1zzfe... You Gotta good'n or a bad'n ?

[knarf]

I'm curious about these 1zzfe's. I bought a '98 Corolla with 95K miles on it and it's an oil burner. I have a friend with a '99 Prizm(1zzfe) and he's got 192K trouble free miles on it. That's batting .500. So how about your 98/99 ,is it a good'n or an oil burner. And please reveal the solution if you had an oil burner. I read about oval pistons, stuck rings,rings with no temper etc. But it's all myth unless there's real experience behind the story. Anyone buy a remanufactured engine? Did they address the ring issue? Luck with a used engine? Thanks eh?
Frank

[w203]

Have not heard of any 1zz burning oil. You might have a special case. Any engine mods done? Did you keep up with maintenance?

[TenZen]

sounds like the person who owned it before you didnt keep up the maintenance on it.

[knarf]

I spoke with a tech person at an engine remanufacturing facility concerning what they do to prevent oil usage in their redone 1zzfe engines. He said that they put in rings that provide more pressure on the cylinder wall.I asked about the newer zz engines in reference to corrections Toyota made. He knew about the corrective measures, but said they get plenty of the newer zz engines for reman. too.SAME PROBLEM !!! One comment that may be a clue to the number of failures is toyota's recommendations on oil changes that are too far apart. I had an '03 Corolla for 70K miles and it never used any oil. I did however change the oil and filter every 3K miles.I have decided to replace the engine in my '98 Corolla with a remanufactured one when I can afford to. There are a ton of very low mile trannys available cheap, so I'll replace the tranny too.After break in,I'll go synthetic. This is probably not my last Toyota, but I'll think hard and do more research before ever buying another.I have an '07 Camry, and when the warranty is up it'll get sold. I'm keeping very accurate maintainence records too. Mr. T got too big too fast.
Frank

[2000corollaaz]

Our 2000 burns 2 quarts per 3000. But not sure about the maintenance for the first 55K. From then on excellent maintenance.

Mike

[Crowbar911]

My 2001 corolla 1zz-fe doesn't burn any oil. Im not sure about the first 20K miles, but from then on, it's been every 3K miles.

I now have 55K on it.

[94_Rolla_Guy]

it seems to be a problem in newly designed engines in the first year or two of production and yes it always seems to be shitty oil control rings

[mcdawgg]

'99 Corolla, 97k miles, uses no oil, always 3,000 mile oil changes with dino.

[Jimbeau]

I just bought a 2000 Corolla with only 45k miles on it, and it IS an oil burner. We've put 2 quarts in it within a few a weeks. I haven't kept track of exactly how much it is using yet. I'm really bummed because I got this car for my friend and it looks like there's major problems with the engine. It runs perfectly though. So the fix for the oil burning is a new engine?

[Crowbar911]

VVt-i started in 2001. Everybody who says they have an oil burner is before 2001.

Could they have upped the quality when they added VVt-i?

[PhatRoyale]

Originally Posted by Crowbar911

VVt-i started in 2001. Everybody who says they have an oil burner is before 2001.

Could they have upped the quality when they added VVt-i?

Wrong. VVT-i started in 2000

[islandboy57]

Originally Posted by knarf

This is probably not my last Toyota, but I'll think hard and do more research before ever buying another.I have an '07 Camry, and when the warranty is up it'll get sold. I'm keeping very accurate maintainence records too. Mr. T got too big too fast.
Frank

Seems a bit drastic to consider selling your Camry - there's no telling what the previous owner did (or didn't do...) to the Corolla. A friend of mine has a '99 Corolla w/ 65K miles and we change the oil every 3-5K miles. It doesn't burn any oil at all.

[knarf]

Originally Posted by islandboy57

Seems a bit drastic to consider selling your Camry - there's no telling what the previous owner did (or didn't do...) to the Corolla. A friend of mine has a '99 Corolla w/ 65K miles and we change the oil every 3-5K miles. It doesn't burn any oil at all.

I've owned several Prizms and they all went into the 200K mile range, the chassis justs rots and the engine prevails. I also had an '03 Corolla LE for 70K miles.The engine ran faultlessly,while wheel bearings, brakes, steering wheel ergonomics, and overall handling were weakness in this particular car. I purchased the '98 Corolla LE basically assuming that the engine would be similarly "Toyota tough" . That turned out to be untrue. Previous owner neglect, along with dishonesty (the worm cheated me) certainly leads one to believe it isn't all the car's fault. But the good 1zzfe may actually be the anomaly.
My goal is to replace the faulty engine with a re-manufactured one and replace the auto trans with a low mile used one.I started this thread to have a better understanding about how to deal with the issues concerning the 1zzfe power plant. Changing the oil, as required by Toyota, may not have been often enough.The lasting 1zzfe's just might have endured because the owner changed the oil every 3K miles despite Mr. T's more lenient recommendation.I don't know. If enough people respond informatively, we'll all have a better chance at making the beast work for us. If I knew how to evaluate a used 1zzfe, I'd certainly save $1500 and skip the re-manufactured one.At this point, I don't know how to look beyond , compression,leak down,valve cover removal (looking for sludge).This, I learned by participating in this forum. So I thank all who enlightened me.
I will sell the Camry after the warranty is expired. This is an economic decision. The Toyota myth of being bullet proof will sell the car for a pretty price, cosmetics will not be a negative, maintainence will not be issue, the styling will still be fresh.So far the Camry is one of the best handling, smoothest family sedans I've ever driven.Mileage sucks compared to the '03 Corolla.
Peace,eh?
Frank

[Jimbeau]

I bought the Corolla without having it throughly checked out by a mechanic, believing the Toyotas are bullet proof myth. That'll be the last I believe it when a car seller tells me "there's nothing wrong with it". I had a Tacoma 4x4 which was flawless for 140k before it got totaled. I love the 3RZ engine. At this point, I consider the 1zzfe crap if the thing is toast after 45k miles.

[stubborn1]

I was burning a quart every 600 miles with my 98 prior to the rebuild. I bought the car at 80k miles. The problem didn't show up until 90k miles and I drove it another 40k feeding it oil as needed. When I tore down the engine, i noticed the oil control rings were shot. After re-ringing the pistons and a valve job, I'm currently at 142k miles with no signs of oil burning.