This is not necessarily a COROLLA question but it is ABOUT my Corolla.
2003 Corolla S with 72k miles. SLUDGE happens. Piston seized, arm broken, etc....
Dealership has estimated $4500 to install a used engine which I think is reasonable (3 yr/30,000 mile warranty). But...will this automatically give me a salvage title when completed?
Granted, it's worth nothing as it is but I'm not sure I want to sink $ into it if it will have a salvage title and not be worth what it's going to cost to get it running again.
Thoughts?
1,424 posts
This is not necessarily a COROLLA question but it is ABOUT my Corolla.
2003 Corolla S with 72k miles. SLUDGE happens. Piston seized, arm broken, etc....
Dealership has estimated $4500 to install a used engine which I think is reasonable (3 yr/30,000 mile warranty). But...will this automatically give me a salvage title when completed?
Granted, it's worth nothing as it is but I'm not sure I want to sink $ into it if it will have a salvage title and not be worth what it's going to cost to get it running again.
Thoughts?
Contact your State DMV to be sure, but I'm 99% sure that it won't give you a salvage title. A salvage title is for cars that were badly wrecked and totaled by an insurer or were flooded. A salvage title is a way for a state to make sure people know they are buying cars that were damaged and may not be roadworthy. Replacing components like the engine and transmission, even with used ones doesn't effect the status of your title. For that matter, the DMV in your state will have no knowledge of the repair. Don't worry about it.
can you share your oil change information so we know what not to do? It would be a good reference to know.
can you share your oil change information so we know what not to do? It would be a good reference to know.
Bought the car in 2005 with almost 54k on it already but figured "hey, it's a Toyota - that's just barely getting started." I have a 92 Celica with 120k and running like a top PLUS I figured such high miles on a young car meant nice easy hiway miles.
Combine that history with a teenage driver that has WAY too many more important items to spend 30 bucks on than an oil change and...VOILA you get a seized engine.
Would like some opinons on this now that we're discussing it...the car went from 54k to 66k without an oil change, then finally got an oil change, then went from 66k to 72k when it finally quit. I know - if you don't take care of the car it won't take care of you (already given that speech) but if the car had been OK when I bought it at 54k I don't think it would have sludged to the degree it did even though it did go that 12k without an oil change.
By the way, the one oil change that was done at 66k showed the oil only 1/2 quart low so I know it did not run out of oil.
When I purchased the car I also purchased an extended warranty so I thought I was off the hook on this one...until I found out it only had one oil change in 18,000 miles. PLEASE NOTE - if you get one of these extended warranties (or even factory warranty I would guess) do not change your oil/filter in the driveway (or under your shade tree). If you don't have receipts backing you up they won't even hesitate to stamp your claim REJECTED.
Max
The sludge may have started way before the 54k mark. The added 12k between your purchase time and the oil change at 66k would have exacerbated the problem. Do you have any idea what the oil change history was before you purchased it? I.E., can you clarify the 18,000 mile change you refer to? Re: warranty- yes, it's always best to use the dealer, as they can't really dispute their own records on your car, but honest dealerships will honor receipts, so save 'em.
I bought the car at a dealer with 54k so I am assuming that the oil was changed (at a minimum) before they parked it on the lot.
The engine seized at 72k.
Hence the 18,000 mile reference (one oil change while I owned it at 66k). When I say I "found out it only had one oil change" I mean from the main driver of the vehicle in my home.
Max
Okay, thanks. That helps. Yes, they should have changed the oil before they sold it, but it's a possibility they didn't. If the previous owner did not do oil changes, then the first one that car ever got was at 66k. You might want to check out the subforum "sludge" on the FAQs and recalls thread here. As to your question about salvage title, I don't believe you'd be faced with that. 99 is right on the money with his advice.
Bikeman982
I do not think that would make it a "salvage" car. That is reserved for insurance cases, not maintenance cases.
Engine replacement doesn't generate a salvage title.
Thanks all for the posts.
I'm gonna have the dealer put the used engine in and start over. This time with regular oil changes.
Bikeman982
Thanks all for the posts.
I'm gonna have the dealer put the used engine in and start over. This time with regular oil changes.
It would be better than getting another car. Engines can be changed failrly easily.
Well, I had the dealer put in the used engine and got the car back. Took it the next day for an emissions inspection and it passed with flying colors. The tech said the readings were all perfect. That was good news.
Prior to replacing the engine (even when I purchased the car off the dealer lot with 54k miles) there was a rattle/chatter when you step on the accelerator from a dead stop. Kinda like a lawnmower and then it smooths out and goes away within seconds.
I thought this engine replacement would get rid of that noise but it is still there. When moving from a stop, in drive or reverse, you get "the noise" for a second or two and then it goes away. If you are just coasting (like to a stop) and then hit the accelerator there is no noise. In neutral there is no noise.
I had my son step on the accelerator while I stood beside the car trying to locate the noise - to see if it was coming from the engine, the tires, underneath the car, front, back, etc.. I narrowed it down to definitely coming from the "engine area" but I have no idea what it is. Like I said, it sounds like a lawnmower.
It takes a mere second or two for the the noise to go away. I cannot replicate the noise above 1000 rpm.
My only experience with a small engine like this is in my 92 Celica (manual trans while the 03 Corolla is automatic) and it does not have this noise so I don't know if this is normal or not for the Corolla. Before I take it back to the dealer and they tell me it's either normal or not related to the engine "and that'll be $150 for the check up please" would appreciate comments from the 100's of years of experience on this forum.
Thanks for any input.
Sounds like it only makes noice when the engine has a load on it - couple of things to look at: engine and transmission mounts (even if they did the swap - I'll bet the dealer tried to reuse as many old parts as possible, unless they specifically said that all new parts would be used.) That being said - what did they change - did they mention it would just be a short block or long block (short = just the block, pistons, crank, rods, etc., long = short + all valvetrain). Definitely sounds like something to do with the variable timing (unusal for a 9th gen, but anything is possible).
Another possible source for noise would be the belt tensioner or pulley associated with the serpentine belt - common "noise" area on the 9th gen Corollas, especially the early ones even with a relatively low amount of miles.
I took it to the dealer, they popped the hood for about a minute and a half and said "belt tensioner".
Of course, they did not replace that when they put the engine in so it's not covered under my warranty for the work or the engine. They said they used as many of the existing parts as they could.
I think I'll try the pulley replacement with the $15 AutoZone part I saw in another post (albeit that was on a '98 I think??). If that doesn't take care of it I'll have to live with it awhile. Not ready just yet to drop some more money into it. I don't think it's a "leave you stranded on the side of the road" problem. Can it cause any other problems?
I guess if the belt starts squealing it'd definitely be time to do something.
Bikeman982
It is difficult to determine the cause of your noise without actually hearing it ourselves. I suggest you try a stethoscope, or listen while someone else drives it.
One possible cause could be something that is loose and checking around the area you suspect may turn up the rattling source.
Expensive lesson.
You make some interesting assumptions. The first is that the oil was changed at the dealership you bought the car. That may or may not be true. So you could have gone 12K on used motor oil, or further.
What we don't know is the time component to your oil change interval. You mentioned purchasing the car in 2005, but don't give a month. So you put the 18K miles on in anything from 8 months to 18 months (give or take)
If it's short trip driving, the 18 month time frame, 1K miles/month, then you may have sludged the oil because short trip driving is the hardest on oil.
I think Toyota is recommending 5K miles or 6 month intervals. I know this is the case with my 06 Scion tC.
With the factory warranty, they cannot void it because you do the oil changes. With an extended warranty, they can, because that is an insurance policy, not a warranty.
But for all reading, make sure that you pay attention to the time since last change as well as the mileage, and don't assume your "new" used car has new oil in the crankcase.
FWIW, I typically run Mobil 1 in my 1.6L '94 Geo Prizm (Corolla with a Chevy Badge) for 6 months or 10K miles, and run the Mobil 1 Extended Performance in my girlfriends 2.4L Camry for 6 months or 15K mile intervals without drama.
The Scion gets Pennzoil 5W20 every 4500 miles or 6 months.
That reminds me, I need to check my Toyota extended warranty to see if it lets me do the oil changes or not.
