Valvoline R&P, 5w-30, 5k oci, Toyota 4.0L 1GRFE

[The Critic]

If that’s the case.

Then your OCI were too long, you have too much buildup and varnish

I have rebuilt many Toyota engines, a lot of them look like yours with conventional motor oil…

2GRFEs are super easy on oil and they look almost new inside, even with 5w30 conventional motor oil.

It goes to show that UOA's do not always tell the full story. I suspect this engine would have stayed a lot cleaner with 5K drains.

 

[Azimuth]

It's interesting that the Amsoil samples from those dates had very high Ca, and no Mo.

 

[buster]

It will take 3-4 5k OCIs of VR&P to work on the varnish and other deposits in the engine. That said, it may be a candidate engine where the oil filter is changed-out in the middle of the OCI and checked for build-up from the internals washing-out.

At the very least. I'm not sure VRP can even clean this level of varnish. It's primarily designed to clean piston deposits but is said to also be able to clean varnish so it will be interesting. That's much more than I would have expected based on engine and oil history.

 

[Azimuth]

At the very least. I'm not sure VRP can even clean this level of varnish. It's primarily designed to clean piston deposits but is said to also be able to clean varnish so it will be interesting. That's much more than I would have expected based on engine and oil history.

Would an ester-based oil be able to clean it?

 

[buster]

Would an ester-based oil be able to clean it?

It's really hard to say what oils can clean and to what extent because there really isn't any testing data available on which oils can actually clean vs run clean. To clean at a high level you need A LOT of solvency like VPBR which is 50% group V. So it's hard to say.

Oils that contain significant group V are still only using 5-15% in most cases, with RL being an exception. But it also comes down to what esters they use because not all can clean existing varnish.

A couple of users have tried different synthetic based oils (Amsoil and RL) which did not remove varnish.

Other than VRP or VPBR, I'd say HPL is the one that could possibly do it.

 

[OilStainedNapkin]

shouldn't have posted the pictures of the inside of the engine, there is a difference between facts vs hating.

Toyota/Lexus VVT-i gears are very sensitive to build up, looking at the build up and varnish in your engine, your VVT-i gear(s) & most likely piston rings lands will have some sort of build up.

Just because you think the engine runs great, doesn't mean it is running at it's cleanest or best.

Literally results speak for themselves, your engine has too much varnish and buildup, very simple. Your engine pictures are the definition of UOA doesn't show the whole story.

This is sad knowing you have owned the vehicle since almost new and you are a BITOG member...

He has almost 240k miles racked up and said theres no oil burning and has never mentioned vvt-i issues. What are you blabbing on about? I'd bet this engine hits 500k with his current maintenance plan. Who cares what it looks like inside? It's an ICE, which isnt made to run super clean and its obviously not hurting anything.