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10K oil changes are BAD! ??

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by NewHybridOwner, Aug 3, 2022.

  1. Bill Norton

    Bill Norton Senior Member

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    And,,,
    What were the results? Mi/qt before the treatment and after?
     
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  2. NewHybridOwner

    NewHybridOwner Active Member

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    BG Products' EPR?
     
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  3. Krall

    Krall Member

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    Bingo! That was the stuff! You win a prize :)

    I think the results were minimal, but I was already at 260k. The one thing I did notice is the oil on the dipstick doesn't get as dirty as it did. I'm at 280k now with no major engine work so (impending head gasket doom though) it played a small part in engine vitality.

    My oil burning is whacky anyway. Sometimes it'll burn so much in the same amount of time that I'm lucky there was still oil in the engine. Sometimes I can go weeks with the dipstick never moving off full. The one thing for certain is after every oil change the oil burns off a lot slower. As the weeks pile on it tends to burn faster and faster. Most of my driving is highway/highspeed.
     
    #83 Krall, Aug 13, 2022
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 28, 2022
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  4. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    Darn, I thought it was this stuff...

    [​IMG]
     
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  5. Krall

    Krall Member

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    Sorry no prize :)

    I've used all that stuff except that because of the name and none of them prevented my oil burning issue which I assume is through the rings.
     
  6. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    I used the epr stuff. It didn't do anything.
    The faster and harder you drive the more oil will blow by the oil ring.
     
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  7. mtl

    mtl Junior Member

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    At what speed do you drive on highway?
     
  8. Krall

    Krall Member

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    75-80 MPH
     
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  9. Simon Miron McGraw

    Simon Miron McGraw New Member

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    Weirdly enough, I did my oil change 2 weeks ago and the tech said to do the oil change after 10,000km. I checked the window tag the mechanic did and it was 8000km. I always do my oil change around 5k to 7k since i do normally short trips and moisture gets in the oil alot quicker. I've had a Toyota Rav4 2001 with 367,000km with only a fuel tank and a alternator change and always did my oil change around 5k. Maybe i'm overkill but it brings me peace
     
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  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    We’re VERY low use, and I still abide by the (Toyota Canada 3rd gen) 6 month oil change criteria, which governs. I better not disclose how low…
     
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  11. mikey_t

    mikey_t Active Member

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    BG EPR cleans the rings and built-up gunk that's already in the engine. It won't prevent blow-by if you're flooring it on the freeway, but it may help the rings last longer by keeping them cleaner if used once in a while.
     
  12. Bill Norton

    Bill Norton Senior Member

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    I tried to find HOW to use it but it's not clear.
    Is this a Piston Soak product and there's a procedure to follow?
    Or do you just dump it in with the oil and hope for the best?
     
  13. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    If you go to the bg page, they tell you and it's on the cans.
    It may or may not work. You put it in the oil before changing it. You idle for a X amount of minutes.
    Then drain it, change the filter and fill with new oil.
    It didn't do anything for me. Too expensive to try it again.

    I guess if you use it early enough, it might help.
     
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  14. Bill Norton

    Bill Norton Senior Member

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    Thanks for the info.
    My friend with the really high mileage Gen2 and Gen3 Prii has had good results with performing a multi day 'Piston Soak'. He logs every drop of gas and oil that goes through his cars and he said the oil consumption really dropped after the Piston Soak.
    I don't know the product, but there are multiple Piston Soak products out there. Some sold through OEM's.
     
  15. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    You could pour gas over the pistons, and let it soak until it's completely empty.
    Then do it again, and again, etc.
    Or the same with Gunk, or any other product. I you have the time to wait.... (y)

    I think it would be easier to find a used motor and put in the new pistons and rings.
    And you'd have a new head gasket too.
    Then swop motors, and do the same to that motor. And maybe sell it.

    I guess it probably doesn't hurt to try all the things they have. Depends on your money and time
    situation.
     
  16. mikey_t

    mikey_t Active Member

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    Specifically, you pour it into the engine to mix with the oil and then put the car in maintenance mode and run the engine for 20 minutes. After that you turn the car off and change the oil. You'll see that it comes out pitch black. When my car started to burn oil at a quart every 3000 miles I used it and it actually stopped the burning for a while, before burning a quart every 5000 miles, and then suddenly it nosedived from there. I recently got a rebuilt engine put in and I think I'll return to using it once a year, or every other oil change, just to keep things as clean as possible. .
     
  17. mtl

    mtl Junior Member

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    What is the price of this magic stuff?
     
    #97 mtl, Aug 14, 2022
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2022
  18. Bill Norton

    Bill Norton Senior Member

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    Thanks for the explanation!
    It seems this method is flowing a powerful detergent throughout the engine. Getting on all the seals in the engine.

    What a Piston Soak procedure does is it slowly soaks past all the rings and especially the clogged oil control rings and drain holes in that ring groove, hopefully. Spark plugs out and pistons even in the bores.
    It may take a day or more to get the product to empty out of the cylinder bores.
    You then change the oil before starting the car. That hopefully gets most of the detergent out of the engine pan.
     
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  19. mikey_t

    mikey_t Active Member

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    I know what a piston soak is. I just think BG EPR accomplishes practically the same thing in less time. But I've never done a soak myself, if you think it's the better way to go I hope it works for you.
     
  20. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    If using top notch full synthetic oils, 10K is perfectly fine…especially if it isn’t “severe service.” I’ve had no issue in any vehicle I have with AMSOIL and 10K oil changes. Of course, I don’t have a “severe service” environment.
     
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