more sister vehicle crud

Pennzoil motor oil
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Just got off the phone w/ my sister. Well, she has a '02 Toyota Rav4 (not H. CRV). I knew she had a Rav4 - I bought and installed an airfilter and oil filter for her - so I knew what she had - but I have a friend with about the same yr in a CRV - and I just did a mental slip since returning from OKC.

So I ask her if her engine has died yet. She said it's doing "just fine" and not really leaking very fast. Well, when I was there on the 4th, she said the oil light had came on recently and she had added a quart. Then I drain it and it's at least two qts low. So I guess everythings fine with her as long as the oil light isn't glowing.

I'm traveling there again in mid-August. I'll try to take some pics of the fill hole and the "hanging drops".

My apologies for the RAV4/CRV misstep. The do look a lot alike.
 
Originally Posted By: ericthepig
So I guess everythings fine with her as long as the oil light isn't glowing.


My not so bright now ex GF was the same way.. She once said you cant use those "scare tactics" on me.. I'm thinking, OK fine, don't complain to me when the car ceases to work.
 
Originally Posted By: oilyriser
At least she actually thinks she knows what the light means. She probably doesn't know how to use the dipstick, and might be open to learning.


There's a joke in there somewhere.
 
oh no...


I once used the idea of a bathtub. Oil is like water in the tub. If you use very little, your body won't come out clean, and there will be lots of scum. Laundry is like that, too. Or a fish tank.
This is for non gearheads to understand what's going on.
 
Originally Posted By: ericthepig
Just got off the phone w/ my sister. Well, she has a '02 Toyota Rav4 (not H. CRV).
My apologies for the RAV4/CRV misstep. The do look a lot alike.


I kind of suspected, as Hondas never sludge and TOYOTAs sludge like the dickens.
 
Originally Posted By: Familyguy
Originally Posted By: oilyriser
At least she actually thinks she knows what the light means. She probably doesn't know how to use the dipstick, and might be open to learning.


There's a joke in there somewhere.


Yeah,but we wont go their right??
grin2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: ericthepig
Brian, what's a "crush washer" ? Her consumption is very significant - a whole cluster of fresh (big) drops hanging from the undercarriage. Probably using a qt in a week or less.


Hondas have an aluminum "crush" washer around the drain plug that is designed to expand and mash under the pressure as you tighten it after dumping the old oil - and it is supposed to be changed every time as it is not reusable...

I have reused them when feeling cheap or forgetting to buy more before I've emptied the car of its old oil. Generally they won't leak if you reuse it once or twice. But check the drain plug for drips...
 
toyotas generally have a replaceable washer too; at least the camry's do...you might go to O'Reilly's and have then sell you a plg of those for her Toyota, and then switch it to some High Mileage oil if it is leaking.
 
Originally Posted By: FastSUV
...then switch it to some High Mileage oil if it is leaking.


My sister dated (for about 12 years) the guy who sold me on the merits of Schaeffers oil (very good data on this subject too - I've got a thread from way back on this). His name was Bob - but a different Bob. Bob is a farmer (monster hey farm in SW Missouri), twin engine pilot, rebuilds his own airplane & truck engines, built custom houses for his kids, yada yada can do anything.

So I'm thinking my sister will listen to me when I broach the subject of motor oil (and since I cited the worthy names of Bob and Schaeffer oil - I was mentioning Ar-x and Neutra). My sister looks at me and says "I only use Valvoline and I only use what it says on the filler cap" (she's stubborn and she's serious). So I put Valv. 5w30 in her oil seave engine, and pretty much let it go except to assure her that Ar-x and Neutra are not snake oil - both of which she likely now thinks are snake oil.
 
Most women I know take what I say about cars & oil specifically as gospel truth and don't challenge me. Sounds like she want to have control of the situation. What you have to do in that case to recommend the opposite of what you really want. Use reverse psychology if it is not too late; but TRY not to mentally wear her down on the topic of motor oil or it will just pizz her off
 
Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Most women I know take what I say about cars & oil specifically as gospel truth and don't challenge me. Sounds like she want to have control of the situation. What you have to do in that case to recommend the opposite of what you really want. Use reverse psychology if it is not too late; but TRY not to mentally wear her down on the topic of motor oil or it will just pizz her off

+1
 
That RAV4 will live and die on Valv. 5w30. She also let me know her distrust of "synthetics" (it was tone of voice thing) - that won't be touching her car any time soon either.

If she'll just get to a mechanic sooner rather than later. But apparently no. It's really strange to watch this play out. Serious oil leak. 30+ miles one way/day. Thinks the leak is slow. Will probably add a qt when the light comes on (which probably means it needs 3 qts). Etc. Kind've surreal.
 
Originally Posted By: ericthepig
That RAV4 will live and die on Valv. 5w30. She also let me know her distrust of "synthetics" (it was tone of voice thing) - that won't be touching her car any time soon either.

If she'll just get to a mechanic sooner rather than later. But apparently no. It's really strange to watch this play out. Serious oil leak. 30+ miles one way/day. Thinks the leak is slow. Will probably add a qt when the light comes on (which probably means it needs 3 qts). Etc. Kind've surreal.



Maybe you can introduce her to the dipstick! You know when that Castrol commercial comes on. Or the owners manual where it states to check oil level at very fill up! Or you can just sit back and say i told you so! But from reading your posts i don't think you can do that.
 
Take her car for a day and power wash the engine and find the leak. Then reassess whether she should have it repaired..or if you are like me..have it repaired and tell her it was a loose bolt. Do a fill of Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 to start cleaning that engine up. Also, replace the PCV valve. JMHO.
 
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Even though she is family, leave the car alone. She needs to learn, and if you **** with it, you might get blamed when it blows.
 
my sister's old '92 benz used to use & leak so much that she took it in for a dino change every 1500k...when the oil light would come on!

She would rather take it in for a chane then use the dip stick & add oil...then had the nerve to gripe to me about it...before she sold it, I topped it off with a few qts of VR1 60wt :)
 
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