8th Gen Oil Consumption

FYI Someone wrote into the latest issue of Popular Mechanics to ask if he should be concerned that his '07 Solara was consuming a quart every 1000 miles. The reply indicated that it is normal and modern cars often consume a quart every 600 miles.

I hear that from mechanics/techs all the time as well. Still - a '07 Solara, I wouldn't expect such a new car to drink a drop of oil, let alone a quart every 1000 miles. Might do that during the engine break-in phase - as I've had some cars that drank some oil during this time, but gradually subsided and didn't drink any oil.

 

I to have a 2001 CE oil-a-holic. Got is used with 161000 miles on it. Haved had 6 Toyota's and never had

any of them use oil, so never thought to check this out. It started out (for me) using 1 quart every 60 miles of hwy driving. I've put SeaFoam in the gas and in the oil, and added a quart Rislone. Changed the oil when

I first got the car, put in Quaker state with Slick 50. Have moved 1st to Castro Synthe, the to straight

synthectic. Consumption has gone down to 1 quart for 270 miles so I"m making progress. I have been following this thread and checking things suggested. The PVC was clean, but changed it for a new

Toyota one, plugs were clean, changed them also. No leakage of consequence. Car runs good, just took it

on vaction (with oil in trunk) and got 42 mpg (40 with air on) driving a 60mph. I know there are pro's and con't for engine flushing, but I did one anyway. If there is a lot large matter in the oil its still in the engine.

The oil came out very black but not gretty. Use to use ATF as engine flush in the 50's, never seem to hurt

the old engines, well see. Planning on a short trip this week end, about 250 miles or so will post usage when I get back.

You guys post a lot of very good advice and usable information. Thanks a bunch.

I to have a 2001 CE oil-a-holic. Got is used with 161000 miles on it. Haved had 6 Toyota's and never hadany of them use oil, so never thought to check this out. It started out (for me) using 1 quart every 60 miles of hwy driving. I've put SeaFoam in the gas and in the oil, and added a quart Rislone. Changed the oil when

 

I first got the car, put in Quaker state with Slick 50. Have moved 1st to Castro Synthe, the to straight

synthectic. Consumption has gone down to 1 quart for 270 miles so I"m making progress. I have been following this thread and checking things suggested. The PVC was clean, but changed it for a new

Toyota one, plugs were clean, changed them also. No leakage of consequence. Car runs good, just took it

on vaction (with oil in trunk) and got 42 mpg (40 with air on) driving a 60mph. I know there are pro's and con't for engine flushing, but I did one anyway. If there is a lot large matter in the oil its still in the engine.

The oil came out very black but not gretty. Use to use ATF as engine flush in the 50's, never seem to hurt

the old engines, well see. Planning on a short trip this week end, about 250 miles or so will post usage when I get back.

You guys post a lot of very good advice and usable information. Thanks a bunch.

Try Delo or Delvac oil 15W40

I to have a 2001 CE oil-a-holic. Got is used with 161000 miles on it. Haved had 6 Toyota's and never hadany of them use oil, so never thought to check this out. It started out (for me) using 1 quart every 60 miles of hwy driving. I've put SeaFoam in the gas and in the oil, and added a quart Rislone. Changed the oil when

 

I first got the car, put in Quaker state with Slick 50. Have moved 1st to Castro Synthe, the to straight

synthectic. Consumption has gone down to 1 quart for 270 miles so I"m making progress. I have been following this thread and checking things suggested. The PVC was clean, but changed it for a new

Toyota one, plugs were clean, changed them also. No leakage of consequence. Car runs good, just took it

on vaction (with oil in trunk) and got 42 mpg (40 with air on) driving a 60mph. I know there are pro's and con't for engine flushing, but I did one anyway. If there is a lot large matter in the oil its still in the engine.

The oil came out very black but not gretty. Use to use ATF as engine flush in the 50's, never seem to hurt

the old engines, well see. Planning on a short trip this week end, about 250 miles or so will post usage when I get back.

You guys post a lot of very good advice and usable information. Thanks a bunch.

A quart every 60 miles?!?!? So once per hour (highway) you were pulling over to add a quart?

1 quart every 60 miles!

For every 2 gallons of gas you used a quart of oil!!!???

Thats a 8:1 fuel to oil ratio.

At 270 miles per quart that is still a 36:1 ratio.

Typical Two strokes are 50:1!

I to have a 2001 CE oil-a-holic. Got is used with 161000 miles on it. Haved had 6 Toyota's and never hadany of them use oil, so never thought to check this out. It started out (for me) using 1 quart every 60 miles of hwy driving. I've put SeaFoam in the gas and in the oil, and added a quart Rislone. Changed the oil when

 

I first got the car, put in Quaker state with Slick 50. Have moved 1st to Castro Synthe, the to straight

synthectic. Consumption has gone down to 1 quart for 270 miles so I"m making progress. I have been following this thread and checking things suggested. The PVC was clean, but changed it for a new

Toyota one, plugs were clean, changed them also. No leakage of consequence. Car runs good, just took it

on vaction (with oil in trunk) and got 42 mpg (40 with air on) driving a 60mph. I know there are pro's and con't for engine flushing, but I did one anyway. If there is a lot large matter in the oil its still in the engine.

The oil came out very black but not gretty. Use to use ATF as engine flush in the 50's, never seem to hurt

the old engines, well see. Planning on a short trip this week end, about 250 miles or so will post usage when I get back.

You guys post a lot of very good advice and usable information. Thanks a bunch.

 

A quart every 60 miles?!?!? So once per hour (highway) you were pulling over to add a quart?

I to have a 2001 CE oil-a-holic. Got is used with 161000 miles on it. Haved had 6 Toyota's and never hadany of them use oil, so never thought to check this out. It started out (for me) using 1 quart every 60 miles of hwy driving. I've put SeaFoam in the gas and in the oil, and added a quart Rislone. Changed the oil when

 

I first got the car, put in Quaker state with Slick 50. Have moved 1st to Castro Synthe, the to straight

synthectic. Consumption has gone down to 1 quart for 270 miles so I"m making progress. I have been following this thread and checking things suggested. The PVC was clean, but changed it for a new

Toyota one, plugs were clean, changed them also. No leakage of consequence. Car runs good, just took it

on vaction (with oil in trunk) and got 42 mpg (40 with air on) driving a 60mph. I know there are pro's and con't for engine flushing, but I did one anyway. If there is a lot large matter in the oil its still in the engine.

The oil came out very black but not gretty. Use to use ATF as engine flush in the 50's, never seem to hurt

the old engines, well see. Planning on a short trip this week end, about 250 miles or so will post usage when I get back.

You guys post a lot of very good advice and usable information. Thanks a bunch.

 

A quart every 60 miles?!?!? So once per hour (highway) you were pulling over to add a quart?

The 60 miles was round trip so only had to add when I got back.

Just did a 250 Mile round trip this week end and it is up to

just shy of 190 miles per quart. Making a little progress. Wish it

was a two cycle, would probably be even better mpg.

The 60 miles was round trip so only had to add when I got back.Just did a 250 Mile round trip this week end and it is up to

 

just shy of 190 miles per quart. Making a little progress. Wish it

was a two cycle, would probably be even better mpg.

Do you think a lot of these oil consumption issues boil down to lack of maintenance and driving habits.I remember reading somewhere that the Corolla engine is a very good motor but it does not respond well to lack of maintenance and driver abuse ( I guess that would apply to all engines). Meaning that it will keep running for a long time but will develop other issues.

 

They say that on some of the 2000's and up Toyota went to a smaller piston diameter and used oversized rings, could anyone confirm this and if its true I would love to know what the size comparison is.

The oil consumption in the zz-fe family of engines was a result of design flows and not just one flow. You can see it from the history of modifications that were made to these engines between 1998-2003. First, there was an internal leak through the valve seals that were redesigned 1999-2000. Then you had internal cracks in the block as well as poor quality rings that was corrected between 2000-2002. Finally, there was an issue of piston lubrication starvation that was corrected by more oil holes in later 2002. Depending on the engine year and number, one can look up if your engine was affected. However, Toyota keeps the info confidential and away from any lawyers. Once I saw an UK based forum where a toyota insider had access to the engine serial numbers database and could tell you which specific contrameasures were or were not deployed in a specific engine. So far Toyota was lucky that most of these issues surfaced after warranty expired and with no major publicity or class action suits. In borderline cases, it's always easy to blame on owner's neglect, as they did initially with the sludge issue.

Would it be safe to assume then that the oil burner issues were all adressed by 2003 for the gen 9 Corolla? If so, my next Corolla will be a gen 9.

No, I really like my gen 8 Corolla. Othe than the oil burning issue it is great little ride. I'll probably have it for several more years. Just thinking about when the time comes for me to get my next one.

Do you think a lot of these oil consumption issues boil down to lack of maintenance and driving habits.I remember reading somewhere that the Corolla engine is a very good motor but it does not respond well to lack of maintenance and driver abuse ( I guess that would apply to all engines). Meaning that it will keep running for a long time but will develop other issues.

 

They say that on some of the 2000's and up Toyota went to a smaller piston diameter and used oversized rings, could anyone confirm this and if its true I would love to know what the size comparison is.

The oil consumption in the zz-fe family of engines was a result of design flows and not just one flow. You can see it from the history of modifications that were made to these engines between 1998-2003. First, there was an internal leak through the valve seals that were redesigned 1999-2000. Then you had internal cracks in the block as well as poor quality rings that was corrected between 2000-2002. Finally, there was an issue of piston lubrication starvation that was corrected by more oil holes in later 2002. Depending on the engine year and number, one can look up if your engine was affected. However, Toyota keeps the info confidential and away from any lawyers. Once I saw an UK based forum where a toyota insider had access to the engine serial numbers database and could tell you which specific contrameasures were or were not deployed in a specific engine. So far Toyota was lucky that most of these issues surfaced after warranty expired and with no major publicity or class action suits. In borderline cases, it's always easy to blame on owner's neglect, as they did initially with the sludge issue.

The piston ring issue then was on the first of these engines, 98 & 99??? I have a late model year 2000 with over 100,000 miles on it and the 4 speed auto, does not use any oil. I have noticed some 98 and 99's with very black looking exhaust pipes.

Do you think a lot of these oil consumption issues boil down to lack of maintenance and driving habits.I remember reading somewhere that the Corolla engine is a very good motor but it does not respond well to lack of maintenance and driver abuse ( I guess that would apply to all engines). Meaning that it will keep running for a long time but will develop other issues.

 

They say that on some of the 2000's and up Toyota went to a smaller piston diameter and used oversized rings, could anyone confirm this and if its true I would love to know what the size comparison is.

The oil consumption in the zz-fe family of engines was a result of design flows and not just one flow. You can see it from the history of modifications that were made to these engines between 1998-2003. First, there was an internal leak through the valve seals that were redesigned 1999-2000. Then you had internal cracks in the block as well as poor quality rings that was corrected between 2000-2002. Finally, there was an issue of piston lubrication starvation that was corrected by more oil holes in later 2002. Depending on the engine year and number, one can look up if your engine was affected. However, Toyota keeps the info confidential and away from any lawyers. Once I saw an UK based forum where a toyota insider had access to the engine serial numbers database and could tell you which specific contrameasures were or were not deployed in a specific engine. So far Toyota was lucky that most of these issues surfaced after warranty expired and with no major publicity or class action suits. In borderline cases, it's always easy to blame on owner's neglect, as they did initially with the sludge issue.