2003 4Runner V6 Check oil light problem! Need some help!

I don't know what you can do, honestly. Other than a complete tear down, I am wary of those harsh chemicals.

You have to think about it... if it is breaking down sludge, it has to be some serious degreasor... degreasors don't lubricate. If you are running your engine with any harsh chemical like that... it has to be worse that the sludge.

I know oils with some additives work very slowly... they are not so harsh. That said, I don't know how much of that I believe.
 
well I ran it for about 15-20mins with atf fluid and did some revving and all and there was no knocking but while i was waiting for it to cool down to drain the oil I took the fill housing off and this is what I found... sludge fest
 

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I'll be the first to say that I'm so glad ''DocMT/V8Brah/Escimochaos/Clockwork'' is not currently around!
I'm almost sure he's reading this and its killing him to not say anything... lol

To the Op, I hope you get it figured out. I'm confident you have many many more miles to go with your baby!


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well I ran it for about 15-20mins with atf fluid and did some revving and all and there was no knocking but while i was waiting for it to cool down to drain the oil I took the fill housing off and this is what I found... sludge fest

Well, this is almost slightly oddly a good thing because you know the source.

I'd just drain that stuff and the atf with it now, and just refill with a quality ''high mileage'' oil, like a Valvoline high mileage. (IMO, you don't want to do any more harsh cleaning in there, but rather you got it loosened up now, and some will come out with your drain.

I'd change the oil again in 500 miles or so, then go back to regular oil changes.

If you don't mind me asking, what is the usual oil change interval you follow, and what kind of oil?


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Well the thing is I just bought the 4runner and I have only put 1000 miles on it but the guys I bought it from said he used 5w30 and changed every 4000-5000. I guess I am going to have some quotes done for a tear down and cleaning also just to weigh those options. Needless to say I better start checking oil fill holes much better before buyin vehicles
 
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I would definitely get someone to price out how much it would cost to take the cams, valves, and springs, and have them put them through a parts cleaner. Also, you could also try finding a guide to take off one of the valve covers to get a even better visualization of the sludge problem you have.

When you have a sludge problem to the point of it clogging the pickup from your oil pump, then I don't think simple detergents will do the work considering you can't drive very long without the oil pressure light sending you a signal. The problem is of a bigger magnitude.

Look for a solid mechanic in your area that has experience with pulling the necessary parts to properly rid them of sludge. Keep us posted with whats in the bottom of your pan.
 
Good Luck! I have wrenched since 1968 and have seen and done a lot.

1. A “Very light” WD-40 Mist will help locate a squeaking belts (possible due to some needed maintenance).

2. I have seen oil pumps restricted from sludge and gasket debris from removing old gaskets that raised the pump’s screen to block and enter the pump. If this is the case it will be very obvious once the pan is off. I also feel some signs should have been noticed at oil changes if this is related to debris or oil sludge. This is a big advantage of changing your oil or asking to see the oil drained. I know the question! How? Ask that they catch about a ½ qt at the start and end of the oil drain to look for debris/sludge/etc.

3. Last, I have heard of oil filter’s plastic seals not being removed and causing restrictions as well as some restricted intake manifolds starving of oil.

4. Think back on any past history that could have caused any debris to get into the engine. jow
 
I just purchased the truck less than a month ago and have put less than 1000k miles on it. Well guys I pulled the pan off and this is the story....

IMG_0289.jpg~original

IMG_0290.jpg~original

IMG_0291.jpg~original

In the process of cleaning!
IMG_0293.jpg~original

All back together and clean
IMG_0297.jpg~original
 
WOW. That's a travesty... I'm sure someone let that motor go a loooong time without a change. And its going to live to see many more miles thanks to your cleanup!


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WOW, what a mess. The bigger issue now is how do you get the rest of the gunk out from where you can't clean?

Are there shops that can run a whole engine flush on it?
Or do you just run some good motor flush thru a few times.
Amsoil AMSOIL Engine and Transmission Flush has a flush
I don't think ATF is going to work on that sludge.

Here is some info that I found.
1

A subject that's been getting more attention these days is internal engine cleaning or flushing. This is being promoted by the quick oil-change people, among others, with the advice that if you clean out the engine of accumulated sludge, deposits and other disgusting stuff, it will run better and hopefully longer. Is this effective or not? As usual, when it comes to things automotive, the answer is both yes and no.
2

If you've read other articles on engine oils, you'll know that unless the oil is changed frequently, not only will the oil's "oiliness" will go away, but varnish and other compounds will form inside the engine. These get deposited at various places including the small oil galleys( passages) and begin to restrict oil flow-much in the way that cholesterol blocks flow in a similar, biological system.

Personally, I consider engine flushes a waste of money, but they can be beneficial, in certain limited situations. For example, an engine flush might be useful in a relatively low mileage car with 30,000-40,000 miles that hasn't had its oil changed as often as it should have been-such a car may be an off-lease car. At this point, cleaning the engines innards may prove to be beneficial because sludge and varnish buildup may not be that bad yet. Notice how many times the word "may" is used here-you can't really know for sure without taking the engine apart.

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3

You may be able to get an idea of what the engine looks like inside if you're able to remove a valve cover. On some engines, where there aren't tons of hoses, lines and other things over it, it's all a matter of removing a few bolts. A clean engine will not have any encrusted deposits on the cover or any other deposits on the cylinder heads. I've seen engines where there's been so much coking (crusty deposits) that after the valve cover has been removed, that a perfect mold of the valve cover (writing and all) has been formed on top the cylinder head so it looks like the valve cover hasn't been removed at all! And I've seen engines that after the intake manifold has been removed (on a V-8) all you see is a huge mass of black carbon in the lifter valley. It's always amazed that such engines still run.
4

On a badly maintained engine, there's probably already too many deposits for the flushing chemicals to completely remove. But the real danger here is that the chemicals will dislodge enough crud that it will block the very small passages in hydraulic lifters or even clog up the fine mesh oil pump pickup screens. On such engines, you're better off changing the oil frequently, say around every 2,000 miles, so that the natural cleaning properties of the oil will reduce, somewhat, accumulated deposits.
5

If you insist on engine flushing, you can try this method. First, change the oil and filter and on a five quart capacity system, fill the engine with 4-1/2 quarts of 10W oil and a half quart of kerosene. Turn the engine on and let it run by itself for 10 minutes or so. Don't rev the engine! The drained oil should be quite dirty. Change oil and filter once again, with a regular grade of oil. This is a relatively mild cleaning but if your engine is really dirty, it's only a matter of time before it gives up the ghost.


Read more: How to Perform an Engine Flush in Your Car | eHow.com How to Perform an Engine Flush in Your Car | eHow.com
 
With the excessive sludge I would suspect excessive blow-by or excessive lack of breathing (Old School that should still apply). Did you run a compression check (and good results) or do any diagnostic work prior to the purchase? Were there any written or gentlemen’s agreements on the conditions of the T4R? This has to be hard to deal with @ only 1000 mi. There had to be some indications of this condition as sluggish, high temp gauge, blown valve cover gaskets on and on. Man! I Hope You The Best. Jow

PS. You oil filler pic made me go out and take a look, which is good at 46,000+ purchased @ 43,000+ Certified + Ext Warr. Really, I wanted to see that oil filler top hold or pull a dollar to show low vacuum vs blow-by (but too much air from the fan). Was that all carbon build-up on the oil pick-up tube or any gasket materials? You are doing a super job but please look for causes other than lack of oil changes. Toyota had an oil jelling problem in some cars in the past (I think I read w/o remembering the cause).

I have never liked a new truck for me personally due to what I will use it for, low mi (50,000ish) with good diagnostic test and all fluid checks Bumper-To-Bumper.
 
I'll be the first to say that I'm so glad ''DocMT/V8Brah/Escimochaos/Clockwork'' is not currently around!
I'm almost sure he's reading this and its killing him to not say anything... lol

Why would it be killing him not to say anything? This has nothing to do with it being a V6. It has to do with the previous owner not changing the oil on a regular basis.

I do think it's nice coming into a thread and not having every thread turn into a V6 vs V8 thread though.
 
I would be real suspect of ALL of the other fluids too.
Time to change them all.

Yup, if I decide to keep it I am going to do everything with Synthetic and not look back. I am just struggling with driving something I have no confidence in. I have had nothing but problems with this 4 Runner.
 
Yup, if I decide to keep it I am going to do everything with Synthetic and not look back. I am just struggling with driving something I have no confidence in. I have had nothing but problems with this 4 Runner.

That sucks man. I hope you realize this is not characteristic of 4Runners. I would look into giving it back to whomever you got it from. Show them pictures of what you found.
 
So.

1. Do not consider this "legal" advice, and I am not a lawyer. (It is illegal to offer legal advice, that a reasonable person might assume is from a lawyer legally allowed to practice law in your state or jurisidication)

That out of the way. I have a couple possible things you should do. While I am not a lawyer, I work in a field with a lot of overlap and have a higher than average understanding of the legal world.


Every state is different, but in general it is illegal to "lie" to make a sale. What this means is, if you ask someone the about the car and they say "not sure" and you buy it, and it breaks, you can't do anything. They didn't lie, they said unsure or not sure or this or that, and you buying it was not predicated on their statement.

If, however, you ask someone a specific question or they give you specific information to entice you to purchase the vehicle and that information comes to light as a probably lie; then you may have a claim.

Example: If you know you never changed the oil, but you specifically tell someone you were religious in changing the oil (duh, right, to sell it) and I purchase it..... and it comes out, like this, that it is pretty evident YOU DID NOT do that; then depending on the laws of your jurisdiction you may have a suit.

They may have violated a state or local fraud laws or some other law.


Simply put. We have forgotten you don't get to LIE to sell something. No one does. Lying is not a protected act. You can sue someone for libel/slander and if they lie in a business transaction, you can depending on the circumstances go after them in court for committing fraud.


Now. I will admit, it is extremely difficult to prove. But, I would take that truck to a pretty serious mechanic and get their expert opinion. Take everything you know and your photos and ask. Take it to several dealers.

If the general consensus you get is that, a modern Toyota truck with only 110k should not look like this if they changed the oil AT ALL, then I could take those in writing to the seller and have a serious heart to heart. And, talk to a lawyer. What I have said here is general, hope it helps. None of it is actual legal advice, as I do not know all the specifics nor the laws of your local area. A lawyer should be able to tell you if you have claim or not. You might want to even call the police and ask.

Just my .02 cents.
 
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