Head bolt removal

[jonwhite]

I own a 2002 Corolla with a 1ZZ-FE engine....4 cylinder, 1.8 liters.

A lot of oil is disappearing....like a quart every 600 miles . I say "disappearing" because it's not smoking or leaking. The new catalytic converter may account for it not smoking....yet. I've tried several oil additives like Lucas and Marvel Mystery oil that are supposed to dissolve away varnish that may be causing the oil rings to stick. No additive has worked.

Now I'm considering changing the rings and overhauling the head. I have one question.

1. Do the camshafts have to be taken off the head to remove some of the head bolts?

[ayang951]

i know this is a little old on your post, but this isnt the 8th gen corolla tab, since everyone on this part has a 6th gen a 87-92 but just your luck, i used to have a 01 corolla S vvt-i and yes i went through 2 motors because of this issue, it was the rings, they are always the problem, and thus detonation the motors for me, i found that just purchasing a new 1zzfe was cheaper than a rebuild, the rebuild with my labor would have costed me about 1300 but the motor usually costed me about 500 so i always ended up with that, but once the 2 motor went, i just decided to rebuild it, i did and it lasted quite awhile before it did it again, the vvt-i has this problem, lots of 8th gen, mrs, pontiacs and chevys with this engine has the same ring problem. but on your question yes taking out the cams will make it easier to get to the head studs, because you dont want to damage the cams while your trying to fit a socket etc to loosen a bolt...

[jonwhite]

Thanks for your reply. You have the patience of Job! If a second engine went bad on me from the rings varnishing up I think I would set fire to the cussed thing just for revenge.

I ordered new rings, connecting rod bearings, and a head gasket and will pick them up tomorrow morning. I priced pistons. No one has an improved piston, those with more holes drilled through the oil ring for more drainage back into the oil pan except Toyota. And they want $91 apiece for them. Here's my question.

What about drilling a few extra holes in the oil ring myself?

I have a drill press and all I have to do is drill the same size holes by sizing the bit by putting the chuck end into the holes already drilled.

Thanks for your interest and helpful comments.

[ayang951]

hrm, i am not to sure on drilling your own holes, for me, i was keeping the car as toyota had made it, but i do understand where your coming from though, and yes it was a pain everytime. im not a engine build specialist so i can not instruct you on it, sorry about that, but i wouldnt want to instruct you on something i dont know and have you ruin your engine. but from what i remembered is that, its not really the rings or the block that does that, its all caused from the vvt-i system, which makes it run at different valve timing every gear, changes you increase rpm, so all that literally burns out the rings... sorry that i cant be more of a help to you, but good luck on the build and restoration of the engine.