Is Mating Surface Clean Enough?

[teally]

Hi. Doing my first valve cover gasket. I have tried gasket remover. Scrubbing with nylon and brass brushes. Also green pad. With both throttle cleaner and carb and choke cleaner. And this is the cleanest I can get it without scrubbing really hard with the brass brush. Also I needed to get this done today as my mechanic probably wants to come assess the car tomorrow. I do not want to make him make two trips. When I do the final wipe with cleaner on a rag I get dark rag but I can't tell if that's dirt from the engine bay or if that's just normal when you use solvent on a clean metal surface. Can I just put this together now? Please? (The old gasket was orange, not black, and it came off very easily).

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

Good job. Very thorough. Looks like you could eat off of it.

Remember to use a tad bit of gasket sealant so the new gasket stays in place as you re-install the valve cover and also fills any small area's that could leak oil. You can find Permatex products at virtually any auto parts store.

http://www.permatex.com/products/pr.../permatex--tack---seal--gasket-sealant-detail

There seems to be evidence of sludge deposits starting to build up on that gear. I take it this engine is using petroleum oils?

 

[teally]

YEAH! Thanks for that. So I guess those tracks are just stains. I have some ultra grey. The oil was nice and pale when I first took the cover off. Been working on it a while so oil became dark. Yes, standard oils. I think it's 20w50 that autozone told me to use for high mileage. Thank you very much.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

On that gear, if we look closely, it appears to have deposits starting to build up on it and varnish from the use of petroleum oils. This is a common drawback of petroleum oils.

Don't use a 20W-50 viscosity in your Corolla's engine, as that will reduce fuel economy, increase emissions, increase engine temperatures, (thereby causing gaskets and seals to dry out, crack and leak prematurely), increase engine wear, reduce power/throttle response, reduce lubrication and also have much harder cold winter engine starts. Depending on the year, your Corolla's engine should be using the Toyota engineer recommended 5W-30 or 10W-30.

 

[teally]

On that gear, if we look closely, it appears to have deposits starting to build up on it and varnish from the use of petroleum oils. This is a common drawback of petroleum oils.

Don't use a 20W-50 viscosity in your Corolla's engine, as that will reduce fuel economy, increase emissions, increase engine temperatures, (thereby causing gaskets and seals to dry out, crack and leak prematurely), increase engine wear, reduce power/throttle response, reduce lubrication and also have much harder cold wintet engine starts. Depending on the year, your Corolla's engine should be using the Toyota engineer recommended 5W-30 or 10W-30.

Are you kidding me Scott? I just came from autozone to buy oil to fill her up and I had the 5w30 in my hands and autozone told me not to buy it. But to buy the 20w50 which I was specifically intending not to use because I had been experiencing all of the symptoms you mention. What the whut? She has over 220K. 1995 DX 1.8L. Should I take it back?

Correction. I will be taking it back. By the way is it OK to mix viscosities because it's the 20W-50 that's in there.

 

[teally]

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[Scott O'Kashan]

Yes, you can mix the viscosity's but it's best to have the same viscosity and type of oil. Using an oil that thick in a modern engine has many drawbacks and in some cases can even cause the oil pump to prematurely wear out as the oil is so thick and comparatively hard to pump.

What year is your Corolla? I can look up the recommended engine oil viscosity for it.

Is the engine having oil consumption problems?

 

[teally]

Yes, you can mix the viscosity's but it's best to have the same viscosity and type of oil. Using an oil that thick in a modern engine has many drawbacks and in some cases can even cause the oil pump to prematurely wear out as the oil is so thick and comparatively hard to pump.

What year is your Corolla? I can look up the recommended engine oil viscosity for it.

Is the engine having oil consumption problems?

1995. A little bit. When I was driving a lot some months ago I was having to watch the oil twice a week (because I was driving for a living) but I only had to top it off once in a while. It never burned a lot.

While we're on the subject of oil. I try to find oil change coupons when I can get them and nowadays they always say it's extra for the oil upgrade. I assume this means synthetic. What's wrong with using the 5W oil they usually offer in the ads?

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

1995. A little bit. When I was driving a lot some months ago I was having to watch the oil twice a week (because I was driving for a living) but I only had to top it off once in a while. It never burned a lot.

While we're on the subject of oil. I try to find oil change coupons when I can get them and nowadays they always say it's extra for the oil upgrade. I assume this means synthetic. What's wrong with using the 5W oil they usually offer in the ads?

The product application guide at my website lists two engines for the 1995 Toyota Corolla, either the 1.6 or 1.8 litre and both engines are supposed to be using a 10W-30 viscosity, per Toyota engineers. Oil is the lifeblood of an engine and in order to properly protect the engine it's a very wise idea to use the viscosity recommended by the vehicle manufacturers engineers.

I can provide you far greater discounts than what you might find in coupons and save you money.

 

[teally]

The product application guide at my website lists two engines for the 1995 Toyota Corolla, either the 1.6 or 1.8 litre and both engines are supposed to be using a 10W-30 viscosity, per Toyota engineers. Oil is the lifeblood of an engine and in order to properly protect the engine it's a very wise idea to use the viscosity recommended by the vehicle manufacturers engineers.

I can provide you far greater discounts than what you might find in coupons and save you money.

I will check out your site. Thanks Scott. Mileage is 220K. Been using 10W oil all these years until autozone advised otherwise.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

My pleasure. Keep in mind that discount auto parts store personnel tend to be very inexperienced and not that knowledgeable.

My website doesn't reflect the discounts I can get for you. How many miles a year do you drive your Corolla, how often is the oil changed and how much does each oil change cost you?