FWIW - Valv Maxlife synthetic & cold temps

[Ramblin Fever]

Just changed the oil in the Rodeo, had stretched the previous oil - Maxlife regular with a mixture of 3qts 5w-30 & 2qt 10w-30 out for 4k miles.

Oil didn't look too bad, not see through by any means, but not bad at all. Yes, yes, I know, color doesn't mean didly, but particles can, not that there was any.

Some say this regular Maxlife oil can go to 5-6k miles, but I don't feel the need to do that on a non-ticking engine, 4k is good enough for me.

This oil was in during some really cold weather, had it's share of idling time, and it definitely appeared as if the Rodeo engine THINS out that 5w-30 fairly efficiently. I was going to push it to 4500 miles, but, the oil started looking so very thin and the oil pressure gauge had been registering lower then usual.

Put in 10w-30 Maxlife synthetic, said to be able to endure colder temps then the 5w-30 regular, and is even a bit thicker once the engine is warmed up - truck fired up immediately after sitting for 8hrs in 10f temps.

Just info for those older Rodeo engines that may be using HM engine oils in cold climates. This should take me into early summer - man it's cold trying to work on 3 cars right now, don't know if it's good or bad to change all of their oil/filters same weekend.

By the way, we've all complained at one time, that the Rodeo's engine was difficult to work on; well, I got news for y'all it's MUCH easier to work on then this Tacoma we just bought. OMG - it's filter is in the stupidest of places, you can't get ANY tools, only 1 hand and then you can't see the da#n thing. The alternator is smack up against it from the top, the engine block literally rubs on it, oh, it's just a pain!

When we first bought it, it didn't look too bad until you're actually underneith it. We were to the point of giving up honestly, having spent 4hrs trying to get it off. It's oil will be synthetic so I can simply say it's going for 8k miles on an oil change - if I have as hard of time it's next oil change, I'll pay someone from here on out. It's just not worth the fight on something that should only take 5 seconds.

[Gizmo42]

I cant beleive toyota did that again!

I was a mechanic for a very short time in the mid 80's and the supra's at the time were the same way. Only way to get to it was from the bottom on a lift and if it was too tight the only way to loosen it was to put a long screwdriver through it and turn 1/8 turn at a time until you could get it loose enough. No room to turn a strap type filter wrench and no way to get an end type on.

[Ramblin Fever]

Yeap, that's exactly it!

I'm actually extremely frustrated at it, I'd promised that I'd never chose to own another tight area, hard to work on engine - yeah, got two out of 3 now!

[Ramblin Fever]

Well, currently -12F in my neck of the woods, the 10w-30 Maxlife synthetic didn't bother the truck one bit this morning; fired right up.

Course the fan clutch had that truck howling, but no funny engine noises.

[explicit408]

No leaks?

I just noticed a leak on mine today but it may be coming from the transfer case.

[Ramblin Fever]

Nope. I've only had one oil leak on this truck in 10yrs, a new set of valve cover gaskets fixed that about 6yrs/75k miles ago.

So, to answer any questions that one may have if whether or not the seal conditioners in this oil help with leaks - I don't know, sorry.

I simply started using Maxlife on this engine cause my sister & brother-in-law were raving about it in their minivan, and the oil I raised my Rodeo on, Havoline, was becoming hard to find consistently.

[explicit408]

Thanks for the info.
But maybe you can help me out with the leak?

I only notice a small puddle after I park it overnight. Today I've been checking it and not a single drop. So the leak only seems to occur REALY slowly or only when the engine is hot.

I remember reading something about the transfercase or front diff leaking due to lack of ventilation and the heat and pressure causing it to leak from somewhere. I’ve search but couldn’t find that thread. Could it be that?

[trooperbc]

there's a whole big list of leak possibilities. to narrow it down you need to crawl under there nice and comfy on your back with a good flashlight and have a nice long calm look. you may find it right away. and if you don't know what you've found then post here with what you know. inotherwords, narrow it down.

second, put some cardboard or whatever under there after you have driven it and check it in the morning for location.

finally, you can clean it all up down there nice and spiffy, and then repeat the above steps. you will probably get a clearer look at where the leak is migrating to.

also, smell and feel the leaking fluid. motor oil is much different from gear oil which is much different from automatictransmisssionfluid which is much different from coolant which is much different from brake fluid. (did i leave one out ? ))


//bc

[explicit408]

Come Monday I will do that, thanks. You left out PS fluid

BTW my rodeo is a 5 speed if that changes anything.

Originally Posted by trooperbc

there's a whole big list of leak possibilities. to narrow it down you need to crawl under there nice and comfy on your back with a good flashlight and have a nice long calm look. you may find it right away. and if you don't know what you've found then post here with what you know. inotherwords, narrow it down.

second, put some cardboard or whatever under there after you have driven it and check it in the morning for location.

finally, you can clean it all up down there nice and spiffy, and then repeat the above steps. you will probably get a clearer look at where the leak is migrating to.

also, smell and feel the leaking fluid. motor oil is much different from gear oil which is much different from automatictransmisssionfluid which is much different from coolant which is much different from brake fluid. (did i leave one out ? ))


//bc

[trooperbc]

Originally Posted by explicit408

Come Monday I will do that, thanks. You left out PS fluid ....

good luck.
but on my 1992 isuzu trooper, the power steering uses automatic trans fluid...so i get 1/2-credit opcorn:



//bc

[explicit408]

sorry to hijack the thread...

Updating my previous post, I took a look under there and I couldn't find the source of the leak. The whole rear part of the tranny was covered in oil up to the driveshaft. Nothing major but it was wet and dripping down on the skid plate and off the drain plug. Looks like it maybe coming from the top somewhere, maybe the shifter? Any idea on where it could be coming from? I wiped it clean planing and checking it again later but it started raining tonight. Hopefully it clears by tomorrow. Thanks.

BTW the transfer case was clean and its a 4wd 5 speed.

[Ramblin Fever]

Try to clean up the whole undercarriage with a pressure hose, allow it to dry a bit, then lay under it while it's idling with the E-brake on and a wheel locked with a chunk of wood or a rock.

It's very hard to determine if they're driven any with major leaks as to where it's coming from - but I will say the Rodeo is famous for leaking at the valve cover gaskets.

[trooperbc]

from what you describe, with some cleaning up, i suspect you'll be able to locate the problem, but...
you can always use that leak detector system that adds a dye to the fluid and then you use a blacklight which picks up that dye.
so you add it to fluid you most suspect, say the trans, and then run it, then use the blacklight. if it's from the leak is from the trans it will show up nice and bright. if not the trans add then to the engine oil, etc. the bigboxpartsstores carry these now

good luck

//bc

[surferfletch]

My money is on the valve cover gaskets, too.

[explicit408]

Well I checked out the valve covers and nothing is leaking from there. The transfercase is also free of oil. After checking the transmission today it seems like no new oil has leaked out, although I haven't checked the oil level in the tranny yet. Also, I have not noticed any noise or anything out of the ordinary coming from it either. It has to be coming from somewhere around the shifter area of the transmission. From where could oil leak out around that area?