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No oil change for 5 years?
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Luke.pall
New User
Jun 17, 2015, 9:25 PM
Post #1 of 7
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No oil change for 5 years?
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Hi
I'm looking at buying a 2003 crv off of a friend and I want a few opinions before I get myself into trouble. The car is in rough shape but I'd get it for dirt cheap and I'm very mechanically inclined. List if what it needs:
-brakes all around
-front calipers maybe
-Alignment, new tires all around and wheel balancing (and possibly a new wheel to replace a possibly bent one)
-all fluids need to be changed
None of this stuff is particularly difficult but some of the parts could be costly. Furthermore, this thing hasn't had any maintenance in over 5 years; the last service sticker puts the due date for the next service at July 2009 and the mileage is no longer readable on the sticker. Since then it has not been driven much, but it has been driven almost daily on short jaunts. (2-5 km each way to and from work sometimes twice daily). Current mileage is approx 170000 km ( 102000 miles). What worries me the most is the lack of oil changes over the past five years and what kind of damage might have been done. Does anyone have any info or suggestions so I can make an informed decision? I would get the car for dirt cheap; talking 500 bucks or so, but I don't want to buy it if the engine is going to blow up on me for lack of maintenance. The engine currently runs and the car drives but it has a flat and no spare so test driving it isn't an option. All of my vehicles have seen religions maintenance; oil is cheap and engines are expensive, so this isn't anything I've got experience with. Thanks
Edit:clarity
(This post was edited by Luke.pall on Jun 17, 2015, 9:38 PM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jun 18, 2015, 2:12 AM
Post #2 of 7
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Re: No oil change for 5 years?
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5 years without an oil change? Better plan on buying a motor.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 18, 2015, 4:22 AM
Post #3 of 7
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Re: No oil change for 5 years?
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Have you pulled the dipstick and actually looked at the oil? Short trips and not changing the oil is the worse thing you can do. The oil doesn't get hot enough to burn off the moisture in the crankcase and will turn acidic. Short tripping is when you want to be sure to change your oil more freqently.
Without actually looking at the vehicle can't tell you what your getting into. The fact that you can't drive it tells you that you will need to pour a couple thousand into it to get it road worthy. You stated it has a bent wheel. Was this wrecked?
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 18, 2015, 4:57 AM
Post #4 of 7
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Re: No oil change for 5 years?
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A gamble all around IMO. I've seen ONE vehicle with no oil changes for double those years w less miles. It was driven so carefully and slow (bought new) that it just happened to be OK. Don't bet on that ever. Another @ 100K no oil changes! Lady asked me to check it's level and OMG couldn't pull the dipstick out without a fight so sludged in. End for that engine.
You can see on dipstick as DS already said, some thru oil cap or better with valve cover off as it's the sludge that is the killer.
This car sounds like a total mess everywhere and probably just a good parts car for another exactly like it. At least don't overspend on the thing and probably is worth that as scrap?
T
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Luke.pall
New User
Jun 18, 2015, 3:03 PM
Post #5 of 7
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Re: No oil change for 5 years?
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I just pulled the dipstick this morning. The oil was by no means clean, but I had been expecting much worse. The oil was black, but there was actually oil and it was still a liquid 😂. Level was just above the min point, so it can't have a leak or much of a consumption issue being that it's gone through less than a quart in five years. I also opened up the oil filler and peeked around as best I could under the valve cover - no obvious signs of sludge, but naturally the area around the filler hole is almost always the cleanest. Pulling off the valve cover would probably be a good idea. The car hasn't been wrecked but it has a nasty wobble at any speed. Could be from hitting a pothole or curb or god knows what else. I've never been in it but this is what I'm told by the current owner (I live with them as a homestay so I know what they do with the car). The right front tire has serious feathered / camber wear on the outside edge, and the left rear tire has a sort of over inflation / spotty wear down the middle - inside, all the way down to the steel belting.. Tires are way past worn out hahahhah. I assume there's a wheel balance and alignment issue but the problem could also be a bent rim or worse yet worn suspension parts. I'll get it up on a jack to get an idea of what shape the wheel bearings are in when I've got a few minutes, but I assume at least one of them will need doing from all the alignment and vibration issues. Aside from all this, the transmission fluid is relatively nice, pink looking and smells OK, coolant is still green and shows no signs of rust or other issues, a/c works, brake fluid needs changing but isn't unusually dirty, and the inside is relatively clean and in good shape. I'll post pics of the tires and maybe the dipstick wear when I get on a computer - posting from my phone is a pain in the ass. Thanks to all for the quick replies.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 18, 2015, 11:19 PM
Post #6 of 7
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Re: No oil change for 5 years?
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General note on engine oil, color and consumption: Black can be OK meaning it's picking up dirt which it's supposed to, to a point. If an engine doesn't use any by dipstick check doesn't mean it's good or not burning oil from wear! It could be displaced with dirt, fuel or debris displacing oil fooling you it's not burning it.
That's why it gets changed no matter what brand or type it's not pure as new later and loses it's original ratings. Viscosity, tolerance to no sludge, detergency and more. Can they somehow make it - yes, but!
Now when you begin changing it new oil w new detergents that were long gone clean out areas and quickly new (good quality) oil may turn dirty fast. It's cleaning as it should. Some risk here. The dirt not moved and caught by filter or sludge hidden even can move and make leaks that were sealed by dirt oil. May not know until tried or a real good look for sludge the clue of what to expect. Don't flush it clean either - too fast isn't good either.
The rest, tires, wheels alignments, suspension parts, brakes and so on is part of the game or will be along the way. Needing lots of that right away can be a good thing as YOU benefit from the new stuff not just to limp it along for it's last legs or to get rid of it.
Expenses that don't pay off for life of the thing are things like ripped upholstery, broken glass, wrecked carpet or flooring, assorted broken or missing knobs and stuff all around. Spare tire and a jack. Fortunately some of this missing stuff isn't so bad cost wise at junk yards - pull your own parts type places.
If you have the misfortune of investing in it an engine is junk this will be a loss - all are just much worse. Knowing where to quit or cut losses is an art and you are just at the beginning so watch for the killer expense (engine) that could make it all not worth it,
T
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jun 19, 2015, 2:14 AM
Post #7 of 7
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Re: No oil change for 5 years?
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Pulling a dipstick isn't going to tell you much of anything. Numerous short trips is what creates moisture inside the engine. Moisture around the oil is what creates sludge. The sludge will be in places that you can't see. You need to get a look inside the valve cover to have any idea if the engine is sludged up or not. If it is full of sludge, there is no cure for that short of stripping the engine down and boiling the block,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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