Oil Level Drops Dramatically Between Changes

Got a 1999 VE with about 93,000 and it uses about 1-2 quarts between changes.

I run an additive about every other oil change and that seems to help some, but the issue always come back. Other than that, the car is perfect and I hope I can squeeze the usual 150,000+ miles out of it.

Oddly enough, I find that the level drops much faster if I take a long trip, that is outside of my regular 30 mile commute per day plus regular driving.

I'll go change the p.c.v. valve this Thursday. see if it still drops after that......

I'll go change the p.c.v. valve this Thursday. see if it still drops after that......

Try different oils, like high mileage or a bit thicker. Try HDEO like Delo or Rotella. Try AutoRX.

With experimentation you can decrease the problem.

thanks friendly_jacek, As you expected. It didn't help after I changed the p.c.v valve. The oil level dropped again to almost empty.

Actullay it happened after a 500km drive. The next day I felt that I don't have enough power, so I stopped to check the oil. I didn't wait for the oil to flow back to the bottom. The measure is empty empty! I put 2 liter in immediately. Is that gonna do a big harm to the engine?

I'll try different brand oils and see.

Thanks again

Raleigh,

I have a 99 corolla with 101,000 miles on it. I have the same problem that you are experiencing. I was able to get the problem under control by adding a bottle of the valvoline max life oil additive. I'm not sure if it's totally under control since I've only tried it this last oil change. Since then I've gone about 2,000 miles and the dip stick is still showing full. Before I was adding at least a quart every 1000 miles. Good luck!!!!!

Thanks bigkahuna, I saw your post somewhere on this forum. I'll definitly try the product you recommended.

Thanks anyway and hope you get rid of this problem.

I had the same issue with my '95 Corolla. After installing a new cam bearing seal I've gone from two quarts between change to 1/2 quart. She now has 178,000 on her. That's acceptable usage in my book.

Jeff T

I have a similar problem. I have a 2000 T. Corolla VE, with just over 42,000. I burn about a quart a week, and have taken it to the dealer several times:

The first time they told me (after informing me that I was three months out of warranty) that they could not find a leak, and then, after my insistance that there WAS a leak, they changed a seal ($115). The second time, they told me that I would need the engine rebuilt and that it would 'be expensive'.

After doing research on oil sludge, I took this information to the dealer, but "They" informed me that it wasn't a sludge problem, but due to a failure on the part of the owner (me!) to perform regular maintance (i.e., oil changes). (it's a 1.9 liter engine, not a 2.2L ???) I have but of course, I didn't have the reciepts (who keeps those? "me" from now on!), and the company I use for oil changes is under new management and doesn't have the records from the old owners. sigh.

The head mechanic at Toyota told me that if I could prove regular oil changes, he might get Toyota to 'help out' with the costs!!! But I can't so I'm sunk there.

So now I'm taking the car to a private mechanic, who has already done more for the car then Toyota. He found one leak, through oil on the engine, but the problem persists. again, sigh! i take it back in tomorrow.

Talk about frustrating!!! Oh, by the way, the PCV valve is ok, there is no 'smoke' from the exhaust -- although there is 'soot' and residue on the bumper above the tailpipe, and no signs of leaking on the driveway. I also bought some oil 'stop leak' from Wal-Mart, but it didn't seem to help.

Dave,

To tell the truth, I never did have much hope for the additives. However, one of the mechanics at Toyota told me (quietly) to add a quart of Dexron Transmission fluid to the oil, because it had more additives and cleaners than oil, and since I was loosing oil anyway, what could it hurt! (I didn't have the nerve to do it, however, and opted instead for additives/cleaners/stop leaks made specifically for oil!)

Legacy Toyota does not have a good reputation for auto repair here in town. In fact, everyone I spoke to so far said that one reason they have not bought a Toyota is because of their reputation in fixing cars. I do know that I will not be buying another Toyota, either from them or anyone else, as long as they are the only 'game' in town.

Plus, for me, they are just too darn expensive. Their hourly labor is over $118, more than twice what local mechanics charge. which is one reason I have not taken my Corolla in to the dealer since I bought it until now, prefering a neighborhood shop for my oil changes, tune-ups, alignments, etc. which backfired on my as they changed owners and had a computer glitch which lost most of my records. As a librarian, I don't make 'big bucks', and have to scrimp and save anyway I can.

Oh, and no, I haven't noticed any oil dripping or pooling on the ground or driveway, just notice the loss via checking the dipstick. Three mechanics have checked the pcv valve and found it to be in good shape.

Dave,

To tell the truth, I never did have much hope for the additives. However, one of the mechanics at Toyota told me (quietly) to add a quart of Dexron Transmission fluid to the oil, because it had more additives and cleaners than oil, and since I was loosing oil anyway, what could it hurt! (I didn't have the nerve to do it, however, and opted instead for additives/cleaners/stop leaks made specifically for oil!)

Legacy Toyota does not have a good reputation for auto repair here in town. In fact, everyone I spoke to so far said that one reason they have not bought a Toyota is because of their reputation in fixing cars. I do know that I will not be buying another Toyota, either from them or anyone else, as long as they are the only 'game' in town.

Plus, for me, they are just too darn expensive. Their hourly labor is over $118, more than twice what local mechanics charge. which is one reason I have not taken my Corolla in to the dealer since I bought it until now, prefering a neighborhood shop for my oil changes, tune-ups, alignments, etc. which backfired on my as they changed owners and had a computer glitch which lost most of my records. As a librarian, I don't make 'big bucks', and have to scrimp and save anyway I can.

Oh, and no, I haven't noticed any oil dripping or pooling on the ground or driveway, just notice the loss via checking the dipstick. Three mechanics have checked the pcv valve and found it to be in good shape.

I am not sure about ATF, but try AutoRX (google is your friend), totaly safe and may unstack the rings. Also use HDEO universal diesel/gas oils like 15W40 rotella, dello, or delvac. You will loose a few MPG but gain more cleaning action and less oil loss. It is possible that the prolonged/irregular oil change intervals caused stucks rings and such. But again, make sure there are no external/seal oil leaks.

What about all those oil sludge articles on the forum? Suppose your oil started to sludge, would the oil level read less and less? Not trying to panic anyone, I'm just curious what the early symptoms of sludge are.

What about all those oil sludge articles on the forum? Suppose your oil started to sludge, would the oil level read less and less? Not trying to panic anyone, I'm just curious what the early symptoms of sludge are.

My problem, according to the Toyota dealer, is not sludging. Nor according to the mechanics I've visited with the problem.

However, my mechanic says he now knows where the problem is, so I take it in Tuesday for an extensive changing of seals around the timing thing-a-ma-jig. I'll let y'all know if this fixes it (estimated cost: $516.25).

Jim, I'm not sure that it helps or just frustrates you. Even though you don't have the receit of oil change, the mechanics may keep the records that they changed your engine oil. Ask them if they have the records.

However, I wish your good luck.

Wonsoon

Jim,

Most likely you have the stuck piston ring problem, which happens in some 98-02 corollas. If you had the powertrain warranty (5 year/60000) when you first reported it to the dealer, I would ask them to escalate it to Toyota. Toyota ended up replacing the rings on my 2000 VE under warranty. If you are out of warranty, I would try the valvoline max life engine protector additive (one person on this board claimed it to have helped)

sv11

Ok, just finished up with my mechanic (NOT Toyota dealer, idiots refuse to even talk intelligently to me, just saying "We have to rebuild the engine and it will be expensive").

He noticed oil around the timing chain and cover. So today he removed the cover and changed the timing cover gasket, and, he said that as he removed the bolts, oil came pouring out (he said it was as if he'd taken the plug out of the oil pan!). There should have been no oil in there at all. So it looks as if that was the problem.

However, we won't know for sure until I drive it for a while.

Cost to me this time: $497 and change.

Again, I'll let y'all know.

Jim

Still waiting, but I did have to add 1/2 quart Saturday, but that might have been 'oil settling' in due to the repairs, I'll know better by the end of this week.

Jim,Most likely you have the stuck piston ring problem, which happens in some 98-02 corollas. If you had the powertrain warranty (5 year/60000) when you first reported it to the dealer, I would ask them to escalate it to Toyota. Toyota ended up replacing the rings on my 2000 VE under warranty. If you are out of warranty, I would try the valvoline max life engine protector additive (one person on this board claimed it to have helped)

 

sv11

Dealer mechanic won't do a thing unless/until I can prove I've regularly changed the oil (Prestige, where I take it, had a computer crash, hard drive erased, can't provide me with records, and now under new management -- hm, I wonder why?). I've e-mailed Toyota twice and they refer it back to the dealer. So, I've decided that it's worth the out-of-pocket expense to take it to an independent mechanic. See my previous posts as to results. And by the way, I didn't take the problem seriously enough at first, and it was past the warranty period when I DID take it in.

OK, that didn't work. Oil still dropping 1 to 1 1/2 quarts in a week +

Called McKenzie, they are going to look at the head gasket. I suggested the piston ring, and he said, "no, you're not burning oil. It's got to be going somewhere, though."

grrrrrr.

Ok, just finished up with my mechanic (NOT Toyota dealer, idiots refuse to even talk intelligently to me, just saying "We have to rebuild the engine and it will be expensive").

He noticed oil around the timing chain and cover. So today he removed the cover and changed the timing cover gasket, and, he said that as he removed the bolts, oil came pouring out (he said it was as if he'd taken the plug out of the oil pan!). There should have been no oil in there at all. So it looks as if that was the problem.

However, we won't know for sure until I drive it for a while.

Cost to me this time: $497 and change.

Again, I'll let y'all know.

Jim

I'm not mechanic, but since you have a timing chain, it looks like there SHOULD be oil there. Someone familiar with timing chains please chime im. I hate to say this, but it looks like you might be dealing with incompetent mechanic.

Why you are not following good advice people gave you here on stuck rings?

Saturn owners had that problem all the time. It could be overcome by AutoRX or similar oil additive and using heavy duty engine oils like Rotella, Delo, and Delvac. These oils are universal gas/diesel, have extra dose of detergents and come in 2 flavors: synthetic 5W40 or dino 15W40 (10W30 exist but very hard to find).

Jim,

At this point I would recommend:

a) trying valvoline max life http://www.valvoline.com/pages/products/pr....asp?product=93

get rid of the sucker

c) go for a rebuilt engine. This would have to avoid debugging the problem further.

Hope this helps.

sv11