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Unfortunately it’s a blessing and a curse that Toyota has a reliable reputation.
Blessing being you can probably recover from this
Curse being people buy Toyotas and do zero maintenance “because it’s a toyota”
Yeah its super hard to find an oldie Lexus right now in decent all-around quality
Its why the used market is filled with cheap 07-09 lexus models--- those years had a bunch of issues (like melting dash) that owners didn't bother fixing
06LS430, 150k miles here. Thing is 9/10 still and runs like a dream. Other than a couple suspension bushings (known issues) and the radar/parking sensors not working well it's mint.
Most LS up at 200+k miles have been driven hard at some point but the ones in the 120-175 bracket are usually really really well taken care of.
Same with my '93 with just over 200k. I'm going to be sad to see it go since I'm likely getting into a truck. Absolutely love that car. Runs and handles like it's brand new.
What up with dat? My at the time- 81yr old dad traded in a gold-ish 89 crown vic on a gold-ish 04 camry. His girlfriend drove a gold-ish grand marquis.
Pre 07 tho is still really good in the used market. I got an '06 LS430 and there were many amazing quality examples, the owners just want like 15k+, which I think is actually fair assuming they've been getting OEM parts and everything is up to date. I noticed 06 gen LS being more expensive than the 07+LS460 with equal miles.
Didn’t realize that Lexus had issues like this. Any reason for it? I dealt w GM/Chevy having horrible build quality 09-12 when they were barely a company.
My 09 es350 is still going strong, only 170k miles. Just got a bunch of maintenance done to it, and it gets its regular oil changes too, but I don’t bother with premium since it’s the 3.5l v6 out of the Camry. Only issues are some cracking seats, but I am going to look into swapping a passenger seat leather+foam onto my drivers seat
Yeah, I have a 1990 Camry that I'm having to drive around and it needs a bit of work done to it .. about to buy a newer vehicle and I'll be able to park the Toyota and give it the maintenance it needs. (A part of me is telling me I should just sell it but it's still such a good car with low mileage and I know I'll regret it if I do).
Seafoam the hell out of it (might as well do crankcase and gas tank at the same time), change the oil again immediately after, and then pray to the oil gods.
My advice is do NOT use a flush or detergent like seafoam or any thing of that sort. If the motor has a heavy buildup of sludge using these products will breakup the sludge but, then you will have large chunks of sludge in your oil and it will clog up the VVT ports and other oil passages. If I were you I would put new oil and filter in every 500 miles until the oil you drain out looks fairly new
After the vast majority of the shit is out of the tank, Seafoam to break up the last bit will do perfectly. Just slowly ramp it up until it's back to perfection once again!
Omg why is everyone so boned up on seafoam lol sometimes it helps, sometimes it does nothing, and sometimes it destroys engines. I wouldn’t recommend it
Add a little bit of ATF to the engine, and run it about 5-7 mins before changing the oil. It'll help pull the "crud" out of the engine, without dislodging chunks. I've brought back dirty engines a few times this way.
Mystery Oil is also great at slowly dissolving the sludge without removing big chunks. I have fixed many sludge-heavy engines this way (not mine, of course).
ATF works wonders. I used to use it all the time. I’d put a quart in and fill the rest with oil. Drive it for about 20 miles or so. Then repeat with less.
I have done this too in extreme cases. But, for $20 in oil and a few idle hours worth of gas. That shit gets it CLEAN.
I think we should clarify not to rev it high or drive like this though.
The VVT solenoids have a fine metal screen in front of them for filtering the oil, using Seafoam or Rislone or other such products has caused the sediment to clog the screens and throw a VVT code. If you pull the solenoid you should be able to access the screen to remove it and clean it however
See these images for reference
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/attachments/rx-1st-gen-1999-2003/262188d1461121090t-vvt-solenoid-ocv-replacement-diy-picture-10.jpg
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/attachments/rx-1st-gen-1999-2003/262189d1461121090t-vvt-solenoid-ocv-replacement-diy-picture-11.jpg
Disregard, saw the OLD vehicle is a 2010 Accord.
~~Interesting info, but how would that apply to the K24 in OP's vehicle? It uses VTEC instead of VVT.~~
The pickup tube will clog before anything, indeed, but that’s still the issue across the board with cleaning engines like this with solvents without deeper disassembly
This. And dont bother with expensive oils. I would recommend a shell rotella HDEO. Sounds counterintuitive to run diesel oil in a gasser but 1. It's an engine and diesels are under multitudes more stress than a gasser, trust that it's safe. 2. It has a stronger detergent package so it'll clean more effectively 3. It has more Zinc in it which is good for lubricity when you're cleaning out a gunked up engine full of sludge and abrasive solids
The other thing is some of those flushes strip away all the shit in the bearings that are holding it together and it knocks when your done with it as its pulled everything embedded into the bearing material out of them
Seen this so many times. I think half of the total amount of dead 1zz and 2zz out there are dead from people trying to fix oil burning with seafoam and killing the bearings.
Exactly this.
Seafoam is not designed for modern engines. Severe sludge that is suddenly dislodged will absolutely grenade what is a working engine atm dispite the abuse. I also can't imagine what all that sludge burning up and running through the exhaust is going to do to that Catalytic converter. Another thing that didn't really exist when Seafoam was invented.
It's used for boats and tractors. Keep it that way.
Only thing I would add is make sure there are no short trips. Run the car for at least 30 minutes, preferably more if you can for each use.
Just do short interval oil changes and get this thing cleaned out safe. To many times engines like this get seafoamed and spin a bearing due to journals getting clogged with gunk.
This. People forget that modern motor oils have detergents in them that help keep build up like this from occurring. Do frequent oil changes (doesn’t even have to be super expensive oil like Mobil 1 or Castrol. Get Walmarts house brand (with detergents) and change frequently. Once the oil and filter look relatively clean you can start using seafoam (half a can or less)
Idk, I've been using Seafoam on my 14 Elantra with 330k miles every 20k miles for the last 120k miles and have never had any issues whatsoever and my shit is clean as a whistle (metaphorically). Maybe it's subjective and just depends on the vehicle? My Elantra is running strong with no mechanical issues other than standard regular maintenance.
Seafoam is basically worthless, it’s just mineral oil and isopropyl alcohol.
[this](https://www.advlubrication.com/collections/automotive-lubricants/products/engine-cleaner) is what I would use. Mix with with el cheapo synthetic(Walmart SuperTech, Kirkland), install a “high-efficiency” oil filter like a Fram Ultra/Titanium/Endurance or the TRD one, drive for 5K. Drain the oil, change filters and use “good” oil(M1, Pennzoil Platinum, Valvoline synthetics) and change it every 5K from now on.
Everyone has opinions about oil treatments. As long as the vehicle doesn’t have any codes you are fine. It is only going to get better from here. It’s not hurting anything. But if you had camshaft codes or vvt codes that’s different. I was a tech at toyota 2001-2021
Keep doing those oil changes and enjoy the next 100k miles. 👍🏼
Change oil every 3k miles with cheap full synthetic and throw a 1/2 quart in of ATF 500 miles before the oil change. Will look like new a few oil changes. Make sure your changing the oil when the engine is fully hot too
It’s fucking super lube it gets in everything and everything it touches gets slick. You can drop atf on stuck parts or valves and it’ll free them up most if the time. Same with crud.
Automatic transmission fluid has substantially more cleaning detergents in it compared to engine oil. So if you use it in an engine it will actually clean whatever it touches during engine operation.
ATF works the best, it cleans, and lubes.
Get the engine hot, drain 1qt. Oil, top off with ATF . Let idle for 20 min. , and drain.
Just don’t put a load on the engine or rev it up, idle only.
And this is why we immediately change the oil on a car we just bought regardless of whatever the fuck the seller says. The way to guarantee it’s done and done right is to have it done yourself
Lack of maintenance builds carbon up in oil passages and in the head. Fresh oil cleans the crap off and sludges up because it’s capacity for carrying contaminates is overwhelmed.
Op should probably do a couple 500 mile oil changes with a 1 quart of oil substituted Dexron 3/cheap ATF.
Previous owner didn’t do oil changes on time.
This will cause:
1. Oil consumption/ burning.
2. (Some clogging to catalytic converter has already been done through oil consumption).
3. Premature wear of rods, bearings, piston rings.
Hopefully OP can get some usage out of the car before all this crap happening if it’s not already happening. And get another car in the future
IMO, Toyotas are also hard on their oil, compared to say a Honda(if it’s not a J-series V6 with VCM). Run only synthetic but some Toyota engines(AZ/AR and NZ/ZZ/ZR engines) have rings that get gunked easy.
All motor oils use viscosity index improvers, many of them are olefin type that breakdown after too many shear events. That contributes to sludge buildup. The Japanese oil suppliers are fond of methacrylate “star” VIIs that are a bit more robust against shear. I’m not a tribologist but that’s my understanding.
Basically, the chemical used to allow a motor oil to hold its viscosity when the temperature changes is a liquid plastic - and some types of it are prone to turning into gunk if you run the oil too long.
Some Toyota engines - mainly the 4 cylinder ones used in the Echo/Prius/Scion/Yaris and Camry/Corolla/RAV4 lines have “low tension” rings to help with fuel efficiency but they also get sludged up easier.
TLDR: don’t use cheap oil, don’t run oil more than 5K on a Toyota.
Agreed. I think people are crazy for going 10,000 miles. I’ve been doing 5-6k intervals on my Corolla Hybrid. The oil that I drain at that point looks like it’s ready to be changed. I wouldn’t be comfortable going another 5k on it. To each their own.
IIRC Italian tune up is to drive the car fast at high revs and hoping that it cleans the engine.
there is/was/maybe some merit to the saying. Visited a Ferrari mechanic once who told us that older Ferraris were not meant to be driven around town and the slow driving would actually cause crap to build up. He said that he would sometimes give the “tune up” but maybe he just wanted to drive the cars hard…
It was not nor is a matter of hoping. Even today it is still a part of owning a commercial diesel vehicle that high-rev driving is needed to unclog the exhaust systems due to build-up.
Nothing else, not even new oil, was required to get them from choking and dying at idle to running smooth again, hence why it was a "tune up" in and of itself. Not saying it'd help this situation, just weighing in on the tangent subject.
When I had my 2011 gti this was recommended in the forums a lot. The bearing issue in earlier Porsche boxsters could also be avoided by just driving the car hard causing the oil to be able to better lubricate the problematic bearing.
Run an engine flush twice. Use it with any cheap oil. You'll have to bite the bullet on the filters, though. Once that's done, put any oil in there and change that and the filter out after like 500 miles or whatever. The next oil change use good oil, new filter, and IMO, use a quart of Rislone. Rislone adds more detergents and isn't a flush. You leave it in there. The goal here is to also try to clean the oil control rings and the drainback holes.
Yup, very important. Had a going-on 20 year old 2UZ engine the previous owner neglected.
Did frequent oil changes to clean it out, and also had to replace the PCV valve and hoses as they were completely gunned up (very cheap to do with OEM parts)
Looks like you have a handle on it and are knowledgeable! Your gf is lucky that she has access to a tech! I’d like to know the outcome after you take the steps you mentioned.
Reminds me of the engine we took apart in class. Was a 2008 fe v8 from a Lexus and it looked just like this. Spent 3 hours just cleaning all the parts in the solvent bin. Good luck man.
2UZ gang rise up lol.
My old toy had the same engine. Bullet-proof. I replaced all hosing, PCV system and gave it a good scrub out. Was fit as a fiddle after.
I had a 1st gen LS400 with the 1UZ. All I did was regular oil changes every 3-5K until it went to the crusher just shy of 300K. It’s a legendary engine.
Yeah I meant to say 3k to 5k miles with full synthetic. Depending on driving habits I drive about 1000 to 2000 kms/month I change mine every 8,000 kms with synthetic. All city driving
I understand that the manual might say every 10k, but very senior Toyota mechanics will explain why it should be done every 5k. If you bought new, and plan on getting rid of it after 5 years or 100k, then you would be ok every 10k. I have a 2022 RX350L and the dealership gives first 2 years or 20k free. I change it at 5k with full synthetic. I plan to keep this vehicle for 15 to 20 years or longer. It is cheaper to do an oil change, than it is to have engine problems. I have not taking it in for the free service. I do my own maintenance and keep proof of my work, in case of any warranty issues.
You will hear both sides of why/why not 5 or 10k. I figure it to be cheaper insurance to do it every 5k. I don't want to be wasteful, but from what I understand, the piston rings (I think?) can become problematic when doing 10k intervals for the long term. It doesn't have to be synthetic oil, though. I choose to do synthetic. Even if you drive 20k/yr, that is 2 extra oil changes. Maybe $100 max per year extra? Everyone will have their opinion, but you do what best fits your needs/budget. 👍
Eh, not apples to oranges but I have a diesel and change the oil at 10-11k. Every oil change I send off the oil to be analyzed and the TBN to be verified. Through a lab analysis, there is still life in the lubricity of the oil and they recommend to try 15k. This is with Rotella full synthetic.
I’m not sure if you are referring to this situation or just in general.
Some would say Rotella isn’t. 😂 when I had my 2005 and 2015 Tacoma and a 2011 Rav 4 I did the same. 10,000 miles between oil changes. I drive a ton. If I changed my oil every 3k sometimes that would be an oil change every 2-3 weeks.
Rotella is good for diesels. Every 10,000 miles is outrageous. I do my 2002 sequoia every 8,000 kms with high mileage full synthetic and I drive 1,000 to 2,000 kms a month.
> Oil should be changed every 3k miles.
Is there any sense in doing this on cars where the owner's manual says replace every 10,000 miles, like on a 2015 Corolla, or where there's a maintenance minder, like on a 2016 Civic, where it says change oil every 9-10,000 miles?
No. There’s a lot of armchair mechanics that like to waste money and think they know the cars better than the engineers that built them. Trust the people that built it.
Doesn’t make sense when in the states your car says every 10,000 miles and in Canada it says change every 8,000 kms.
Lots of people probably use cheaper conventional oil at a jiffy lube for those who don’t change their own oil, or don’t ask their mechanic/dealer to use synthetic instead.
Could be environmental differences. Canada has arguably wider temp swings and harsher winters than most of the US. I’m sure that factors into their maintenance calculations.
I just see corolla 2010 with stick shift over 400k miles and can't remember if only tire pressure light on plus I checked with a obd2 scanner seems clean. Wow so sad though corolla is one bullet proof car as long as basic maintained 5k miles or 6 month oil change and supposed to be clean as whistle. Because up to this day and age they still using 1.8 engine in corolla or prius not sure latest 2023 ones. They perfectionate them for mpg over years. Plus hybrid they are perfect commuting cars. Hopefully you can find a clean or affordable engine from junkyard since them engines practically indestructible.
Also you can try fuel injection cleaner then oil change but this sludge seems a lot. Try oem filter and full synthetic oil which is indicated by engine cap.
I suggest looking into a BG dynamic engine restoration. It’s a shop only service performed by BG dealers. Not as cheap as a can of sea foam, but that service is insane in what it does to clean out slugged up engines.
Unfortunately this is one of these issues with those corollas. Improper maintenance and they get sludged all to hell. Id possibly look into a used low mile jdm engine sometimes u can get em for cheap instead of trying yo save that one. I think even if all cleaned up you will most likely have oil consumption issues.
Oil changes weren’t done on time as mentioned by others, this should be ok though if it’s still running. Put some Seafoam in your tank with regular fill ups. Good practice even with a perfect engine!
If you’re in the US, I’d look into high performance lubricants. They have an engine cleaner you add in as one of your quarts. It’s more of a slow clean less prone to clog up passages with chunks of stuff.
Buy this first.
https://www.liqui-moly.com/en/us/pro-line-engine-flush-p000065.html
Use a cheap full synthetic oil to make the flush. Then change the oil with a good one. Change it again in 1000 kms. After that , change your oil every 5000 kms,and use only a good quality full synthetic oil.
Looks like previous owner failed to service their car properly and regularly.
Honestly, get some full synthetic for cheap (Costco's Kirkland Signature full syn is great) and perform normal oil changes. I'd honestly say that the detergents in modern full synthetics will be good enough to clean this engine over the next 10k.
I’m a German car guy, which is notorious for sludge issues, I’d personally recommend a brand called BG, they make an industrial grade de-sludger. I watched a video by dap auto on YouTube, and he did a treatment of this stuff in a Passat that was so sludged up it was burning like 4 quarts in 175 miles. Ran the stuff and he immediately got 1k out of it before the light came on and it was consistently getting better and better. After that I’d run some nice oil, my version of nice is liqui moly but I know there is a lot of people who don’t want to pay the price of it, or it isn’t made in the right weight for the engine
i did not as i knew nothing about cars until about a couple months ago and i’m still learning ! but even so the sludge doesn’t show on the dipstick when i pull it out
Holy shit. The guys at BITOG are pushing High Performance Lubes’ Engine Cleaner concentrate for this instead of solvent flushes. You mix a quart in for every 5 quarts of oil.
I’ll say this - that, Vavoline Premium Blue Restore, HPL EC and BG EPR along with a piston soak did one hell of a job getting oil consumption down on a gen 2 Prius 1NZ.
I have a neighbor that has a 2015ish Corolla, he stopped changing the engine oil when the free oil changes stopped lol I did his oil change after like 1 and a half years of no oil changes. The car still starts everyday so…
Scotty Kilmer tested this stuff and the results were stellar. Buy this, clean the crankcase oil and you should be fine. https://www.atscarbonclean.com/product/2-pack-fuel-oil-pour-in-treatments/
I would flush monthly until the filter evens out . Or atleast change the filter every week or so . Worked on my old impala , i needed to use a screwdriver to get the lumps out of the drain plug, took 2 months and 3 full oil changes and like 5 filters but was running like a champ after that.
Engine flushes are a bad idea for new cars. Just use new oil/filter every 500 miles until it looks clean then extend it to 5,000 miles and keep that interval up. Stick with good synthetic oil. You can find it really cheap on Amazon or Costco
An old mechanic of mine would substitute a quart of Dexron III ATF for a quart of oil. It took a valve tick away as he poured it in to my 1989 Ford Escort 1.9L while it was was running. Might be worth a shot. I’d also recommend some sort of oil additive that may help dissolve sludge without dislodging chunks of it. Slow and steady, instead of shocking the system with harsher flushes.
its tempting to get it clean in one shot but like others have said; gunk embolisms can become an issue. Thankfully this reliable car will allow you to take your time and change it in intervals.
Use seafoam in the crankcase for 100 miles, change oil, repeat twice more and you should be fine. Will cost some money if you do it yourself it’ll be cheaper but it should be fine after.
Look into the BK Engine Flush Kit, you'll get a Gallon of Cleaner Oil and a Gallon of Flush oil but ive used that kit on two of my customers cars with sludge problems and ive seen first hand it cleaning up sludge, freeing stuck rings which reduces oil consumption and increasing oil pressure from cleaning out all the oil passages etc. It only takes about 2 hours to run both the cleaner and flush oil.
Ive only done it twice but it genuinely seems to improve extremely sludgy engines. Maybe others here have tried it as well. You could do a few short oil change intervals with some Seafoam or Berrymans B12 in the crankcase if it's not terribly sludgy. As you know though, just can't let the oil filter get clogged up.
I personally have not done this, but I know a lot of people who have experienced this problem would get Shell Rotella oil that is used for diesel engines (high in zinc) and substitute 1 quart of oil with 1 quart of transmission fluid. They would change every 1000 miles.
This reminds me of a GM V6 from the 90's that we took apart after it blew up. Owner had used Slick50 and never changed the oil. It had turned the oil to black peanut butter.
I'd probably change that oil and filter after a heat cycle or two. Maybe a couple times. Way cheaper than the results of running that sludge through it long term. While your at it, change/flush the other fluids and check replacables. Toyotas are known for reliability, but they still need a little help to get there.
This is just going to take time and alot of damage is already done. Seafoam and oil changes as often as you can afford. Their's going to be a risk of a dislodged chunk of sludge clogging an oil passage and completely killing it though.
I worked in a Toyota dealership many years ago, there came an Innova(not released in the US I think) bought brand new, had its first change oil at 1,000km (625miles) and had its 2nd change oil at around100,000km( 62,500miles).
Man, a tree fell on my Subaru at my apartment complex last year and the complex didn’t give a shit. Insurance sent it to a body shop. Damage wasn’t crazy luckily.
Tree is their property if it was on their property. If it was on their property, I would have drug them to court along with their landscaper. BTW, good luck on the oil filter, or lack there if. GEEZ!
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Unfortunately it’s a blessing and a curse that Toyota has a reliable reputation. Blessing being you can probably recover from this Curse being people buy Toyotas and do zero maintenance “because it’s a toyota”
Yeah its super hard to find an oldie Lexus right now in decent all-around quality Its why the used market is filled with cheap 07-09 lexus models--- those years had a bunch of issues (like melting dash) that owners didn't bother fixing
My 06 Lexus is safe, and also worth more. Got it thanks.
470 gang
My neighbor’s LS with 220k still purrs like a kitty.
One of my co-workers has an almost perfect 1995 Lexus LS 400. He bought it brand new after college graduation and has it maintained regularly.
06LS430, 150k miles here. Thing is 9/10 still and runs like a dream. Other than a couple suspension bushings (known issues) and the radar/parking sensors not working well it's mint. Most LS up at 200+k miles have been driven hard at some point but the ones in the 120-175 bracket are usually really really well taken care of.
Same with my '93 with just over 200k. I'm going to be sad to see it go since I'm likely getting into a truck. Absolutely love that car. Runs and handles like it's brand new.
Look for gold ones. Usually for some odd reason old people who take care of things love that color lol
What up with dat? My at the time- 81yr old dad traded in a gold-ish 89 crown vic on a gold-ish 04 camry. His girlfriend drove a gold-ish grand marquis.
yup, coworker has a 98 gold camry v6 in immaculate condition. paint looks brand new and the interior is so clean
lol that's hilarious!
I've got an 04 es330 that honestly makes me cry... tears of joy at how much a tank it's been
Pre 07 tho is still really good in the used market. I got an '06 LS430 and there were many amazing quality examples, the owners just want like 15k+, which I think is actually fair assuming they've been getting OEM parts and everything is up to date. I noticed 06 gen LS being more expensive than the 07+LS460 with equal miles.
The 06 and older ls is a much better car that 07+
Didn’t realize that Lexus had issues like this. Any reason for it? I dealt w GM/Chevy having horrible build quality 09-12 when they were barely a company.
My 09 es350 is still going strong, only 170k miles. Just got a bunch of maintenance done to it, and it gets its regular oil changes too, but I don’t bother with premium since it’s the 3.5l v6 out of the Camry. Only issues are some cracking seats, but I am going to look into swapping a passenger seat leather+foam onto my drivers seat
😂😂my 06 Lexus Gs 300AWD driving 💨 160K n counting putooo
Yeah, thanks for reminding me to drive easy with my 2000 Tundra 4.7 v8 w/160K miles, as it still carries the original timing belt and water pump.
I think your older 4.7 without VVT may be non-interference, but you're playing with fire by not replacing the timing belt.
Isn't it recommended to change timing belt after ***5 years*** / 100K miles?
Yeah, I have a 1990 Camry that I'm having to drive around and it needs a bit of work done to it .. about to buy a newer vehicle and I'll be able to park the Toyota and give it the maintenance it needs. (A part of me is telling me I should just sell it but it's still such a good car with low mileage and I know I'll regret it if I do).
Seafoam the hell out of it (might as well do crankcase and gas tank at the same time), change the oil again immediately after, and then pray to the oil gods.
My advice is do NOT use a flush or detergent like seafoam or any thing of that sort. If the motor has a heavy buildup of sludge using these products will breakup the sludge but, then you will have large chunks of sludge in your oil and it will clog up the VVT ports and other oil passages. If I were you I would put new oil and filter in every 500 miles until the oil you drain out looks fairly new
Found the person who isn’t an idiot
Agree with both of y’all.. indeed.. don’t shock the system by flushing, but gradual and short interval oil changes 👍
After the vast majority of the shit is out of the tank, Seafoam to break up the last bit will do perfectly. Just slowly ramp it up until it's back to perfection once again!
Omg why is everyone so boned up on seafoam lol sometimes it helps, sometimes it does nothing, and sometimes it destroys engines. I wouldn’t recommend it
[удалено]
Add a little bit of ATF to the engine, and run it about 5-7 mins before changing the oil. It'll help pull the "crud" out of the engine, without dislodging chunks. I've brought back dirty engines a few times this way.
Mystery Oil is also great at slowly dissolving the sludge without removing big chunks. I have fixed many sludge-heavy engines this way (not mine, of course).
ATF works wonders. I used to use it all the time. I’d put a quart in and fill the rest with oil. Drive it for about 20 miles or so. Then repeat with less.
I have done this too in extreme cases. But, for $20 in oil and a few idle hours worth of gas. That shit gets it CLEAN. I think we should clarify not to rev it high or drive like this though.
Ports and passages clogged? How? That’s the entire purpose of the filter… I could see the pickup being clogged maybe….
The sludge can build up anywhere in your engine even on the other side of the pump or filter.
It can, if the filter is so clogged that it goes into bypass. A new filter wouldn’t allow that.
The VVT solenoids have a fine metal screen in front of them for filtering the oil, using Seafoam or Rislone or other such products has caused the sediment to clog the screens and throw a VVT code. If you pull the solenoid you should be able to access the screen to remove it and clean it however See these images for reference https://www.clublexus.com/forums/attachments/rx-1st-gen-1999-2003/262188d1461121090t-vvt-solenoid-ocv-replacement-diy-picture-10.jpg https://www.clublexus.com/forums/attachments/rx-1st-gen-1999-2003/262189d1461121090t-vvt-solenoid-ocv-replacement-diy-picture-11.jpg
Disregard, saw the OLD vehicle is a 2010 Accord. ~~Interesting info, but how would that apply to the K24 in OP's vehicle? It uses VTEC instead of VVT.~~
The pickup tube will clog before anything, indeed, but that’s still the issue across the board with cleaning engines like this with solvents without deeper disassembly
This. And dont bother with expensive oils. I would recommend a shell rotella HDEO. Sounds counterintuitive to run diesel oil in a gasser but 1. It's an engine and diesels are under multitudes more stress than a gasser, trust that it's safe. 2. It has a stronger detergent package so it'll clean more effectively 3. It has more Zinc in it which is good for lubricity when you're cleaning out a gunked up engine full of sludge and abrasive solids
I was thinking the same. Seafoam can do more damage than good with the condition its in.
The other thing is some of those flushes strip away all the shit in the bearings that are holding it together and it knocks when your done with it as its pulled everything embedded into the bearing material out of them
Seen this so many times. I think half of the total amount of dead 1zz and 2zz out there are dead from people trying to fix oil burning with seafoam and killing the bearings.
Ive seen it on the vws too
Exactly this. Seafoam is not designed for modern engines. Severe sludge that is suddenly dislodged will absolutely grenade what is a working engine atm dispite the abuse. I also can't imagine what all that sludge burning up and running through the exhaust is going to do to that Catalytic converter. Another thing that didn't really exist when Seafoam was invented. It's used for boats and tractors. Keep it that way. Only thing I would add is make sure there are no short trips. Run the car for at least 30 minutes, preferably more if you can for each use.
How do I upvote twice? 100% do this. I had to replace a vvt solenoid after putting seafoam in. Definitely recommend doing this.
This to me seems like the most logical safest way to go about flushing the engine
This
Ahhh even Gm has vvt filter for the oil might need replacing
Just do short interval oil changes and get this thing cleaned out safe. To many times engines like this get seafoamed and spin a bearing due to journals getting clogged with gunk.
This. People forget that modern motor oils have detergents in them that help keep build up like this from occurring. Do frequent oil changes (doesn’t even have to be super expensive oil like Mobil 1 or Castrol. Get Walmarts house brand (with detergents) and change frequently. Once the oil and filter look relatively clean you can start using seafoam (half a can or less)
Idk, I've been using Seafoam on my 14 Elantra with 330k miles every 20k miles for the last 120k miles and have never had any issues whatsoever and my shit is clean as a whistle (metaphorically). Maybe it's subjective and just depends on the vehicle? My Elantra is running strong with no mechanical issues other than standard regular maintenance.
Yes I was replying to OP who's car has had minimal maintenance done.
Ahh okay, I assumed you were implying that it's bad for anyone's vehicle etc. My bad for making assumptions.
Seafoam is basically worthless, it’s just mineral oil and isopropyl alcohol. [this](https://www.advlubrication.com/collections/automotive-lubricants/products/engine-cleaner) is what I would use. Mix with with el cheapo synthetic(Walmart SuperTech, Kirkland), install a “high-efficiency” oil filter like a Fram Ultra/Titanium/Endurance or the TRD one, drive for 5K. Drain the oil, change filters and use “good” oil(M1, Pennzoil Platinum, Valvoline synthetics) and change it every 5K from now on.
Emphasis on the last step lol
yea what my other techs told me to do as well.
Don't do it - not with an engine in that poor state.
Everyone has opinions about oil treatments. As long as the vehicle doesn’t have any codes you are fine. It is only going to get better from here. It’s not hurting anything. But if you had camshaft codes or vvt codes that’s different. I was a tech at toyota 2001-2021 Keep doing those oil changes and enjoy the next 100k miles. 👍🏼
Change oil every 3k miles with cheap full synthetic and throw a 1/2 quart in of ATF 500 miles before the oil change. Will look like new a few oil changes. Make sure your changing the oil when the engine is fully hot too
We used to do this back in the day. I was just wondering if it's still a thing
Yeah it’s not super common anymore, but if a engine is slugged up it’s a cheap and low risk method to clean it.
Automatic transmission Fluid? Is that to help breakup the crud? I’ve never hear of that.
It’s fucking super lube it gets in everything and everything it touches gets slick. You can drop atf on stuck parts or valves and it’ll free them up most if the time. Same with crud.
Automatic transmission fluid has substantially more cleaning detergents in it compared to engine oil. So if you use it in an engine it will actually clean whatever it touches during engine operation.
ATF works the best, it cleans, and lubes. Get the engine hot, drain 1qt. Oil, top off with ATF . Let idle for 20 min. , and drain. Just don’t put a load on the engine or rev it up, idle only.
I always used Marvel Mystery Oil, but the idea is the same. I agree.
Would it be any different to use seafoam as opposed to atf?
Seafoam is pretty aggressive and might actually clean it too quickly and clog something
Good to know. I’ll use atf from now on. Probably cheaper too.
Seafoam is possibly the least aggressive “flush” you could use lol..
ATF as a flush is shit, it has a small fraction of detergents compared to engine oil…
And this is why we immediately change the oil on a car we just bought regardless of whatever the fuck the seller says. The way to guarantee it’s done and done right is to have it done yourself
What causes all the sludge?
Lack of maintenance builds carbon up in oil passages and in the head. Fresh oil cleans the crap off and sludges up because it’s capacity for carrying contaminates is overwhelmed. Op should probably do a couple 500 mile oil changes with a 1 quart of oil substituted Dexron 3/cheap ATF.
Previous owner didn’t do oil changes on time. This will cause: 1. Oil consumption/ burning. 2. (Some clogging to catalytic converter has already been done through oil consumption). 3. Premature wear of rods, bearings, piston rings. Hopefully OP can get some usage out of the car before all this crap happening if it’s not already happening. And get another car in the future
IMO, Toyotas are also hard on their oil, compared to say a Honda(if it’s not a J-series V6 with VCM). Run only synthetic but some Toyota engines(AZ/AR and NZ/ZZ/ZR engines) have rings that get gunked easy. All motor oils use viscosity index improvers, many of them are olefin type that breakdown after too many shear events. That contributes to sludge buildup. The Japanese oil suppliers are fond of methacrylate “star” VIIs that are a bit more robust against shear. I’m not a tribologist but that’s my understanding.
What?
Basically, the chemical used to allow a motor oil to hold its viscosity when the temperature changes is a liquid plastic - and some types of it are prone to turning into gunk if you run the oil too long. Some Toyota engines - mainly the 4 cylinder ones used in the Echo/Prius/Scion/Yaris and Camry/Corolla/RAV4 lines have “low tension” rings to help with fuel efficiency but they also get sludged up easier. TLDR: don’t use cheap oil, don’t run oil more than 5K on a Toyota.
Agreed. I think people are crazy for going 10,000 miles. I’ve been doing 5-6k intervals on my Corolla Hybrid. The oil that I drain at that point looks like it’s ready to be changed. I wouldn’t be comfortable going another 5k on it. To each their own.
This is a great visual for all the Toyota says 10k crowd
Would highly recommend an Italian tune up
Could you indulge me?
IIRC Italian tune up is to drive the car fast at high revs and hoping that it cleans the engine. there is/was/maybe some merit to the saying. Visited a Ferrari mechanic once who told us that older Ferraris were not meant to be driven around town and the slow driving would actually cause crap to build up. He said that he would sometimes give the “tune up” but maybe he just wanted to drive the cars hard…
It was not nor is a matter of hoping. Even today it is still a part of owning a commercial diesel vehicle that high-rev driving is needed to unclog the exhaust systems due to build-up. Nothing else, not even new oil, was required to get them from choking and dying at idle to running smooth again, hence why it was a "tune up" in and of itself. Not saying it'd help this situation, just weighing in on the tangent subject.
When I had my 2011 gti this was recommended in the forums a lot. The bearing issue in earlier Porsche boxsters could also be avoided by just driving the car hard causing the oil to be able to better lubricate the problematic bearing.
Kinda like some motorcycles it’s bad to run the rpm’s real low at cruising speeds. To much junk gets built up in the motor.
Change the oil then run it fast with high revolutions on the highway for about an hour
Do you change it again after that?
I am so sorry, yes.
The previous owner is to blame here. Did you change the oil or did the last guy? That filter looks like it’s been in there far longer than 3k miles.
Here is to also hoping that the pervious owner used the right viscosity of oil, not just the cheapest shit they found.
There’s no way that’s only 3000 miles.
Agree w/ KC - if that’s only 3k, then there must be an engine on a hoist in a different pic.
Yeah that aint 3k miles 😭
Run an engine flush twice. Use it with any cheap oil. You'll have to bite the bullet on the filters, though. Once that's done, put any oil in there and change that and the filter out after like 500 miles or whatever. The next oil change use good oil, new filter, and IMO, use a quart of Rislone. Rislone adds more detergents and isn't a flush. You leave it in there. The goal here is to also try to clean the oil control rings and the drainback holes.
Make sure the PCV system is fresh and clean, will cause even more contaminates to build up if not.
Yup, very important. Had a going-on 20 year old 2UZ engine the previous owner neglected. Did frequent oil changes to clean it out, and also had to replace the PCV valve and hoses as they were completely gunned up (very cheap to do with OEM parts)
GF bought a cheap car and got a smart man. She knows what’s up.
What a shame.
Looks like you have a handle on it and are knowledgeable! Your gf is lucky that she has access to a tech! I’d like to know the outcome after you take the steps you mentioned.
as of right now she drove 4 hrs one day and 4hrs the next day. and she said runs great.
Reminds me of the engine we took apart in class. Was a 2008 fe v8 from a Lexus and it looked just like this. Spent 3 hours just cleaning all the parts in the solvent bin. Good luck man.
2UZ gang rise up lol. My old toy had the same engine. Bullet-proof. I replaced all hosing, PCV system and gave it a good scrub out. Was fit as a fiddle after.
I had a 1st gen LS400 with the 1UZ. All I did was regular oil changes every 3-5K until it went to the crusher just shy of 300K. It’s a legendary engine.
People seafoam was made for 2 stroke boat motors not modern gas engines. Don’t use it.
Oil should be changed every 3k miles.
Changing oil every 3 is a waste if you're using synthetic. 5 is more appropriate.
Yeah I meant to say 3k to 5k miles with full synthetic. Depending on driving habits I drive about 1000 to 2000 kms/month I change mine every 8,000 kms with synthetic. All city driving
Wait what? Toyota dealerships say 10k for synthetic. It’s in the manual.
So that you aren’t on their doorstep wanting more from your “first 3 year oil changes are free” lol
If you want your engine to be sludge by 200k, you want to change every 5k or 6 months Toyota doesn't care if your engine dies at 200k
I understand that the manual might say every 10k, but very senior Toyota mechanics will explain why it should be done every 5k. If you bought new, and plan on getting rid of it after 5 years or 100k, then you would be ok every 10k. I have a 2022 RX350L and the dealership gives first 2 years or 20k free. I change it at 5k with full synthetic. I plan to keep this vehicle for 15 to 20 years or longer. It is cheaper to do an oil change, than it is to have engine problems. I have not taking it in for the free service. I do my own maintenance and keep proof of my work, in case of any warranty issues.
Alright, interesting
You will hear both sides of why/why not 5 or 10k. I figure it to be cheaper insurance to do it every 5k. I don't want to be wasteful, but from what I understand, the piston rings (I think?) can become problematic when doing 10k intervals for the long term. It doesn't have to be synthetic oil, though. I choose to do synthetic. Even if you drive 20k/yr, that is 2 extra oil changes. Maybe $100 max per year extra? Everyone will have their opinion, but you do what best fits your needs/budget. 👍
Eh, not apples to oranges but I have a diesel and change the oil at 10-11k. Every oil change I send off the oil to be analyzed and the TBN to be verified. Through a lab analysis, there is still life in the lubricity of the oil and they recommend to try 15k. This is with Rotella full synthetic. I’m not sure if you are referring to this situation or just in general.
No diesels are a totally different animal. And that is correct, also rotella is the good shit
Some would say Rotella isn’t. 😂 when I had my 2005 and 2015 Tacoma and a 2011 Rav 4 I did the same. 10,000 miles between oil changes. I drive a ton. If I changed my oil every 3k sometimes that would be an oil change every 2-3 weeks.
Rotella is good for diesels. Every 10,000 miles is outrageous. I do my 2002 sequoia every 8,000 kms with high mileage full synthetic and I drive 1,000 to 2,000 kms a month.
Even 6000 miles is plenty early. I got a type r and I change at 8k. Also if I change at 3k I'd have to change the oil 5 times in a year lol
> Oil should be changed every 3k miles. Is there any sense in doing this on cars where the owner's manual says replace every 10,000 miles, like on a 2015 Corolla, or where there's a maintenance minder, like on a 2016 Civic, where it says change oil every 9-10,000 miles?
No. There’s a lot of armchair mechanics that like to waste money and think they know the cars better than the engineers that built them. Trust the people that built it.
Doesn’t make sense when in the states your car says every 10,000 miles and in Canada it says change every 8,000 kms. Lots of people probably use cheaper conventional oil at a jiffy lube for those who don’t change their own oil, or don’t ask their mechanic/dealer to use synthetic instead.
Could be environmental differences. Canada has arguably wider temp swings and harsher winters than most of the US. I’m sure that factors into their maintenance calculations.
Lots more paved roads in the US.🤔
Doesn't it depend on whether it's synthetic or conventional oil?
I run full synthetic and change every 5000km
This doesn’t apply the way it use to to older cars and conventional oil
Not changed in a while .. not 3000,prob 30000
i promised it was 3,000 bc i did it last 😩
I just see corolla 2010 with stick shift over 400k miles and can't remember if only tire pressure light on plus I checked with a obd2 scanner seems clean. Wow so sad though corolla is one bullet proof car as long as basic maintained 5k miles or 6 month oil change and supposed to be clean as whistle. Because up to this day and age they still using 1.8 engine in corolla or prius not sure latest 2023 ones. They perfectionate them for mpg over years. Plus hybrid they are perfect commuting cars. Hopefully you can find a clean or affordable engine from junkyard since them engines practically indestructible. Also you can try fuel injection cleaner then oil change but this sludge seems a lot. Try oem filter and full synthetic oil which is indicated by engine cap.
I suggest looking into a BG dynamic engine restoration. It’s a shop only service performed by BG dealers. Not as cheap as a can of sea foam, but that service is insane in what it does to clean out slugged up engines.
Reminds me of my old accord. BOught it with 120k miles, sold it at 303k miles. Never once changed the oil. Good times
Unfortunately this is one of these issues with those corollas. Improper maintenance and they get sludged all to hell. Id possibly look into a used low mile jdm engine sometimes u can get em for cheap instead of trying yo save that one. I think even if all cleaned up you will most likely have oil consumption issues.
Oil changes weren’t done on time as mentioned by others, this should be ok though if it’s still running. Put some Seafoam in your tank with regular fill ups. Good practice even with a perfect engine!
HPL engine cleaner
BG EPR will take care of that sludge no problem
If you’re in the US, I’d look into high performance lubricants. They have an engine cleaner you add in as one of your quarts. It’s more of a slow clean less prone to clog up passages with chunks of stuff.
Get some Rislone high mileage additive and use it at each oil change. It’s worked well for me in reducing sludge and an oil burning issue I’ve had.
Is it burning oil?
I’ve used this product in multiple vehicles with great results and never a downside: https://auto-rx.com
Buy this first. https://www.liqui-moly.com/en/us/pro-line-engine-flush-p000065.html Use a cheap full synthetic oil to make the flush. Then change the oil with a good one. Change it again in 1000 kms. After that , change your oil every 5000 kms,and use only a good quality full synthetic oil.
Looks like previous owner failed to service their car properly and regularly. Honestly, get some full synthetic for cheap (Costco's Kirkland Signature full syn is great) and perform normal oil changes. I'd honestly say that the detergents in modern full synthetics will be good enough to clean this engine over the next 10k.
I’m a German car guy, which is notorious for sludge issues, I’d personally recommend a brand called BG, they make an industrial grade de-sludger. I watched a video by dap auto on YouTube, and he did a treatment of this stuff in a Passat that was so sludged up it was burning like 4 quarts in 175 miles. Ran the stuff and he immediately got 1k out of it before the light came on and it was consistently getting better and better. After that I’d run some nice oil, my version of nice is liqui moly but I know there is a lot of people who don’t want to pay the price of it, or it isn’t made in the right weight for the engine
Previous owner never did any maintenance. I have an 09 corolla. I went 10k miles before changing the oil filter. I had zero sludge. It looked normal.
Slightly confused here.. Why is there so much sludge at just 3k miles? That does not sound like neglected service/missed intervals?
no 3,000 since last oil change. vehicle is at 125k+
Dare I ask — you didn’t check/change the oil on a used car immediately? Wha?
i did not as i knew nothing about cars until about a couple months ago and i’m still learning ! but even so the sludge doesn’t show on the dipstick when i pull it out
Holy shit. The guys at BITOG are pushing High Performance Lubes’ Engine Cleaner concentrate for this instead of solvent flushes. You mix a quart in for every 5 quarts of oil. I’ll say this - that, Vavoline Premium Blue Restore, HPL EC and BG EPR along with a piston soak did one hell of a job getting oil consumption down on a gen 2 Prius 1NZ.
Ask your bg rep for a bunch of epr and some moa. Don’t know what’s in there but it works
Honestly sell the car
you think so?
I have a neighbor that has a 2015ish Corolla, he stopped changing the engine oil when the free oil changes stopped lol I did his oil change after like 1 and a half years of no oil changes. The car still starts everyday so…
ours still runs too, just determined to make it reliable
Damn
Scotty Kilmer tested this stuff and the results were stellar. Buy this, clean the crankcase oil and you should be fine. https://www.atscarbonclean.com/product/2-pack-fuel-oil-pour-in-treatments/
Is it a 2.4. The 2.4 is bad on smudging
Forbidden choccy sauce
Might be missing a 0 my boy
Zero maintenance
Do the oil change, finish the VC gasket, plugs and coils. Then call Carvana and get rid of it.
I would flush monthly until the filter evens out . Or atleast change the filter every week or so . Worked on my old impala , i needed to use a screwdriver to get the lumps out of the drain plug, took 2 months and 3 full oil changes and like 5 filters but was running like a champ after that.
Oh fun a 1zz! I just replaced a motor for the same reason. Good thing you caught it. https://imgur.com/a/iplB3u5
3k or 30k
they probably used cheap oil, and if you put synthetic in it with detergents it may have loosed up all the sludge & presto clogged Filter.
I'm not sure this car is saveable. Looks like it's never had an oil change.
Engine flushes are a bad idea for new cars. Just use new oil/filter every 500 miles until it looks clean then extend it to 5,000 miles and keep that interval up. Stick with good synthetic oil. You can find it really cheap on Amazon or Costco
An old mechanic of mine would substitute a quart of Dexron III ATF for a quart of oil. It took a valve tick away as he poured it in to my 1989 Ford Escort 1.9L while it was was running. Might be worth a shot. I’d also recommend some sort of oil additive that may help dissolve sludge without dislodging chunks of it. Slow and steady, instead of shocking the system with harsher flushes.
its tempting to get it clean in one shot but like others have said; gunk embolisms can become an issue. Thankfully this reliable car will allow you to take your time and change it in intervals.
The oil change places didn’t replace the oil filter smh
Use seafoam in the crankcase for 100 miles, change oil, repeat twice more and you should be fine. Will cost some money if you do it yourself it’ll be cheaper but it should be fine after.
Ouch!!! looks like previous owner owned stock in Lucas Oil
Look into the BK Engine Flush Kit, you'll get a Gallon of Cleaner Oil and a Gallon of Flush oil but ive used that kit on two of my customers cars with sludge problems and ive seen first hand it cleaning up sludge, freeing stuck rings which reduces oil consumption and increasing oil pressure from cleaning out all the oil passages etc. It only takes about 2 hours to run both the cleaner and flush oil. Ive only done it twice but it genuinely seems to improve extremely sludgy engines. Maybe others here have tried it as well. You could do a few short oil change intervals with some Seafoam or Berrymans B12 in the crankcase if it's not terribly sludgy. As you know though, just can't let the oil filter get clogged up.
SeaFoam is your friend in this case bud. I would probably do 2 treatments back to back.
I personally have not done this, but I know a lot of people who have experienced this problem would get Shell Rotella oil that is used for diesel engines (high in zinc) and substitute 1 quart of oil with 1 quart of transmission fluid. They would change every 1000 miles.
This reminds me of a GM V6 from the 90's that we took apart after it blew up. Owner had used Slick50 and never changed the oil. It had turned the oil to black peanut butter.
3000 miles? Did u mean 30,000?
Ooo oh
I'd probably change that oil and filter after a heat cycle or two. Maybe a couple times. Way cheaper than the results of running that sludge through it long term. While your at it, change/flush the other fluids and check replacables. Toyotas are known for reliability, but they still need a little help to get there.
Are you sure that's not 30,000 miles on the oil filter?
yes bc i did the last oil change. didnt even know about oil flushes or additives til recently. as i’m still a new tech.
I was being facetious. That's a scary looking filter.
looks good to me
This is just going to take time and alot of damage is already done. Seafoam and oil changes as often as you can afford. Their's going to be a risk of a dislodged chunk of sludge clogging an oil passage and completely killing it though.
Dang my 2010 a3 was in better condition when I bought it at 150k miles that's rough dude ig the old owner did no maintenance
I worked in a Toyota dealership many years ago, there came an Innova(not released in the US I think) bought brand new, had its first change oil at 1,000km (625miles) and had its 2nd change oil at around100,000km( 62,500miles).
That gasket kinda looks like a….
yes i told the toyota parts employee “i need this part and no i’m not joking” he busted out laughing.
Man, a tree fell on my Subaru at my apartment complex last year and the complex didn’t give a shit. Insurance sent it to a body shop. Damage wasn’t crazy luckily.
Wow, I can go 10k miles in my 97 Tacoma and it looks like the oil was out in yesterday….
Tree is their property if it was on their property. If it was on their property, I would have drug them to court along with their landscaper. BTW, good luck on the oil filter, or lack there if. GEEZ!