EGR Vacuum Modulator

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Sun Jan 07, 2018 11:00 pm

BoSoxGal wrote:... I’ve been running with Seafoam or Lucas in my fuel the past couple months; what do you guys say about adding some in the oil reservoir as well?

No need. The additives in a good quart of oil takes into consideration all kinds of weather and climate conditions. You're just wasting money buying STP or some crazy Teflon product. You'll be fine.

Oil level is key -- that's why you should check it every few months. Also, if you see any exhaust smoke this should make you even more vigilant.

dales · Post by **dales** » Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:19 am

Recently on the Toyota forums I read a post from a guy who didn’t change the oil in his RAV for over 100k miles! And it was fine . . .

Yeah, right.

What a tool.

Oil is cheap, motors not so much.

Burning Petard · Post by **Burning Petard** » Wed Jan 10, 2018 7:26 pm

Over the years I think I have seen recommendations popping up regularly to never change the oil--but change the filter regularly and always keep topping up the oil as indicated on the dip stick.

never explained how the change the filter without dumping lots of oil.

snailgate

Jarlaxle · Post by **Jarlaxle** » Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:34 pm

Depends on the vehicle. I doubt I lose a quart when I pull the filter on my Crown Vic.

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Fri Jan 19, 2018 10:09 pm

My mechanic tells me if I check the oil regular - every time I fill up, which I used to do, not sure when I became so lazy - I can push it to 5-6k easy. He doesn’t agree with 10-15k as the synthetic oil brands claim - says it’s just so they can charge a lot more for the oil and no filter is that good anyway. Kind of makes sense . . . he’s definitely not selling me up because I have my own filters - got a sweet deal on a case of factory filters, cheaper than aftermarket - and I bring my own oil, and he charges me @ $15.

I have another query: which aftermarket brand of shocks do folks recommend? Reva needs new rear shocks and mechanic says I don’t need to get factory on those - so suggestions, please?

Big RR · Post by **Big RR** » Fri Jan 19, 2018 10:25 pm

I had a friend who did a lot of his own work who swore by Bilstein struts and shocks, but that was around 7-8 years ago, so I can't say for sure they kept up the quality.

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Sat Jan 20, 2018 4:40 am

BoSoxGal wrote:... I have another query: which aftermarket brand of shocks do folks recommend? Reva needs new rear shocks and mechanic says I don’t need to get factory on those - so suggestions, please?

I will assume your Rav4 has struts and not shocks. You don't need anything more than Monroe, especially when it comes to pricing. Regardless, what ever you chose expect to be charged at least 75% more each for markup.

Re oil change. Mechanics have a standard, rote, answer when it comes to a change. If they don't get your business they'll get someone else who will pay for something sooner than they need it. If you want to save money just check the levels on occasion.

datsunaholic · Post by **datsunaholic** » Sat Jan 20, 2018 6:47 am

If you don't plan on keeping a car past 150,000 miles then 10K oil changes are for you. You aren't gonna be the one replacing the engine. If not, "saving" $30 a year is pennywise and pound foolish.

6K is fine as long as you're driving at least 10k a year. Only time I'd ever go 10k on an oil change is if I was doing 5k or more a MONTH. And at that rate the oil is probably still fine, because what makes oil go bad is CYCLES. How many times it goes from cold to hot. Most of the contaminants in oil are fuel byproducts from cold starts. To make a gasoline engine run cold, the fuel mixture has to be richer than when the engine is at normal operating temperature, and when engines don't fire right away some of that fuel ends up leaking past the rings and into the oil. Water vapor, no matter how well the engine is sealed, ends up in the crankcase when the engine cools. That turns the oil acidic. The longer the engine runs at operating temperature the more of that acid vaporizes out and is burned off by being drawn through the PCV system. That's what keeps the oil clean. Particles in the filter are invisible to the eye, but are usually the result of normal wear as well as combustion byproducts.

Side note. The reason mechanics put 3 month/3000 miles on the oil change stickers- including dealers who SAY the car is OK for 6months/6k miles? Because if they put the sticker on saying 6/6000 people would show up every 8 months/8 k or so. Most people procrastinate and wait until AFTER the indicated interval passes, then do it at the next convenient time. So they go over.

Jarlaxle · Post by **Jarlaxle** » Sat Jan 20, 2018 3:04 pm

datsunaholic wrote:If you don't plan on keeping a car past 150,000 miles then 10K oil changes are for you. You aren't gonna be the one replacing the engine. If not, "saving" $30 a year is pennywise and pound foolish.

Pablum. Unless and until you have had the oil analysed by a lab, you simply cannot say that. Note that the million-mile Ford Econoline went 12K between oil changes!

6K is fine as long as you're driving at least 10k a year. Only time I'd ever go 10k on an oil change is if I was doing 5k or more a MONTH. And at that rate the oil is probably still fine, because what makes oil go bad is CYCLES. How many times it goes from cold to hot. Most of the contaminants in oil are fuel byproducts from cold starts. To make a gasoline engine run cold, the fuel mixture has to be richer than when the engine is at normal operating temperature, and when engines don't fire right away some of that fuel ends up leaking past the rings and into the oil. Water vapor, no matter how well the engine is sealed, ends up in the crankcase when the engine cools. That turns the oil acidic. The longer the engine runs at operating temperature the more of that acid vaporizes out and is burned off by being drawn through the PCV system. That's what keeps the oil clean. Particles in the filter are invisible to the eye, but are usually the result of normal wear as well as combustion byproducts.

Side note. The reason mechanics put 3 month/3000 miles on the oil change stickers- including dealers who SAY the car is OK for 6months/6k miles? Because if they put the sticker on saying 6/6000 people would show up every 8 months/8 k or so. Most people procrastinate and wait until AFTER the indicated interval passes, then do it at the next convenient time. So they go over.

Again, pablum. Unless and until you have ACTUAL LAB ANALYSIS of used oil, you are guessing. Per actual lab analysis, the 7500-mile oil in my Dakota was fine to go longer. Changing oil at 3K or even 5K miles is a waste of money for anything but a taxicab. I saw 930,000 miles on a truck with 10K oil changes. Saw a wrecker go 553,000 hard miles on 7500-mile oil changes, and that truck led the brutal life of a repo truck!

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Sat Jan 20, 2018 3:08 pm

No, my RAV4 (AWD) has struts in the front and shocks in the back. I’m not *that* clueless - I actually even own a Chilton for my car. Just haven’t replaced the shocks yet, so wanted to solicit brand recommendations.

I did some online research and it appears KYB are the preferred aftermarket of the RAV4 forum members - but it turns out the OEM from my discount dealer parts source are the same price, so I’m just going to go with those. My shocks have been in bad shape a while, it’s going to be terrific having the original ride restored. I had the struts replaced in early 2015 after they’d needed it a long while and was thrilled with the difference. It’s the little things.

datsun, I’m trying to get 300k+ out of my Reva (she has 180k now), so I’ll stick to 5/6k, which has been my standard for several years due to the procrastination factor you so aptly described.

Jarl, how does one go about getting an oil analysis?

Jarlaxle · Post by **Jarlaxle** » Sat Jan 20, 2018 3:15 pm

RayThom wrote:
BoSoxGal wrote:... I have another query: which aftermarket brand of shocks do folks recommend? Reva needs new rear shocks and mechanic says I don’t need to get factory on those - so suggestions, please?
I will assume your Rav4 has struts and not shocks. You don't need anything more than Monroe, especially when it comes to pricing. Regardless, what ever you chose expect to be charged at least 75% more each for markup.

Surprisingly not: the RAV uses front struts, but conventional shocks in back.

I would go KYB-a pair or OE-quality shocks is about sixty bucks from Rock Auto, or seventy for the superb Gas-A-Just monotubes. (Bonus: Gas-A-Just shocks have a lifetime warranty.) The Gas-A-Just units are the same price as Monroe, to the penny! I have used KYB and an quite impressed with the quality.

Also note: I think Monroe is now Chinesium.

BSG: Rock Auto has them MUCH cheaper (like, 60% the price) than most local stores, even after shipping. Try MMEAJ18 or 7475814066971516 for a discount code.

Jarlaxle · Post by **Jarlaxle** » Sat Jan 20, 2018 3:18 pm

BoSoxGal wrote:No, my RAV4 (AWD) has struts in the front and shocks in the back. I’m not *that* clueless - I actually even own a Chilton for my car. Just haven’t replaced the shocks yet, so wanted to solicit brand recommendations.

I did some online research and it appears KYB are the preferred aftermarket of the RAV4 forum members - but it turns out the OEM from my discount dealer parts source are the same price, so I’m just going to go with those. My shocks have been in bad shape a while, it’s going to be terrific having the original ride restored. I had the struts replaced in early 2015 after they’d needed it a long while and was thrilled with the difference. It’s the little things.

I would go KYB Gas-A-Just over OE every time...especially over an OE part that might have been sitting on a shelf for 15 years. I suspect the KYBs are also less money from Rock Auto.

datsun, I’m trying to get 300k+ out of my Reva (she has 180k now), so I’ll stick to 5/6k, which has been my standard for several years due to the procrastination factor you so aptly described.

Jarl, how does one go about getting an oil analysis?

Start by clicking this link.

Also: ever get your roof rack?

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Sat Jan 20, 2018 7:43 pm

BSG, in the final economic analysis... IT'S YOUR MONEY! DIXI

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Sat Jan 20, 2018 7:50 pm

Roof rack, no - I called, they said they could get it for me, they explained how there would be a charge from them and a separate charge from the part supplier. It's been 3 weeks and they're not located the part - but they've charged me $50 for the same 'looking around the country at various parts dealers to no avail' that I've been doing periodically for the past 10 years myself. I called them last week to check on status, the guy said don't worry, we'll get you that part - then he asked if I needed cross bars. I told him, the cross bars - plus the feet - ARE the roof rack for a 1999 RAV4, there were no roof rails then. He was adamant they'd find me the part, but I'm planning to call back next week and ask for a refund of my $50.

After I'd talked to them I did another search myself and found one of the parts dealers they'd contacted (I didn't realize that at the time). It's a salvage yard in Port Murray, NJ - they have the rack, but don't want to ship it, too big too much of a pain in the ass. The guy told me he'd sell it to me for $100 if I picked it up, which wouldn't be a big deal if I combined it with a visit to the family in NY. The guy was supposed to call me back after going out to check the vehicle to determine it's really there and in saleable condition; I haven't heard back but I'm guessing he's busy and I didn't want to push it until I'd figured out when I might get over there.

You don't by chance drive that far on deliveries?

For the moment I've purchased a simple foam blocks & bumper-to-boat tie down system for my kayak, which the 'local' kayak shop owner who is my new bestie tells me she's used lots of times over the years with fine results. I'm only going at most as far as the outer Cape, and I can avoid highway driving if I need to. The roof of my RAV hasn't got a single bit of clear coat left, so it's not like I'm worried about the paint finish - it's securing the boat properly that is my concern, for the boat's sake but also for other people on the road. The kayak shop owner told me a story about a local guy she knew who was killed a few years ago when he was biking on the side of the road and a vehicle going by lost a kayak off the roof - it struck him and bashed his head in.

I was thinking at the same price the OE shocks would be better, but it hadn't occurred to me that they might have been manufactured that long ago. But, wouldn't that be the same for the KYB, if it's for a vehicle model that is 18 years old?

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Sat Jan 20, 2018 7:52 pm

RayThom wrote:BSG, in the final economic analysis... IT'S YOUR MONEY! DIXI

I know this; I seek advice in areas in which I'm much less experienced from those who are much more experienced. I always reserve the right not to take the advice - but it's nice to have a broad base of information from which to draw on in making decisions.

I think so, anyway.

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Sat Jan 20, 2018 7:56 pm

Jarl, on the oil analysis - if I've just had a change and new filter installed, should I wait a few thousand miles to get the analysis done?

As to Rock Auto - I'm not seeing a place to enter a discount code anywhere in the checkout process. Without any discount, and with shipping, they're the same price as on Amazon, where I'd get them in two days so I can bring the car in Tuesday when I get home from work in the morning. However, if you explain the discount code submission and it's significant, I'll sure use that.

Do I need new bushings? Or do they usually reuse the old ones?

I've decided on the GAJs; sounds like they will provide a superior handling experience over the KYB OE version. Thanks for that recommend, I'm looking forward to them installed!

Econoline · Post by **Econoline** » Sat Jan 20, 2018 9:37 pm

Re: oil changes...I went 10K per oil change (using full synthetic) for 420,000 miles on my Sprinter van. (The engine [Mercedes 5-cyl diesel] and trans were both in good shape; I got rid of it mostly due to rust and other unrepaired body damage.)

datsunaholic · Post by **datsunaholic** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 4:05 am

Jarl, I agree that an oil analysis is the only sure-fire way to know, but a single analysis won't tell you much unless something is actually wrong. Unless the engine is run under constant load in the same environmental conditions, things vary. The best results are done if the analysis is done regularly, because as an engine ages the oil will wear out/become contaminated faster. If you're going for a baseline, to judge oil change intervals, one analysis isn't going to do it, you have to do it at every oil change over "x" number of changes, increasing the interval each time then pick to stop before it's actually overdue, or wait until the analysis comes back as saying it's gone too long (and then the damage is done). And that's not just some random, out of my ass statement like you think my earlier post was. It's based on real world data as well as experience.

An oil analysis costs about as much, if not more, than an oil change. I still occasionally see $19.99 oil change ads. Oil analysis is $30-50. What's the better bang for the buck? 2 oil changes a year or one oil change + analysis a year? We did analysis in the Navy because 1) you could do an analysis without taking the equipment offline and 2) because you were talking hundreds of gallons in some of those engines. It's cost effective at that point to use an analysis to tell when to change it because of the extreme cost of doing a change. And we still changed it twice a year, regardless of what the analysis said, because, well Government.

That "million mile" econoline just under 1.3 million miles in 14 years. That's almost 100,000 a year, and if he was changing the oil at 10K that's about every 6 WEEKS. Reality was he went a LOT longer between oil changes, usually 4-6 oil changes a year. But that's extremely atypical of a gasoline engine. How many Hondas do you see running around blowing blue clouds? Maybe you don't, I dunno how many 15 year old, 150K Hondas are running around New Hampster.

Joe Guy · Post by **Joe Guy** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 4:11 am

I'm surprised that nobody else suggests doing what the maintenance manual says to do. Do people think there is some kind of conspiracy among the auto manufacturers to push unneeded maintenance?

Jarlaxle · Post by **Jarlaxle** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 12:16 pm

BoSoxGal wrote:Jarl, on the oil analysis - if I've just had a change and new filter installed, should I wait a few thousand miles to get the analysis done?

As to Rock Auto - I'm not seeing a place to enter a discount code anywhere in the checkout process. Without any discount, and with shipping, they're the same price as on Amazon, where I'd get them in two days so I can bring the car in Tuesday when I get home from work in the morning. However, if you explain the discount code submission and it's significant, I'll sure use that.

Do I need new bushings? Or do they usually reuse the old ones?

I've decided on the GAJs; sounds like they will provide a superior handling experience over the KYB OE version. Thanks for that recommend, I'm looking forward to them installed!

The discount code goes in the box under the order summary. IIRC, it asks "how did you hear about us" or something like that.

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