Can Changing the Oil Smooth Engine Running?

[2CamryFan]

I changed the oil in my 2002 Camry XLE this past weekend and it really seemed to make the engine run smoother overall. I had the dealer do the oil change last time, and the tech put in Penzoil. This time I used Mobil Drive Clean 5000.

The old oil looked pretty clean and was changed within the normal service interval. The change in smoothness is most noticeable when I am at a stoplight and the A/C cycles on. It's not nearly as abrupt. Is this possible? What gives???

[ShawnM]

The only reason I can think of for that is the dealer may have put too heavy a weight of oil in there causing the engine to strain a little bit more at idle. Even then its not typically a noticable thing.

[Eye8Pussies]

it's actually pretty typical if you ask me....clean oil runs a lot smoother than old oil...

[DFBonnett]

Can Changing the Oil Smooth Engine Running?

Placebo effect

[2CamryFan]

Originally Posted by DFBonnett

Placebo effect

I wondered about that. I swear that my car runs better after I've washed and vacuumed it.

It is running smoother. I bet it is mainly because the oil is fresh.

[TRD VVTi]

Originally Posted by DFBonnett

Can Changing the Oil Smooth Engine Running?

Placebo effect

+1 x 1,000,000,000

[touringcamry]

Not always a placebo effect.

I used to borrow a relative's Honda Prelude and it would run noticeable smoother after an oil change. But the oil was changed only once maybe every 10000 miles - the person never maintained the car.

[2CamryFan]

The car is still running a little smoother than it was before. How long it will last, I don't know. The car has been well taken care of.