[Raccoon]

^^^Do you notice any drop in pick up/acceleration and/or fuel efficiency? If yes, take a compression test.

More than the once a year oil change, which should be quite ok (providing you aren't exceeding the km limit), you probably should be worrying if the stuff that goes in your car is genuine and replaced "completely".

[di1in]

Originally Posted by Raccoon

^^^Do you notice any drop in pick up/acceleration and/or fuel efficiency? If yes, take a compression test.

More than the once a year oil change, which should be quite ok (providing you aren't exceeding the km limit), you probably should be worrying if the stuff that goes in your car is genuine and replaced "completely".

For the past 5 years except last year, a taxi driver used to take the car for service. I checked with him and he says he'd only topped up the oil during that period.
Bottom line: for the last 2 services this car has changed oil completely only in a gap of around 20k kms on average.

Right now it's been around 18k since the last oil change.

[Raccoon]

^^^Well, you are lucky the car still runs.
If engine is in good condition, topping up would be very minimal. So your car has been running almost without an oil and filter change.

[cruiser@0523]

My matiz always had its oil changed at 10000-12000 kms, once in an year, sometimes even 15k, on mineral oil, the car has done 1,20,000kms now, the engine is problem free.

[di1in]

Originally Posted by cruiser@0523

My matiz always had its oil changed at 10000-12000 kms, once in an year, sometimes even 15k, on mineral oil, the car has done 1,20,000kms now, the engine is problem free.

Originally Posted by Raccoon

^^^Well, you are lucky the car still runs.
If engine is in good condition, topping up would be very minimal. So your car has been running almost without an oil and filter change.

You know the only problem I've faced until now is the lower FE of 10 for the past few years. performance wise it's still pretty good, 0-100 @ 10.2

There's also a lot of muck on the motor, it came back within a week of scrubbing it off. I'll post the pics later.

Is there a way to check whether any damage has been done to the engine?

[Raccoon]

^^^Without opening the engine, the only way is what I mentioned earlier.

Much on the motor? How was that scrubbed off??

[di1in]

Originally Posted by Raccoon

^^^Without opening the engine, the only way is what I mentioned earlier.

Much on the motor? How was that scrubbed off??

Need to ask around to find a place that does compression tests.

The muck is on the engine. iv posted the pics below, the first pic shows the muck around the gasket area, second one shows muck on the nuts and thirs gives the whole picture:

[Raccoon]

^^^Oh, thats external muck. Maybe you got a small leak on your hands?

What you should be really worried about is the muck inside the engine! You probably should go in for one short oil change to just clean the innards, maybe with a diesel (preferably one that is rated both S and C) engine oil.

[di1in]

Originally Posted by Raccoon

^^^Oh, thats external muck. Maybe you got a small leak on your hands?

What you should be really worried about is the muck inside the engine! You probably should go in for one short oil change to just clean the innards, maybe with a diesel (preferably one that is rated both S and C) engine oil.

Is there any proper cleaning fluid for this purpose. I remember having read about that somewhere.. but can't find it.

Anyone know places where they do compression tests?

Also when the user manual says to change oil every 5000kms do they really mean to flush out the current oil and fill it up anew?

[Raccoon]

^^^Yes, de greasers are available. Can't recall any specific brands though. Haven't personally used any. Probably others here might be able to help you with that.

A good garage should be able to perform a compression test. If it can't then its probably not a good garage, lol!

What do u mean by "flush out the current oil"? If you mean the use of products called Engine Flushes, then I would suggest you avoid them. If you mean getting ALL the old oil out before filling in new oil, then it is very difficult. You would need to open the engine for that; or maybe try sucking the remaining stuff out using a pump. Even the, depending on the design, sucking it out may not get all the stuff out. The idea is really not very practical.

[nitrous]

It's most probably a valve door leak. You'll have to replace the valve door gasket.
Regarding oil, with such a high mileage, I can predict that you'll have leakage issues if you move to synthetic.
Stick to mineral and use a semi-synth grade of 10W40 at most.
Castrol Magnatec, Total quartz 7000, Valvoline, etc have a 10W40 semi-synth blend.

[Raccoon]

Right. Better avoid fully synth. In any case, I don't see what good it will do to your car, considering its condition.

Total Quartz and Valvoline Durablend should be great (consider Petronas too), but you
might consider using something cheaper for a shorter period to clean some gunk out, like I mentioned earlier.

Just remember to get as much of the old oil out as possible - so drain it fully when the oil is hot.

[di1in]

Originally Posted by nitrous

Regarding oil, with such a high mileage, I can predict that you'll have leakage issues if you move to synthetic.

Originally Posted by Raccoon

Right. Better avoid fully synth. In any case, I don't see what good it will do to your car, considering its condition.
.

Why would changing to synthetic oil result in a leak?

I still can't digest the need to change the whole oil every 5000kms. I guess i'll stick to mineral now.

[Raccoon]

Hmmm, I guess I now realize what you had asked in your earlier post.

Yes, like it or not, you have to CHANGE/REPLACE ALL THE OIL THAT IS DRAINED OUT. And that is usually around 10,000 km or so, for most cars.

If you can't digest that, your poor car will have severe and permanent indigestion.

Fully synth oil is a very aggressive cleaner. That means, it may clean out deposits which may actually be preventing a leak. It may also seep out more thru very small leaks.

[di1in]

Originally Posted by Raccoon

Hmmm, I guess I now realize what you had asked in your earlier post.

Yes, like it or not, you have to CHANGE/REPLACE ALL THE OIL THAT IS DRAINED OUT. And that is usually around 10,000 km or so, for most cars.

If you can't digest that, your poor car will have severe and permanent indigestion.

Fully synth oil is a very aggressive cleaner. That means, it may clean out deposits which may actually be preventing a leak. It may also seep out more thru very small leaks.

Now i get it thanks, Raccoon.

Is there absolutely no way to repair any damage that might have been already caused?