Anyone actually see there engine with the valve covers off or other internal observations with >100k miles?
What oil did you use?
What was your OCI?
What oil did you use?
What was your OCI?
Report on your internal clean engine here
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out of curiosity, I removed the valve cover at 330k miles to set the valves for the 1st time since I bought the car in '96. Its an 88 BMW 528e. Recommended valve adjust interval is 15k miles. All told, I removed less than 1/4 cup of sludge. Everything was varnished, of course. The valve lash averaged about .002" wider than spec. My oil? dino Mobil or Supertech 20w50. The engine now idles a bit quiter, but hasnt gained 1 spec of performance. OCI is 3-4k
1999 Ford Taurus 3.0 Vulcan V6
Heads off for the 2nd time @ 108k miles due to head gasket issues.
Both times, looked at the heads, the pushrods, the top of the block and everything was spotless. No color, nothing.
Car was a Hertz until 21k. So not too many oil changes. Once I bought it, went to Pennzoil 5w-30 durning the winter and 10w-30 for the summer months. Oci was 4-5k miles.
Also ran Mobil drive clean, Halvoline, QS and 2 OCIs of Mobil 1 for UOAs and testing.
1978 Ford F250 with 351C. 135k miles. Clean under the valve covers (replaced for leaks)
Oil has been Valvoline or QS 10-40 or 10w-30 for 4k or 6 months oci whichever first.
Take care, bill
Ooh ooh! I have one!
I recently had the valve covers off my '99 Toyota Sienna, which has about 155,000 miles on it. I've used M1 since new with abouit 5000 mile OCIs. I keep it short on this engine due to the real or supposed sludge issue.
This is the front bank but the back was just as clean.
http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/9886/hpim0280qf9.jpg
I recently had the valve covers off my '99 Toyota Sienna, which has about 155,000 miles on it. I've used M1 since new with abouit 5000 mile OCIs. I keep it short on this engine due to the real or supposed sludge issue.
This is the front bank but the back was just as clean.
http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/9886/hpim0280qf9.jpg
I take pictures almost monthly...
Yet to find a magic bullet.
Top:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/bkrell/DSCN5696.jpg
Bottom:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/bkrell/DSCN5168.jpg
Inside Oil Pan:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/bkrell/DSCN5162.jpg
The small black dots are solid hunks of coked oil.
Yet to find a magic bullet.
Top:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/bkrell/DSCN5696.jpg
Bottom:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/bkrell/DSCN5168.jpg
Inside Oil Pan:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/bkrell/DSCN5162.jpg
The small black dots are solid hunks of coked oil.
My 1973 IH pickup. Replacing vc gaskets. Usually gets 20w/50, whatevers on sale.
http://usera.imagecave.com/chris142/BINDERROCKERS-copy.jpg
http://usera.imagecave.com/chris142/BINDERROCKERS-copy.jpg
Wow! Pretty impressive.
@ 97k
2003 Honda civic ex
Mostly Mobil 1 0w-20.
OCI was around 7,500mi
small images
large images
thread link
2003 Honda civic ex
Mostly Mobil 1 0w-20.
OCI was around 7,500mi
small images
large images
thread link
I'm at 156k miles right now and this was not too long ago. You can see how it is clean and im not the first owner, or the second... I'm sure there was some long OCIs somewhere that slowly was cleaned out by better oils and proper OCIs over a long period of time, but it's possible that my assumptions to old cars with many owners can be incorrect. This engine seems to be gentle on it's oil as it is with this Toyota 'A-series' engine family having specs for oils as thick as 20w-50 and with it's latest 5w-30 recommendation. I may try a 0w-20 next winter with it.
Back on topic, No sludge or varnish could be found here!
Under my valve cover
Back on topic, No sludge or varnish could be found here!
Under my valve cover
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v702/oilyriser/cyl1subaru.jpg
93,000 miles, average oil change interval 5300 miles, a few synthetics, but mostly whatever was on sale. Down is to the left. There's fine scratching on the cam followers, but all is clean. One sevice adviser said it uses shims to adjust valve clearance, and a parts guy said it has hydraulic lifters and doesn't need adjusting. Then I looked. Current oil has 3000 miles.
93,000 miles, average oil change interval 5300 miles, a few synthetics, but mostly whatever was on sale. Down is to the left. There's fine scratching on the cam followers, but all is clean. One sevice adviser said it uses shims to adjust valve clearance, and a parts guy said it has hydraulic lifters and doesn't need adjusting. Then I looked. Current oil has 3000 miles.
This thread in the photo section also has some gems...
So it seems you don't NEED a synthetic to have a clean engine.
You definitely don't need synthetic to keep a clean engine. However, you need to take care of your engine and not abuse it. Here is a picture of the inside of my '95 Corolla almost 2 years ago when it had 205,000 miles. This is the same engine MN Driver shows. I used primarily cheapo SuperTech oil and filters with regular OCIs:
WOW slalom, that is what I call spotless. So clean there's nothing to see!
Does anyone have any pictures of the Nissan VQ40DE V6 valve train? I searched for it, but no luck.
Please post if you can.
Westex
Please post if you can.
Westex
Also very nice!
Here is mine running dino for 40K miles @ 7,500 or 6-month drains. The other 65K ar using Amsoil ASL using 10 to 12K drains.
Is that a 1MZ-FE engine? Sure looks like one.
Is this the Saab engine we are talking about with the photo's of sludge and varnish? If so have you tried lube control or Auto-RX yet? If so what dosage? I am thinking that LC used in a 4 once perquart initial fill and 2 onces per 1000 miles would clean this up before the gallon of LC was gone!!
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