Changed engine, heated ventilation smells oily

Pressure test the cooling system to see if you have a heater core that may
have a pinhole leak, not bad enough to see loss of coolant but there will
be a smell.

If this is the case and it only started after the replacment engine
installed, you may have a leaking head gasket causing the cooling system
to become over pressurized therefor the leak.

C.

use any information I give you as a reference only, as your milage may vary.....

In article <421D8597.EDCC583C@Tercel.com>, Tercel Owner
<Toy_Yoda@Tercel.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
> I had developed a habit of checking the oil of my 97 Tercel
> just before long road trips. Recently, I had not made such
> a trip for a lengthy duration. It turns out that the engine
> had an oil leak, and it got run dry. The engine couldn't be
> refurbished, so it was replaced by a remanufactured engine
> with less mileage than the original one.
>
> The engine had a horrible smelt that seemed like a cross between burnt
> sugar and burnt rubber (if you've smelled burnt sugar from high
> school, it doesn't smell sweet). It aggravates the throat, and I
> cough for a day afterward. My eyes also water. The problem occurs
> when I turn on the heater and get air from the outside via the vents.
> It is not noticable at first, but becomes noticable after the engine
> warms up (about 15-20 minutes). After it peaks, it seems to abate
> slowly thereafter, though never seems to go away. When I turn the
> temperature to cold, it is less noticable, but it is hard to tell
> whether that is simply because the air is colder (it is winter here,
> temperatures well below freezing). It is also hard to tell whether
> the lingering taste/harumphing is simply lingering
> physiological/psychological effects from when the air was hot. Note
> that the winter environment ensures that the intake vents just beneath
> the wipers are largely blocked with ice, so the air from the outside
> is sucked from whenever it can be.
>
> Two passengers of mine also found the odour quite noticable, though
> they didn't seem much bothered in terms of breathing or watery eyes.
> A car-savvy friend said that it didn't have to sweet smell of burnt
> coolant. I guessed that it must be either residual coatings from the
> remanufactured engine, or residue due to the overflowing power
> steering fluid (I topped it off, and thought it might be overflowing
> when heating up). I tried to burn off any residue by a day of heavy
> driving, with the heater & fan fully on. While this diminished the
> effects, they are still present and don't seem to be abating any more.
> After this point, passengers did not find the odour significant,
> though they still noticed it. It still causes me to cough for upto
> a day afterward. At this point, I've driven the car for 2 weeks since
> the engine was replaced. I thought that a fragrance emitter in the
> car may be making the smell very confusing, so I removed it. Since
> then, I've noticed that the smell is more like hot oil (possibly
> burning oil, though I hesitate to characterize it that way).
>
> My mechanic is pretty trust-worthy. I've been going to him for years,
> and he has a reliable reputation in the community. He did not notice
> any smell. I left it outdoors overnight, similar to my usage
> scenario, and asked him to drive it for 20 minutes. He also found no
> signs of leaks. He also said that the engine was not cleaned with
> chemicals (or at all). I don't doubt that he doesn't find the smell
> noticable, since he is exposed to much stronger smells in the garage
> all day. I am also not surprised that him and others aren't much
> bothered by it. I have been tested for allergies and been told that I
> react strongly to mild aggravants. Furthermore, I am exposed to the
> aggravant day after day, continuously, rather than for a short duration.
> So it bugs memore, and I have a much greater interest in finding the
> cause for this.
>
> Can anyone suggest a next step for troubleshooting the cause for this?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Toyota Owner[/color]

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 02:43:20 -0500, Tercel Owner <Toy_Yoda@Tercel.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>I had developed a habit of checking the oil of my 97 Tercel
><<<snip>>>>
>Can anyone suggest a next step for troubleshooting the cause for this?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Toyota Owner[/color]


Is it possible that this is just a thin oil protective layer being
cooked off?


later,

tom @ [url]www.CarFleaMarket.com[/url]

I'm with Tom. I bet it is the oil and sealers associated with your new
engine and that the odor will dissipate over time. Too bad you didn't get it
done in the summer and you could have driven around with the windows down.
Anyhow, let's hope my optimistic diagnosis is correct. As for me, I love the
smell.
jor
"Tercel Owner" <Toy_Yoda@Tercel.com> wrote in message
news:421D8597.EDCC583C@Tercel.com...[color=blue]
>I had developed a habit of checking the oil of my 97 Tercel
> just before long road trips. Recently, I had not made such
> a trip for a lengthy duration. It turns out that the engine
> had an oil leak, and it got run dry. The engine couldn't be
> refurbished, so it was replaced by a remanufactured engine
> with less mileage than the original one.
>
> The engine had a horrible smelt that seemed like a cross between burnt
> sugar and burnt rubber (if you've smelled burnt sugar from high
> school, it doesn't smell sweet). It aggravates the throat, and I
> cough for a day afterward. My eyes also water. The problem occurs
> when I turn on the heater and get air from the outside via the vents.
> It is not noticable at first, but becomes noticable after the engine
> warms up (about 15-20 minutes). After it peaks, it seems to abate
> slowly thereafter, though never seems to go away. When I turn the
> temperature to cold, it is less noticable, but it is hard to tell
> whether that is simply because the air is colder (it is winter here,
> temperatures well below freezing). It is also hard to tell whether
> the lingering taste/harumphing is simply lingering
> physiological/psychological effects from when the air was hot. Note
> that the winter environment ensures that the intake vents just beneath
> the wipers are largely blocked with ice, so the air from the outside
> is sucked from whenever it can be.
>
> Two passengers of mine also found the odour quite noticable, though
> they didn't seem much bothered in terms of breathing or watery eyes.
> A car-savvy friend said that it didn't have to sweet smell of burnt
> coolant. I guessed that it must be either residual coatings from the
> remanufactured engine, or residue due to the overflowing power
> steering fluid (I topped it off, and thought it might be overflowing
> when heating up). I tried to burn off any residue by a day of heavy
> driving, with the heater & fan fully on. While this diminished the
> effects, they are still present and don't seem to be abating any more.
> After this point, passengers did not find the odour significant,
> though they still noticed it. It still causes me to cough for upto
> a day afterward. At this point, I've driven the car for 2 weeks since
> the engine was replaced. I thought that a fragrance emitter in the
> car may be making the smell very confusing, so I removed it. Since
> then, I've noticed that the smell is more like hot oil (possibly
> burning oil, though I hesitate to characterize it that way).
>
> My mechanic is pretty trust-worthy. I've been going to him for years,
> and he has a reliable reputation in the community. He did not notice
> any smell. I left it outdoors overnight, similar to my usage
> scenario, and asked him to drive it for 20 minutes. He also found no
> signs of leaks. He also said that the engine was not cleaned with
> chemicals (or at all). I don't doubt that he doesn't find the smell
> noticable, since he is exposed to much stronger smells in the garage
> all day. I am also not surprised that him and others aren't much
> bothered by it. I have been tested for allergies and been told that I
> react strongly to mild aggravants. Furthermore, I am exposed to the
> aggravant day after day, continuously, rather than for a short duration.
> So it bugs memore, and I have a much greater interest in finding the
> cause for this.
>
> Can anyone suggest a next step for troubleshooting the cause for this?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Toyota Owner
>[/color]

jor wrote:
[color=blue]
> I'm with Tom. I bet it is the oil and sealers associated with your new
> engine and that the odor will dissipate over time. Too bad you didn't get it
> done in the summer and you could have driven around with the windows down.
> Anyhow, let's hope my optimistic diagnosis is correct. As for me, I love the
> smell.
> jor[/color]

That would be the best scenario, but I've been driving it for almost 2 weeks.
How long does it take to burn off?

As well, would there be such a film on a remanufactured engine? I asked about
such a possibility, and the mechanic said it was not subjected to cleaning and
treatment. So he dismissed this possibility.

Toyota Owner

"C." wrote:
[color=blue]
> Pressure test the cooling system to see if you have a heater core that may
> have a pinhole leak, not bad enough to see loss of coolant but there will
> be a smell.
>
> If this is the case and it only started after the replacment engine
> installed, you may have a leaking head gasket causing the cooling system
> to become over pressurized therefor the leak.
>
> C.
>
> use any information I give you as a reference only, as your milage may vary.....[/color]

Thanks, C.. I'm going to google around for some of the terminology you used
to get a better understanding.

Toyota Owner

"jor" <jor@jor.com> wrote in message
news:ir-dna6kWcZ1f4DfRVn-tw@giganews.com...[color=blue]
> I'm with Tom. I bet it is the oil and sealers associated with your new
> engine and that the odor will dissipate over time. Too bad you didn't get
> it done in the summer and you could have driven around with the windows
> down. Anyhow, let's hope my optimistic diagnosis is correct. As for me, I
> love the smell.
> jor[/color]

Someone needs to smell what you're smelling to determine the cause.

Any rust-preventative oil or coating applied to the exterior of the block of
the reman engine would have burned off within an hour or two at the most.

Sealants like room temperature vulcanizing caulk (known as RTV) will cure
overnight and the smell should be gone in a day. Cooling system sealants
don't smell much.

Someone mentioned a coolant leak. If the temp gauge is operating in the
normal range and the coolant level in your coolant reservoir is not going
down, then a coolant leak is not very likely. If there is enough coolant
for you to smell, you will notice the coolant level going down over time
(like a few days). If the level is going down, then you have a leak.
This is pretty easy to check.

I would check for an exhaust leak or blockage in the exhaust system.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

The Real Tom wrote:
[color=blue]
> On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 10:11:21 -0500, Tercel Owner <Toy_Yoda@Tercel.com>
> wrote:
>
> IMHO:
>[color=green]
> >
> >
> >jor wrote:
> >[color=darkred]
> >> I'm with Tom. I bet it is the oil and sealers associated with your new
> >> engine and that the odor will dissipate over time. Too bad you didn't get it
> >> done in the summer and you could have driven around with the windows down.
> >> Anyhow, let's hope my optimistic diagnosis is correct. As for me, I love the
> >> smell.
> >> jor[/color]
> >
> >That would be the best scenario, but I've been driving it for almost 2 weeks.
> >How long does it take to burn off?[/color]
>
> No clue, but I would say type of driving, air temperature, type of
> stuff, are all factors. When I get an oil change, the mechanics
> always manage to get oil on my engine/exhaust, and I smell it off and
> on for weeks.
>[color=green]
> >
> >As well, would there be such a film on a remanufactured engine? I asked about[/color]
>
> I believe any metal object sitting in storage for a while would have
> some anti-corrosive coating.
>[color=green]
> >such a possibility, and the mechanic said it was not subjected to cleaning and
> >treatment. So he dismissed this possibility.
> >
> >Toyota Owner[/color]
>
> Contact the engine remanufacturer, ask them about the smell, or if any
> protective 'coatings' are put on the engine. I'm guessing to keep
> them look nice, rust free, they use something.
>
> Don't be affraid to ask questions, but don't complain, get information
> first. Many people are willing to help, if asked nicely. ;)[/color]

He's been pretty good about answering questions. I don't have separate paper
work for the engine, though. He just billed me for it. Maybe he remanfactures
it himself. I'll ask about it. Thanks.

Toyota Owner

Ray O wrote:
[color=blue]
>
> Any rust-preventative oil or coating applied to the exterior of the block of
> the reman engine would have burned off within an hour or two at the most.
>
> Sealants like room temperature vulcanizing caulk (known as RTV) will cure
> overnight and the smell should be gone in a day. Cooling system sealants
> don't smell much.
>
> Someone mentioned a coolant leak. If the temp gauge is operating in the
> normal range and the coolant level in your coolant reservoir is not going
> down, then a coolant leak is not very likely. If there is enough coolant
> for you to smell, you will notice the coolant level going down over time
> (like a few days). If the level is going down, then you have a leak.
> This is pretty easy to check.
>
> I would check for an exhaust leak or blockage in the exhaust system.[/color]

The temperature is always middle of the dial, after the engine warms up.

There has been no noticable lowering of coolant level. There was a drop in
oil level, but he suspected that it was due to an air pocket. I've been keeping
an eye on the fluid levels; the exact oil level on the stick is not very abrupt,
so it's hard to tell whether there is a slow drop, but no gross drop.

I will consider inquiring about an exhaust blockage or leak. The smell doesn't
smell like exhaust, though.

Thanks for your thoughts on it.

Toyota Owner

Tercel Owner wrote:
[color=blue]
> "C." wrote:
>[color=green]
> > Pressure test the cooling system to see if you have a heater core that may
> > have a pinhole leak, not bad enough to see loss of coolant but there will
> > be a smell.
> >
> > If this is the case and it only started after the replacment engine
> > installed, you may have a leaking head gasket causing the cooling system
> > to become over pressurized therefor the leak.[/color]
>
> Thanks, C.. I'm going to google around for some of the terminology you used
> to get a better understanding.[/color]

OK, I think I got a rough picture. I wonder though, if a leaky head gasket
would be revealed in a cylinder pressure test? I believe they did that.

Toyota Owner

"Toyota Owner" <Toy_Yoda@Tercel.com> wrote in message
news:421E19C9.CAB30006@Tercel.com...[color=blue]
>
>
> Ray O wrote:
>[color=green]
>>
>> Any rust-preventative oil or coating applied to the exterior of the block
>> of
>> the reman engine would have burned off within an hour or two at the most.
>>
>> Sealants like room temperature vulcanizing caulk (known as RTV) will cure
>> overnight and the smell should be gone in a day. Cooling system sealants
>> don't smell much.
>>
>> Someone mentioned a coolant leak. If the temp gauge is operating in the
>> normal range and the coolant level in your coolant reservoir is not going
>> down, then a coolant leak is not very likely. If there is enough
>> coolant
>> for you to smell, you will notice the coolant level going down over time
>> (like a few days). If the level is going down, then you have a leak.
>> This is pretty easy to check.
>>
>> I would check for an exhaust leak or blockage in the exhaust system.[/color]
>
> The temperature is always middle of the dial, after the engine warms up.
>
> There has been no noticable lowering of coolant level. There was a drop
> in
> oil level, but he suspected that it was due to an air pocket. I've been
> keeping
> an eye on the fluid levels; the exact oil level on the stick is not very
> abrupt,
> so it's hard to tell whether there is a slow drop, but no gross drop.[/color]

When you check the engine oil, pull the dipstick out, wipe it off with a rag
or paper towel, re-insert the dipstick as far as it will go, then pull it
out and look at the oil level. The level will be easier to see. While you
are a it, make sure that the oil on the dipstick does not have a
milky/creamyt appearance and make sure that the coolant in the overflow
reservoir does not have an oily appearance.
[color=blue]
> I will consider inquiring about an exhaust blockage or leak. The smell
> doesn't
> smell like exhaust, though.
>[/color]
With today's cleaner burning engines, exhaust smell is not as noticeable as
it used to be.
[color=blue]
> Thanks for your thoughts on it.
>
> Toyota Owner[/color]
You're welcome!

--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

"Toyota Owner" <Toy_Yoda@Tercel.com> wrote in message
news:421E1E33.DD1CEFE0@Tercel.com...[color=blue]
>
>
> Tercel Owner wrote:
>[color=green]
>> "C." wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>> > Pressure test the cooling system to see if you have a heater core that
>> > may
>> > have a pinhole leak, not bad enough to see loss of coolant but there
>> > will
>> > be a smell.
>> >
>> > If this is the case and it only started after the replacment engine
>> > installed, you may have a leaking head gasket causing the cooling
>> > system
>> > to become over pressurized therefor the leak.[/color]
>>
>> Thanks, C.. I'm going to google around for some of the terminology you
>> used
>> to get a better understanding.[/color]
>
> OK, I think I got a rough picture. I wonder though, if a leaky head
> gasket
> would be revealed in a cylinder pressure test? I believe they did that.
>
> Toyota Owner
>[/color]

A leaky head gasket probably (but not necessarily) would be revealed in a
cylinder pressure test.

There is another test procedure called a cooling system pressure test, where
a pump is fitted where the radiator cap normally goes, the system is pumped
with air, and then you take pressure readings to see if the system is
leaking or not. There is another test for the radiator cap itself.

In your other post, you mentioned that the car is not overheating, the
coolant level is not dropping, and that the odor does not smell like coolant
so I would not spend too much time trying to check out the cooling system.

It is a long shot, but have you tried spraying a disinfectant into the
ventilation system? Put the system on recirculate with the fan on high and
look under the passenger side of the dashboard for the air intake. Put on
safety goggles or glasses and close your eyes tight, and spray some
disinfectant like Lysol into the air intake.
Good luck!
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 13:08:56 -0500, Toyota Owner <Toy_Yoda@Tercel.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>
>
>The Real Tom wrote:
>[color=green]
>> On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 10:11:21 -0500, Tercel Owner <Toy_Yoda@Tercel.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> IMHO:
>>[color=darkred]
>> >
>> >
>> >jor wrote:
>> >
>> >> I'm with Tom. I bet it is the oil and sealers associated with your new
>> >> engine and that the odor will dissipate over time. Too bad you didn't get it
>> >> done in the summer and you could have driven around with the windows down.
>> >> Anyhow, let's hope my optimistic diagnosis is correct. As for me, I love the
>> >> smell.
>> >> jor
>> >
>> >That would be the best scenario, but I've been driving it for almost 2 weeks.
>> >How long does it take to burn off?[/color]
>>
>> No clue, but I would say type of driving, air temperature, type of
>> stuff, are all factors. When I get an oil change, the mechanics
>> always manage to get oil on my engine/exhaust, and I smell it off and
>> on for weeks.
>>[color=darkred]
>> >
>> >As well, would there be such a film on a remanufactured engine? I asked about[/color]
>>
>> I believe any metal object sitting in storage for a while would have
>> some anti-corrosive coating.
>>[color=darkred]
>> >such a possibility, and the mechanic said it was not subjected to cleaning and
>> >treatment. So he dismissed this possibility.
>> >
>> >Toyota Owner[/color]
>>
>> Contact the engine remanufacturer, ask them about the smell, or if any
>> protective 'coatings' are put on the engine. I'm guessing to keep
>> them look nice, rust free, they use something.
>>
>> Don't be affraid to ask questions, but don't complain, get information
>> first. Many people are willing to help, if asked nicely. ;)[/color]
>
>He's been pretty good about answering questions. I don't have separate paper
>work for the engine, though. He just billed me for it. Maybe he remanfactures
>it himself. I'll ask about it. Thanks.
>
>Toyota Owner[/color]


I've seen engines 'remanufactured', usually involves some
nondestructive testing, somehting he probly didn't do if he's a single
small shop. He could have sent it out, and they sent the block back
'coated' with something.

Ask about that too.

later,

tom @ [url]www.CarFleaMarket.com[/url]

Toyota Owner wrote:[color=blue]
> OK, I think I got a rough picture. I wonder though, if a leaky head gasket
> be revealed in a cylinder pressure test? I believe they did that.[/color]

I talked with the mechanic on the phone and got some more info. I
didn't get it all down, but took as many notes as possible. Some of
it may have inaccuracies.

I said that someone suggested pressure test the cooling system to
check for pinhole leak in cooling core. A leaking head gasket may
overpressurize the cooling system, thus causing the pinhole to leak.
He explained that the cylinder pressure test /might/ catch a head
gasket problem depending on where it was bad. He's somewhat certain
that it isn't the problem. He mentioned checking the MAP sensor, PCV,
and spark plugs. One of the reasons for checking the spark plugs was
that the fuel mixture seems quite "rich" in the 1st 10 seconds after
starting up. That is, black smoke shoots out the tail pipe. Since it
wasn't blue smoke, he didn't /think/ it was oil being combusted. He
also hooked up the exhaust to a gas analyzer, which didn't show
anything in the emissions that was a red flag.

He drove the car yesterday morning & afternoon for about 20 minutes
without noticing any smoky smell. Since he smokes, he got one of his
mechanics to test drive it today, and still no noticable smoky smell.
As I said, I'm not surprised, as I react alot more strongly to airborne
aggravants than most people.

Regarding Real Tom's remarks about coatings on remanufactured engines,
he clarified that the engine was a used engine, not remanufactured.
He gave the name of the business from which he got the engine
("Sunshine Autoparts"), but neither he nor I had any idea of what I
would do with that information. He mentioned that nearly all the
sensors on the engine came from my burnt out engine, so he can't
fathom what else might be the difference from before the replacement.
He confirmed the possibility that there might be rust-protection oil
coat, but thinks it would have burned away long ago. He didn't notice
such a coating when doing his current sleuthing

I mentioned that I noticed a marked drop in the oil level during the
past weekend, which was attributed to an air pocket when the oil was
being filled. Just now, he described that he noticed a drop in the
oil level on the day I brought it in (2 days ago) as well as today
(about 1/8" in the space of one or two days). We both agreed that the
drop that I saw might not have been air pocket. I neglected to
mention that the drop I saw happened in the space of one or two days,
and this was about a week after getting the car with the replacement
engine. So I was puzzled at the initial suspicion of an air pocket.

In light of the dropping oil level, he strongly suggested monitoring
it. From the number of kilometers it takes for the oil level to
change from max to min, it may be possible to point to a defect and
ask for a different engine. Maybe even negotiate compensation for the
added labour. The troubleshooting that he is currently doing is
"free" in the sense that he's not charging anything more than the
original cost of replacing the engine.

Regarding checking the oil, I do in fact scrub the dripstick dry in
hopes of getting clear reading of the oil level. The line is still
not crisp. I'll do the best I can with the reading I can discern.

About checking the exhaust for leaks and blockages, he said that's one
of the first things they do. Something about plugging the tail pipe.
He also blew out the vents in case it was due to dust. I'll keep in
mind Ray's idea of disinfecting the ventilation system if it remains a
mystery. He also mentioned something about pulling (out?) the heater.
He doesn't believe the engine is burning coolant. I didn't ask about
the rationale, but I'm sure it is similar to Ray's (inspection of
coolant appearance and level).

Anyway, I'm still superstitiously hopeful that the problem will just
go away, though the lowering oil level seems to point to something
more concrete. At least it doesn't seem to be just my imagination.
It would be quite something if, for the rest of my ownership of the
car, I had to just live with the cough-inducing airborne aggravant
that no one else seemed to notice. Thanks for posting your
suggestions. Any further comments are welcome, even if they are ones
of confirmation/criticism rather than suggestions.

Toyota Owner

"Toyota Owner" <Toy_Yoda@Tercel.com> wrote in message
news:421E331A.FAA95A2C@Tercel.com...[color=blue]
> Toyota Owner wrote:[color=green]
>> OK, I think I got a rough picture. I wonder though, if a leaky head
>> gasket
>> be revealed in a cylinder pressure test? I believe they did that.[/color]
>
> I talked with the mechanic on the phone and got some more info. I
> didn't get it all down, but took as many notes as possible. Some of
> it may have inaccuracies.
>
> I said that someone suggested pressure test the cooling system to
> check for pinhole leak in cooling core. A leaking head gasket may
> overpressurize the cooling system, thus causing the pinhole to leak.
> He explained that the cylinder pressure test /might/ catch a head
> gasket problem depending on where it was bad. He's somewhat certain
> that it isn't the problem. He mentioned checking the MAP sensor, PCV,
> and spark plugs. One of the reasons for checking the spark plugs was
> that the fuel mixture seems quite "rich" in the 1st 10 seconds after
> starting up. That is, black smoke shoots out the tail pipe. Since it
> wasn't blue smoke, he didn't /think/ it was oil being combusted. He
> also hooked up the exhaust to a gas analyzer, which didn't show
> anything in the emissions that was a red flag.
>
> He drove the car yesterday morning & afternoon for about 20 minutes
> without noticing any smoky smell. Since he smokes, he got one of his
> mechanics to test drive it today, and still no noticable smoky smell.
> As I said, I'm not surprised, as I react alot more strongly to airborne
> aggravants than most people.
>
> Regarding Real Tom's remarks about coatings on remanufactured engines,
> he clarified that the engine was a used engine, not remanufactured.
> He gave the name of the business from which he got the engine
> ("Sunshine Autoparts"), but neither he nor I had any idea of what I
> would do with that information. He mentioned that nearly all the
> sensors on the engine came from my burnt out engine, so he can't
> fathom what else might be the difference from before the replacement.
> He confirmed the possibility that there might be rust-protection oil
> coat, but thinks it would have burned away long ago. He didn't notice
> such a coating when doing his current sleuthing
>
> I mentioned that I noticed a marked drop in the oil level during the
> past weekend, which was attributed to an air pocket when the oil was
> being filled. Just now, he described that he noticed a drop in the
> oil level on the day I brought it in (2 days ago) as well as today
> (about 1/8" in the space of one or two days). We both agreed that the
> drop that I saw might not have been air pocket. I neglected to
> mention that the drop I saw happened in the space of one or two days,
> and this was about a week after getting the car with the replacement
> engine. So I was puzzled at the initial suspicion of an air pocket.
>
> In light of the dropping oil level, he strongly suggested monitoring
> it. From the number of kilometers it takes for the oil level to
> change from max to min, it may be possible to point to a defect and
> ask for a different engine. Maybe even negotiate compensation for the
> added labour. The troubleshooting that he is currently doing is
> "free" in the sense that he's not charging anything more than the
> original cost of replacing the engine.
>
> Regarding checking the oil, I do in fact scrub the dripstick dry in
> hopes of getting clear reading of the oil level. The line is still
> not crisp. I'll do the best I can with the reading I can discern.[/color]

The cloud of smoke on startup and rapid decrease in oil level sounds like
leaking valve stem oil seals. If the seals are worn or hardened, oil leaks
past them, down the valve stems, into the combustion chamber, and gets
burned. Smoke from burning oil generally blue/gray but can be blackish
color as well. If you continue to burn oil, the catalytic converter may
eventually get ruined.
[color=blue]
>
> About checking the exhaust for leaks and blockages, he said that's one
> of the first things they do. Something about plugging the tail pipe.[/color]

My quick, down and dirty check is to take a rag and try to jam it into the
tail pipe while the engine is running. If there is an exhaust leak, the rag
on the pipe will make it more apparent. It takes 2 people to do this, one
blocking the tail pipe and one under the car listening for leaks.
[color=blue]
> He also blew out the vents in case it was due to dust.[/color]

Sound like a very thoughtful and thorough tech!

I'll keep in[color=blue]
> mind Ray's idea of disinfecting the ventilation system if it remains a
> mystery.[/color]

He also mentioned something about pulling (out?) the heater.[color=blue]
> He doesn't believe the engine is burning coolant. I didn't ask about
> the rationale, but I'm sure it is similar to Ray's (inspection of
> coolant appearance and level).
>[/color]

I wouldn't have him pull out the heater core unless you can determine that
there is a leak in the heater core. Otherwise, it's a shot in the dark that
is probably a huge waste of time and money.
[color=blue]
> Anyway, I'm still superstitiously hopeful that the problem will just
> go away, though the lowering oil level seems to point to something
> more concrete. At least it doesn't seem to be just my imagination.
> It would be quite something if, for the rest of my ownership of the
> car, I had to just live with the cough-inducing airborne aggravant
> that no one else seemed to notice. Thanks for posting your
> suggestions. Any further comments are welcome, even if they are ones
> of confirmation/criticism rather than suggestions.
>
> Toyota Owner
>[/color]

A rebuilt engine is not going to have any coatings like people keep
suggesting. I think you have an engine oil leak or an exhaust leak.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

Probably would be a good idea to take it down to the car wash and carefully
hit the engine with that high pressure spray. Maybe you can wash off
whatever's smelling. Might be worth a try anyhow.
jor
"Toyota Owner" <Toy_Yoda@Tercel.com> wrote in message
news:421E19C9.CAB30006@Tercel.com...[color=blue]
>
>
> Ray O wrote:
>[color=green]
>>
>> Any rust-preventative oil or coating applied to the exterior of the block
>> of
>> the reman engine would have burned off within an hour or two at the most.
>>
>> Sealants like room temperature vulcanizing caulk (known as RTV) will cure
>> overnight and the smell should be gone in a day. Cooling system sealants
>> don't smell much.
>>
>> Someone mentioned a coolant leak. If the temp gauge is operating in the
>> normal range and the coolant level in your coolant reservoir is not going
>> down, then a coolant leak is not very likely. If there is enough
>> coolant
>> for you to smell, you will notice the coolant level going down over time
>> (like a few days). If the level is going down, then you have a leak.
>> This is pretty easy to check.
>>
>> I would check for an exhaust leak or blockage in the exhaust system.[/color]
>
> The temperature is always middle of the dial, after the engine warms up.
>
> There has been no noticable lowering of coolant level. There was a drop
> in
> oil level, but he suspected that it was due to an air pocket. I've been
> keeping
> an eye on the fluid levels; the exact oil level on the stick is not very
> abrupt,
> so it's hard to tell whether there is a slow drop, but no gross drop.
>
> I will consider inquiring about an exhaust blockage or leak. The smell
> doesn't
> smell like exhaust, though.
>
> Thanks for your thoughts on it.
>
> Toyota Owner
>[/color]