campbeam

Now got an annoying development. I have topped up the engine oil with about 2 litres of oil today. Oil level was just above the low level mark on the dipstick when I checked first thing this morning.

I was not anticipating this much oil usage and only brought along 750ml of the Shell Ultra 5W-40. Fortunately Supercheap Innisfail is located on the main highway so detoured and bought 4 litres of Shell Helix 10W-40.

I am thinking that the full synthetic oil has thoroughly cleaned the piston rings and in combination with the Nulon additive is now getting past the piston rings. Surprisingly, the engine has not smoked since the first day when I accelerated away from a rest area.

Checked the exhaust this morning and it was slightly black indicating oil is being burnt.

Soon find out tomorrow with a half-day trip whether the slightly higher oil viscosity is correcting this issue.

10 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

The highway run will give it a good shake up Ash. It will thank you later.

Getting more of a shake up than expected, reckon that the engine has used about 2 litres.

Oil level was down to just above low this morning. Surprising to me, there was some oil caught in the catch can which appeared to be the Nulon oil additive. Drained those few drops bank into the engine and added about 750ml of engine oil. Ended up visiting SuperCheap Innisfail and bought 4 litres of oil.

Will look at the oil catch can when back home by next weekend.

Now in Cairns. After 1728 kms, average is 8.10 litres/100kms.

Best result was today [339kms], 7.3186 litres/100 kms mostly cruising at 100kph and very little overtaking.

Worst result was inital trip start [266kms] 8.5526 litres/100 kms; included an hour of peak hour traffic before getting onto the Bruce Highway.

Naughty result was yesterday [400.6kms] 8.4823 litres/100 kms; included an afternoon of lead footing after an hour delay at roadworks

15 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

The better fuel meant the engine was able to propel the vehicle more freely and effortlessly without the need to drop it back a gear or two utilizing the improvement in torque whereas the lower grade fuel makes it labour that bit more.

Spot on. Oh what a lovely feeling with the better fuel.

The few results so far appear to be shocking bad to amazingly excellent.

Yesterday afternoon, I had to hot foot it to make up time lost at roadworks where we crawled along at walking pace for a few kilometers. No joke, there would have been about 2 kilometers of vehicles behind us. When we finally got to the traffic control lights, there were only 6 vehicles waiting to travel south. Whoever was doing traffic control should have had their chair taken away or made to walk home.

25 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

I don't follow regarding the downshifting differences Ash. What are you experiencing ?

When accelerating during overtaking, I was experiencing no downshifting and quite surprised by what was showing on the speedo as though an extra level of torque had been released. All of this with minimal throttle, or so I thought.

In contrast, when I went to accelerate to overtake, it was as though the engine was hesitant/slow to respond and the transmission had to downshift for that extra launch capability.

Later in the afternoon after refueling with 95 unleaded that morning, it was a lot better but more using the overtaking lanes and not accelerating as hard. More driving today but it should be with less overtaking, maybe.

On 7/26/2020 at 7:20 PM, campbeam said:

I was of the belief that the additional power output of 203 or 204 KW was based upon 95 octane. 

Currently on a road trip using Premium 95 Unleaded. I really noticed the difference in performance when accelerating on the open highway. It was very smooth and no hesitation and no noticeable downshifting of the transmission. This morning when I refueled [approx. 30+litres], I ended up using 91 unleaded at the available pumps instead of E10 with 94 octance. Only noticed the 95 unleaded pumps after a vehicle and caravan combination pulled away from the pumps.

Anyway, there was a significant difference with acceleration being not as responsive and the transmission was downshifting. Next refuel was definitely back to Premium 95 Unleaded.

Recent experience has now convinced me that for my 2006 Aurion ATX now with 217000 kms to continue to use 95 octane for highway driving.

I am getting some widely varying fuel economy figures which reflects the level of lead foot being applied. WiIl post actual figures later and try to remember any influencing factors at that time.

On 8/13/2020 at 6:42 PM, campbeam said:

Fortunately when I was doing some hard acceleration in the overtaking lanes there was no more smoking. Next test is when I start the car this evening to see whether there is any smoke.

Started the car last night and no smoke. Sure that there was no smoke this morning upon initial startup. Because it was a foggy morning, there was some exhaust vapor. No more exhaust smoke during today's acceleration tests. Getting daily pictures of the oil on the dipstick and will post some after the trip.

7 hours ago, TommyM said:

from time to time a good WOT loosens up the rings again & makes them seat properly

I was doing some WOT yesterday. I must say that the car is performing well and very responsive. I reckon that the piston rings are now well seated. Have to see whether today brings some more WOT on the Bruce Highway. .

3 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

No comment lol, except to say you're better off taking the luxury saloon. After all you want full comfort and power on tap mate 

Suspension is getting a workout at times and no need to slow down like smaller sized vehicles. Power mojo is back. Accelerated quickly at end of roadworks from 60kph to 100kph and engine was only doing 2000rpm. Bit of a failed test this morning. I did a hard acceleration from a rest area and left a minor smoke screen behind. I was expecting that the oil catch can would have prevented that from happening. I did check and the oil separator appears to have caught some oil. Fortunately when I was doing some hard acceleration in the overtaking lanes there was no more smoking. Next test is when I start the car this evening to see whether there is any smoke.

Car was packed last night. Just as well we are not taking the Yaris.

All ready to rock and roll very soon. Got a foggy morning so has worked out that we will be leaving later than planned.

I will soon know in a few hours how well this catch can is working.

2 hours ago, ZZT86 said:

keep us posted as to how much oil your catch-can is trapping as I'm curious, generally NA port injected cars don't need them.

I do know that a few drops of oil were previously caught in the in-line filter and the oil separator. The oil can had some moisture which I wiped out with a tissue.

Visually checked the in-line filter and oil separator today and there was nothing obvious.

Planning upon opening the oil catch can when back in about 10 days. It will be interesting to see how much oil vapour gets past the in-line filter and oil separator then into the oil catch can. 

1 hour ago, Tony Prodigy said:

But in essence, the cooler air coming back is advantageous no ? Also, the air coming back shouldn't have any oil vapour ?

I also wonder if the catch can wasn't emptied in time would the liquid come back into the engine and cause it to smoke ?

Cooler air should be a plus. Air coming back should ideally not have any oil vapour. In a few YouTube videos, some people have added stainless steel wool presumably as an aid to condense the oil vapour into droplets which then collect at the bottom of the can. 

I also had the same thought. With a smaller size catch can i.e.300ml there was more potential for the caught oil to be sucked up into the engine. Main reason why I selected a bigger capacity. Common recommendation is to drain the catch can at an oil change. Different matter if the PCV valve is stuck open or baffles in the valve cover are sludged up. Guess is that with a turbocharged engine you would need a larger catch can or to be checking/emptying it more often.   

59 minutes ago, KAA said:

it now takes a degree in engineering and computer science to just do a basic job job on these modern day engines

Definitely need those skills if you want to hack the ECU and re-tune the engine to your specific requirements.

In the good old days, I would be loosening a bolt on the distributor to advance the timing or tuning the engine by ear. Still remember being driven crazy by a slight engine miss at idle. Ended up looking at a tuning guide and re-gapping the spark plugs was the fix. Now it is all done electronically.  

The oil catch can is a good, legal, environmentally friendly workaround for PCV. So much easier when these oil vapours etc were vented externally but maybe there is less oil on the roads. 

1 hour ago, Tony Prodigy said:

I found this pretty interesting and thought others may too.

 

Interesting to see the head internal dimensions exposed. Looks like the head is already close to the limits so not much potential. Was he suggesting that larger exhaust valve seals could be fitted? What have I missed or not understood?

31 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Here's one of youtube's finest talking about catch cans.

 

This has to be one of the better YouTube videos on oil catch cans currently available. Definitely worth watching. It confirmed my thinking that a bigger, taller catch can should be more effective. I did speculate that the catch can could be a heat collector and potentially cool the airflow so the air finally going to the intake could be slightly cooler. It makes sense that oil droplets are going to form when the airflow becomes cooler. Something that I had overlooked. I was more focused upon the baffling and separation between the inlet and outlet. It also explains that the airflow must be cooling with a longer PCV hose length and why I am noticing that the previous existing in-line filter and oil separator combination to be more effective.

There is another YouTube video that compared the effectiveness of 2 brands of catch cans by connecting them in sequence then swapping the order. 

14 hours ago, TCam said:

I have been told that ABS systems are best left alone & not to change the brake fluid.

You will have to be a bit more precise in your wording and grammar to get a correct response to that statement.

I would agree with a general statement that ABS systems are best left alone. However some easy repairs e.g. replacement of a sensor can be safely performed by DIY.

Brake fluid has a service life so should be changed every 2 to 3 years. 

When it comes to changing the brake fluid on vehicles fitted with ABS systems, this can still be performed by DIY using procedures for that vehicle make and model.

However, some specific/specialised vehicle makes and models require specialised procedures and tools to perform a brake fluid change. I am thinking something like a Honda NSX. 

9 hours ago, ZZT86 said:

Ash so much mucking around, how long has it been when you first started flushing & have you kept a diary of the cost ?

I envy you for being able to do 3K kms 😕 Have fun in sunny, warm QLD.

Yes, lots of time-wasting but I have lots of me time especially on the weekends. I have been flushing this engine since October 2015.  I do keep a car maintenance spreadsheet. As for cost, estimate 20 oil changes. Diesel is used 2 or 3 times for flushing then replaced.

In October 2015, I made a deliberate decision to use an short oil change interval approach rather than pull apart the engine to de-sludge it particularly the baffle area in the front valve cover. It has certainly taken a lot longer than the 12 months that I was expecting.

A good road trip will do wonders to help get rid of the oil sludge that is still in the baffle area of the valve cover.

If not, this may be the final hurrah before taking off the valve cover and looking at trying to modify the baffles.

Hence my reasons for doing this extreme oil change. 

Actually, I would much rather be at work but was told to reduce my leave balance. So now doing an impromptu road trip Brisbane to Cairns [with the girlfriend] which is a better option than alone at home. What I really want is a road trip to NSW for family reasons so like everyone else, I will be waiting for all these interstate restrictions to get fully lifted. 

On 7/10/2020 at 9:27 AM, mediaspacetj said:

I have a 2011 Touring with 154,000 kms on it, I only put 98 premium petrol in it, and I keep the services up to it at the scheduled times.
I use the cruise control on the highways and consistently get about 7.6L/100kms on long trips (about 8.2L/100kms on the freeway during the 40min trip the Central Coast to Hornsby) and driving around the Coast it's about 9.0L/100kms and I'm very soft on the pedals. Car still takes off about the same speed as the other cars. 
Very happy with my 8 year old Aurion.

I remembered this earlier post. My 2006 ATX with 216,500 kms is all serviced and ready. In the next few days, I will be going on a long trip using 95 unleaded instead of the usual 91 unleaded. Have to see how close I can get an average of 8.2L/100kms on the highway.

2 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

She's getting there Ashley. After what you had to go through to desludge her over the years, all the hard work is finally paying off.

That road trip will be the medicine it needs I think. It needs a good long run, just like the extended wash cycle on a washing machine.

I hope you guys have a safe and enjoyable trip Ash. I'm assuming your girlfriend is also coming along..

You should try removing the PCV and shooting some diesel/tranny fluid mix in via the threaded hole instead of the regular oil fill spot. This way, you get to wash that section as you fill it.

Absolutely love a challenge. Always looking for improvements. With all the short distance driving that I do, the car really needs a road trip. Certainly overdue because I missed out in 2019. Recent highway run resulted in the car blowing smoke on startup, so very frustrating and also motivating. It is just an ongoing challenge so getting there finally. 

Girlfriend is coming along for company and to make sure that I stay out of trouble. LOL 

We must have similar thinking because I have already checked that 3/8" oil hose will fit into the PCV threaded hole. I will have to remember it for next oil change and pour in the diesel/ATF via there. Forgot all about it this time. 

I had forgotten that a few cans of Liqui Moly Friction Reducer were on the back seat, so yesterday I topped up the new oil with a can.  https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/liqui-moly-liqui-moly-mos2-friction-reducer-engine-treatment-300ml/156706.html  Another addition to this overkill oil change.  

2 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Which beams did you buy ?

I bought 2 lots of the cheapest ones on eBay mainly because there was little to none differentiation in the descriptions for the various non-branded beam wipers. Bit of a gamble which I am prepared to write off to experience. I have now got a few new toys to pull apart to see how they should work. 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BrandNew-Windscreen-Wiper-Blades-for-TOYOTA-AURION-GSV40-GSV5-2006-2015-20-24/202730557432?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&shqty=2&isGTR=1#shId 

With the difference of our experiences, it confirms that you can be better off paying a bit more initially.

If with a few days notice, you decided to go on a 7 day road trip, would you be able to have your vehicle ready to go. Maybe a better question is what vehicle preparation would you need or prefer to do before leaving?

I do keep my vehicle well serviced and maintained for regular use so hypothetically it should be ready to go.

In reality, I have done a few tasks which were outstanding on the To Do list.

Car was refuelled today and will be topped up before departure. 

An oil change was done but could easily have been deferred.

Car has been washed and the glass given the Rain-X treatment.

Surplus items in the boot have been removed.

Tyre pressure of the spare tyre was checked [34psi] and adjusted to 40psi. 

Wiper blades have been changed.

Surplus items especially those on the back seat have yet to be removed.  

Upon return from this road trip, I know that there will more tasks [currently deferred] to prepare for the next road trip. 

I have been persevering with my new beam wiper blades for some weeks now. On the 40 series, wiper blades are a 24" and 20" combination. My bargain priced eBay ones were smearing slightly from the beginning. I then thoroughly cleaned the windscreen hoping that there would be an improvement. Unfortunately, the smearing has got worse. To find the cause, I was thinking of changing the rubber wiper blades on the beam type wiper and also transferring the beam wiper rubber blades onto the original hybrid type wiper.

For the upcoming unplanned impromptu road trip, I have reverted back to the original hybrid wipers.  Something that I will be keen to get sorted out before the next road trip or lots of rainy days. 

1 hour ago, KAA said:

now that is being thorough..really thorough.

It is overkill but I wanted the engine to be as clean as possible before finally adding the new oil.

I know that there is still some sludge in the PCV baffle area and I want it gone. Initially I was annoyed that the Shell Ultra oil had got dirty so quickly until internet posts changed my thinking. A quality oil will clean and de-sludge the engine and get dirty quicker. In contrast, a lower quality oil would stay cleaner longer.

I have recently fitted an oil catch can and I have been visually monitoring the amount of exhaust vapours. Apart from the hot exhaust gases meeting the colder morning air, I was thinking that some of these vapours could possibly include diesel left from the engine flush.

I use the diesel as an engine flush a few times before discarding it. Recent thinking was to do the 1st flush with the used diesel then do a 2nd flush with new diesel. I was also thinking that new cheaper [higher viscosity] oil could then be used to flush any diesel out of the engine before adding the full synthetic engine oil. Because I did not have new diesel on hand, I used new 20W-50 engine oil which I had previously bought on special. 

Since buying my 2006 Aurion ATX about 5 years ago, it has been an ongoing battle to desludge the engine using frequent oil changes instead of pulling off the front valve cover and the engine pan. So looking forward to progressive checks of the oil and a final comparison of new oil vs previous oil [1000KM] vs this oil after 3000+KM.