Will Synthetic Oil Improve Mileage?

[fj40dave]

Originally Posted by ilikerice

You should pull your valve cover off and take a picture. I am not doubting that AMSOIL is not good stuff. But you have a good candidate to confirm thier product. I am very interested in seeing this.

I think that's a great idea! I just pulled the cover, took a bunch of pics, and am posting them next! Cool

[fj40dave]

2008 HB with 80K miles using AMSOIL 25K mile oil (changed every 20K - filter every 10K)

[R2D2]

Looks very clean-all I see is oil!

R2

[mazilla]

How long did it take to get the valve cover off? I've been curious as to what 250-300K(estimated since swap) has done to this engine.

[ilikerice]

Originally Posted by fj40dave

I think that's a great idea! I just pulled the cover, took a bunch of pics, and am posting them next! Cool

wow.. that is impressive oil. Is AMSOIL a synthetic? Thanks for those pictures. This is good evidence.

Is it too much to ask to pull a rod bearing off now?

Should start a thread "whats under your valve cover" and have a list:

-Miles on car
-What oil brand used
-what interval maintinence used (3k, 5k, 10k)

This could be a stick too maybe?

[fj40dave]

You're welcome.....anytime.

AMSOIL is full synthetic....I really like the stuff.

[fj40dave]

Originally Posted by mazilla

How long did it take to get the valve cover off? I've been curious as to what 250-300K(estimated since swap) has done to this engine.

20 minutes.....it's actually pretty easy!

If you have a slight mechanical aptitude, it's going to be a "no-brainer".
(that's why it took me longer than most I think)

[mazilla]

Originally Posted by fj40dave

20 minutes.....it's actually pretty easy!

If you have a slight mechanical aptitude, it's going to be a "no-brainer".
(that's why it took me longer than most I think)

It won't be a problem, I just wanted to paint the valve cover but didn't want to invest more than an hour into the project. I just found a gasket kit for 12.99 at the local parts store,probably gonna knock this out tonight.

[Hershey]

Very impressive . Thanks .

[R2D2]

I have been changing my friends oil with Amsoil for years. He is on his 3rd vehicle that has gone 200k with 25k+ oil changes. He drives about 50k a year so that's still two changes a year, lol.

What has really impressed me is how little oil his cars have used between changes (GM V6s). He rarely has added more than a quart in 25-27k mi.

[mazilla]

Here's mine...maybe we should start a thread.

Mileage - Approx 275,000 on the engine(460K+ on the rest)

Oil - **UPDATE** THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THEY USED WHATEVER 20W50 WAS ON SALE. He also got a very serious look on his face when I told him I went back to 5w30...he suggested I switch back to 20w50 next change. He's probably right, they were running upwards of 500 miles per day 5 days a week on the 20 or so Yaris liftbacks & 20 or so Echos they had. I didn't find one that had less than 395k on the odo.

Oil change interval - Every 3,000 miles(in this case every Sunday) while it was a company vehicle. I continue to change it every 3,000 miles. ** Today happened to be oil change day, I did a Mobil1 change this morning...there are about 10 miles on that oil.

[fj40dave]

Mazilla:

Good job....that's pretty awesome that the motor has that many miles on it and had economy oil changes. I bet it likes the Mobil 1 stuff now!

If I didn't have the plastic cover - I might paint the valve cover....is your's off?

[Hershey]

Lookin' very good . I take it that conventional oils were used . If so , even more impressive . The use of synthetics could help clean it a bit more . Thanks for taking the time .

[rningonfumes]

For those of you who took off the cover, you don't need a new gasket to put it back on? I've been curious, but did not want to deal with the gasket.

They look gooood by the way!

[ilikerice]

Originally Posted by rningonfumes

For those of you who took off the cover, you don't need a new gasket to put it back on? I've been curious, but did not want to deal with the gasket.

They look gooood by the way!

Depends on how old the gasket is. If you pull it off and its hard, replace it. You should be able to roll it up in a ball in your hands and still be fairly flexible.

Valve cover gaskets are farily cheap, 20 bucks usually from felpro. If you pull your valve cover off, your still going to have to deal with the gasket anyways putting it back on.

[mazilla]

Originally Posted by rningonfumes

For those of you who took off the cover, you don't need a new gasket to put it back on? I've been curious, but did not want to deal with the gasket.

They look gooood by the way!

Felpro gasket kit was 12.99 at the local O'reily autopart store. The gasket fits inside a grove so their not the typical pain in the arse slippery kind. The kit comes with a few more gaskets as well, spark plug well(whatever you call it) and gaskets for the two bolts in the center of the cover.

[mazilla]

Originally Posted by fj40dave

Mazilla:

Good job....that's pretty awesome that the motor has that many miles on it and had economy oil changes. I bet it likes the Mobil 1 stuff now!

If I didn't have the plastic cover - I might paint the valve cover....is your's off?

No, it's also painted to match. Here's the valve cover as of this morning. The ammo tumbler in the back is polishing the valve cover bolts(takes about 15 hours).

[TOUGEghost]

Not my Yaris, but this is 175,000 miles with Royal Purple:



Not really sure on the mileage interval but the oil got changed whenever it looked dirty.