Thoughts on HM oil messing with VTEC?

[LeakySeals]

For the time being I think you should refrain from "get into the VTEC, rev to redline". This is how your tripping the CEL, when its becoming oil deficient. Really no reason to be doing that frequently for now. If you keep testing like that you may throw a rod, bend a valve or something bad. For all I know it could happen to me too if I redlined the old Camry. I will never find that out, not worth it. Take it easy on your baby for now.

 

[Brule]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
For the time being I think you should refrain from "get into the VTEC, rev to redline". This is how your tripping the CEL, when its becoming oil deficient. Really no reason to be doing that frequently for now. If you keep testing like that you may throw a rod, bend a valve or something bad. For all I know it could happen to me too if I redlined the old Camry. I will never find that out, not worth it. Take it easy on your baby for now.


Should have said revved over 4K rpm [that's easy to do in such a low-torque engine] because that's where it originally tripped the CEL [I rarely redline it, and won't for the time being.]

Good news today!!! I am twice over 99 miles and counting. I don't know any other way to look at this except the GTX HM was doing too good job at cleaning and sent debris into either of the VTEC parts. Assuming this is over can anyone give me another explanation because I won't be using HM full strength anymore in this engine, but may run PU or Red Line next to hopefully gently clean it. If my theory is true then this engine does stand some cleaning.

LeakySeals, thanks for all the help. I may stick with Mobil 1 0w30 again but mix it with just 1 quart of Mobil 1 High Mileage instead of 100% HM. I don't want to spend anymore time changing oil and removing/cleaning parts if the CEL goes on again.

 

[vinu_neuro]

If you think HM cleaning is the issue, stay away from PU. It cleans like no other oil out there.

 

[skyship]

If you don't have a high oil consumption and your engine is clean there is no real need to use an High Mileage oil. Once an engine has 200K miles then the suggestion by one member to use Mobil 1 0w30 or other good quality high detergent 0 or 5w30 makes sense as a thicker oil film is better in worn bearings.
When you get a warning code it sometimes turns out not to be the item listed in the program but connections to the next one in the circuit. I even had one caused by fuse contacts recently due to the use of a non OEM fuse that corroded.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: vinu_neuro
If you think HM cleaning is the issue, stay away from PU. It cleans like no other oil out there.

How do you know this?

 

[Brule]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Originally Posted By: vinu_neuro
If you think HM cleaning is the issue, stay away from PU. It cleans like no other oil out there.

How do you know this?


I was thinking he meant because cleaning too well SEEMS to have caused my CEL. As long as I can find an oil that cleans [and dissolves] the debris I think I should be OK. For now I'm going to drop my OCI back to 7500 instead of the recommended 10000. [And stay w/good synthetics.]

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: vinu_neuro
If you think HM cleaning is the issue, stay away from PU. It cleans like no other oil out there.


Right, and a leprechaun lives in my cupboard.

 

[LeakySeals]

Yeah. I'm just wondering where that comes from. Pennzoil's website or peoples experiences vs. another oil? I'm trying PU right now on the GP in my sig. 7300-7500 conventional OLM's left it pretty dirty @70k. PP was avg, about the same as reg M1. But Mobil 1 High Mileage is a different story. So far it has been the best cleaner oil I've ever used. Got me out of the jam your in now on the Camry. Cleaned several sludgers for me. Allows you to run Full Synthetic on an older engine without replacing every piece of rubber on it so it wont leak. The biggest surprise was the VOA's and used oil analysis on here. At 7k on the current OCI I decided to leave it in. It was randomhero439 and the accuracy of his Oil Life Calculator that pushed me to 10k OCI's, something I never imagined doing. I'm going to open the valve cover at 300k and post. Whatever it looks like will be results of 170k on Mobil 1 High Mileage.

OVERKILL - Exactly. I'm gonna see with my own eyes. Oil or additive, I've only found a few that lived up to the hype. And they are usually the ones that are un-hyped.

 

[LeakySeals]

Here's a good one. Its VTEC and VTC, iVTEC, best of both. More to fail though. Note tiny oil passages where any deposit could impact flow/pressure and throw off the timing of the valves.

 

[Brule]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Here's a good one. Its VTEC and VTC, iVTEC, best of both. More to fail though. Note tiny oil passages where any deposit could impact flow/pressure and throw off the timing of the valves.



Very informative.

"Oil supply to the VTC Actuator is the sole source for the #1 intake cam journal". Yikes!

I see how easily these parts could clog. I also see how spraying with brake or carb cleaner can miss a lot. So I'm definitely not going to be nonchalant about OCI anymore. I'll shorten them for a while and do the filter each change. Honda recommends filter every other change.

 

[Brule]

600 miles and counting: No CEL!

This Mobil 1 0w30 has also improved my mpg as a bonus. I can't figure out why GTX HM would have caused this. Both times I put it in were from separate, new 5.1 qt. containers. Again, it's made me think my engine does need cleaning, but needs a mild cleaning oil that dissolves the debris it cleans. Since Mobil 1 has given good results, and LeakySeals recommends the HM version, this is what I'll try next, but I'll leave the AFE in there for about 7K miles. If the CEL comes on I'll do it sooner.

 

[LeakySeals]

One of the ways high mileage oils prevent leaks and consumption is increased thickness. On the top end of that weight. Thicker oil more restricted flow. Castrol GTX High Mileage is a conventional High Mileage oil. Conventional oil does not flow as well as a Full Synthetic. A thick conventional High Mileage oil exposed a flow/deposit problem in your VTC system. IMO thats all that was happening. Not the High Mileage additives. If your noticing a MPG difference, that would suggest oil thickness also. Deposit build up will go away over time using Full Synthetic which is what appears to be happening.

 

[Brule]

Makes sense. But the GTX HM was 5w20, and the problem improved with thicker TropArtic 5w30, and was solved with thicker Mobil 1 0w30. If it was due to conventional, why did the GTX HM twice take about 380 miles to trip the CEL? Wouldn't the CEL come on almost immediately after putting in the GTX HM?