Minimizing Oil Consumption

[sproutdreamer]

Firstly apologies to regulars who must be bored to death with the whole oil burning issues of the Vvti engines but to each of us it is a new and worrying problem.

My query is what measures I can take to minimize oil consumption and slow down the pace of it getting worse. My engine (03 1.8 and with 54k on the clock) is not too bad and using about a litre each 2000 miles. Should I be using thicker oil than 5/30 or thinner oil and why. Also how often to do oil changes-is the oil getting overheated and degrading . I did read that part of the factory mod for replacement short engines included shorter dipsticks resulting in about half a litre more oil being stored at the top mark. Could I just fill above the top mark by + half a litre without any damage to the engine and the oil run a bit cooler. Interestingly just after an oil change recently I do not seem to use as much oil as when the oil is several thousands of miles old.

[acetip]

Firstly apologies to regulars who must be bored to death with the whole oil burning issues of the Vvti engines but to each of us it is a new and worrying problem.

My query is what measures I can take to minimize oil consumption and slow down the pace of it getting worse. My engine (03 1.8 and with 54k on the clock) is not too bad and using about a litre each 2000 miles. Should I be using thicker oil than 5/30 or thinner oil and why. Also how often to do oil changes-is the oil getting overheated and degrading . I did read that part of the factory mod for replacement short engines included shorter dipsticks resulting in about half a litre more oil being stored at the top mark. Could I just fill above the top mark by + half a litre without any damage to the engine and the oil run a bit cooler. Interestingly just after an oil change recently I do not seem to use as much oil as when the oil is several thousands of miles old.

some people change their oil every 6 months.you could use a 5w 40 in the warmer months then when its cooler use 5w 30.

you often find dealers when changing oil they overfill slightly.but to put in too much is not a wise thing to do.

if you could find out possibly the modified dipstick lengh from a dealer,and if it applies to your engine do the increased sump mod.but i would not just stick in x amount of oil.

[Thermal]

Hi,

Apart from what acetip recommended, there's not much else you can do.

There is a design fault in certain series of the Vvti engines causing the high oil consumption and if you are unlucky to own one, oil consumption will inevitably increase with mileage.

There was an extended warranty for this problem, but I think yours is too old already.

Maybe others have an opinion on that...?

Drive it gently if you want to keep it.

Don't fill oil over the "max" indicator on the dipstick.

A too high oil level increases pressure inside the engine block, which may blow out seals or worse.

[Black Knight]

Could I just fill above the top mark by + half a litre without any damage to the engine and the oil run a bit cooler. Interestingly just after an oil change recently I do not seem to use as much oil as when the oil is several thousands of miles old.

Yep, oil level increased by 0.5L which is equivalent to +10mm above the full mark on the older dipsticks.

Will do absolutely no harm to the engine overfilling by that amount

[Roker]

I was told by my son who has re-built some of these engines that it is not a design problem and that Toyota were supplied with inferior rings.

[acetip]

I was told by my son who has re-built some of these engines that it is not a design problem and that Toyota were supplied with inferior rings.

i read somewhere that the problem was the oil drain holes in the pistons behind the scraper ring were either too small or not enough of them.mind you this was rectified for later builds, but the problem still persist on some engines.its pot (bad luck) if you land up with one that uses too much oil.

[Roker]

I was told by my son who has re-built some of these engines that it is not a design problem and that Toyota were supplied with inferior rings.

i read somewhere that the problem was the oil drain holes in the pistons behind the scraper ring were either too small or not enough of them.mind you this was rectified for later builds, but the problem still persist on some engines.its pot (bad luck) if you land up with one that uses too much oil.

If it was holes in the piston not large enough, I would think the problem would be there from day 1, not after about 50,000 mile

[acetip]

I was told by my son who has re-built some of these engines that it is not a design problem and that Toyota were supplied with inferior rings.

i read somewhere that the problem was the oil drain holes in the pistons behind the scraper ring were either too small or not enough of them.mind you this was rectified for later builds, but the problem still persist on some engines.its pot (bad luck) if you land up with one that uses too much oil.

If it was holes in the piston not large enough, I would think the problem would be there from day 1, not after about 50,000 mile

its cause by the oil not getting away and getting cooked and over many miles the holes get blocked.this is toyota explanation not mine.but there you may know better.

but toyota say this problem only happens cos the way we drive in uk.

bit like rotary engines that suffered rotor seal wear,mazda claimed they had no problems in other countries.

just the uk.

as to the oil burning issue,there were many complaining of it as low as 15000 miles.