4a-ge 20v Using Up Oil ?

[Vassagoset]

My 1998 Corolla 4A-GE 20V use about a pint of oil every 800 km's is this normal? The car is not smoking has about 135 000 km's on the clock, full service history with Toyota. What can it be, I asume this is not normal?

Thank you.

[Treuno]

Alrite mate, no that aint normal! Have you got a cat converter on your vehicle?? If so this can hide smoke coming from the exhaust!!

The only way you can loose oil is either by having a leak e.g. oil seals etc. Or your valve stem oil seals or piston rings are worn!! Also check oil breather pipes to make sure they aint blocked! But all of the above are quite rare withy only 135K on the clock! Could be to do with the atmosphere in Africa or something!?

Have you any photos of your vehicle?? I have never seen a '1998' 20 valve corolla! That must be one of the last corolla's with that engine!

Hope this helps a little!

[RedAE102]

Yes, it is quite excessive IMHO. My '93 7A-FE consumes about one US quart (~1.66 Imperial pints) of oil every 5,000 miles (~8,000 km), and it's a bit on the high side (currently at 143,500 mi, or . It currently emits a cloud of smoke a few seconds after cold tickover, which subsides fairly quickly. I've been told it's most likely worn valve stem seals and/or valve guides, but I haven't done a compression and leakdown test to confirm this. The car's been maintained religiously, and I doubt it ever exceeded 80 mph or 4000 rpm until I purchased it with 113,500 miles on the clock (purchased from my aunt, who owned the car since new).

On a side note, the 4A-GE 20V was used in some Corolla or another through 2001 (believe it or not, in the AE101 Corolla BZ-Touring Wagon, and the AE111 Sprinter Carib BZ-Touring Wagon), and it also saw use in AT210 Carinas. All of this is in Japan, of course.

[illuminati]

if the car has never been pushed hard for a long time and then it starts taking a harsher driving style something will give. i seen cars pushed real hard all their lives last longer then cars that have been driven by grannies.

my advice is to get some of the 'high milage 'oils for ur cars, it has speical chemicals the help out the dried out gaskets and seels so they are flexible and not brittle.

[cozmo]

That's regular Toyota thing with valve guides and valve stem seals. My car (1990 Corolla 1.3) is using about one litre (0,9 UK Gallons) per 700 miles. Compression is OK, nothing is blocked, engine is running fine (110.000 miles). The life of valve seals or guides depends on fuel, oil quality and type of driving. My car was used heavy in hot weather, always with temperatures little above normal, which shortens the life of valve stem seals... If you see puffing smoke at startup and when you pulling on from the stop, but NOT while driving - definitely valve guides or seals. Sometimes it is very difficult to see smoke - it appears only on startup and when you accelerate from the stop (1st or 2nd gear), not while driving. And it is not a big cloud of smoke, it puffs... Also, driving in the city drinks oil like mad if you have worn guides/seals... but driving on the highways not (my car uses oil only in city driving, very, very little on highway), because constant driving (at constant rpm's) will not cause temperature fluctuations which will distort bad valve seals (when they are bad they will not seal when there is a frequent change in engine temperature, because they will be stiff like a rock if the temperature goes high, and they will seal when the temp is normal). So, when I went to my mechanic and ask him where is my oil he just rev the engine 4-5 times after an little bit of idling, noticed puff of smoke, smiled and said drive, don't worry - seals are gone, check oil regulary, when you have money replace the seals and maybe guides - that's it. It can't do any damage to engine, just CHECK oil regulary, don't let it down on LOW mark or below.

This is the case only if you don't have an leaking seal on engine:)

regards!

[cozmo]

I meant to say that my Corolla is using one litre of oil, that's little bit below 1 quart of UK Gallon...

not 0,9 of gallon (well it will be too much)

[Vassagoset]

Thanks guys, the compression was tested and tested fine, so then it must be the valve seals, great I’ll have a look at it. I’ll try to post a pic of the car.