No Oil Change in 25k miles

[PolyCule]

Hello BITOG members, long time reader first time posting. My friend who did not get her license until her mid 20’s/just informed me that she hasn’t changed the oil in close to 3 years, but that she has topped it off several times. According to the sticker on her window it has been 25k+ miles since it was last changed. To make matters worse, much of her driving is short 1-3 mile trips that don’t reach operating temperature.

2018 Toyota Corolla 1.8L, OEM specs 0w20 GF-5 oil. Only 65,000 on the odometer!

I am going to do an oil change on it soon using Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w20. I will keep an oil sample of the old stuff to send to blackstone just for fun as well as cut open and examine the oil filter and post results. Besides just fresh oil, I feel a need to do some sort of cleaning after that amount of neglect, but don’t want to knock any deposits loose and clog up oil passages/screens. Im also not going to be able to constantly monitor her vehicle. My question is, how should I now proceed to remove the contamination left behind?

A.) Some solvent flush (LM engine flush or other?) added to old oil and drain. Refill with new Mobil 1 Extended Performance oil and run a shortened 3k OCI

B.) no solvent flush, drain and fill with 1/5 oil cleaning additive like HPL Engine Cleaner 30/MMO/SeaFoam/Auto-RX or others and use something like T6 Multi-vehicle 5w30 (as the additive will likely dilute the viscosity closer to 0w20) and 3k OCI.

C.) Drain old oil, fill the whole thing to the top with diesel fuel (or something else?) let it sit a day and drain. Refill with cheap rinse oil and filter - run for 30 minutes - drain. Fill with Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w20 and run 3k OCI.

D.) No special flushes or additives, Fill with Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w20 and run 3k OCI.

E.) Some combination of treatments listed (or not listed) above.

I haven’t evaluated the engine yet to see how much sludge exists, I will do my best to document and update this post. I wouldn’t worry about doing any of these options on my older Toyota 2UZ-FE engine, but I am a little cautious on this newer 0w20 vehicle that has been running the same oil for almost half its life. Thanks for your insight, hoping for someone with experience in a similar vehicle

 

[Nessism1]

I would use Valvoline Restore and Protect, changed at 3-5k intervals, for the next few changes.

 

[Patrick0525]

How much time and/or money do want to invest? And what items are out of your control or ability to monitor?

 

[bdcardinal]

How responsible is your friend going to hold you if something goes wrong?

 

[D60]

Meh, run some HPL cleaner and do a couple short OCIs (or whatever HPL recos). Then forget it.

My 2V 4.6 had something like 17-20k miles on the oil when I bought it (based upon the sticker on the windshield, what I knew of the owner, and Blackstone's confirmation that the oil appeared very high mileage). That was at 185k and it's happily at 240k miles now.

 

[PolyCule]

I would use Valvoline Restore and Protect, changed at 3-5k intervals, for the next few changes.

Thanks I will look into that product. Seems like a simple solution.

How much time and/or money do want to invest? And what items are out of your control or ability to monitor?

She doesn’t want to invest much money, about $100 for initial oil change + cost of additives. I’m wiling to invest time only haha, but I’m pretty interested in this oil situation and what products work.

I won’t ever drive this car or observe A difference in operation or to watch oil temps/pressures. I can check the oil levels at least weekly, maybe throw on another filter to examine particulates caught during first half of OCI.

 

[PolyCule]

How responsible is your friend going to hold you if something goes wrong?

Well she’s driving on 25k old oil, the sludge is on her. But if I “fix” it for her and plug something up causing expensive repairs, I would still feel partly responsible and could see how she might also blame me.

Meh, run some HPL cleaner and do a couple short OCIs (or whatever HPL recos). Then forget it.

My 2V 4.6 had something like 17-20k miles on the oil when I bought it (based upon the sticker on the windshield, what I knew of the owner, and Blackstone's confirmation that the oil appeared very high mileage). That was at 185k and it's happily at 240k miles now.

Seems like a low risk simple solution, similar to the Valvoline Restore/protect

 

[supton]

I'm in the camp of, change and do nothing else. It's probably fine, despite the bad usage.

I would recommend opening up the oil filter. If it looks ok, then I'd sleep fine. If it looks a bit sludgy, and the oil that came out of the sump was real black, then maybe a couple short OCI's wouldn't hurt. If it's really sludged up... maybe go for the cleaners on the next change, although I'm still of the mind to just run it.

 

[D60]

I'm in the camp of, change and do nothing else. It's probably fine, despite the bad usage.

I would recommend opening up the oil filter. If it looks ok, then I'd sleep fine. If it looks a bit sludgy, and the oil that came out of the sump was real black, then maybe a couple short OCI's wouldn't hurt. If it's really sludged up... maybe go for the cleaners on the next change, although I'm still of the mind to just run it.

Stop speaking calmly and sensically! The internet is for blowing things out of proportion -- get with it!!

 

[Donald]

I would change the oil with NAPA synthetic and call it a day. If you want to send the oil out send it using a NAPA used oil analysis kit. Cheaper and you get TBN.

Why send out the oil for a used oil analysis? People do used oil analysis do possibly do extended used oil analysis or to decide if time for an oil change for an engine with large oil sump, usually diesel.

The driver is probably not going to change their habits even if you show them a used oil analysis which they won't understand. Can you read and understand a used oil analysis?

Synthetic oil is the best you can do. Forget about any engine cleaner or flush.

 

[wavinwayne]

How responsible is your friend going to hold you if something goes wrong?

THIS!!! I wouldn't touch that car. I would suggest she take it somewhere and have it changed. But you do you.

 

[Patman]

I would change the oil with NAPA synthetic and call it a day. If you want to send the oil out send it using a NAPA used oil analysis kit. Cheaper and you get TBN.

Why send out the oil for a used oil analysis? People do used oil analysis do possibly do extended used oil analysis or to decide if time for an oil change for an engine with large oil sump, usually diesel.

I was just saying today in the used oil analysis section that we need more used oil analysis like this of engines that have gone super long between changes. It’s more interesting than the 3k used oil analysis that look just like a VOA with all zeros and ones.

 

[Sayjac]

D.) works for me. I would not use any kind of flush or additive. And then continue with the same for several ocis. I'd keep it simple.

 

[Oliveoil2]

Just change the oil and see what the used oil analysis shows. You might be surprised. Check the dipstick before the change and let us know if there was oil showing.

 

[Patrick0525]

I would do an initial cheap synthetic for a 2k OCI with filter. Then start Valvoline Restore and Protect @3.5k OCI with filter. Do it a minimal of 4 times. This is minimal effort and cost effective.

Below is a Honda with 250k mi that used Valvoline Restore and Protect.

Post #1682

 

[slacktide_bitog]

I can't wait to see what the cut open filter looks like! Take a pic under the oil cap too

Depending on how bad it looks under the cap, go from there

If it doesn't look too bad, then just change the oil more frequently from now on. If it looks bad, use some kind of flush.

 

[JRay’07]

Anything anywhere all at once.

 

[TimeFlies]

I don't believe in those flushes, i feel they do far more harm than good.
If it was me, I would change the oil and filter, and change it again in about 500 miles, and then go back to normal change intervals.

 

[Donald]

I was just saying today in the used oil analysis section that we need more used oil analysis like this of engines that have gone super long between changes. It’s more interesting than the 3k used oil analysis that look just like a VOA with all zeros and ones.

Without knowing how much make-up oil was added unsure how valuable it will be.

 

[Leo99]

Corolla is the honey badger of cars. It's doesn't care. D. Change the oil. Motor on