Blew my 03 V6 engine, then I found this...

[Frenchie]

Hi Guys,

Two weeks ago I was heading out to Revelstoke for one good last weekend of sledding, towing my little 2-place trailer on the Transcanada highway. Barely 30 miles in, after going up a hill I notice the gear won't kick back from 2nd to 3rd even going downhill, then engine reving way up at 4500rpm, so I cancel the cruise and then all I hear is Chaos; loud knocking noises and shaking under the hood. I look at the gauges and see the oil light flashing while going 110km/h. Without hesitation I put the car in neutral, shut the engine off and coasted to the side.

Minutes go by and I'm trying to figure out what the HECK happened. This is my 03 4Runner that I bought for its bulletproof reputation, I baby the thing with Amsoil products from A-Z, the car only has 180K Km's and ran flawlessy until just now? I was soo confused... So I decide to crank it one more time. Not a chance, the starter jammed on a seized bottom end...

So a week goes by, and 4500$ later my 4Runner now has a "new" engine with 81K in it, coming from a salvaged 04. I told myself too many times, I am way out of luck "I bought this baby to avoid this exact reason; being stranded on the road!!!"

So I go on the Amsoil website, punch in my preferred customer number and start ordering: first the oil, then, I start looking for that EA057 oil filter.
Well well what the heck, I just can't find the darn thing!! Why not? I've been ordering this filter for two years!! SOooo I send a message to Amsoil tech services and I get this AMSOIL TSB!!!!

So I look at the date on that TSB and nearly lose it... June 30 2009???
Well I bought my filter in October 2009, can somebody explain why the heck was I not notified when they KNOW I bought this filter, I am a preferred customer or am I not??? They have my name, tel No, email, and all my invoices which total over in 1000$ per year and they could not send me a TSB letter?

Anyway I am at a loss here. I will definately take this further up to Amsoil but before I do this I would like to know if somebody on here has some advice for me.

I just pray that after all theses years of religiously using amsoil, that they will help me out.

Thanks

 

[zerowkul98]

Wow, man. Wicked sorry to read ur story about your T4R.

Whyd you go with the Am. Oil. N filters anyway instead of say dealer changes and parts? Just curious cuz my friends that all swear by that brand usually have an "unfortunate event" at one point or another.

Post again after you contact the Am. Company about the TSB and why you
werent notified! Would love to hear how they spin it. Dont let them word it like its your fault!!!

 

[sheik]

Youch!

That sucks. Good luck pursuing this with Amsoil-

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Ouch... So do I have this right? The EA oil filter could get some blockage, restrict flow and basically not go into 'bypass' mode easy enough?

 

[dcon]

This is why I always stick to OEM parts. All of the problems I've encounter on the vehicles that I have owned were caused by so called performance parts. I know I'll take some flak for this comments but its a fact, OEM parts are thoroughly tested and therefore superior to aftermarket. Hopefully things will work out for you.

 

[Ducman]

Hmm

What were you using for your oil and filter change interval?

How many miles had that particular filter been on your truck this change interval?

 

[chmura]

I use oem for my Lexus or phram filters from walmart for my toyota and honda. I buy mobil 1 oil there so its easy just to get the phram there.

I change my oil btw 3-4000 miles with mobil 1 synthetic so phram is adequate.

Whats your oil change interval??

 

[riverider]

Stick with the Toyota OEM filters, don't buy into after market hype. As to you getting anything from Amsoil good luck.:ak472:

 

[chmura]

Were you changing your oil at every 25,000 miles? Hope not.

 

[Autbond]

Shoulda gone with Mobil 1; filter and oil. But sorry for your loss, hope you get something from amsoil

 

[PaulB-2006 T4R]

A lot bloggers say OEM all the way but the TRD oil filter is a painted black K&N, same goes for the TRD air filter, K&N. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

Overall I am not in favor of a 25,000 mile oil filter, the oil maybe fine but the filter? I use Mobil 1 Extended Performance, keep the oil for 10,000 miles (city and occasional off-road driving) and change the oil filter every 5,000 miles with a K&N HP-1002. I would also consider the Mobil 1 oil filter but I save a few bucks on K&N.

chmura (hopefully not Mark), please read a few reviews about Fram oil filters. Once you do, you will pull off the Fram and replace it with just about anything else. This is a worth while read; Toyota Filters - Oil Filters Revealed - MiniMopar Resources.

Frenchie, sorry to hear about your experience. Other than the purr and growl there is no good engine noise. Please let us know what Amsoil says.

 

[RickC]

I use oem for my Lexus or phram filters from walmart for my toyota and honda. I buy mobil 1 oil there so its easy just to get the phram there.

I change my oil btw 3-4000 miles with mobil 1 synthetic so phram is adequate.

Whats your oil change interval??

I would not put a Fram filter on my lawnmower. Go with Toyota, Mobil 1, or PureOne by Purolator.

 

[offshorebear]

I'm sticking with the OEM filter and Mobile 1 until my extended warranty runs out.

 

[Frenchie]

Whyd you go with the Amsoil. Oil. N filters anyway instead of say dealer changes and parts? QUOTE]

Since the warranty was over, I thought I'd put the best oil in it, because I planned on keeping my TR4 "forvever".. (I have also been running Ams in my sleds and was way impressed on how it kept the valves clean etc compared to other synthetics)
I figured that if they garanteed 25,000KM drain intervals (I've always been using 0W-30 Signature series) in extreme weather, then changing at 15,000km's would be plenty safe... I always ran the engine topped out, and changed oil at max 15,000KM in conjunction with the nano filter.
The engine went at about 14K in the oil change, as I was due to change this spring...
Oh and that is most mileage is highway as I travel from Calgary to the Interior BC pretty often.

 

[Ducman]

sad

Very sorry to hear about your engine.

So thats what .... about 9,000 miles or so right?

That's too long for ANY oil filter in my book. Super duper or not.

 

[Absolute]

Man that sucks... Let us know how it goes. I hope they do something about it.
Good Luck man!

 

[jeober]

thanks Frenchie for sharing your misfortune. Perhaps this helps someone else to avoid.

 

[Frenchie]

update

Today I went to my mechanic and made him fully aware of the situation. It now made much more sense to him that this was the cause to engine failure.
He fully agreed to write me an affidavit letter stating the reasons why he felt the engine died (oil starvation), that the engine was taken out with this Amsoil ea057 filter in place etc. etc...

Anyway, I took pics of the filter mounted on the engine, serial No etc (the engine is still sitting in the shop untouched, in the case we need to go back to it for checking).

Before going directly to Amsoil I called my insurance to see if they would cover my 400$ towing bill and for the heck of it asked if they would cover my engine explaining the situation.

To my surprise he says "yes your towing charge is covered no problem" (I don't recall getting that package since I remember being so confident driving a Toyota) and "yes it seems your case seems valid enough to file a claim"
So I spent 20 minutes explaining step by step what happened like at the beginning of this thread...

So now I will wait a day or two for the insurance adjuster to give me a yes or no and I'll go from there...

Meanwhile anyone with good ideas please let me know! I will keep you guys updated.

Thanks.

 

[etom]

Man sorry to hear. I just went in to buy a case of oil and a couple filters and like you couldn't find a 57. I asked the dealer and he told me they were discontinued because they were getting lawsuits against them because "the 57 filters cause sludge build up in toyota engines" and he recommended that I get the Mann filter which is "pretty much a stock toyota filter." He didn't show or let me know about the TSB though. I've been using their 57 filter pretty much ever since I purchased my t4r in 2005 thinking that they were top of the line filters. I'm glad something like this hasn't happened to me but now am kind of worried to put the Mann filter I bought in. I have never heard of the brand...should I use the filter on my next change? I hope everything works out for you.

 

[Ducman]

...I've been using their 57 filter pretty much ever since I purchased my t4r in 2005 thinking that they were top of the line filters. I'm glad something like this hasn't happened to me but now am kind of worried to put the Mann filter I bought in. I have never heard of the brand...should I use the filter on my next change? I hope everything works out for you.

Use the Toyota OEM oil filters. They are a proven high quality oil filter.