LN106 3L Acidic Oil - Softened plastic oil pan and demolished plastic bag in minutes (1 Viewer)

[hiluxgalaxy]

I have a 1994 Hilux LN106 3L with 160,000 km. When I changed the oil two months ago, after ~6,000 km and one month on new oil and filter, I borrowed a funnel from a friend to pour used oil from one container to another, and when he put the funnel into a bag he always uses after oil changes, the small amounts of used oil ate through the bag. After another 2,000 kms, I decided to run LiquiMoly Pro-Line Engine Flush for 15 minutes before changing the oil with Rotella T5. When I opened the oil fill cap there was some vapor coming out of it, which seemed a bit concerning to me. This time I borrowed my friend's drain pan, and he said that it had softened from the acidity of my oil. Prior to the oil change, I was noticing loss of power touching off, worse than expected MPG, difficulty on uphill grades, excessive smoke... (I'm well aware how slow this vehicle is supposed to be, but it was performing better when I initially purchased it). I replaced the fuel and air filters in the last 2000 kms as well.

Since I purchased it, I have almost always been using a fuel additive, mostly PowerService Diesel Fuel Supplement, occasionally Lucas, and have run Lucas diesel deep clean and royal purple max clean once each. I recently visited another mechanic who gave me a few bottles of FPPF Total Power, and since adding half a bottle to my tank right before my oil change, I definitely have a bit more power.

I'm hoping it's just the injectors, but I've been told it could be fuel bleeding into the oil through worn piston rings or the injection pump which seem like very expensive problems. If it is the piston rings, do I have any options besides a full engine rebuild? What are my options with the injection pump? I'm in Central New York currently and have been really struggling to find someone willing to work on it here, and am planning to drive cross-country in June so need it solved before then. Does anyone have recommendations for good diesel guys in the area? Or someone who can clean my injectors and possibly rebuild my injection pump?

For background, I've owned it for 6 months and put 16,000 kms on it, it came over from Japan about 2 years ago. The previous owner drove it at most 15,000 km over a year and a half, I'm not sure if he ever changed the oil, and I don't think he ever used any fuel additives.

 

[mcmarshing]

note: I’m dealing with rebuilding a 2.8l 3L

Do you have the factory manual for 2L/3L/5L? If not, I can email it. I don’t think it has a troubleshooting section for acidic oil, but it will at least tell you how to do any and every maintenance procedure for it.

per SAE I guess soot mixing with engine oil can cause it to become acidic. If I had to guess probably some blow-by in piston rings, or some exhaust valve that’s not cooperating.

For my situation, I checked my timing belt, and then pretty much went to a compression check. got 495psi/455psi/305psi/492psi for cylinders 1 to 4 respectively. Signs before it included white smoke when accelerating in 2nd/3rd gear and burning a quart of oil per 100mi or so. After that, it pretty much struggles to run once the engine was warm. So if you’re having any of those symptoms too, you should probably do a valve and compression check.

I’m over in UT, and im pretty much going to just pull the engine, have a machine shop rebore and resurface 0.5mm over, and I should have a terrain tamer 3L engine rebuild kit delivered in the next week since most full work shops haven’t been too inclined to work on the Hilux.

Wish I had a definitive answer for you, but I’m here to support.

 

[hiluxgalaxy]

note: I’m dealing with rebuilding a 2.8l 3L

Do you have the factory manual for 2L/3L/5L? If not, I can email it. I don’t think it has a troubleshooting section for acidic oil, but it will at least tell you how to do any and every maintenance procedure for it.

per SAE I guess soot mixing with engine oil can cause it to become acidic. If I had to guess probably some blow-by in piston rings, or some exhaust valve that’s not cooperating.

For my situation, I checked my timing belt, and then pretty much went to a compression check. got 495psi/455psi/305psi/492psi for cylinders 1 to 4 respectively. Signs before it included white smoke when accelerating in 2nd/3rd gear and burning a quart of oil per 100mi or so. After that, it pretty much struggles to run once the engine was warm. So if you’re having any of those symptoms too, you should probably do a valve and compression check.

I’m over in UT, and im pretty much going to just pull the engine, have a machine shop rebore and resurface 0.5mm over, and I should have a terrain tamer 3L engine rebuild kit delivered in the next week since most full work shops haven’t been too inclined to work on the Hilux.

Wish I had a definitive answer for you, but I’m here to support.

Thanks for the note!! I'm not sure I have that one, I'll PM you my email, thanks!

Where did you get your compression check done? Or did you do it yourself? I haven't found a single mechanic willing (or supposedly able) to do one for me... Based on the 2lt/3l manual I have that seems in spec, with the exception of the third cylinder? Can you just focus on that one or do you have to do them all? (Sorry if that's a dumb question). I don't notice much white smoke unless it's freezing out and the engine is cold, and I can see some at night, but otherwise it's pretty rare. The smoke I see is mostly black.

That sounds great, best of luck to you!!

 

[JettaGLi16v]

Find a diesel specialist if you want to pay for a compression check. You can do a compression test yourself, but you'll need to buy or rent a compression gauge specific to diesel engines.

 

[Rocky Mtn Hilux]

I have a 1994 Hilux LN106 3L with 160,000 km. When I changed the oil two months ago, after ~6,000 km and one month on new oil and filter, I borrowed a funnel from a friend to pour used oil from one container to another, and when he put the funnel into a bag he always uses after oil changes, the small amounts of used oil ate through the bag. After another 2,000 kms, I decided to run LiquiMoly Pro-Line Engine Flush for 15 minutes before changing the oil with Rotella T5. When I opened the oil fill cap there was some vapor coming out of it, which seemed a bit concerning to me. This time I borrowed my friend's drain pan, and he said that it had softened from the acidity of my oil. Prior to the oil change, I was noticing loss of power touching off, worse than expected MPG, difficulty on uphill grades, excessive smoke... (I'm well aware how slow this vehicle is supposed to be, but it was performing better when I initially purchased it). I replaced the fuel and air filters in the last 2000 kms as well.

Since I purchased it, I have almost always been using a fuel additive, mostly PowerService Diesel Fuel Supplement, occasionally Lucas, and have run Lucas diesel deep clean and royal purple max clean once each. I recently visited another mechanic who gave me a few bottles of FPPF Total Power, and since adding half a bottle to my tank right before my oil change, I definitely have a bit more power.

I'm hoping it's just the injectors, but I've been told it could be fuel bleeding into the oil through worn piston rings or the injection pump which seem like very expensive problems. If it is the piston rings, do I have any options besides a full engine rebuild? What are my options with the injection pump? I'm in Central New York currently and have been really struggling to find someone willing to work on it here, and am planning to drive cross-country in June so need it solved before then. Does anyone have recommendations for good diesel guys in the area? Or someone who can clean my injectors and possibly rebuild my injection pump?

For background, I've owned it for 6 months and put 16,000 kms on it, it came over from Japan about 2 years ago. The previous owner drove it at most 15,000 km over a year and a half, I'm not sure if he ever changed the oil, and I don't think he ever used any fuel additives.

I rebuilt the mechanical injector pump on my Hilux last year. It was leaking diesel fuel everywhere I parked it.

The only OEM Denso kit I could find was in Japan, and yes it was stupid expensive for what you get. Basically, an assortment of rubber o rings and clamps. The mechanical pump is hard to get at and requires plenty of time and patience to remove any ancillary parts that are in the way.

A properly tuned diesel engine should never burn white smoke ever. If it does, you're running your engine too lean.

Have you ever considered having your old engine oil tested? I know that Shell offers such services where I live, but I have never done it.


Rocky Mtn Hilux

 

[1MOA]

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Have you ever considered having your old engine oil tested? I know that Shell offers such services where I live, but I have never done it.


Rocky Mtn Hilux

Standard Oil Analysis | Blackstone Laboratories

Learn about the standard analysis, the baseline testing we do on most samples. The standard analysis is all most people need to answer their questions.

www.blackstone-labs.com

Use them it runs about $35
Make sure to tell them your symptoms your oil weight and your consumption and milage when you send it in and what you are looking for as far as a oil analysis.
They have a decent break down they send back and the return time is 2-3 weeks. I get them for all my farm tractors and they are good at spotting issues of contamination due to antifreeze or too much soot in the oil for the engine.

 

[AussieHJCruza]

A properly tuned diesel engine should never burn white smoke ever. If it does, you're running your engine too lean.

Rocky Mtn Hilux

Agree, but it's not due to running too lean.

White smoke is unburnt diesel which is either due to retarded timing or low compresion.