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 M1 EP 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 M1 EP oil and run a shortened 3k OCI

B.) no solvent flush, drain and fill with 1/5 oil cleaning additive like HPL EC30/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 M1 EP 0w20 and run 3k OCI.

D.) No special flushes or additives, Fill with M1 EP 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

 

[ARB1977]

At least she was smart to add oil when needed. That probably saved her from more damage if any was done. I’d go 3000 miles and change it again, 3000 miles again. Keep the interval to 5K after that.

 

[Hootbro]

A lot of landmines you are tip-toeing around with this one. Sometimes helping a "friend" is like feeding a stray cat, they come back.

 

[THORROMIG]

Could have sworn I read somewhere recently that Toyotas 1.8L ranked number 1 out of all there engines for durability and reliability since its conception?

 

[The motor guy]

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.

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

I thought those engines had sludge issues whether you changed the oil or not?

 

[The motor guy]

She added oil and kept it full assuming it's not a sludge prone engine, it's probably not as bad as you think. Look down into the filter hole and see what it looks like. I still can't believe she kept it topped up. Better hang onto this girl

 

[andyd]

I'm interested in what the UOA says. 0W20 oil has to pass minimum standards. The main difference in oil brands is their advertising budget. Change the oil, filter and carry on

 

[Sberry]

Change it. I have a couple cars I have changed religiously at 25k. Unless there was some problem forgata bout it.

 

[zzyzzx]

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

But then we won't get the cut open filter pics.

 

[Sberry]

Where do you guys learn this stuff? The endless speculation turns in to fact and the poor girls car isn't even broke and we got several guys declaring it dead cause the oil hasn't been changed in a while.
More guys learn about oil the less they know about cars. Should work in service a while and see what stops cars, learn what really clogs and engine. How long that takes.
I got a neighbor girl changed her own oil. Gives her some feeling she knows all about cars. Starts sweating about 3500 in to a change and is a nervous wreck at 4500 and will stop beside the road in a blizzard and roll under it in a snowmobile suit and change it.

 

[Sberry]

This forum is great and a great technical asset but should have a warning sticky and a get a grip icons.
I have seen this and rampant on other diy type forums.
Got a storm coming and neighbor calls wondering what oil for the genset and where to get gas as we have a storm coming.
Genset has ran 20 minutes in 4 years and won't start so they read the manual and it says to change the oil every 6 months and use no alky fuel so they gonna drive hr each way to Walmart to get oil and want to get the right stuff.
Now that they read the manual go to a forum where there are a dozen others jump on this and the guy says , maybe you should get it started first gets run off and convinces this poor guy his engine will blow up because he read all this on his BMW owners manual and then proceeded to verify this with long list of experience,,, which is from reading owners manuals.
We think public education has issues cause Johny can't read but I think maybe we were better off when that was the case.
Now Johny reads but doesn't have a clue when he is done and spends so much effort "researching" that he is dummer than when he started.
That is almost a buzzword anymore and usually followed by stuff isn't even baseline logical.

 

[Sberry]

The professionals change the oil and move on. The amateurs find a forum and every opinion they can find, start to worry and debate endlessly and still ain't got it done.

 

[repairman54]

I worked with a guy back in the '80's whose mantra was oil never wears out. He just changed filters, 40k miles and he killed the motor in a Cavalier he bought new.
Next was a co worker who killed the motor in a '90's 6 cyl. Econoline van, a Co. vehicle that driver was responsible for getting oil changes done. Sludged up pickup screen spun the bearings in it. Never had an oil change since new, memory says it only made it into the 30k mile range, city driving.
These were dino oil only vehicles back then.

 

[Sberry]

I drive 2 different 2005 era with extreme long changes with Dino. They were used and turn ,100k when I got them. The one treats the oil so well that it would never need a change as long as you could drive it.
I have another we change yearly as it could the oil and not worth fixing. We can always find extreme cases of neglect till it's broke and these are not people you can convince to go on regular plan and uoa.
Even single change along the way is a benefit but while the worst cases make press here there is a hundred for every one went to the scrap with running engine.
I know college grad thinks oil change is the same as fixing the brakes and not conceivable that there is no connection , but,, I can't see why , I have the oil changed every 3000 miles.

 

[Sberry]

Every time I hear,,, wanna learn to change oil in my car I say,,, you should wanna find the right place to have a simple change once a year and learn to jack up and fix a brake before it becomes a disaster.
One I know, boss owns a station, out in the yard in the mud cause,,, well I already got the oil,,, and going to save money on a truck she spends 75 large on and drives like a maniac.

 

[Sberry]

So my bud buys a used Cadillac. It was nice when he got it but now going to put all his years of car expertise he gained as a school teacher to use and finds out Corvette only approves mobil one, soooo that it is and he is on the road and I ask what is it you got to have serviced bout every other Saturday. Back then was a 60$ oil change maybe 65 not sure but sheet. Has a panic attack when an engine light is on or if the oil is over 3500. I try to splain, he finally get it and learn it only makes so much difference but the off the shelf dino is already a generation or 2 better than when the car was made and no point in putting 25K racing oil in it to dump it 2x a month to blow down the freeway.

 

[Sberry]

Some math is useful. Some value is worth noting and is only generalization. I heard the other day,,, its a shame to treat some crap car that way. I am a mechanic and I have different opinion and doesnt include most stuff that stops a car non service stuff mostly but,,,.
10 yr old car, book value of 4500. 5 large if in great shape and 4 for poor and Joe wonders if he should have added 30more oil changes from Jiffy when he had about 6. Not including labor,,,,,, but would have had to care for it like a new baby for 10 years to get 500 more for it and would have lost only 500 for doing almost absolutely nothing.

 

[Sberry]

A bit different than if I was looking at extending it service life, if the chassis would tolerate it then I might be more proactive about major fluid change and a couple more engine changes earlier in its life. But fixing or caring for it at all doesnt add value, it gives it service. My bud says,, hate to junk it,,, just put 200 in the exhaust. I said really,,, well that was 6 months ago or put mew mastercraft tires on a year ago allowed it to further depreciate to the point equipment cost at 5 cents a mile.

 

[Paco Pena]

For all the grief you are likely to get in the future I hope its a friend with benefits...

Paco

 

[AZjeff]

For all the grief you are likely to get in the future I hope its a friend with benefits...

Paco

Friend of his wife. Odds good or bad?

 

[Nessism1]

I worked with a guy back in the '80's whose mantra was oil never wears out. He just changed filters, 40k miles and he killed the motor in a Cavalier he bought new.
Next was a co worker who killed the motor in a '90's 6 cyl. Econoline van, a Co. vehicle that driver was responsible for getting oil changes done. Sludged up pickup screen spun the bearings in it. Never had an oil change since new, memory says it only made it into the 30k mile range, city driving.
These were dino oil only vehicles back then.

I worked for an OEM that had a particular engine with a higher than expected failure rate. Failed engines were collected from the field, and a team of engineers had a teardown party. The cause for the failures were determined to be lack of oil changes; this particular model engine was subject to sludging, and when the oil isn't changed, the engine would grenade at 25k miles.