2000 Camry 4 cylinder using oil.... - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

pronkie1 · 01-02-2012, 12:00 PM

Our 2000 Camry is using oil......Started last year....Using about 1/2 quart to 3/4 quart every 400 miles....Car has just under 188k and had a valve job done at around 123k.....Been using dino oil but switched to Mobil One high mileage this last oil change......I drive around 80 miles round trip everyday so its all freeway.....My guess is the rings are going....Any other guesses????

***JohnGD*** · 01-02-2012, 02:15 PM

That amount is excessive for pre-Gen 5 (Toyota's new standards for Gen5+ is 1.1qt/600 miles

).

First you have to identify any external leaks. The I4 likes to leak from the valve cover gasket on the firewall side where you can't easily see. And if there are leaks from the seals under the timing cover or the oil pump o-ring.

What was the reason for the valve job? It's also possible the valve stem seals were not properly installed if you recently had a valve job. What seals did they use? OEM, Fel-Pro, etc?

I'd do a compression test first, and maybe a leakdown test first. The compression test checks only the compression rings and not the oil rings directly. But it'll give you an indication to the state of the rings.

See also:
Sudden large oil leak - 1998

pronkie1 · 01-02-2012, 03:29 PM

Thanks John.....The water pump went out at 123k and the timing belt slipped off causing the damage to the head.....Took it to an independent shop where they sent the head out to be machined and replaced the water pump....The car ran okay but sounded like a bunch of rocks while idling .....Took it back to shop and they took the head off and sent it back to machine shop....Got the car back and it still sounded the same.....Ran it this way for about year and finally took it to Ventura Toyota where they informed us the siccisor gear wasn't lined up....Also, water pump was leaking.... This was at around 145k.....The car now has 187k and runs great except for the oil burning thing...........

***JohnGD*** · 01-02-2012, 03:36 PM

Yeah, caught up in the other thread. Like I said, hopefully all is nice and quiet now.

I would encourage reading up on the DIY and fabricating some home-made pulley holding tools from Home Depot parts inexpensively and do your own timing belt work. That shop clearly didn't do a good job aligning the cam gears. Hopefully Toyota re-tensioned the spring in the cam gear too - it's almost guaranteed that the shop didn't use a hold down bolt when they removed them.

capnblinski · 01-02-2012, 05:21 PM

Quote:

That amount is excessive for pre-Gen 5 (Toyota's new standards for Gen5+ is 1.1qt/600 miles)

1.1 quart every 600 k? Holy s**t!

I changed the oil after 5000 miles it seemed clean but used-up, no shavings or anything to speak of in the drain pan and had added 3/4 of a quart here and there during that interval and most of that was from the minor leak at the rear of the valve cover.

I have that box of rocks sound too (good way to describe that noise) w/ the hood up engine idling and it goes away above idle. . What could that sound be from?

2000 5fse
170xxx

redgtxdi · 01-02-2012, 05:44 PM

Box of rocks sound might be the timing belt slapping the belt guard. Mine did that really bad the first go round (approx 95,000 miles) but the 2nd time it was still fairly quiet. I just decided to have it swapped out cuz I was at around 180,000.

While we're at it......how's my oil pump area look? (Quick & dirty view so hope I'm looking at the same spot)......

pronkie1 · 02-12-2012, 08:43 AM

Just to update.....No leaks and Cammie is now only using a half a quart every 950 miles.....I just check it once a week and add when needed.....

redgtxdi · 02-12-2012, 12:13 PM

So, what was done to help the problem?

pronkie1 · 02-12-2012, 05:13 PM

Haven't done anything....Just driving it and keeping a eye on the dipstick....Almost 190k on it now...........

zyxelenator · 02-12-2012, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pronkie1

Haven't done anything....Just driving it and keeping a eye on the dipstick....Almost 190k on it now...........

Have you seen engine inside? was it varnished/sludged up?

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pronkie1 · 02-12-2012, 09:06 PM

Haven't seen it.....When the valve job was done I didn't own the car(stepson owned it) so I didn't check on it....When it went to Ventura Toyota for the follow up work it still wasn't my car....I've owned it for the last two years and done a lot of stuff that needed to been done for a 2000 Camry....New tires and rims, all new struts, new radiator and hoses and had the transmission serviced......New carpet and floor mats plus put another center console in it.......Back windows were tinted ......The paint and body is fair but its a daily driver so I could live with it.........

zyxelenator · 02-12-2012, 09:36 PM

does it smoke on start up or hard acceleration? My car used to use 1qt every 400 miles when I got it. Now 1q in more than 3000 miles. It was sludged up. The easiest and effective thing you can do is piston soak. Go to walmart and get Marvel Mystery Oil. mesure out 12oz and save it. Add 5oz to gas tank,rest to your oil. Before oil change take out all spark plugs and put saved MMO, 3oz to each hole. Let it sit overnight. Crank ur car without plugs,so it will spit out liquid. Put your plugs back, and go for 20 min drive. Change oil after. Do same with kreen. It is 10 times stronger and faster than MMO, but takes a while to get it shipped. Both products can be used in oil and gas afterwards to continue cleaning. Do not use more than 1q in oil during same oci. Both products are proven to work, my car is an example. Oil consumpion might not drop immidiatly, it takes a little time.

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pronkie1 · 02-25-2012, 08:45 PM

Well, the past week and half the oil consumption is back......Added oil on Thursday and checked it today and its already down half a quart.....I have driven only 200 miles and its already down a half a quart......My wife took her car for service at Ventura Toyota so I asked the service writer his opinion........He said it could two things without seeing the car....Either its the rings or its leaking it......Like someone suggested, he said the same thing, check to see if smokes on start up after the car has sat for a long period of time....He did say trying a heavier oil to see if that would work also....Like 20W50....If it continues, then its most likely the rings........

zyxelenator · 02-26-2012, 03:08 PM

Heavy oil might help on worn out rings, but can do even worse with stuck gummed up rings. Try both heavy and light oil. Next top up use 1 qt of MMO instead of oil but do not exeed 1q each OCI. Before oil change add 3 oz to each spark plug hole and about 6oz to gas tank. Like I mentioned before let it sit overnight,crank engine,put plugs back, Startup may be hard,drive for 20 min, change oil. Next OCI try to use Rotella T6 oil, nice not expensive syn 5w-40(better do it during summer) gas/diesel oil. See if it gets better. Repeat MMO soaks in the end, use up to qt as top offs.Next try same with Pennzoil Platinum or Ultra in 5w-20 or 0w-20(better during winter). All can be found at wallmart. Than try regular 30 oil. and compare. It should help clean up rings,oil return holes and everything else oil touches. You might want to use oversize filters during clean up.

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