Just bought an FZJ80 and oil change is coming up...thoughts? (2 Viewers)

[CruisD64]

Hey folks! So I'm definitely not new to the world of cruisers but it's my first time posting in the 80 subforum. I've had a 40 for 23 years and a 62 for about 4 years. This one's special, though. 97 40th 3x locked. 231k miles. Head gasket was never replaced but also shows no signs of needing to be. I've been monitoring things closely with a scanguage and it throws no codes. It's currently running Royal Purple Synthetic 5w-30.

My current plan is to run a can of Seafoam in my gas with about 3/4 tank and put a can in the existing oil for a few hundred miles before changing it out. I'm thinking Rotella T4 15-40 and Toyota oil filters which are already in the mail (P/N 15601-44011). I had luck doing this in my FJ62 after I got it all back together. It eliminated a stumble and the overall throttle response was much smoother and has been for 18k+ miles. I do the same thing every other oil change now.

So I'm thinking this might be a good option for the 80. It has a slight stumble at idle which I'm hoping this will eliminate. The previous owner didn't do any major engine work. Mainly the necessities that everyone should do after 26 years and 230k miles. Maintenance records are somewhat sparse otherwise. Not terribly sparse but there are gaps. Just wondering if the combination of Seafoam in gas and oil (before change), then Toyota filter, and then Rotella T4 is a good combo. Is it ok to go back to conventional after having synthetic in there? Years ago I heard against that but things change. I live in the Bay Area so the weather is moderate all the time. I will be taking it to Tahoe a ton, though. I used to live in Truckee and this combo worked very well up there including winter in the FJ62.

Also, I did look up a few threads before posting this, but never saw this exact combo or anything about going from synthetic back to conventional. Would T6 be better? Maybe I suck at forum queries. Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

 

[77mustard40]

I’m a no seafoam guy, change the oil and send a sample to Blackstone so you know what’s going on with the motor. If the old oil looks excessively dirty, consider changing it after a couple of shorter cycles. I’ve run both 15/40 Rotella and full synthetic, currently have the later in. I’ve never experienced any issue with the type change. Filter wise I’ve run the stock YZZD filter but I’ve switched recently to Motorcraft FL-A1.

If you are up for some light reading on motor oil performance, here you go.

540 RAT - Tech Facts, NOT Myths

540ratblog.wordpress.com

Oh and welcome to the 80 section, let’s see what you’ve got.

 

[Kernal]

One person damaged his engine putting Seafoam in the oil. Some people prefer more frequent oil and filter changes. It's controversial but FWIW I've used Rislone (for years decades across many vehicles) without problems. Dump it in the oil, run it a few hundred miles, change the oil and filter. A safe fuel injector cleaner like Techron in the tank can help clean the injectors, repeat as needed. During the humid season I use IsoHeet red bottle in about every tank.

Seems like some of the newer engine oil formulations are better at cleaning up the internal parts of an engine, so less of a reason to add anything to your oil.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I use seafoam in the gas tank when something is going to set for a long period. I prefer it to Stabil for that purpose but I don't use it for anything else. Never even considered putting it in my oil.

Is it burning oil? If not then why not stay with a quality synthetic? I like Mobil 1 but there's several good synthetics on the market.

 

[jonheld]

You'll get many different opinions about oil. Personally, I have always used Amsoil 10W30 in the 3FE and the 1FZ-FE. I think any decent motor oil these days is fine for these motors. Only use Toyota filters.

 

[CruisD64]

Here are some pictures of the truck. Ya'll might've seen in the classifieds a few months ago. Flew out to Denver to pick it up and drove it back. I'll respond shortly to your responses. In a meeting right now but have a sec to post these

 

[BILT4ME]

Hey folks! So I'm definitely not new to the world of cruisers but it's my first time posting in the 80 subforum. I've had a 40 for 23 years and a 62 for about 4 years. This one's special, though. 97 40th 3x locked. 231k miles. Head gasket was never replaced but also shows no signs of needing to be. I've been monitoring things closely with a scanguage and it throws no codes. It's currently running Royal Purple Synthetic 5w-30.

My current plan is to run a can of Seafoam in my gas with about 3/4 tank and put a can in the existing oil for a few hundred miles before changing it out. I'm thinking Rotella T4 15-40 and Toyota oil filters which are already in the mail (P/N 15601-44011). I had luck doing this in my FJ62 after I got it all back together. It eliminated a stumble and the overall throttle response was much smoother and has been for 18k+ miles. I do the same thing every other oil change now.

So I'm thinking this might be a good option for the 80. It has a slight stumble at idle which I'm hoping this will eliminate. The previous owner didn't do any major engine work. Mainly the necessities that everyone should do after 26 years and 230k miles. Maintenance records are somewhat sparse otherwise. Not terribly sparse but there are gaps. Just wondering if the combination of Seafoam in gas and oil (before change), then Toyota filter, and then Rotella T4 is a good combo. Is it ok to go back to conventional after having synthetic in there? Years ago I heard against that but things change. I live in the Bay Area so the weather is moderate all the time. I will be taking it to Tahoe a ton, though. I used to live in Truckee and this combo worked very well up there including winter in the FJ62.

Also, I did look up a few threads before posting this, but never saw this exact combo or anything about going from synthetic back to conventional. Would T6 be better? Maybe I suck at forum queries. Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

If it's running fine, why do this? It will wash out stuff from inside the engine and/or gas tank and create problems.

Start with quality oil and fuel and change it regularly and you don't need to do the additive stuff.

Seafoam thins (lowers) the viscosity of the engine oil and can possibly cause bearing damage.
It can also wash loose deposits inside the fuel tank and cause injectors to clog.

Just do regular oil changes, monitor via Blackstone, and run quality fuel.

As for the stumble, look at your IAC valve, your VCV and the vacuum hoses under the intake.

Hell, following your thought process, why don't you install a K&N air filter in it while you're at it.

 

[CruisD64]

If the old oil looks excessively dirty, consider changing it after a couple of shorter cycles. I’ve run both 15/40 Rotella and full synthetic, currently have the later in.

Yeah, the current oil has about 5k miles on it and is pretty dark. I wouldn't say excessively, though. I'm thinking Rotella T4 because it quieted engine noise and improved smoothness on my 3FE. It might be one of those "it worked for me before so I stand by it" things whereas others don't see the same success.

One person damaged his engine putting Seafoam in the oil. Some people prefer more frequent oil and filter changes.

In regards to Seafoam, I've heard that it only exposes issues that are underlying sooner, IE, the engine already had issues that would surface anyway. I change my oil every 5k miles. Based on everything I've read in this thread so far, it sounds like I should get a baseline first before using "miracle" additives.

I use seafoam in the gas tank when something is going to set for a long period. I prefer it to Stabil for that purpose but I don't use it for anything else. Never even considered putting it in my oil.

Is it burning oil? If not then why not stay with a quality synthetic? I like Mobil 1 but there's several good synthetics on the market.

What constitutes a long time in your opinion? This truck saw very little use over the last 3 years and was mostly being built up to what it is today. I wouldn't say that it was infrequently started, however.

Folks have had good luck with Seafoam breaking down carbon build up that could be causing valves to not seal properly. There's a video on YouTube where a guy took off his valve cover to show a before and after of it on his Ford Ranger. The results were amazing. I can't seem to find it right now.

It doesn't appear to be burning oil but I honestly haven't had it long enough to see a noticeable change. I haven't had to top it off in the 2K miles I put on it.

One of the reasons I'm considering Rotella is firstly because I've had great success with it and secondly it's worked wonders on my 3FE. Maybe only because of the higher ZDDP content. It was recommended for me to use by Georg at Valley Hybrids a few years ago, btw.

Also, my oil pressure gauge looks scary, though it might be a false positive. At idle on a warm day the needle barely rises above the bottom mark and just below the first mark when cruising at freeway speeds. In the cooler weather right now, it looks a little more "normal".

You'll get many different opinions about oil. Personally, I have always used Amsoil 10W30 in the 3FE and the 1FZ-FE. I think any decent motor oil these days is fine for these motors. Only use Toyota filters.

Yeah, this has always been a slippery slope. Prior to Rotella T4 on my 3FE I was using Quaker State 10-30 conventional and saw an improvement switching to Rotella. Less engine noise. I don't know exactly how to describe it but everything just feels more lubricated. Since the 3FE is not the 1FZ I didn't want to blindly assume I'd have the same success. I used Wix filters prior to switching exclusively to Toyota, btw.

If it's running fine, why do this? It will wash out stuff from inside the engine and/or gas tank and create problems.

I'd say it's running 92% fine, but don't have a baseline considering how little I've owned it. It has about an 80 rpm variance at idle according to the Scangauge and is noticeable when sitting at a stop. A noticeable issue at idle could be masked at a higher RPM and doesn't mean it goes away in my experience. Dirty injectors maybe hence my wanting to use seafoam in the gas. It's probably nothing to worry about but if I could get it better, why not? Considering what I paid for this thing I want to squeeze everything out of it and get it back in tip top shape.

I'll look into the things you suggested. It could be that.

Hell, following your thought process, why don't you install a K&N air filter in it while you're at it.

Come on man. This is why I'm here asking. This thought process is perfectly sound in the 60/62 section and my own experience is proof. Never used anything from K&N even when I was a dumb kid.

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So ultimately it sounds like I need to get a baseline first. Change the oil and filter and then just drive it as is. Send a sample to Blackstone (which I've never done). Monitor oil levels and clarity over time. Essentially just collect more data before I start doing things like Seafoam. This appears to be the consensus here, would you say?

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Yeah, the current oil has about 5k miles on it and is pretty dark.

What constitutes a long time in your opinion? This truck saw very little use over the last 3 years and was mostly being built up to what it is today. I wouldn't say that it was infrequently started, however.

Royal Purple starts off dark purple and then goes brown. I'm not sure I've ever seen it "used" but you might take that into consideration when assessing it's life by color.

A long time for me would be 6+ months but I've had no issues with an engine after 2 years which may or may not be due to the Sea Foam. To clarify, I don't think using Sea Foam in every tank of gas will hurt anything and didn't mean to imply otherwise. I do question its use in oil however but perhaps more out of ignorance than anything.

 

[mudgudgeon]

In regards to Seafoam, I've heard that it only exposes issues that are underlying sooner, IE, the engine already had issues that would surface anyway

Why rush to meet your doom!?

I'd skip the additive and run a diesel grade oil in the same weight for a few oil change cycles.

Diesel oil is designed to clean deposits and carbon out, but you're not throwing a cleaner it that degrades the oil

 

[CruisD64]

Why rush to meet your doom!?

I'd skip the additive and run a diesel grade oil in the same weight for a few oil change cycles.

Diesel oil is designed to clean deposits and carbon out, but you're not throwing a cleaner it that degrades the oil

That's exactly what I decided to do. Rotella T5 is the decision. Synthetic blend.

 

[Mat Jadamec]

Gumout high mileage injector / valve cleaner, and check all the vacuum hoses with a flashlight and a mirror.

 

[suzuguru]

FWIW, Royal Purple is not what it used to be. It used to be the shiznit, but then the company was sold out and they changed it. (from what I read anyway) For my gas engines, I've had really good luck with Mobil 1 Synthetic. Congrats on the 80!

 

[lumbee1]

FWIW, Royal Purple is not what it used to be. It used to be the shiznit, but then the company was sold out and they changed it. (from what I read anyway) For my gas engines, I've had really good luck with Mobil 1 Synthetic. Congrats on the 80!

I've read the same. Royal Purple used to be a high quality oil but the stuff on the shelves nowadays isn't very good.

I'm a Mobil1 guy myself. I ran Mobil1 full syn diesel truck oil before my rebuild. After the rebuild I just Mobil 1 full syn 10-30. I checked my oil after 4K miles and it looked like honey. Before the rebuild, it was burning 1qt every 500 miles and the oil would be jet black when I checked it.

 

[Haggis]

Great looking 60! I run Rotella in my 60 and 80. My old school mechanic sold me on it. I have used Sea Foam over Stabil and my fuel seems to be in better shape after a long storage. I've never put it in the oil, I have added to the oil some Marvel Mystery Oil for the heck of it. I like to use the larger bottle of Techron to a tank of fuel every oil change on all my vehicles.

 

[CruisD64]

I did end up changing it with Rotella T5 and a Toyota oil filter. It made a world of difference. The engine overall feels smoother and quieter. Almost as if previously parts were not being lubricated properly. Also, the stumble magically disappeared. I wonder if it might have been bad gas or something and simply driving the thing sorted itself out. Anyway, I'm happy

 

[mcbs]

@CruisD64 thanks for asking the questions. Have a new 80 series myself - shes pretty stock and a little beat up but I can't complain about the price. Looking to do my first baseline on her and this thread is helpful. 183k miles. Thinking I might go with the T5 and run it and then go with a blackstone sample!

Also - seeing your in SF - not too far down the 1 from you. Lived in a small ski town for years as well. You ever in the bc?

 

[CruisD64]

@CruisD64 thanks for asking the questions. Have a new 80 series myself - shes pretty stock and a little beat up but I can't complain about the price. Looking to do my first baseline on her and this thread is helpful. 183k miles. Thinking I might go with the T5 and run it and then go with a blackstone sample!

Also - seeing your in SF - not too far down the 1 from you. Lived in a small ski town for years as well. You ever in the bc?

Hey! Welcome to the club! The decision to run T5 was a good one. Engine runs like a top and any previous oddities are no longer apparent. I have about 1k miles on it since changing the oil and there is no loss and it's still golden colored. The truck drives like it's new. You won't regret it.

The only "issue" I've had with the truck so far is that I have to tighten up the exhaust manifold bolts every so often. The 4 that connect the Y-pipe to the manifold. Takes about a minute. Long extension and a 14. Apparently pretty common on these things. Did it today, in fact. If you smell fumes in the cab and/or hear a coffee can rattle that's likely it.

I haven't been to Carmel Valley in decades. Probably about 25 years. My best buddy grew up there, however. Which ski town did you live in? I'm looking to buy a house in Auburn, CA. Don't really want to be in the thick of the snow during winter but close enough to do a day trip if I feel like it and be near enough to a major city.

 

[mcbs]

Hey! Welcome to the club! The decision to run T5 was a good one. Engine runs like a top and any previous oddities are no longer apparent. I have about 1k miles on it since changing the oil and there is no loss and it's still golden colored. The truck drives like it's new. You won't regret it.

The only "issue" I've had with the truck so far is that I have to tighten up the exhaust manifold bolts every so often. The 4 that connect the Y-pipe to the manifold. Takes about a minute. Long extension and a 14. Apparently pretty common on these things. Did it today, in fact. If you smell fumes in the cab and/or hear a coffee can rattle that's likely it.

I haven't been to Carmel Valley in decades. Probably about 25 years. My best buddy grew up there, however. Which ski town did you live in? I'm looking to buy a house in Auburn, CA. Don't really want to be in the thick of the snow during winter but close enough to do a day trip if I feel like it and be near enough to a major city.

Thanks - and good to know. I will def be doing it. I will check those bolts for sure! Dealing with a bum knuckle right now, in addition to a slow seep from what looks like the HG, though it could be old oil from the valve cover. Any chance you have a reputable shop nearby for work on your cruiser/s? I'm not sure i want to destroy my garage with the knuckle/s repair - too busy wrenching on two other rigs and wanna keep this one on the road.

Was in Carbondale, CO for almost a decade. Been in Carmel area for a couple now. Auburn seems like its got that appeal for sure! Still havent spent time in tahoe, almost quicker to hop on a plane and head back to aspen for me . there i've got plenty of places to crash at least!

 

[CruisD64]

Thanks - and good to know. I will def be doing it. I will check those bolts for sure! Dealing with a bum knuckle right now, in addition to a slow seep from what looks like the HG, though it could be old oil from the valve cover. Any chance you have a reputable shop nearby for work on your cruiser/s? I'm not sure i want to destroy my garage with the knuckle/s repair - too busy wrenching on two other rigs and wanna keep this one on the road.

Was in Carbondale, CO for almost a decade. Been in Carmel area for a couple now. Auburn seems like its got that appeal for sure! Still havent spent time in tahoe, almost quicker to hop on a plane and head back to aspen for me . there i've got plenty of places to crash at least!

The seep is almost certainly the valve cover. If the head gasket was leaking you'd know it. I don't know any shops near you but in SF I have a VERY reputable shop. It's called Toy Shop. He's the best mechanic in San Francisco IMO. Long wait list, though. Was there today and his earliest availability is mid May. They SUCK at answering the phone, though. No answering machine and no secretary. Let me know if that's just way too far. I can also head over there and get you on their schedule if you like. Honestly, I wouldn't bother for knuckles alone. Any local 4x4 shop should be able to do that no problem. It's not a difficult job at all, just a messy one.