When I smelled the dipstick I did notice a faint petrol smell. The engine did run a bit rough for the past week, the air filter was dirty and the gearbox switch threw a Check Engine Light. I cleaned and reoil the air filter and adjusted the gearbox switch position and fixed the error code right before I took the sample. I'll run a test again and upload the results here.

Air fuel ratio is too rich.
Might be fuel system or driving pattern problem.

This post has been edited by zeng: Mar 8 2018, 11:10 AM

Thanks, chemistry.
This bottle has Japanese (market) in mind possibly, and it's barcode points to USA with an office in Singapore.
Couple with performance in this blotter spot test, it helps a little bit in my confidence level in its efficacy.

This post has been edited by zeng: Mar 12 2018, 01:45 PM

Quick question, sifus here use blotter tests to test their engine oil. Does that mean that your service interval is based on the blotter tests only or still following manufacturer's recommendation (mileage or duration)?

My brother is currently only doing around 400km a month for my brother's Camry, booklet says, every 6 months or 10k km. Can i stretch it to say, 1 year once servicing? Since, he is doing only 4800km a year.

Any advise is helpful

Where factory warranty issue is concerned, it's best to retain warranty rights by adhering to 'uncommon sense' factory recommendation of Oil Change Interval and 6 months/1 year duration.

For those out of warranty, one may stretch OCI's in km or goes beyond 1 year duration stipulation.
Other than uneconomically costly and impractical UOA's , I'd adopted free and easy Blotter spot tests to assess used oil conditions.........
realising along the way that factory recommendations are excessively conservative and short.

If the car is out of warranty , short answer is stretch it to say, 1 year or longer.
Long answer.

His car is out of warranty. Also, what are the critical stuff to change if it was once a year? Still follow the book?

Sorry , I can't follow what you mean by 'critical stuff' ?
Forget about what Toyota says about 6 months duration change, be it for fullsyn, semisyn or mineral .....
as we don't have cold temperatures or winter seasons.
Toyota's recommendation on 10000 km oil change interval is for fully synthetic.

Now , your brother's car travels 4800 km per year.
I would suggest you use any SN/SM/SL mineral oil for 5000 km or 1 year, and that's being conservative.
If it's my car, I would pick a mineral A3B4 oil for 8000 km or 2 years.
You don't really need fully synthetics or semi synthetic in this low use car.

This post has been edited by zeng: Apr 9 2018, 03:28 PM

Emm did you guys change the oil filter say every 7-10k km in between?

I didn't, because initially I wanted to change at 10k km. But I plan to change oil filter every 7k km in between oil change when I change to new oil (Mobil 1 FS Extended Performance 5w30)

Sorry if I wasnt clear. Basically, in accordance to service interval, they recommend:
- Normal service (every 6 monthly or 10,000km)
Engine oil, engine oil filter

- Medium service (every alternate year, or 30,000 km)
Normal service plus, air filter, cabin filter and brake fluids

- Major service (every 5 years, or 60,000km)
Medium service plus, ATF fluid, Coolant and etc.

Since the Normal service has been extended, how about the others? naturally be extended as well?

Thanks for your input and any others

Or no no ......
I'm addressing strictly about engine oil and it's change intervals of 5000, 10,000 or any other km readings.
Other fluids like coolant/ATF etc and oil/air filters etc should still follow OEM recommendations, though I may have my own criteria in relation to OEM's.

This thread is strictly about assessing used engine oil conditions, and varying it's oil change intervals OCI's accordingly.

Having said this, I do blotter spot test on ATF and varies it's change intervals accordingly, while other OEM recommendations are being considered as well.

Hope , it helps clear up some confusion.

This post has been edited by zeng: Mar 14 2018, 03:43 PM

I didn't follow OEM recommeded change intervals of oil filter typically about 10,000 km ..... strictly.
Basing on oil change convenience, I do replace oil filters after 16,300 km and also 15,000 km of usage matching with engine oil change activity out of convenience.

This post has been edited by zeng: Mar 14 2018, 03:48 PM

Im on mobil 1 EP too and changes filter around 7-10k mark.

I felt a slight improvement after changing the oil filter in between. But yes with mobil 1 EP there's a recommended filter for one shot 20k km use.

Changing oil filter in between oil changes is indeed another way of 'topping up' new oil with additives , thus this practice could 'prolong' OCI if one so wishes it.

Thanks.

Oil change monitor suggesting oil change already, 2 months to go according to date and 4200km to go if following mileage




This post has been edited by rcracer: Mar 17 2018, 03:30 PM


Attached thumbnail(s)

What brand is this engine oil? 😂

Shell helix ultra

Hard to comment without further details like km/month in use;engine model, turbo? direct injection?; engine oil grade/specs etc.

This post has been edited by zeng: Mar 18 2018, 10:42 AM

eo looks clear, but hav to wonder how much sludge-like deposit already accumulating in the crankcase

engine oil (usually) contains detergent to prevent sludge from happening. now wat will happen if the detergent is depleted?