Where'd the Erl Go?

[lncoop]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

Yes sir.

 

[642mx]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

Bottom line. Change the oil at the 5000 mark and not at the 7500 mark that is in the manual.

I agree. And also use a thin oil like recommended. A 5w30 or a 0W30 full synthetic with a Toyota/Lexus filter is what I would use.

 

[642mx]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

I'ts probably been 5k miles since the oil was last checked. We've had the car 3.5 years, during which time it's seen a lot of use. How likely is it that stuck oil rings have gone undedected that long (not a rhetorical question)?

I check my oil every 1000 miles. Its never low, but it makes me feel better.

If your car is leaving a spot on the garage floor, this is where the oil is going. Even tho its a small spot, keep in mind that its burning some of the oil off the engine as your driving down the road.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

If my wife is driving that car I'm pulling a valve cover off too see just how gunked up it is inside and going from there. And if that was my 3 litre Yota I would run the 0-20 or 0-30 weight oil and change it every 3k.

Seen more than my fair share of those engines dead in the water with 75k-100k on them. IMO it was all due to lack of oil changes.
Seen plenty of the older ones go 200-300k miles as well So obviously its a great little motor, just cant be neglected.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

Do regular oil changes. Skip any snake oils including the Slick 50 mentioned above.

Why am I NOT surprised with you comment Bruce...I guess those from the free state of Montana, have entirely different opinions than those from the "Peoples Republic of California!"

LMFAO!!!!

Anyway, when it comes down to it, you asked for advise, many have offered it, it is up to you what you do..and you can tell us all to go pee up a tree, as long as you can keep your wife's baby going that is what matters.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

Why am I NOT surprised with you comment Bruce...I guess those from the free state of Montana, have entirely different opinions than those from the "Peoples Republic of California!"

Why...you actually believe that Slick 50 has anyplace in an engine?

http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/legal/s50fcn.html

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

Well Bruce,

yes I do, my motor pool service men actually used it by the 55 gallon barrels in the Middle East and I saw what it can do.

But what it really comes down to, is if the OP gained any knowledge to his questions, we all have opinions and it is up to him what he does, we can only offer opinions t what he asked.

When it comes down to it based on my experience, he is going to do what HE thinks is right.

And based on previous comments from you, you don't think much of what I have to say..

As I said, you are from the "Peoples Republic of California" and I am from the Free State of Montana, that should be enough to understand why we disagree...

Anyway, this is over, on to the next subject..and I am sure we will disagree..

As you say, in your signature, "Common Sense is not all that common!"

And you and I disagree, not a big deal..

 

[642mx]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

Here's an interesting Slick 50 real world experience for you all....

Years ago, my Dad and I built a mild little SBC for his 78 Chevy pick up. My Dad thought it would be a good idea to try the Slick 50 (at that time, Slick 50 was fairly new or well advertised, can't remember). Anyhow, with a couple hundred miles in it, the plastic oil pump shaft sleeve failed. It lost oil pressure, but he shut the motor off right away and pulled it home.

We pulled the pan to see if any of the bearings looked bad or tried to spin. it looked good, but we found this mess stuck to the oil pan. It was yellowish and nasty. It looked like oil, but wasn't. Want to guess what it was? Thats right, it was the quart of slick 50.... stuck to the oil pan.

I haven't used an oil additive since. Oil doesn't need any help.

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

If it isn't smoking and isn't leaving a puddle on the ground, don't worry about it. The simple fact is all engines use some oil. Most of the time it isn't enough to measure and you won't have to add any between changes. However, every now and then you will get one that needs topped off. IMO, 1.5 quarts in 5k miles isn't anything to get upset about, especially on a 100k+ mile car. Just teach the wife to check the oil every now and then and drive on.

 

[royal0014]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

Ok, so I'm a bit late to this thread, but here is MY experience, since no one has mentioned this....

2002 Chrysler Sebring w/240k miles. Had the same thing, sort of. The oil light would flicker at idle. Thought it was the pressure switch, but not. Started changing the oil with Sea Foam. Put in a half can, run the car for about an hour, then change the oil as usual. Took a couple of times, but it cleared out the gunk. Two years now and no more flickering light. Oh, and keep a good check on the PCV valve, a lot of the broke-loose gunk will wind up there.

Flame me if you want, but it worked for me


<<)))(((>>

 

[lncoop]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

Just to be clear, I'm pretty confident the oil light flickered because it was supposed to. She was a quart and a half low according to the guy who checked it. I quizzed her as to what color the light was, because I believe yellow means low oil, while red means low oil pressure. She wasn't sure, but I feel sure it was just low oil since she drove home yesterday without incident and the trip is three hours of interstate. I really believe this is just a case of low oil resulting from my failure to stay on top of it. The car runs like a top and doesn't smoke or anything. Guess I'll get definitive word when I have the VCGs done.

 

[rbh]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

Incoop, gotta ask, what the Heck is ERL????

 

[lncoop]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

Incoop, gotta ask, what the Heck is ERL????

LOL! Around here erl=oil.

 

['96 Charger]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

Ok, so I'm a bit late to this thread, but here is MY experience, since no one has mentioned this....

2002 Chrysler Sebring w/240k miles. Had the same thing, sort of. The oil light would flicker at idle. Thought it was the pressure switch, but not. Started changing the oil with Sea Foam. Put in a half can, run the car for about an hour, then change the oil as usual. Took a couple of times, but it cleared out the gunk. Two years now and no more flickering light. Oh, and keep a good check on the PCV valve, a lot of the broke-loose gunk will wind up there.

Flame me if you want, but it worked for me


<<)))(((>>

In 06 I bought an 06 Sierra. My plans were to run full synthetic in it but thought it would be a good idea to do half and half the first couple changes so it could break in properly. After two oil changes 3000 miles apart using half mobil 1 and half mobil clean 5000 I decided to do a full mobil 1 change. Less than 1000 miles after going to full synthetic my engine starts running rough. It literally shook the truck from side to side. When I dumped the nearly new synthetic it was jet black and kinda thick. Apparently even the same brand of oil can and will hate each other with different additives. I'm glad it happened when it did because two days later I had a 9 hour trip to Atlanta. Would have been bad if all that sludge would have cut loose in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. All was well after it got fresh oil and filter but still scared the hell out of me. I'm sure even being under warranty they would have tracked down the cause of failure to my ignorance. In the new Ram I've run regular Castrol 5w20 pretty much from the start.

Incoop, it might be a good idea to put a couple of quarts of what's being used in the crankcase in the trunk so it can be topped off if it ever gets too low again. If you don't change the oil yourself Valvoline claims the additives in their synthetic won't cause any issues like the story I posted above. You never know what the oil change places are really using but most claim to use Pennzoil. I wouldn't run Pennzoil in a lawnmower because it's proven to be a weak oil in my experience.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Where'd the Erl Go?

Just to be clear, I'm pretty confident the oil light flickered because it was supposed to. She was a quart and a half low according to the guy who checked it.

I think you are right.

You car has an oil pressure gauge I believe. It also has an oil LEVEL light which is what sounds like went on. Turn the key on without the engine running and you will possibly see two oil can lights. One is red which is the oil pressure and the other is orange with a squiggly line under it. The orange with the squiggly line is the oil level.