Oil cleaning ability

[supton]

Curiosity killed the cat, so I did an early oil change on my new to me Camry--picked it up with 139,500 on the clock, waited to 140k and put in Maxlife 5w30 blend with OEM filter. I just changed today after 2,500 miles, as the oil had darkened up more than what I recall of what was in there (faulty memory perhaps, and I know color is not an indicator) and it seemed... wise.

Cracked open the filter; at first the paper seemed fine. Some digging around found flakes of a black substance. Almost like paint flakes? Not a huge amount, but something there. Not metal filings from me cutting open the can.

So is Maxlife loosening up hard crud? I only had a couple of oil change receipts which said "Quaker State"; I presume conventional.

 

[Nick1994]

Sounds like a good cleanup run. I'd run a normal interval now.

I've run Chevron Supreme HM 5w30 & Pennzoil HM 5w30 for 5,000 miles each.

Pennzoil Platinum HM 5w30 for 7,500 miles, then this last change was Mobil 1 EP 10w30 for 8,500 miles.

I'll run this current fill of Mobil 1 AFE 0w30 for 7,500 miles. I've got plenty of oil in the stash. Might do a frankenbrew next.

 

[supton]

Finally found some batteries for the camera.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Sounds like a good cleanup run. I'd run a normal interval now.

I've run Chevron Supreme HM 5w30 & Pennzoil HM 5w30 for 5,000 miles each.

Pennzoil Platinum HM 5w30 for 7,500 miles, then this last change was Mobil 1 EP 10w30 for 8,500 miles.

I'll run this current fill of Mobil 1 AFE 0w30 for 7,500 miles. I've got plenty of oil in the stash. Might do a frankenbrew next.


Dunno, tempted to do some 2-3k OCI's (once I find something to more easily open these filters!). I suppose this is not a huge amount of crud, the filter is easily capable of handling far more, so perhaps 5k intervals is just fine (which was my plan in the first place--just got antsy and did an early change). I think I still have the filter it came with, maybe I'll crack that open and have a look-see (no loss, well no gain either).

 

[supton]

Chopped open the Carquest filter that was on there for the 5k before I got; thinner metal, and it dawned on me to score around the cannister, then attack. Much easier to open. Same crud, albeit only deep in the pleats. So whatever it is, has been going on for a while.

 

[bbhero]

Supton first off I enjoy your posts. Now to the business at hand. My lady's Camry did something rather similar when we first got it from her grandmother. The oil started off translucent golden brown. Then, bam it had turned much darker with the same stuff you had in your Camry. Spooked me a bit. I'm used to oil slowly gaining color with time. But it occurred to me that this 98 Camry had only been driven 4 miles a day for a long time. So it didn't get up to full operating temp for years. The best I could figure it finally had enough heat put in it that it released all of the gunk that had been building up for the past several years. After this initial run of 3k miles the oil didn't really do that again. It did gain color faster for the next 4 or 5 runs then it started acting much more like my Altima. Where the oil slowly gains color with the miles run. Just a thought... try some Motorcraft 5w30 in the Camry. I have found that this runs very well and quieter in our Camry.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: bbhero
Supton first off I enjoy your posts. Now to the business at hand. My lady's Camry did something rather similar when we first got it from her grandmother. The oil started off translucent golden brown. Then, bam it had turned much darker with the same stuff you had in your Camry. Spooked me a bit. I'm used to oil slowly gaining color with time. But it occurred to me that this 98 Camry had only been driven 4 miles a day for a long time. So it didn't get up to full operating temp for years. The best I could figure it finally had enough heat put in it that it released all of the gunk that had been building up for the past several years. After this initial run of 3k miles the oil didn't really do that again. It did gain color faster for the next 4 or 5 runs then it started acting much more like my Altima. Where the oil slowly gains color with the miles run. Just a thought... try some Motorcraft 5w30 in the Camry. I have found that this runs very well and quieter in our Camry.


Thanks!

Yeah, I suspect the previous owner short-tripped the last few years, not racking up many per year--but I know it took a good long trip shortly before I got it. Me, I'm doing 50 miles at a shot, so few short trips. Plenty of time at temp. Wouldn't be surprised if stuff loosens up.

I did change my Tundra and other Camry from Mobil to PP recently (cheap syn on sale), and noticed it too darkened up kinda quicker than usual. They will be going back to Mobil 1 I think; no real reason other than the 10W30 PP I have left can be used in this older Camry going forward.

At least now I know how to open up the filter and check. Bit of work but not that bad.

 

[Donald]

Did you try a magnet on the particles?

 

[53' Stude]

Supton: first off, thanks for great pics and I would do few more 3k flushes or runs with the Maxlife and see what happens. If you need someone to cut your filters open don't hesitate to ask

Also Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[Nick1994]

I use an angle grinder with a cutting wheel to cut open filters. Takes about 30 seconds since I clamp it in a vise and rotate it a couple times.

I have yet to hit the media with the grinder.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: car51
Supton: first off, thanks for great pics and I would do few more 3k flushes or runs with the Maxlife and see what happens. If you need someone to cut your filters open don't hesitate to ask

Also Happy Thanksgiving.


Didn't think to check with a magnet. Nope, not magnetic material. Wipes off too easily. Pic of the crud that I found in the pleats of the Carquest. I ran a screwdriver down the pleat, to scrape it.




I think I know how to "easily" open 'em now. Trick is to score, I think, then actually cut in. I was able to "walk around" using a screwdriver to pry down the score. It was easy. Well, at least on the thinner Carquest, it'll be a while before I crack open another OEM filter. Will know about six weeks (if on a 3k OCI).

OEM, I made one small cut with a hacksaw, then used snips to work around the can. Way too much work.


The Carquest, again score around (just below the crimp, in both cases), then one deep plunge and then using a screwdriver to work the "tear" in the metal around the can:



Hardest part was removing the filter from the car--my strap wrench works poorly, and I've yet to find a "good" wrench for this car. That might be my fault--I didn't oil the filter o-ring. The OEM filter comes with plastic over it, and what seemed like grease on the o-ring (sealed for freshness?), so I put it as-is. Maybe that isn't a "good" grease for the job. Since I got to spend some quality time with the filter, I happened to notice it had writing on it... and... it says right on the darn thing to apply oil to the seal. Couldn't be more obvious. I think I'll undo the filter tomorrow and oil before it has a chance to get good and stuck again.

 

[eljefino]

Try the oil filter sockety things with the fingers that grab tighter when turned counter-clockwise.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Try the oil filter sockety things with the fingers that grab tighter when turned counter-clockwise.


I might try one of those at some point.

Digging around tonight I came across a Fram filter wrench that claimed to go down to 2 1/4 -- measured a filter, and it was 2.5. But I swear I tried that wrench to no avail. I think I see how to use it now--have to kinda kitty-corner it. Hack but I'll try that first, and if it fails, then I'll try one of those wrenches with adjustable filters.

 

[Nick1994]

I usually use Fram Ultra filters. Rubber end means I can take off by hand.

Using a Wix this time to go wild and be different lol.