Keep or Trade-In: Excessive Oil Consumption?

Question

Have a 2000 Celica GT with 140K miles. Car is in excellent shape except for oil consumption. It developed a problem around 90K miles spitting (doesn't appear top be burning) oil out the exhaust, suspect exhaust valve seals disintagrating.. Doesn't effect idling, running, or accelration one bit. It was using a quart of oil around every 500 miles, but has recently gone down to a qt every 250 miles (and has stabalized at that amount).

Question is do I trade the car in and get ripped off because of this problem, or do I keep the car and drop in a new engine? Can anyone estimate the cost of a new/rebuilt jap engine plus labor. Appreciate the help !!!

Answer 1

ok, hold up! before you do ANYTHING, get the simple stuff outa the way. replace the pcv valve. if its stuck open, it will suck the oil outa your crankcase a drop at a time. check your spark plugs for any possible oil fouling. also, if it needs valve stem seals, replace them. its a helluva lot cheaper than replacing the engine. then if it still loses oil, your oil rings may be stuck. perform an induction service and an engine oil flush (BG products work best). put an additive in your engine (try Lucas oil additive). run the engine for 1500 miles or so, then if your still losing oil, consider overhauling or replacing it. can't and won't help you with costs.

Answer 2

Try this little suggestion before you trade it in:
At your next oil change pick up two things at any auto parts store: One quart of CRC Engine flush and a quart of Rislone ( high detergent engine cleaner).
Get the engine good and hot. Jack your car up and prepare to change the oil. Dump in the quart of engine flush and let the motor idle for half an hour. Don't drive the car during this time. Drain the crankcase for at least half an hour.
Replace the oil filter with an AC-Delco, Wix, NAPA (Wix makes NAPA oil filters.)
Pour in the quart of Rislone. Finish filling the crankcase with Valvoline, Havoline Deposit Shield, Quaker State, or Mobil oil. Do not over fill the crankcase. The Rislone takes the place of one of the quarts of regular engine oil.

The object of this trial is to clean the piston ring grooves so that they free-up in the ring lands. The Rislone will help clean lifters, oil rings, and remove any sludge and varnish inside the crankcase. It will not change the tolerances of the valve guides.

From your very good explanation of your motors condition too much oil is being lost. That points me to piston*ring seal. Excess valve guide wear usually will give off smoke out the exhaust on *deceleration only.
Vacuum inside the combustion chambers will suck oil down the intake valve guides and gasoline / air ignition ignites it giving off white smoke out the exhaust pipes when you lift your foot of the gas petal.

A simple compression test will tell you in seconds if it's a ring or valve problem.

To differentiate between ring or valve problems a mechanic does a standard compression test first. If the compression is low he'll squirt some engine oil in the spark plug holes. If the compression raises you have a ring problem. If it does not change you have a valve problem as the oil will not seal a bad valve.

You can do a simple test at home to chack your valves. With the engine idling place a piece of paper at the exhaust pipe. If the paper blows away from the exhaust pipe the valves are OK. If the paper intermittently flutters toward and away from the exhaust pipe there is a valve problem.

Answer 3

I would first do a compression check, if the piston rings are good then you just need valve seals.... if the rings are bad you need to get a rebuilt engine..... I would go with a rebuilt engine. If the rings are good all you need is to take the head off and replace the valve seals, reface the valves too.

Answer 4

in case you're no longer seeing any puddles on the floor from a leak then its going out the tailpipe. lots of engines use oil a motor can certainly use a quart each a million,000 miles and not smoke. as quickly as an engine starts to burn oil visibly its getting to the component the place that's going to could be rebuilt. Its oftentimes blow by the piston jewelry for the main section tiny scratches get into the compustion chamber and finally you lose compression as oil starts getting by and burning interior the combustion chamber. the valves can suck oil out too once you enable off the gas in case you look out the returned window you're able to even see a gasp of smoke from the valves sucking oil previous the jewelry. that's a demonstration of lots of miles or the oil no longer being replaced adequate it relies upon on a number of components.

Answer 5

That car should not be in the road in that condition, the air is bad enough without that.
The car is new enough that you will probably be better off putting in a replacement engine.
You can buy a replacement engine for around $700.00 to $800.00. Figure 4 or 5 hundred parts and labor to change it out.
$1500.00 max oughta do it.
Have you taken it to a mechanic and got an estimate for repairs on your current engine? Perhaps you have already paid the cost of repairs in excess motor oil?

Answer 6

There are additives at the auto parts store for valve seals you can put in the oil so change the oil add additive in 500 miles should help>

Answer 7

look in the yellow pages under rebuilt engines and call

Answer 8

Why don't you first find out what it would cost to repair your present engine?

Answer 9

http://toysport.com/catalog/Used%20Toyota%20Engines.htm

buy a good used engine.