the 1st owner used Mobil 1 synthetic oil.

To the OP, how many miles were on this engine when you bought this car 7 years ago?

 

[OVERKILL]

Its life before you got it must have been very rough.

Only area where cleaning is obvious is here:

What did the oil filter contents show?

 

[Rand]

so you used HPL oil? which one? and not the Engine cleaner?

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Well, this is a little anti-climatic.

 

[fantastic]

1st owner's maintenance history not known? As far as I've heard HPL doesn't clean overnight.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

so you used HPL oil? which one? and not the Engine cleaner?

He used EC.

 

[Astro14]

And he only used 3/5 of a quart initially. Then added the rest later.

So, yeah, used HPL, but not much and not for very long, on a really varnished engine.

I wouldn’t expect much, either.

 

[Rand]

Edit I misread 3/5 as 3quarts of HPL

 

[Astro14]

Where does he say that.. he says he used 3qt hpl to engine

You only run 1 quart of EC per 5quarts reg oil?
then says he used 2 more quarts.. soo he ran 5 quarts of engine cleaner?

He stated fractions.

Fractions of one quart.

 

[Rand]

He stated fractions.

Fractions of one quart.

Man you are fast.. caught me mid edit

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

And he only used 3/5 of a quart initially. Then added the rest later.

So, yeah, used HPL, but not much and not for very long, on a really varnished engine.

I wouldn’t expect much, either.

Which isn't too far off from the suggested ratio of 1 : 5. This engine holds 4.2 quarts

 

[andrewg]

7 years of ownership and 3k oil intervals....and THAT much varnish? Wow. I guess that blows away a few theories.

 

[RugopsOP]

@Brian123 I bought the car with 160k. I mean, it burns oil and has blowby.

@OVERKILL I actually took a clean microfiber and wiped away a little in that corner. Didn't come off too easily.

@BMWTurboDzl yeah, I was expecting a little better but after comparing the two nothing noticeable.

@fantastic was a 3,000mi test.

@Astro14 @Rand yes ⅗ of a bottle then later the last ⅖. I used the 40 Weight. I will update the OP to include this missing information.

@andrewg and I've only ever used Mobil1 High-Mileage too. 5w30, 10w30, or 10w40 depending on time of year; I prefer the 40 weight.
*Now* for a time around 200-210k I used Shell Rotella T6 5w40 which is a diesel oil (for the viscosity & belief that Diesel oils are more heavy-duty). I stopped using it because of the cost. May try Mobil1 EuroFormula so I can get the desired "5w40" weight.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

@Brian123 I bought the car with 160k.

@OVERKILL I actually took a clean microfiber and wiped away a little in that corner. Didn't come off too easily.

@BMWTurboDzl yeah, I was expecting a little better but after comparing the two nothing noticeable.

@fantastic was a 3,000mi test.

@Astro14 @Rand yes ⅗ of a bottle then later the last ⅖. I used the 40 Weight. I will update the OP to include this missing information.

@andrewg and I've only ever used Mobil1 High-Mileage too. 5w30, 10w30, or 10w40 depending on time of year; I prefer the 40 weight.
*Now* for a time around 200-210k I used Shell Rotella 5w40 which is a diesel oil (for the viscosity & belief that Diesel oils are more heavy-duty). I stopped using it because of the cost. May try Mobil1 EuroFormula so I can get the desired "5w40" weight.

So are you going to run one or two OCI's of HPL PCMO?

 

[RugopsOP]

I think I'll stop here. Pulled the valve cover off this morning to check while I did another oci. @BMWTurboDzl Afterall, the 1qt bottle cost $22.82 (that's with the BITOG discount).

 

[RDY4WAR]

It's possible there's just too much insoluble varnish deposit to effectively remove it. It could also need a more aggressive approach. The HPL PCMO and HDMO oils clean more aggressively than the HPL EC. The EC is designed as a transition, to remove loose sludge and carbonous deposits slowly before switching to the more aggressive PCMO or HDMO. If it was me, I would replace a whole quart with the EC and run to 230,000 miles. Then switch to the PCMO.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I think I'll stop here. Pulled the valve cover off this morning to check while I did another oci. @BMWTurboDzl Afterall, the 1qt bottle cost $22.82 (that's with the BITOG discount).

I was think of their normal PCMO.