Help! 2008 Toyota Camry Ateva blowing white smoke after engine oil change

[pelebellz]

Hey Guys

so i have just done a engine oil change with the camry that has done over 280,000kms. I went to the local auto store and got valvoline engine armour 15W-40 oil and a nulon engine oil flush with an oil filter. changed it but noticed that it needed more oil. topped it up and then drove around the block for 5 mins seemed ok. 

wife takes it to work and 5 mins later i get a call saying theres white smoke coming out from the exhaust and it was struggling with power. swapped cars and drove it back home under 40kms .

have i done something wrong? ive parked it in the garage for now until i know what advice i can get from anyone in here before i make a call to the mechanic

any information would be greatly appreciated!

[campbeam]

I would start by checking the oil level on the dipstick that you have not overfilled the engine.

It would appear that you have used the incorrect oil viscosity for your vehicle. 

https://www.datateck.com.au/Lube/PenriteAus/ http://www.datateck.com.au/lube/NulonAus/

Strongly suggest that you use their preferred/recommended oil of Penrite HPR 5 SAE 5W-40 or Nulon 5W-30.

Also check for oil sludge in the valve cover. Undo the oil fill cap and have a look inside using a light source. I have used a thick plastic straw to scrape down the side of the valve cover. If you get a lot of black tar like substance on the straw, then that is oil sludge.

As for the white smoke, I would clean the Positive Crankcase Ventilation [PCV] valve. Then I would not refit the valve to the valve cover but cover the end with some tape. Start the engine, expect some white smoke, then go for a test drive e.g. 20 kms to get the engine oil up to full operating temperature. Park the vehicle for a few hours or preferably overnight. Start the engine and if there is no white smoke then the underlying cause is oil sludge in the valve cover. If the engine is still producing white smoke then the underlying problem is blocked oil rings on the pistons. 

Suggest that you do the abovementioned PCV clean and test drive then post what the outcome is. We can proceed with some further advice for the next steps.

 

[Tony Prodigy]

16 hours ago, pelebellz said:

I went to the local auto store and got valvoline engine armour 15W-40 oil and a nulon engine oil flush with an oil filter. changed it but noticed that it needed more oil. topped it up and then drove around the block for 5 mins seemed ok. 

Hi Pele, Ashley has you covered here. But If I may, I like to ask, did you check your owners manual for the correct oil viscosity before purchasing what you did ? Have you used 15w-40 before ?

It is also possible that it's overfilled, but the oil viscosity is way too thick, especially now it's winter so it's doesn't flow all that well under cold starting. Check your spark plugs too as they may be fouled by oil..

I also highly recommend the Nulon 5w-30 too.

 

Edited August 6, 2021 by Tony Prodigy

[Mike2002]

Hi there! Maybe i'm a little late,

but did you change the oil AFTER the oil flush was added?
As in, are you sure it is all gone?
I agree with above that you should probably be using the correct oil for your car, which i doubt is 15w-40, but it's unlikely that would be causing your instant issues.
If you are sure you have the correct amount of oil, it might be worth draining the oil again fully, and then refilling with the right oil (probably 5w-30).

[pelebellz]

Hey guys

 

Thank you for the information. It was definitely an overfill of oil 🤦🏾‍♂️ drained it and refilled. I will be using the correct oil on my next service when I'm back home. 

Appreciate the information and grateful for it! Thanks again and sorry for the late reply 

[campbeam]

Appreciate the reply.  Unfortunatelyover the last few years, we have seen so many posts reporting an issue but fewer posts confirming what was the actual resolution.

It is not so easy to check the oil on the metal dipstick especially when the oil is clear. Last oil change, I suspected that I had overfilled and this proved to be the case. Next weekend, I drained a surplus 1 litre. Learnt to pay more attention and differentiate between the 5 and 6 litre oil containers.

Previous father in law [back in the 80's] had his corolla serviced. Engine was not running well and the engine had been overfilled, presumably a significant amount. He returned to the dealership but they convinced him that it would be allright. It would have been quite soon after that the head gasket blew due to the increased oil pressure. Dealership tried to say that it was not their fault. Fortunately, he worked at Castrol so he was able to obtain automotive engineer's report confirming that increased oil pressure from overfilling the engine was the cause. Dealership came to the party and repaired the engine.

Hopefully like myself, you have managed to avoid that bullet.

In your case, the increased oil pressure has most likely forced more oil past the oil rings to start blowing white smoke. 

Personally, I would drain the engine oil and refill with the recommended oil viscosity sooner than later. Definitely consider using a 5K oil change interval for preventative maintenance purposes. 

[pelebellz]

Thanks campbeam. When i had changed it, you were right. I couldnt see the oil when checking it with the dipstick. 

ill be more mindful this time around when i change it next