It’s rare to keep a car going past the 300,000 mile mark. In most cases, this involves proper maintenance and at least a few major repairs.
One man with a Toyota 4Runner that has 340,000 miles recently resorted to a little known old school mechanic trick to keep his ride running well.
In a TikTok with over 198,800 views as of this writing, HP Medina (@_hpmedina_) says the engine of his Toyota has gotten “crusty.” To clean it up, he puts diesel fuel into the oil
The passenger films the man pulling into a QuikTrip gas station. He asks what they’re doing there. Medina responds: “Oil change.”
Then he proceeds to pour diesel into his oil tank. You can see a layer of grimy buildup around the oil cap.
“She’s a little crusty on the inside just due to age,” Medina says.
Medina says he’s been on top of regular maintenance and has done oil changes every 5,000 miles. He believes commercially available oil cleaning solutions aren’t cut out for this job, however.
“So diesel has a bunch of detergents and theoretically, if you drive it around a little bit, it should clean up that crankcase a little bit and make an oil cleaning solution,” he says.
Medina admits using an entire gallon may not have been the smartest idea as he closes the hood.
As he drives away, his passenger notes that the oil light is on.
“It feels faster dude. It feels like I’m rolling coal right now,” Medina replies.
After driving around for a while, Medina puts the 4Runner on a lift to drain the oil and diesel mixture. It comes pouring out as soon as he unscrews the plug.
“Good thing I changed shirts. I’m afraid to move. It looks like a lot,” he says.
Afterwards, he shows the oil cap. Much of the crust is gone.
“Looking at the inside, that diesel fuel definitely did clean up a lot of the build up that was on top of that baffle,” he says.
Because he put far too much diesel into the crankcase, he notes that he’s going to use an additive with the fresh oil.
“Get all that crud built up and get it captured in that oil filter and then I’ll do another oil change. It seems a little excess but I want this baby to last another 340,000 miles,” he continues.
He plans on running the 4Runner another 100 miles to get all the gunk, diesel, and any leftover crust out. Medina believes after the second oil change, the 4Runner will be much more efficient.
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‘Diesel Is A Good Choice, But A Better Choice Is…’
Viewers in the comment section were a little surprised by the mechanic choosing to use diesel for this job.
“Ever heard of Sea Foam?” one asked.
“I did this with Sea Foam. It cleaned up my Subaru with 300k. Went to 375k before I sold it,” another shared.
Instead of Sea Foam Motor Treatment, some suggested using automatic transmission fluid (ATF).
“I’ve always seen people use ATF. I wouldn’t put gas in there but if it works, it works,” one said.
“Diesel is a good choice, but a better choice is half oil, half transmission fluid,” another said.
“ATF works too. Do an oil change with half atf and half oil, run it for a half hour, drain it and do a regular oil change,” one wrote.
Another commenter suggested combining both methods.
“1/2 of ATF or seafoam in it, idle it for 20 then drain. Do this every 15k or so and she’ll clean right out. My taco has 92k on it and I’ve never seen a cleaner block when I took it apart for the timing cover,” one shared.
How Can You Keep A Car Running For 300,000 Miles?
Buying a car is a large financial investment. The longer you have the vehicle and the fewer major issues it has, the greater return on that investment.
Hearing about a car going over 200,000 or 300,000 can feel like spotting a mythical creature in real life. But cars that are taken care of properly often reach the 300,000 milestone. Motor1 has previously reported on a 2010 supercharged Corvette and a Tesla Model 3 that kept running past 300,000 miles.
So how is it done?
Getting your car to 300,000 miles begins with what car you buy. MoneyLion reports that it’s important to take into consideration the brand’s reputation for reliability. If you’re buying used, previous vehicle ownership is also important.
According to MoneyLion, the three main components of maintenance drivers must be on top of are oil changes, cabin air filter replacements, and transmission service.
Engine oil is the vehicle’s lifeblood. Getting oil changes will help clear out contaminants that cause engine wear. Fresh oil helps keep the engine lubricated and running smoothly. AAA suggests getting an oil change every 5,000 to 7,500 miles.
Some say regularly changing cabin air filters is a secret to vehicle longevity. Air filters allow your engine to breathe by preventing dirt from entering the engine, which helps ensure proper fuel combustion.
Transmission fluid is the most overlooked maintenance task of the bunch. Regularly changing the fluid can help maintain and preserve the transmission. Advanced Transmission Center reports manufacturers suggest changing the transmission fluid between 60,000 to 100,000 miles.
While being on top of these can help preserve your vehicle, you will undoubtedly have to do some repairs as your mileage creeps up.
Taking a car to 300,000 miles can be done, it just requires attention, care, and regular maintenance.
Motor1 has contacted Medina via Instagram and TikTok direct message. This post will be updated if he replies.
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