When recommending oil change intervals you must remind the masses TO CHECK THEIR OIL LEVEL BETWEEN THE CHANGES!!! So many cars even newer cars consume oil. Need to keep it topped off.
Mike Harrington my truck has a percentage counter. At 40% remaining, I'm a quart low. If I run it to 25% or less, I found less than 3 quarts out of 6 when I drained it.
Thats something I always forget, the first time I did an oil change in my current car, i poured it back into the 5 qt jug to take it for recycling and I probably only had 2.5 left! I thought something was wrong with my car and meant to check the oil every now and then but i don't. Eventually I add a quart after a few months without checking the level
With lots of cars that use timing chains, not changing the oil frequently enough is the #1 reason i've seen for engine failures. The guides and chains don't get the correct lubrication and wear down much quicker and the oil galleries to the tensioners get plugged up with gunk. The tensioner eventually gets packed full of sludge and no longer hold the chain tight as the guides wear at an accelerated rate.
Were you the original owner? If not, the issue may have come up before you. I'd wager if I took the valve covers off of my 94 Legend, which is pretty much the same engine, the seals would still be good because it was so well maintained. I don't think age has much to do with it.
EricTheCarGuy I was not, a family member (great grandmother) was and she was meticulous on doing 3k miles with bulk dino oil at the shops. Your results may vary but when I did my top end rubber seals a couple years ago they were all leaking and plastic feeling. Maybe because it took 14 years to get those original 24k miles and they dried up due to non use. Either way I appreciate your reply and videos, and in fact I used your videos for reference to pull the rocker arms off the top end. Thanks for the enjoyable content. 137k and going strong as a daily driver. And challenge accepted... time to pop that cover 😬
Eric, thanks for covering the "why" it's important to do regular oil changes. We're always told it needs to be done but not very often why it's so crucial.
I change my oil and filter every 5k with Mobil 1. My '02 Sonata had really bad leaking valve covers around the 250k mark . Changed valve cover gaskets and the old ones were hard and brittle like these, which leads me to believe that that age and heat cycles lend more to this problem than not changing your oil regularly.
BMW's are known for their leaking engine oil and oil filter housing gaskets due to these heat cycles and the piece of shit rubber gaskets they use which requires the N54 platform to change all gaskets every 2 to 3 years. Every 4 or 5 years if you're lucky or don't drive the car much. And this is all with regular 12 month oil and filter service. Cars today are like appliances with planned obsolescence built into components to force it to fail. Even if you do all the preventative maintenance like regular oil changes it's not going to stop shitty rubber gaskets from going brittle.
We use a semi-synthetic oil with a 4k mile interval at my shop abs never had any issues. One customer who adheres to that schedule religiously has over 330k on his 92 Accord and when we did the valve cover and oil pan gasket it looked like new inside.
I am doing a rebuild on a 99 Grand Am with 85K miles right now. The vids are on my channel. I ran the Sam's Club oil in for 2 years and then the Rural King oil for a year. I changed every 3K and always used OEM filter. I got it used with 45K miles on it and the previous owner always had oil changed at dealer every 3K. So I am rebuilding because of a bad ring. Low compression. You may think that is because of oil, but the engine was nearly perfect inside. I lost all oil on highway because I hit a chunk of steel and punctured oil pan. Even though I shut it down within 30 seconds, I think this is what destroyed the ring. Or more than likely it was never a great ring from new and this did it in. The machine shop I went to normally builds racing engines. They went through it and cylinders only needed honed, crank just needed polished. Pistons, rods and wrist pins were perfect and reused. The cam and all lifters were perfect. Head and valves were perfect. Had to mill 8 thousands off of deck though. All the other rings were perfect. I just had one ring that was bad on number 3. The engine was spotless inside. No carbon built up and most of the rubber gaskets were so good I could have reused them. It ran fine, but had a rough idle and the fuel trims were negative. Since it's a 99 I can say that age alone will make rubber gaskets hard.
Frugal, I agree. Better to change your oil/filter every 3k with something like Walmart or autoparts store branded oil (with a sun seal on the bottle) of the correct viscosity than to never change it or to trick yourself into believing that you only need to change it ever 20k miles because it is synthetic. I still change my conventional and synth blend oils at 3k. I know I could push that out further, but it bothers me too much. I have seen inside my 135,000 mile engine (because of a failed torque converter that required an oil pan removal) and it looks great.
People say im nuts, but ive always run the factory oil (a synthetic blend) and change it around 3500-4000. Sure I can go longer, and save a few bucks, but whats the point? Engines and timing chains are expensive.
My friend had a 10 year old Lexus IS200, she got it at year 3 so had it for 7 years and put about 90k miles on it. It was running quite rough and when I checked the dipstick is looked like road tar. When I asked her when the last oil change was she said it was a couple of months ago and she got it serviced every year without fail, after looking at the "receipts" it was clear she had an MOT inspection (test in the UK to make sure your car is not a death trap) each year, and not a service. MOT does not equal a service, they just check brakes, suspension, steering, lights, tires and emissions etc. I told her to trade it in for a new car, not worth even looking to see what 7 year old 90k mile oil looked like. :)
1989 Mercury Grand Marquis over here. It had been sitting in a garage without an oil change for ten years when I bought it. I forgot to put oil in it on the way back, so when I tried to start it after I took my brother home, it was seized. The oil had turned to sludge. Put oil in it and it started up. Hasn't leaked or burned a drop since. After a few oil flushes, it's almost as good as new, save for a lifter tick. Everything ELSE has broken, but the engine is somehow just fine. Starts on the first crank. Granted, if the place was farther away, it might have exploded before I knew any better. It gets Amsoil now.
I change the oil in my vehicles regularly and always have done it.That is one thing I have stressed to everyone I know and tell them that if they want to keep their vehicles running for an extended period of time they should perform regular maintenance on their vehicles.
My Dad was a mechanic for over 20 years. He taught me that there are cheap things you can do for maintenance that will save big repairs later on, you can do yourself thanks to guys like Eric's amazing videos on UA-cam, and Internet help...oil/filter change, PCV valves, transmission fluid/filter, coolant changes, spark plugs, and cheap scan tools. Anything to keep it out of the shop in the first place. If you're really mechanically inclined, you can rent special tools for harder stuff like axles, sensors, seals, brakes etc.
I really like the visual reference you give with the crumbly seals. I'd have liked you to mention the reason that happens but I can do it for you. My understanding is that oil degrades over time. As this happens it becomes acidic from the exhaust chemistry going on in the oil during normal running conditions from combustion. Basically your oil becomes acidic over time and that degrades the seals and gaskets. That's why it's important to change your oil on a regular basis. I just retired my 1997 Pontiac Grand Am at over 1 million Kilometers(near 800k miles). So believe me when I tell you changing your fluids regularly makes all the difference in the world.
I once worked on a car that the oil actually came out like a blob. They hadn't changed the oil in so long that the oil had actually built up carbon on the heads, the only way to remove it was to knock it off with a screw driver and vacuum it up. It needed 6 engine flushes to clean it up and all new gaskets. I scolded my mother-in-law viciously for it, the whole job (a simple oil change) took me 2 days to complete, but the car was much happier for it. She only puts about 4k miles a year on the car, but she brings it up to me once a year for oil changes now. I think she learned her lesson, because what I did for her for free would have cost her as much as $600 at a shop.
Hey Eric had a great time hanging out with you and the fairmont at the caffeine and octane event. They say never meet your hero’s but they can kiss my ass because it was awesome. Thank you brother!
Finally someone explained the oil change thing down to the dummy level... With that, I also appreciate the added tidbit portion about your personal maintenance/interval change recommendation. That helps me judge myself and if I'm doing this right. BTW, 2 cars Toyota and Ford. 244,000 and 279,000 and counting. No issues on leaks. Obvious exception when I ignored the interval recommendations. Wont do that again! Leaking tranny (obviously monitoring), and replaced power steering pump (never changed fluid).
I had a 2005 Chevy Impala that leaked oil badly. I'd lose about 3 quarts in between oil changes which I'd do about every 3,500-4,000 miles. I believe these fixes you did to this vehicle were what I needed with the Impala. I chose to trade it in since it had many other problems that I wasn't willing to invest in.
I don't understand how anybody, even fellow Americans could possibly think using an archaic measurement system base on fractions could possibly be better than a simple base 10 system. Care to explain that?
I agree to a point. I have an 06 Odyssey with 300k miles and just changed gaskets due to leaks. I think age was the issue here, but they lasted that long BECAUSE I change my oil every 5k. Great video Eric. If only people would realize that oil/filter changing alone every 5k prevents a multitude of issues.
My 94 Legend has the same engine and no leaks at all. ua-cam.com/video/yfVn134HBbI/v-deo.html I agree that regular oil changes do more to increase the longevity of your engine more than anything.
I've been a journeyman red seal heavy equipment mechanic for 35 years and replaced lots of cooked o-ring rubber seals especially in hydraulic systems due to excessive heat with clean oil. But yes they can go bad with contaminated engine oil and mushy too.
You appear to be well educated in some things, and an idiot in others. I guarantee you, if you get engine failure, your manufacturer warranty will be declined. You are certainly damaging the engine, and I pity the sucker you sell it to.
You have truly help me we have a 2003 Grand Caravan it leaks oil like an self and we can't find out where it's coming from it's been leaking all since we've been happening and that's been since 2011
you can get a cheap dye to put in your oil that glows when a UV is applied (black light), it can be really useful for finding leaks. It's more commonly used for AC systems
Stock engine, I changed my oil very 3k, when I took it apart to rebuild it was immaculate, built engine I change every 700 to 1500 miles depending on the amount of abuse I put it through. My philosophy is that $39 is cheaper than $7k+ engine rebuild or replacement.
Eric, how do we know that the hardness of the gaskets is not just from age, and heat cycles? I have worked on cars where the oil had been changed every 3K miles and the gaskets were just as hard and brittle. Its' an honest question.
I do know the value of changing the oil. I'm just not completely convinced that it is the oil changes that prevent gasket rot. I know heat and driving conditions play a much larger part in it than just oil. I guess I'm just being nit picky. Sorry, I work nights. need more sleep.
Some people don't change the filter at the same time, i don't like that idea. if it's worth the oil, it's worth the filter. It's cheaper in the long run. Boring but true :-D
Great vid. I would have thought that time and heat would be the major factor in making seals become brittle, but you make total sense, all those chemicals in old oil isn't good....clearly
Eric the Car Guy and the Art of preventive oil seal maintenance. (Apologies to Robert M. Pirsig) Seriousness aside… thanks for the reminder, Eric. I've been procrastinating about my oil and filter change. ☺️
I've got a Chevy Cruze with a tiny turbocharged 1.4 liter. I change my oil with synthetic every 3000 miles, despite the manufacturers recommendation of every 7000 miles. You can't hurt it by changing it too often.
With a Chevy Cruze you are doing yourself a favor, especially with that turbo engine. That car as a whole is about a 70k mile car before they start to come apart. A buddy of mine has his in the shop right now getting a turbo and some other work done on it. If not for the extended warranty he would be out ~$3,000 right now.
UnsulliedSpy I've got over 88,000 on mine and it's running like a top. I've got a friend with a 2011 with over 200,000 miles on it and hasn't had any major repairs. I did my research on this car before I bought it. The turbo is a $500 part, it's one unit with the exhaust manifold, and isn't that complicated that a do it yourselfer csn replace it himself. The other option on the Cruze with the 1.8 liter, non turbo, but it has a timing belt that needs replaced every 80,000 to 100,000 miles while the 1.4 turbo has a chain. I think this car will last me a while. Are they all perfect? No. I have another friend who's Cruze blew a head gasket with 12,000 miles on the odometer. The dealer installed a whole new head and it's been running fine for the last three years for him.
I’ve been a professional tech for 15 years. I change regular oil 3-4k and synthetic 5-6k. Most engines you can go a few thousand more miles but with the amount of engine work I’ve done over the years I’ve seen how much cleaner an engine is with 3k oil changes.
Excellent video! One thing I'm sure to tell my students when they buy their first car is to be religious about changing their oil at least every 5k miles with a quality oil and filter. *Nothing* helps the most expensive part of a vehicle last longer than timely oil changes!
Eric, Natalie and Tara just posted a video about changing their oil and referenced your channel. They had a number of struggles. Would you mind posting a video addressing some common issues with changing your oil?
Nice to have more videos coming from you Eric, oil changes are so important if you plan on keeping the car a long time, I change it every 6000km and at 280k the only seal I've replaced is a cam seal which is common to leak anyways and takes 30 seconds to replace. Inside of the engine still looks new and the oil stays clean for a long time. I put half a bottle of sea foam before every oil change, drive 20-30miles, let it idle for 10mins and try to get the oil out as fast as I can while its still hot, a little risky but that way you get a lot more oil out, without this method the new oil would get dirty rather quickly.
My local dealer always has coupons making a synthetic oil change cheaper than me doing it myself so I take the car there. I get weird looks because I have the oil changed every 6 months, which works out to 2,500-3,500 miles, instead of every 12 months or 10,000 miles. My commute is 3 miles each way, so I follow the severe maintenance schedule due to the frequent short trips. I must be the only person they've seen that does that.
You get a lot more contamination in the oil though because of gasses etc getting past the piston rings while the engine is cold. When I had a long 50+ mile each way commute the oil was very light colored after 10k miles. Now, at least after the winter cycle, it's very dark brown and starting to smell. Short trips in freezing weather are very, very bad for the condition of your oil.
Ninja Master Cold engines wear far more quickly than warm engines, and short trips never allow the oil to reach operating temperature which leads to oil dilution with fuel and moisture. Definitely a good idea to follow the severe maintenance schedule if you’re always doing short trips
I do the same thing, only as I have a turbo model, the manufacturer is recommending 3000 miles or 6 months for severe duty (presumably because the added heat of the turbo bearings breaks down the oil faster)...and I'll bet they know they will either never work on my engine, or they'll be replacing it for free. I'm sure it doesn't make them happy, but I didn't buy the car for their benefit, either. :-)
I have a vehicle with a small turbo diesel engine. I change it every 6,250 or six months with the synthetic oil type recommended. My daily commute is 8 miles each way so I just about cover that mileage in six months
Age and heat can do this too. I have seen this happen on engines that have been overheated real bad. As well as hard melted rubber inside connectors on the wiring harness.
I saw a video here on UA-cam in which the guy didn't change his oil even longer. What was in the engine when the shop pulled the valve cover off and other stuff looked like or was sludge. If I find that video. I'll link it to you
Over many years working on cars and trucks, I have seen lots worst. During a time, we had a local oil refinery near here that produced its own gasoline and oil which it sold through a network of service stations in the area. Most of the oil they sold was recycled oil made from discarded oil after people did oil changes. (Now this was before recycling became popular, back in the 1960's and 70's.) The complaint was that she had the OIL LIGHT blink once in a while. I went to do an oil change. I unscrewed the drain plug and no oil dripped out. OUCH! There were no notes or stickers saying when the last oil change was. She told me she thought it was at least 2 years ago before they had gone on vacation. TWO YEARS? She did find about what date that was. Yes, two years. I replaced the plug (nothing had dripped out this whole time of about 1 hour I had called her) ,and then added a quart of diesel fuel and a large can of Marvel's Mystery Oil to the oil. Warmed up the engine to operating temperature and tried to drain it again. It started dripping like molasses, thick and syrupy. It took about 2 hours to finally drain out. I then put in 5 quarts of diesel fuel and ran the engine up to temp again. This time the "oil" came out black and sooty, but closer to draining out properly. I pulled the valve covers to see what damage was done. The covers were caked, and I mean caked, in a layer of black, thick sludge that was partly baked to the covers. Paint remover cleaned those up on the inside nicely. The entire valve train was coated the same and again I used paint remover to clean them up the best I could. Then a good washing with diesel fuel, and I filled up the engine with diesel and warmed her up. The engine sounded better during the warm up. The "oil" drained nicely but stunk to high heaven. So far it was 3 filters and oil changes I had done, all with diesel fuel as lubricant. Finally I did a final oil change and filter. Just the warm up afterwards to check the oil level gave me black oil, but it was closer to normal. My cousin didn't like what I had to charge her. But after I explained what I had done, she asked if it had damaged her engine. I simply said that it did not do it any good to wait that long. A week later my cousin showed up at the house with a new car. She decided that maybe the old car was going to cost her more money to keep so she got rid of it. Luckily the salesman managed to sell her an extended warranty where she HAD to bring the car to the dealership for all maintenance AND was covered with a 10 year-100,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. Except for tires, belts, hoses, and wipers, it seemed like a good deal. I read over the warranty, and as long as she kept to their schedule, it was okay. Fluid checks and changes HAD to be done within 1000 miles of the requirement or it was out of her pocket. Six years after she bought her new car, she had already rolled 98,000 miles. But she never had another problem. Oh, her old car was purchased by one of their mechanics for his son to learn to work on and drive. That kid kept it through high school and college. Except for rebuilding the heads once, and the water pump, he barely did much mechanical work on the engine. Brakes and drums, and u-joints were the only other items I heard about. But the kid kept it for about 8 years, and his parents purchased him a brand new 1989 Geo Prism (which was a Toyota Corolla in disguise) from the dealership at cost.
The one year is not the issue, but 20k miles is a lot - even for us Europeans. Changed my oil (M1 0W40) a few weeks ago after one year and 9.000 miles. I guess if you drive mostly long distances on the highway (pretty much the only way to reach 20k within 1 year) the oil would be in about the same condition.
FireEye 3405 honestly I'm just super curious at the results since I have a J-Series V6 as well and I'm wondering how this 1 year Mobil 1 challenge would do
Lot of oil shops make a lot of money on people getting oil changes every 3K instead of the 6-7K studies have found is fine for taxi fleets. I'm sure you're not going to turn down business...
Some of the best things you can ever do for your car are the basic maintenance that you can do yourself, like oil, plugs, brakes, struts/bushings, filters, etc. I’ve owned 3 cars so far, and I’ve never gotten rid of one because of a technical problem. Take the time out of a weekend and be good to your car - your car will be kind to you in return.
Do you really think the hardened shrinking seals came from not changing oil ? Maybe using the wrong oil because from I saw in the vid. the inside of engine looked pretty darn clean. It's a 2002 so I would think heat and time would play more of a factor then not changing oil in this engine as I stated looked pretty darn clean inside. Your only 1 of 2 car channels I watch and trust so take it easy on me I'm a DYI. just trying to learn from you SIR.
Eric is a REAL MECHANIC and I kind of get what he say's about not changing oil will make your gaskets brittle because oil gets an acid in it after not changing oil for long periods. Also not using the car much if it sits for long periods dries out seals. What gaskets are made of, overheating ect. but I didn't think said engine was not dirty inside, that's why I questioned him in said vid. about the engine being dirty causing gasket to fail, a lot more factors to consider.
What I should have explained is when oil gets dirty from the combustion process, heated beyond a certain temp. it goes from it's normal alkaline state to an acidic state. It attacks metal parts, everything including gaskets and this is just a guess, it probably depends on what type of gasket was used and how that would effect said gaskets or seals. As far as his measuring skills he is doing it with 1 hand while holding the camera with the other so ? Yes he should have stated there are also more factors to consider. As far as you saying to watch a real mechanic video do you have a suggestion on what channel to watch ? Thank You Sir.
Thank you sir I am also subscribed to these guys now. Scannerdanner is truly amazing, knows how to use and get the most out of his equipment, Scotty well he's just different but knows his stuff for sure. Thanks again darkside.
Turbo Maxx touts that their oil additive can prolong the need for regular oil changes. They tested a VW that ran over 40,000 miles and the oil was sent into a lab and still was good. Should check out their channel and weigh in on your thoughts.
yes there's stuff out there that makes gaskets pliable again. The effect is limited but you can get rid of leaks or make them much less of an issue. Depends on the ingredients in the oil
Funny, just saw this on my wife's car. A 2002 Chrysler with the 2.7L sludge machine. And to the last guy who "tried" to "fix" it: THROW AWAY THE DAMN GASKET RTV! If I have to scrape out that grey shit ever again trying to fix a leaking gasket I think I'll loose my mind. The valve cover seals were as hard as the one in the video, completely submerged in a gallon of RTV. Gasket RTV should NEVER be used to "help" a new gasket seal better. It will only make that new gasket leak badly. Gasket RTV should NEVER be used to try and get an old gasket to work again. You already did the labor to get to the gasket. Replace the damn $7 thing. Too many mechanics need to be told that gasket maker has VERY LIMITED uses in modern cars. Unless the book specifically calls out when and where to put it, it WILL cause trouble. /end rant
Charles M If I had RTV from the factory, then the shop book probably says to use RTV. That's something I considered in my original post. On many engines, you have to use RTV where the timing cover and oil pan meet, some oil pans (like yours) have just RTV. I think the trans on my wife's car is RTV only. My rant was really against pulling a timing cover for an oil leak, and gooping the old gasket in rtv, and putting it back together claiming it's "fixed".
Unfortunately those who don't change their oil usually don't do other repairs on their vehicle either. Those vehicles usually also need something else like a new window regulator or door lock actuator and some new tires and an alignment.....
There's a video on UA-cam where a shop tore down a Hyundai that had only had the oil changed once or twice and it had something like 100k miles on it and it was so clogged up that it was throwing codes so it wouldn't pass emissions. They disassemble part of the engine and show the mechanic cleaning all of the sludge out and it was nasty just how much buildup there was in that engine. Frankly, it was impressive that the engine hadn't seized up entirely or started spitting valvetrain components at that point.
I always change the oil every 3,000. Overkill? Maybe. But it makes me feel better. Just out of curiosity is it the same for diesel? Or should it be done more or less than regular gas engines.
I get my oil good and hot, then drain the pan while the car is still running, filter the oil through an old sock, then put it back in and top off with used deep fryer oil. Is this going to cause any problems in the future?
Joseph Coates don’t forget to use bacon grease , it coagulates in all the oil passages so it gives the crank time to polish the main and rod bearings before the bacon grease warms up and flows
Eric, Take some of those old brittle gaskets and seals and put them in some of the gasket mechanics in a bottle and lets see if any pliability comes back.
Those particular seals are shot but it was not oil that caused that condition. It just is what it is. Would rather you had found some other mechanical fault which it seems you did not. Still give you a thumbs up for changing oil..
Absolutely. I work at a dealership and whenever someone gets worried about how they may be overdue I always tell them "as long as you don't run it low that mileage interval is more of a guideline. You aren't going to ruin your engine by going a little past the recommended replacement, just don't make a habit of it."
Ninja Master It depends on how bad the oil is. It can get so old to the point where the oil pump can't hold oil pressure and in retrospect you are running a car with no oil.
I was once given a 190E that hadn't had its oil change in such a long time, the oil filter was totally blocked. You could shake the filter and hear the oil sloshing around inside it. The engine was smoking on the overrun too due to hardened valve stem seals. I moved it on quickly.
EricTheCarGuy and mechanics around: Part of your work will always depend on another's inability, neglect, ignorance, memory lapse, abuse, apathy or some combination of the above. The more broken and serviceable something is, the more money you generally make.
A guy with a Toyota was trying to sell it and it had a leak. He stated that oil changes were a scam by the oil company. He said he only just changed the filter and topped up the oil. I took off the oil pan and it was full of sand and dirt right up to the crank and was as heavy as a transfer case.
My 08 gmc 5.3 turns even Royal Purple into black water in under 4000 miles. I change it every 3K with a new filter. I've kept this schedule on every vehicle I've owned and haven't lost a single one to engine failure of any sort. Suspension parts, though? Let's just say vehicles leave me with all of that being brand new.
I don't know what it is about the 5.3 but it seems to love blackening oil. I do the oil changes and basic maintenance on my mother's '02 Yukon XL and have tried pretty much every flushing product on the market trying to clean out whatever gunk I thought was in the engine and it still comes out really dark every single time. 166k miles at the last service and nothing outside of the usual GM lifter tick and piston slap so it must just be a "feature" of that engine.
It's pretty normal for a diesel engine to blacken the oil pretty much immediately. Diesels are also a bit more forgiving when it comes to oil changes as it is basically an oil itself. Gasoline is very corrosive and actually breaks down the oil. It's typical for some of your combustion gases to get into the oil so gasoline engines need their oil changed more frequently because the oil breaks down faster. Engines that run on propane, such as forklifts and generators, can actually go a very long time per change because it doesn't break down the oil.
"Regular maintenance and regular oil changes", That's the key to keeping any machine running a long time. There's a lot of debate about when to doo the oil changes, but it is safe to say that the OCI should not exceed 10,000 miles. Here's Chrysler's statement on OCI, taken directly from Techconnect~ "NOTE:Under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km) or twelve months or 350 hours of engine run time, whichever comes first. The 350 hours of engine run or idle time is generally only a concern for fleet customers."
I change my oil/filter with full synthetic every 5k miles or 6mo. 175k miles and no leaks. The only engine seal I've changed is the valve cover gasket because it had a very small leak. 5 minute job to replace
I change my oil every 5,000k on synthetic. A waste? Maybe, but I've NEVER had any engine related issues either. You need to mind and maintain your fluids people.
Not an ad for Mobile 1 .. but : "Mobile 1 synthetic oil change interval Mobil 1: Mobil 1 Extended Performance synthetic oil is recommended for oil change intervals up to 15,000 miles (24000km) or one year, whichever occurs first. " I'd recommend half: 7500 mile or twice a year oil changes should be fine with a full synthetic, along with a filter change, as I feel 15,000 miles is pushing it a little, and you have a lot of contaminants that the oil is required to try and keep away from the engine internals. Now oil changes vary on how your vehicle is used, the harder the driving and conditions, the more often the oil changes.
When I run conventional oil, I change every 3K, but I've not done that in a LONG time. My 06 Focus took a synth blend and at the very least that's what I've run in it; aside one time I ran convental because money was tight. The 08 Odyssey, I THINK can take conventional, but I've run synthetic in it for the past two years I've had it. The Odyssey is kind of a special case as well, it's used as a backup and as a vehicle to load up for conventions, so it only sees 3K-5K/year as opposed to the 12K/year the Focus sees.
Pantherman1979 I've done the same thing with 2 different cargo vans one was a chevy and the other was a ford. Both went over 500k miles with no mechanical problems with the engine itself. The ford had 580k when I sold it, still running. The chevy had 678k, still running when sold
I ended up having an oil leak, but not due to infrequent oil changes, but because I had a bad PCV valve. I had excessive pressure built up and it found it's way out through the seals.
Pay more on maintenance=pay less on repairs. In my jeep manual it says every 6k but has a small star then when u go to the bottom it says if u drive in temps more that 32C(90F) change every 3k
The same goes for cold weather, short trips (under 10 miles), idling for extended periods, towing, hauling heavy loads, etc. That long service interval that they advertise is pretty much a best-case-scenario so that "informed buyers" that go online and look up the predicted ownership costs will buy a vehicle based on low projected ownership costs (because the maintenance schedule is unrealistic).
As always Eric, the information you provide is more than helpful. Most gearheads know the importance of non degradated oil for protecting metal to metal parts. Though the importance of oil to protect non metal parts is sorely overlooked.
You can make rubber pliable in gasoline or winter green oil, but depending, that can take days, then days more to de-gas. With gasoline, the rubber becomes all gummy on the surface layer. Now with it taking days, it's faster to just get new seals, but on older/rarer cars where parts are harder to find or ridiculous to purchase, might a good alternative.
it obviously doesnt help seals that are that far gone, but i used to double-change the oil whenever i'd buy my newest beater, aka change it once including a new filter, run it for a few miles then redo the process. i cant say it worked well since the motors were too far gone to keep the oil a light color, but in a decent motor it gets some extra grime out, id say its worth doing despite the added cost
Amen eric but I will say blue devil works in stopping leaks it's just expensive and some seals you have to remove the engine to replace them witch is not worth doing in a older vehicle cheers
Eric, my second car does not get many miles put on it. The good news is, the miles it does accumulate are usually for drives that last longer than 30 minutes, so the engine is thoroughly warmed up and (hopefully) any condensation in the oil pan is driven out. Consequently it has been 2 years and 2,500 mile between oil changes. Your opinion ?
I recently learned of people leasing new cars who change the oil as little as possible or not at all. Some even brag about it. "Why the hell should I do any maintainence ?- Im turning it back in."
My rear main seal and I think differential carrier seal on my Acura Vigor Just started leaking very badly. I'm talking about oil looking under the car and tjr level dropping half a quart in a short drive. Luckily Acura still has the rear main seal and front oil pump seal in stock along with several other misc seals I'll be replacing as well.
When recommending oil change intervals you must remind the masses TO CHECK THEIR OIL LEVEL BETWEEN THE CHANGES!!! So many cars even newer cars consume oil. Need to keep it topped off.
Mike Harrington my truck has a percentage counter. At 40% remaining, I'm a quart low. If I run it to 25% or less, I found less than 3 quarts out of 6 when I drained it.
Although, a sump that has too much oil is way worse than one that is low. Crank will beat it into a foam that can't be pumped.
Jaerdin Spader - Sounds like a GM product. Don't use that oil life monitor, go by miles.
Agreed. Without topping off, my engine burns so much oil I wouldn’t even have oil after 3k miles. I do have leaks too.
Thats something I always forget, the first time I did an oil change in my current car, i poured it back into the 5 qt jug to take it for recycling and I probably only had 2.5 left! I thought something was wrong with my car and meant to check the oil every now and then but i don't. Eventually I add a quart after a few months without checking the level
With lots of cars that use timing chains, not changing the oil frequently enough is the #1 reason i've seen for engine failures. The guides and chains don't get the correct lubrication and wear down much quicker and the oil galleries to the tensioners get plugged up with gunk. The tensioner eventually gets packed full of sludge and no longer hold the chain tight as the guides wear at an accelerated rate.
It’s happens due to age as well. 92 Accord all the original seals were like that. Owned the vehicle since 24k and has quality synthetics every 3-5k.
Were you the original owner? If not, the issue may have come up before you. I'd wager if I took the valve covers off of my 94 Legend, which is pretty much the same engine, the seals would still be good because it was so well maintained. I don't think age has much to do with it.
EricTheCarGuy I was not, a family member (great grandmother) was and she was meticulous on doing 3k miles with bulk dino oil at the shops. Your results may vary but when I did my top end rubber seals a couple years ago they were all leaking and plastic feeling. Maybe because it took 14 years to get those original 24k miles and they dried up due to non use.
Either way I appreciate your reply and videos, and in fact I used your videos for reference to pull the rocker arms off the top end. Thanks for the enjoyable content. 137k and going strong as a daily driver.
And challenge accepted... time to pop that cover 😬
Eric, thanks for covering the "why" it's important to do regular oil changes. We're always told it needs to be done but not very often why it's so crucial.
I change my oil and filter every 5k with Mobil 1. My '02 Sonata had really bad leaking valve covers around the 250k mark . Changed valve cover gaskets and the old ones were hard and brittle like these, which leads me to believe that that age and heat cycles lend more to this problem than not changing your oil regularly.
I agree and i assume the heat from the climate affects it too like near Texas in the baking sun speeds up the brittleness.
BMW's are known for their leaking engine oil and oil filter housing gaskets due to these heat cycles and the piece of shit rubber gaskets they use which requires the N54 platform to change all gaskets every 2 to 3 years. Every 4 or 5 years if you're lucky or don't drive the car much. And this is all with regular 12 month oil and filter service. Cars today are like appliances with planned obsolescence built into components to force it to fail. Even if you do all the preventative maintenance like regular oil changes it's not going to stop shitty rubber gaskets from going brittle.
eric i so happy youre back... and yes i noticed just recently... been binge watching all night.
Love ya tons
Was putting off replacing my oil cause of the snow, but I have changed my mind. Thank you Eric
nw8000 wash the underside road salt off. That is the worst thing for cars
how and where ?
how and where what?
how and where !!
Great video Eric. My personal philosophy has always been that I would rather run a lower cost oil and change it more often.
FrugalPrepper and how good has it been with you ? I'm starting to do this recently but still not 100% convinced about it ...
We use a semi-synthetic oil with a 4k mile interval at my shop abs never had any issues. One customer who adheres to that schedule religiously has over 330k on his 92 Accord and when we did the valve cover and oil pan gasket it looked like new inside.
I am doing a rebuild on a 99 Grand Am with 85K miles right now. The vids are on my channel. I ran the Sam's Club oil in for 2 years and then the Rural King oil for a year. I changed every 3K and always used OEM filter. I got it used with 45K miles on it and the previous owner always had oil changed at dealer every 3K. So I am rebuilding because of a bad ring. Low compression. You may think that is because of oil, but the engine was nearly perfect inside. I lost all oil on highway because I hit a chunk of steel and punctured oil pan. Even though I shut it down within 30 seconds, I think this is what destroyed the ring. Or more than likely it was never a great ring from new and this did it in.
The machine shop I went to normally builds racing engines. They went through it and cylinders only needed honed, crank just needed polished. Pistons, rods and wrist pins were perfect and reused. The cam and all lifters were perfect. Head and valves were perfect. Had to mill 8 thousands off of deck though. All the other rings were perfect. I just had one ring that was bad on number 3. The engine was spotless inside. No carbon built up and most of the rubber gaskets were so good I could have reused them. It ran fine, but had a rough idle and the fuel trims were negative.
Since it's a 99 I can say that age alone will make rubber gaskets hard.
Frugal, I agree. Better to change your oil/filter every 3k with something like Walmart or autoparts store branded oil (with a sun seal on the bottle) of the correct viscosity than to never change it or to trick yourself into believing that you only need to change it ever 20k miles because it is synthetic. I still change my conventional and synth blend oils at 3k. I know I could push that out further, but it bothers me too much. I have seen inside my 135,000 mile engine (because of a failed torque converter that required an oil pan removal) and it looks great.
People say im nuts, but ive always run the factory oil (a synthetic blend) and change it around 3500-4000. Sure I can go longer, and save a few bucks, but whats the point? Engines and timing chains are expensive.
My friend had a 10 year old Lexus IS200, she got it at year 3 so had it for 7 years and put about 90k miles on it. It was running quite rough and when I checked the dipstick is looked like road tar.
When I asked her when the last oil change was she said it was a couple of months ago and she got it serviced every year without fail, after looking at the "receipts" it was clear she had an MOT inspection (test in the UK to make sure your car is not a death trap) each year, and not a service. MOT does not equal a service, they just check brakes, suspension, steering, lights, tires and emissions etc.
I told her to trade it in for a new car, not worth even looking to see what 7 year old 90k mile oil looked like. :)
1989 Mercury Grand Marquis over here. It had been sitting in a garage without an oil change for ten years when I bought it. I forgot to put oil in it on the way back, so when I tried to start it after I took my brother home, it was seized. The oil had turned to sludge.
Put oil in it and it started up. Hasn't leaked or burned a drop since. After a few oil flushes, it's almost as good as new, save for a lifter tick. Everything ELSE has broken, but the engine is somehow just fine. Starts on the first crank. Granted, if the place was farther away, it might have exploded before I knew any better.
It gets Amsoil now.
I change the oil in my vehicles regularly and always have done it.That is one thing I have stressed to everyone I know and tell them that if they want to keep their vehicles running for an extended period of time they should perform regular maintenance on their vehicles.
My Dad was a mechanic for over 20 years. He taught me that there are cheap things you can do for maintenance that will save big repairs later on, you can do yourself thanks to guys like Eric's amazing videos on UA-cam, and Internet help...oil/filter change, PCV valves, transmission fluid/filter, coolant changes, spark plugs, and cheap scan tools. Anything to keep it out of the shop in the first place. If you're really mechanically inclined, you can rent special tools for harder stuff like axles, sensors, seals, brakes etc.
Right on The Money, Eric .Up in Boston here, we change our oil/filter every 3000 miles ,lots of traffic{stop&go} better safe than sorry.
I see more brittle rubber gaskets from cars that sit more than they drive than from cars that don't get the oil changed.
My 94 Legend has the same engine, low miles, and doesn't leak a drop.
Except for taxi cabs, all cars sit more than they drive.
I really like the visual reference you give with the crumbly seals. I'd have liked you to mention the reason that happens but I can do it for you.
My understanding is that oil degrades over time. As this happens it becomes acidic from the exhaust chemistry going on in the oil during normal running conditions from combustion. Basically your oil becomes acidic over time and that degrades the seals and gaskets. That's why it's important to change your oil on a regular basis. I just retired my 1997 Pontiac Grand Am at over 1 million Kilometers(near 800k miles). So believe me when I tell you changing your fluids regularly makes all the difference in the world.
I change mine every 2200 miles ! I have over 300,000 on the engine and it still runs like new !! Toyota Tacoma
2000 !!
I once worked on a car that the oil actually came out like a blob. They hadn't changed the oil in so long that the oil had actually built up carbon on the heads, the only way to remove it was to knock it off with a screw driver and vacuum it up. It needed 6 engine flushes to clean it up and all new gaskets. I scolded my mother-in-law viciously for it, the whole job (a simple oil change) took me 2 days to complete, but the car was much happier for it. She only puts about 4k miles a year on the car, but she brings it up to me once a year for oil changes now. I think she learned her lesson, because what I did for her for free would have cost her as much as $600 at a shop.
Lol when he grabbed that rubber gasket at 0:45 then broke it my jaw dropped I didn't think it was gonna be that stiff lol
Hey Eric had a great time hanging out with you and the fairmont at the caffeine and octane event. They say never meet your hero’s but they can kiss my ass because it was awesome. Thank you brother!
Finally someone explained the oil change thing down to the dummy level... With that, I also appreciate the added tidbit portion about your personal maintenance/interval change recommendation. That helps me judge myself and if I'm doing this right. BTW, 2 cars Toyota and Ford. 244,000 and 279,000 and counting. No issues on leaks. Obvious exception when I ignored the interval recommendations. Wont do that again! Leaking tranny (obviously monitoring), and replaced power steering pump (never changed fluid).
Your topic and advise were spot on and the camera seemed especially sharp today -- great close ups of EricTheCarGuy.
I had a 2005 Chevy Impala that leaked oil badly. I'd lose about 3 quarts in between oil changes which I'd do about every 3,500-4,000 miles. I believe these fixes you did to this vehicle were what I needed with the Impala. I chose to trade it in since it had many other problems that I wasn't willing to invest in.
Holy cow an Eric video under 5 minutes
The previous owner of my foxbody did the same thing. I have been replacing seals left and right. I am shocked this little 302 still runs so well.
Thanks for using metric system Eric. USA need this :-). And it must start from folks like you. Thumbs up.
Petr Miškeřík um no
Ewww, no, yuck, SAE is a world better imo
Having a dose of both is perfectly fine and if it’s to hard to understand go back to Elementary school to learn it
I prefer the science units of measurement be kept to the egg heads in the labs while the real working men use good ole standard system.
I don't understand how anybody, even fellow Americans could possibly think using an archaic measurement system base on fractions could possibly be better than a simple base 10 system. Care to explain that?
Best car channel on UA-cam. Keep it up Eric!
excellent display of why to change your oil.
Eric, I purposefully watched the entire ad before your video, so you got PAID.
I agree to a point. I have an 06 Odyssey with 300k miles and just changed gaskets due to leaks. I think age was the issue here, but they lasted that long BECAUSE I change my oil every 5k. Great video Eric. If only people would realize that oil/filter changing alone every 5k prevents a multitude of issues.
My 94 Legend has the same engine and no leaks at all. ua-cam.com/video/yfVn134HBbI/v-deo.html
I agree that regular oil changes do more to increase the longevity of your engine more than anything.
I've been a journeyman red seal heavy equipment mechanic for 35 years and replaced lots of cooked o-ring rubber seals especially in hydraulic systems due to excessive heat with clean oil. But yes they can go bad with contaminated engine oil and mushy too.
I haven't changed my oil in my car since it was new 4 years ago and my car runs fine thank you very much.
You appear to be well educated in some things, and an idiot in others. I guarantee you, if you get engine failure, your manufacturer warranty will be declined. You are certainly damaging the engine, and I pity the sucker you sell it to.
You have truly help me we have a 2003 Grand Caravan it leaks oil like an self and we can't find out where it's coming from it's been leaking all since we've been happening and that's been since 2011
you can get a cheap dye to put in your oil that glows when a UV is applied (black light), it can be really useful for finding leaks. It's more commonly used for AC systems
Stock engine, I changed my oil very 3k, when I took it apart to rebuild it was immaculate, built engine I change every 700 to 1500 miles depending on the amount of abuse I put it through. My philosophy is that $39 is cheaper than $7k+ engine rebuild or replacement.
Eric, how do we know that the hardness of the gaskets is not just from age, and heat cycles? I have worked on cars where the oil had been changed every 3K miles and the gaskets were just as hard and brittle. Its' an honest question.
Because my 94 Legend has the same engine with no leaks at all. BTW 94 is older than 2002. ;) ua-cam.com/video/yfVn134HBbI/v-deo.html
I do know the value of changing the oil. I'm just not completely convinced that it is the oil changes that prevent gasket rot. I know heat and driving conditions play a much larger part in it than just oil. I guess I'm just being nit picky. Sorry, I work nights. need more sleep.
Bighappy fully agreed I thought he was going to reference the sludge that build up on the engine components rather than the gaskets.
simple, short and full of information .
Thx Eric. Good to see a video more in the nature of your earlier stuff.
Some people don't change the filter at the same time, i don't like that idea.
if it's worth the oil, it's worth the filter.
It's cheaper in the long run.
Boring but true :-D
zx8401ztv Agreed!
Well worth a filter :-D
For modern engines, anything that cleans out the sludge is critical
I agree.
zx8401ztv I agree on cars. On bikes not so much.
Great info. Under 3 minutes. That’s worth a 👍🏻.
Great vid. I would have thought that time and heat would be the major factor in making seals become brittle, but you make total sense, all those chemicals in old oil isn't good....clearly
Eric the Car Guy and the Art of preventive oil seal maintenance.
(Apologies to Robert M. Pirsig)
Seriousness aside… thanks for the reminder, Eric.
I've been procrastinating about my oil and filter change.
☺️
In a bottle, AT-205. Works magic with rubber seals. Stopped a bad front main seal leak on a dodge Ram, and many more leaks.
Wow, you replaced those gaskets quickly. I didn't know you could move so fast. Nice job!
I've been working out, and drinking milk.
And getting fiber in your diet?lol
I've got a Chevy Cruze with a tiny turbocharged 1.4 liter. I change my oil with synthetic every 3000 miles, despite the manufacturers recommendation of every 7000 miles. You can't hurt it by changing it too often.
With a Chevy Cruze you are doing yourself a favor, especially with that turbo engine. That car as a whole is about a 70k mile car before they start to come apart. A buddy of mine has his in the shop right now getting a turbo and some other work done on it. If not for the extended warranty he would be out ~$3,000 right now.
UnsulliedSpy I've got over 88,000 on mine and it's running like a top. I've got a friend with a 2011 with over 200,000 miles on it and hasn't had any major repairs. I did my research on this car before I bought it. The turbo is a $500 part, it's one unit with the exhaust manifold, and isn't that complicated that a do it yourselfer csn replace it himself. The other option on the Cruze with the 1.8 liter, non turbo, but it has a timing belt that needs replaced every 80,000 to 100,000 miles while the 1.4 turbo has a chain. I think this car will last me a while. Are they all perfect? No. I have another friend who's Cruze blew a head gasket with 12,000 miles on the odometer. The dealer installed a whole new head and it's been running fine for the last three years for him.
I’ve been a professional tech for 15 years. I change regular oil 3-4k and synthetic 5-6k. Most engines you can go a few thousand more miles but with the amount of engine work I’ve done over the years I’ve seen how much cleaner an engine is with 3k oil changes.
Today is my birthday, I needed to watch this.
Happy Birthday.
Excellent video! One thing I'm sure to tell my students when they buy their first car is to be religious about changing their oil at least every 5k miles with a quality oil and filter. *Nothing* helps the most expensive part of a vehicle last longer than timely oil changes!
Eric, Natalie and Tara just posted a video about changing their oil and referenced your channel. They had a number of struggles. Would you mind posting a video addressing some common issues with changing your oil?
Very good point. I forgot how important oil is to the seals. I do change my oil at 5k or 6k intervals though, even with full synthetic.
Nice to have more videos coming from you Eric, oil changes are so important if you plan on keeping the car a long time, I change it every 6000km and at 280k the only seal I've replaced is a cam seal which is common to leak anyways and takes 30 seconds to replace. Inside of the engine still looks new and the oil stays clean for a long time. I put half a bottle of sea foam before every oil change, drive 20-30miles, let it idle for 10mins and try to get the oil out as fast as I can while its still hot, a little risky but that way you get a lot more oil out, without this method the new oil would get dirty rather quickly.
Morning Eric. Funny you put this video out as my change oil light came on yesterday. Lol!
bassfisher_15 He didn't say his oil pressure light came on.
bassfisher_15 Too late for my next oil change???
My local dealer always has coupons making a synthetic oil change cheaper than me doing it myself so I take the car there. I get weird looks because I have the oil changed every 6 months, which works out to 2,500-3,500 miles, instead of every 12 months or 10,000 miles. My commute is 3 miles each way, so I follow the severe maintenance schedule due to the frequent short trips. I must be the only person they've seen that does that.
jblyon2 short drives do less damage to a car than high mileage. Provided the climate is tame.
Heat and friction wear a car down
You get a lot more contamination in the oil though because of gasses etc getting past the piston rings while the engine is cold. When I had a long 50+ mile each way commute the oil was very light colored after 10k miles. Now, at least after the winter cycle, it's very dark brown and starting to smell. Short trips in freezing weather are very, very bad for the condition of your oil.
Ninja Master Cold engines wear far more quickly than warm engines, and short trips never allow the oil to reach operating temperature which leads to oil dilution with fuel and moisture. Definitely a good idea to follow the severe maintenance schedule if you’re always doing short trips
I do the same thing, only as I have a turbo model, the manufacturer is recommending 3000 miles or 6 months for severe duty (presumably because the added heat of the turbo bearings breaks down the oil faster)...and I'll bet they know they will either never work on my engine, or they'll be replacing it for free. I'm sure it doesn't make them happy, but I didn't buy the car for their benefit, either. :-)
I have a vehicle with a small turbo diesel engine. I change it every 6,250 or six months with the synthetic oil type recommended. My daily commute is 8 miles each way so I just about cover that mileage in six months
Very true,great vid oil consumption is an issue espessialy with small sumps..
Age and heat can do this too. I have seen this happen on engines that have been overheated real bad. As well as hard melted rubber inside connectors on the wiring harness.
I saw a video here on UA-cam in which the guy didn't change his oil even longer. What was in the engine when the shop pulled the valve cover off and other stuff looked like or was sludge. If I find that video. I'll link it to you
It's called Fuzzy Wuzzy oil not been changed since 1950's...
ua-cam.com/video/RAPjd8z6GzA/v-deo.html
Short, sweet, informative with clear examples. Great work
Over many years working on cars and trucks, I have seen lots worst. During a time, we had a local oil refinery near here that produced its own gasoline and oil which it sold through a network of service stations in the area. Most of the oil they sold was recycled oil made from discarded oil after people did oil changes. (Now this was before recycling became popular, back in the 1960's and 70's.)
The complaint was that she had the OIL LIGHT blink once in a while. I went to do an oil change. I unscrewed the drain plug and no oil dripped out. OUCH!
There were no notes or stickers saying when the last oil change was. She told me she thought it was at least 2 years ago before they had gone on vacation. TWO YEARS? She did find about what date that was. Yes, two years. I replaced the plug (nothing had dripped out this whole time of about 1 hour I had called her) ,and then added a quart of diesel fuel and a large can of Marvel's Mystery Oil to the oil. Warmed up the engine to operating temperature and tried to drain it again. It started dripping like molasses, thick and syrupy. It took about 2 hours to finally drain out. I then put in 5 quarts of diesel fuel and ran the engine up to temp again. This time the "oil" came out black and sooty, but closer to draining out properly.
I pulled the valve covers to see what damage was done. The covers were caked, and I mean caked, in a layer of black, thick sludge that was partly baked to the covers. Paint remover cleaned those up on the inside nicely. The entire valve train was coated the same and again I used paint remover to clean them up the best I could. Then a good washing with diesel fuel, and I filled up the engine with diesel and warmed her up. The engine sounded better during the warm up. The "oil" drained nicely but stunk to high heaven.
So far it was 3 filters and oil changes I had done, all with diesel fuel as lubricant. Finally I did a final oil change and filter. Just the warm up afterwards to check the oil level gave me black oil, but it was closer to normal. My cousin didn't like what I had to charge her. But after I explained what I had done, she asked if it had damaged her engine. I simply said that it did not do it any good to wait that long.
A week later my cousin showed up at the house with a new car. She decided that maybe the old car was going to cost her more money to keep so she got rid of it. Luckily the salesman managed to sell her an extended warranty where she HAD to bring the car to the dealership for all maintenance AND was covered with a 10 year-100,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. Except for tires, belts, hoses, and wipers, it seemed like a good deal. I read over the warranty, and as long as she kept to their schedule, it was okay. Fluid checks and changes HAD to be done within 1000 miles of the requirement or it was out of her pocket. Six years after she bought her new car, she had already rolled 98,000 miles. But she never had another problem.
Oh, her old car was purchased by one of their mechanics for his son to learn to work on and drive. That kid kept it through high school and college. Except for rebuilding the heads once, and the water pump, he barely did much mechanical work on the engine. Brakes and drums, and u-joints were the only other items I heard about. But the kid kept it for about 8 years, and his parents purchased him a brand new 1989 Geo Prism (which was a Toyota Corolla in disguise) from the dealership at cost.
So how's that Mobil 1 20,000 mile 1 year oil change challenge coming along? ;)
Got 3 months to go.
The one year is not the issue, but 20k miles is a lot - even for us Europeans.
Changed my oil (M1 0W40) a few weeks ago after one year and 9.000 miles.
I guess if you drive mostly long distances on the highway (pretty much the only way to reach 20k within 1 year) the oil would be in about the same condition.
I was thinking the same thing.
I don't trust that shit one bit, sorry
FireEye 3405 honestly I'm just super curious at the results since I have a J-Series V6 as well and I'm wondering how this 1 year Mobil 1 challenge would do
As I tell customers. "I've never heard of an engine lock up or become damaged because it had too many oil changes" WELCOME BACK BTW!
Lot of oil shops make a lot of money on people getting oil changes every 3K instead of the 6-7K studies have found is fine for taxi fleets. I'm sure you're not going to turn down business...
@@boots7859 i wouldn't risk sludging up my engine for 20 bucks,
Excellent video...Eric, keep up the great work.
BAHAHAHAH I lost it when you picked up the gasket and dropped it, that thing is solid!
Great to see you back Eric, welcome home 👍🏻
Some of the best things you can ever do for your car are the basic maintenance that you can do yourself, like oil, plugs, brakes, struts/bushings, filters, etc. I’ve owned 3 cars so far, and I’ve never gotten rid of one because of a technical problem.
Take the time out of a weekend and be good to your car - your car will be kind to you in return.
Do you really think the hardened shrinking seals came from not changing oil ? Maybe using the wrong oil because from I saw in the vid. the inside of engine looked pretty darn clean. It's a 2002 so I would think heat and time would play more of a factor then not changing oil in this engine as I stated looked pretty darn clean inside. Your only 1 of 2 car channels I watch and trust so take it easy on me I'm a DYI. just trying to learn from you SIR.
Eric is a REAL MECHANIC and I kind of get what he say's about not changing oil will make your gaskets brittle because oil gets an acid in it after not changing oil for long periods. Also not using the car much if it sits for long periods dries out seals. What gaskets are made of, overheating ect. but I didn't think said engine was not dirty inside, that's why I questioned him in said vid. about the engine being dirty causing gasket to fail, a lot more factors to consider.
What I should have explained is when oil gets dirty from the combustion process, heated beyond a certain temp. it goes from it's normal alkaline state to an acidic state. It attacks metal parts, everything including gaskets and this is just a guess, it probably depends on what type of gasket was used and how that would effect said gaskets or seals. As far as his measuring skills he is doing it with 1 hand while holding the camera with the other so ? Yes he should have stated there are also more factors to consider. As far as you saying to watch a real mechanic video do you have a suggestion on what channel to watch ? Thank You Sir.
Thank you sir I am also subscribed to these guys now. Scannerdanner is truly amazing, knows how to use and get the most out of his equipment, Scotty well he's just different but knows his stuff for sure. Thanks again darkside.
Turbo Maxx touts that their oil additive can prolong the need for regular oil changes. They tested a VW that ran over 40,000 miles and the oil was sent into a lab and still was good. Should check out their channel and weigh in on your thoughts.
yes there's stuff out there that makes gaskets pliable again. The effect is limited but you can get rid of leaks or make them much less of an issue. Depends on the ingredients in the oil
Funny, just saw this on my wife's car. A 2002 Chrysler with the 2.7L sludge machine. And to the last guy who "tried" to "fix" it: THROW AWAY THE DAMN GASKET RTV! If I have to scrape out that grey shit ever again trying to fix a leaking gasket I think I'll loose my mind. The valve cover seals were as hard as the one in the video, completely submerged in a gallon of RTV. Gasket RTV should NEVER be used to "help" a new gasket seal better. It will only make that new gasket leak badly. Gasket RTV should NEVER be used to try and get an old gasket to work again. You already did the labor to get to the gasket. Replace the damn $7 thing. Too many mechanics need to be told that gasket maker has VERY LIMITED uses in modern cars. Unless the book specifically calls out when and where to put it, it WILL cause trouble. /end rant
Charles M If I had RTV from the factory, then the shop book probably says to use RTV. That's something I considered in my original post. On many engines, you have to use RTV where the timing cover and oil pan meet, some oil pans (like yours) have just RTV. I think the trans on my wife's car is RTV only. My rant was really against pulling a timing cover for an oil leak, and gooping the old gasket in rtv, and putting it back together claiming it's "fixed".
Unfortunately those who don't change their oil usually don't do other repairs on their vehicle either. Those vehicles usually also need something else like a new window regulator or door lock actuator and some new tires and an alignment.....
i've seen worst... where the oil turn to sludge.. and gum up the whole engine.
There's a video on UA-cam where a shop tore down a Hyundai that had only had the oil changed once or twice and it had something like 100k miles on it and it was so clogged up that it was throwing codes so it wouldn't pass emissions. They disassemble part of the engine and show the mechanic cleaning all of the sludge out and it was nasty just how much buildup there was in that engine. Frankly, it was impressive that the engine hadn't seized up entirely or started spitting valvetrain components at that point.
yup.. that what I meant..
Well thank god my dad took care of his RL. Thing runs like a champ. Just passed 193,000 mi and it is not burning any oil.
Thanks for keeping it short and sweet!
I always change the oil every 3,000. Overkill? Maybe. But it makes me feel better. Just out of curiosity is it the same for diesel? Or should it be done more or less than regular gas engines.
I get my oil good and hot, then drain the pan while the car is still running, filter the oil through an old sock, then put it back in and top off with used deep fryer oil. Is this going to cause any problems in the future?
no that is perfectly fine
Joseph Coates don’t forget to use bacon grease , it coagulates in all the oil passages so it gives the crank time to polish the main and rod bearings before the bacon grease warms up and flows
If your car survives being drained of oil while running you’re doing good.
Only if you add a cup of powdered dishwasher detergent to the oil 100 miles prior to draining the pan.
Eric, Take some of those old brittle gaskets and seals and put them in some of the gasket mechanics in a bottle and lets see if any pliability comes back.
Those particular seals are shot but it was not oil that caused that condition. It just is what it is. Would rather you had found some other mechanical fault which it seems you did not. Still give you a thumbs up for changing oil..
Low oil and no oil is still worse than old oil.
Absolutely. I work at a dealership and whenever someone gets worried about how they may be overdue I always tell them "as long as you don't run it low that mileage interval is more of a guideline. You aren't going to ruin your engine by going a little past the recommended replacement, just don't make a habit of it."
Well if its ran long enough with little to no oil, you won't have to worry about an oil change, just an engine change LOL.
Ninja Master It depends on how bad the oil is. It can get so old to the point where the oil pump can't hold oil pressure and in retrospect you are running a car with no oil.
I was once given a 190E that hadn't had its oil change in such a long time, the oil filter was totally blocked. You could shake the filter and hear the oil sloshing around inside it. The engine was smoking on the overrun too due to hardened valve stem seals.
I moved it on quickly.
EricTheCarGuy and mechanics around: Part of your work will always depend on another's inability, neglect, ignorance, memory lapse, abuse, apathy or some combination of the above. The more broken and serviceable something is, the more money you generally make.
A guy with a Toyota was trying to sell it and it had a leak. He stated that oil changes were a scam by the oil company. He said he only just changed the filter and topped up the oil. I took off the oil pan and it was full of sand and dirt right up to the crank and was as heavy as a transfer case.
My 08 gmc 5.3 turns even Royal Purple into black water in under 4000 miles. I change it every 3K with a new filter. I've kept this schedule on every vehicle I've owned and haven't lost a single one to engine failure of any sort. Suspension parts, though? Let's just say vehicles leave me with all of that being brand new.
I don't know what it is about the 5.3 but it seems to love blackening oil. I do the oil changes and basic maintenance on my mother's '02 Yukon XL and have tried pretty much every flushing product on the market trying to clean out whatever gunk I thought was in the engine and it still comes out really dark every single time. 166k miles at the last service and nothing outside of the usual GM lifter tick and piston slap so it must just be a "feature" of that engine.
It's pretty normal for a diesel engine to blacken the oil pretty much immediately. Diesels are also a bit more forgiving when it comes to oil changes as it is basically an oil itself. Gasoline is very corrosive and actually breaks down the oil. It's typical for some of your combustion gases to get into the oil so gasoline engines need their oil changed more frequently because the oil breaks down faster. Engines that run on propane, such as forklifts and generators, can actually go a very long time per change because it doesn't break down the oil.
I tried this once on a ford car, works well for a year or two, not good, in the long run. But hey, it was a fun experiment.
"Regular maintenance and regular oil changes", That's the key to keeping any machine running a long time. There's a lot of debate about when to doo the oil changes, but it is safe to say that the OCI should not exceed 10,000 miles. Here's Chrysler's statement on OCI, taken directly from Techconnect~
"NOTE:Under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km) or twelve months or 350 hours of engine run time, whichever comes first. The 350 hours of engine run or idle time is generally only a concern for fleet customers."
Great advice - and nice touch with the seal measurement!
I change my oil/filter with full synthetic every 5k miles or 6mo. 175k miles and no leaks. The only engine seal I've changed is the valve cover gasket because it had a very small leak. 5 minute job to replace
I change my oil every 5,000k on synthetic. A waste? Maybe, but I've NEVER had any engine related issues either. You need to mind and maintain your fluids people.
Not an ad for Mobile 1 .. but :
"Mobile 1 synthetic oil change interval
Mobil 1: Mobil 1 Extended Performance synthetic oil is recommended for oil change intervals up to 15,000 miles (24000km) or one year, whichever occurs first. "
I'd recommend half: 7500 mile or twice a year oil changes should be fine with a full synthetic, along with a filter change, as I feel 15,000 miles is pushing it a little, and you have a lot of contaminants that the oil is required to try and keep away from the engine internals.
Now oil changes vary on how your vehicle is used, the harder the driving and conditions, the more often the oil changes.
I run strictly regular oil with 4000 miles oil changes and never had any issues either.
When I run conventional oil, I change every 3K, but I've not done that in a LONG time. My 06 Focus took a synth blend and at the very least that's what I've run in it; aside one time I ran convental because money was tight. The 08 Odyssey, I THINK can take conventional, but I've run synthetic in it for the past two years I've had it. The Odyssey is kind of a special case as well, it's used as a backup and as a vehicle to load up for conventions, so it only sees 3K-5K/year as opposed to the 12K/year the Focus sees.
Synthetic under regular use is good for 10k or 1 year.
Pantherman1979 I've done the same thing with 2 different cargo vans one was a chevy and the other was a ford. Both went over 500k miles with no mechanical problems with the engine itself. The ford had 580k when I sold it, still running. The chevy had 678k, still running when sold
Great video demo on engine oil seal / gasket damage.
Good video. Short and informative.
Love this video.... short but to the point with great information
Awesome video Eric. Loving the changes you have made.
I ended up having an oil leak, but not due to infrequent oil changes, but because I had a bad PCV valve. I had excessive pressure built up and it found it's way out through the seals.
Huge tip and a fantastic visual to back it up.
Pay more on maintenance=pay less on repairs. In my jeep manual it says every 6k but has a small star then when u go to the bottom it says if u drive in temps more that 32C(90F) change every 3k
The same goes for cold weather, short trips (under 10 miles), idling for extended periods, towing, hauling heavy loads, etc. That long service interval that they advertise is pretty much a best-case-scenario so that "informed buyers" that go online and look up the predicted ownership costs will buy a vehicle based on low projected ownership costs (because the maintenance schedule is unrealistic).
Great video there Eric C.
As always Eric, the information you provide is more than helpful. Most gearheads know the importance of non degradated oil for protecting metal to metal parts. Though the importance of oil to protect non metal parts is sorely overlooked.
Eric I wish you did a video on how to change valve cover gaskets on the 3.5 RL, I had one hell of a time on my 98 RL!
You can make rubber pliable in gasoline or winter green oil, but depending, that can take days, then days more to de-gas.
With gasoline, the rubber becomes all gummy on the surface layer.
Now with it taking days, it's faster to just get new seals, but on older/rarer cars where parts are harder to find or ridiculous to purchase, might a good alternative.
it obviously doesnt help seals that are that far gone, but i used to double-change the oil whenever i'd buy my newest beater, aka change it once including a new filter, run it for a few miles then redo the process. i cant say it worked well since the motors were too far gone to keep the oil a light color, but in a decent motor it gets some extra grime out, id say its worth doing despite the added cost
Amen eric but I will say blue devil works in stopping leaks it's just expensive and some seals you have to remove the engine to replace them witch is not worth doing in a older vehicle cheers
Eric, my second car does not get many miles put on it. The good news is, the miles it does accumulate are usually for drives that last longer than 30 minutes, so the engine is thoroughly warmed up and (hopefully) any condensation in the oil pan is driven out. Consequently it has been 2 years and 2,500 mile between oil changes. Your opinion ?
Another wonderful video! Keep up the good work!
I recently learned of people leasing new cars who change the oil as little as possible or not at all. Some even brag about it. "Why the hell should I do any maintainence ?- Im turning it back in."
Never, NEVER buy a leased car. They are almost always driven hard, and most likely receive no maintenance.
My rear main seal and I think differential carrier seal on my Acura Vigor Just started leaking very badly. I'm talking about oil looking under the car and tjr level dropping half a quart in a short drive.
Luckily Acura still has the rear main seal and front oil pump seal in stock along with several other misc seals I'll be replacing as well.