Tony Prodigy

Maybe it's just a co-incidence because thicker oil won't cause this issue. Logically speaking, thinner oil would exacerbate the oil burn. Just monitor oil level. Engine will still run ok despite the mystery of the oil burn. I'm starting to think you may also have a blow by issue too. Excessive positive crank case pressure can make it burn more oil. Too much oil in the combustion chamber can make it blow white smoke then white with a blue tinge. If you are saying you never had oil burning issues prior to the addition of the 15w -40 mineral oil, then just go back to the 5w-30 fully synthetic and see if it exhibits the same symptoms. I'd also think about putting some engine flush in there too, just incase you have stuck rings from the carbon build up. This may take some time to clean up if the engine is carbon fouled. A probe camera down the spark plug hole can tell a useful story if your mechanic has one. Allow the car to sit overnight, preferably, to simulate the same conditions and go in there and see if there is any oil seepage into the combustion chamber and if possible along the valve stems. The latter may be more difficult, better if the intake or exhaust manifolds are removed.

Go Big Mike ! That's an awesome set of figures. It pays to have a well maintained car such as yours and the ability to drive it correctly. Mechanical sympathy and a controlled right foot can be rewarding. You are so right. This is one of the main reasons I'm keeping my Aurion long term. It's one of the best cars ever made.

Stem seals are easy to do and not a major cost. That would explain the oil loss. The engine can burn oil to a lesser degree over a given distance and not exhibit the tell tail blue smoke during the journey. The worst is, of course, on start up because the oil tends to collect around the valve stems, and when the engine has been stationary, the residual oil will run down the stem, past the seal and collect in the inside of the valve waiting to be burnt. I think we're getting somewhere here now.

My go to product Is 303 Aerospace Protectant. I have also used and liked the Meguiars Quick Detailer product too. There are so many products to choose from to be honest, but the above two are pretty much all you need for your situation. If you are talking about leather care too, then it's another kettle of fish. But, for vinyl, plastic and rubber I would go with the 303 because it also nourishes and protects rubber. Meguiars doesn't do rubber, only hard surfaces. Armor all is rubbish and out dated. I don't advise using it. You want a matt, non greasy, non glare product, especially for the dashboard. Here's a snippet of product information for the 303. **Keeps surfaces looking newer, and lasting longer **Provides superior UV protection to prevent cracking & fading **Leaves a dry, matte finish – no oily or greasy feel **Helps repel dust, lint and staining **Protects all vinyl, rubber & plastics **Brightens surfaces Originally engineered for aerospace and aviation applications, new 303® Automotive Protectant provides superior UV protection for any rubber, vinyl, and plastic surfaces of your vehicle, such as your dashboard, windshield wiper blades, and even your tires. Unlike many protectants that leave greasy residues, 303® Automotive Protectant dries to a clear matte finish without that sticky, shiny slick feeling. 303® Automotive Protectant not only protects against fading, discoloration and cracking from harmful UV rays, but repels dust and stains, too. Simply spray on and wipe dry for a beautiful, matte finish. Best of all, each application will last up to 30-45 days. Great for use on a variety of surfaces such as: vinyl, plastics, synthetic & natural rubber, leather, eisenglass, PVC, gel coat & fiberglass. Ideal for use on your dashboard, other vinyl/leather interior surfaces of your car, tires, windshield wiper blades and more! DO NOT use on unfinished leathers (such as suede), fabrics (canvas), floorings, clear plastics, gauge panels, or headlights. Usage Directions Use only on clean surfaces.. Out of direct sun, spray surface with 303® Automotive Protectant and WIPE COMPLETELY DRY with a clean, dry microfiber towel. Can also be applied directly onto microfiber applicator or towel before using. If streaking occurs, too much product has been used. Use a wet towel to remove excess, IMMEDIATELY wipe completely dry. Note: this product does not air dry. Extra buffing with a dry cloth INCREASES bonding, repellency & longevity. Apply every 3-5 weeks for maximum UV protection. For the best results, we recommend following these easy steps: Step 1: Make sure surface is clean and dry before using. Step 2: Spray product directly onto surface, or spray onto microfiber to apply. Step 3: Wipe dry with a clean, dry microfiber towel. Use a wet towel to remove any excess. Step 4: Evaluate your results. Extra buffing may be required for optimal results. It is recommended to re-treat every 30-45 days.

I think they're starting to take the P*SS out of us when it comes to these so called discounts. I had a look and all the "discounted" prices are in fact the standard prices. The old price is simply inflated to make it look like you're getting a bargain, when in fact you aren't. That's a shocker and shame on Supercheap Auto for the big con job.

Sounds like the dreaded VVTI rattle. Did your mechanic shot gun replace all those other parts mentioned without doing a proper diagnosis ? Pretty expensive way to diagnose a problem that's for sure.

If it's burning that much oil, then you should be leaving a trail of blue smoke behind and your exhaust tip should be heavily sooted and the side your exhaust pipe is on, the whole area will be darkened with soot. Discounting oil leaks and what we now know the "white smoke" to be condensation on a cold start, the oil has to be burning rather than leaking, so technically, you should have blue smoke. Have you done a compression test and cooling system pressure test ?

Not sure on the stop leak mate as I've never used it. Do some research online and get some feedback from others who have used it. Youtube usually has some good offerings. It may help. Oil flush probably won't help if you have accelerated engine wear. It may make it worse to be honest. It's designed to dissolve sludge and if you already have a compromised engine, gaskets etc, it may exacerbate the problem. I think a compression test would be the first thing I'd do. If it's low on compression, then it's probably time to weigh up its viability. It is using quite a bit of oil and when I recall the white smoke, It has me thinking head gasket issue and potentially other things like worn valve guides, stem seals and perhaps stuck rings. You've probably got gasket leaks as mentioned too.

Hilarious. Karmic in some ways too 😜 Back in the 80's I also recall a famous sticker that used to get around with an Ethnic flavour. "You toucha my car, I breaka you face" 🤣🤣🤣 Anyone remember that one ??

Just a minor update here folks. I found some newer PH test strips in the garage and did another PH analysis on both old and new SLL coolant to see if there were any inconsistencies. To my surprise, the new test revealed that the new SLL is slightly alkaline at 8 and the old SLL was right about PH neutral around 7. No electrolysis issues could have arisen with this result, so not bad for 11 year old coolant. So, in conclusion, using the correct Toyota SLL coolant has its benefits. Scotty Kilmer also rates it as the best coolant in the world so that's good enough for me. I'm thinking about switching my motorcycles over to Toyota SLL too.

Thanks for your kind words mate. The next few months will be challenging, but I should be ok. These things take time, that's all. An inconvenience too when you have so much going on. Regarding the glass treatment, it is quite satisfying to see the water beading off, especially when you drive and not having to use the wipers. The beads just float away. Did you also give the wiper blades a wipe over too ? I like to clean the blades with some general purpose cleaner or wax and grease remover, then apply the product to the rubber and the leading edge. Do this after you've treated the glass, of course, so you don't contaminate the glass application. The final wipe of the rubbers will muck up the cloth a little unless you have a spare one just for this.

I had a funny thought reading this thread. Back in the day, and I'm sure most would be old enough to remember, was when an engine used oil, there was the adage, " Just put some STP in it and she'll be right" We would keep a stash of 20w-50 oil, any and every brand just to keep feeding the beast. My mate had an XA Falcon with a 250 top loader manual that used to burn around 2lt of oil a day. It was hilarious ! We nicknamed it The Scud. It was a proper bomb but we had the best fun in that car. It became so expensive to feed it with new oil, he used to get sump oil from all his mates' oil changes and some from the local garage. It miraculously ran for another two or so years before throwing a conrod. Those were the best days.

That's too much. Are you sure it's not blowing blue smoke and can you confirm no oil leaks ? Is the rear main seal ok ?

Looking sharp as usual mate. Those Dusky shots give it a warm glow too. Not sure what to make of your throttle issue either. Is it a cable operated throttle ?

That would've peed me off too mate, but what can you do after the fact. There was a time when I would've reacted the same way, but these days, I tend to take a more collected approach and just get it sorted by whatever means necessary. Probably a good idea to keep a few of those rubber hangers in your stash just for moments like that. Glad you got it sorted and no further damage resulted.

Choice of workshop is entirely up to you. If serviced at Toyota, it would be dearer than your local but in saying that, they would service your vehicle in accordance with the factory recommendations. I wouldn't mix them unless they are both compatible. I don't know enough about this to give you a more comprehensive opinion. Some oils don't play nice together and your 5w-30 synthetic and your 15w-40 mineral are worlds apart and I wouldn't risk it. If you do start noticing oil consumption, you can simply purchase a spare 1LT bottle of the same oil and use this to get you through, then on the next oil service, have them use either 5w-40, 5w-50 or 10w-50 in a fully synthetic.

I suspect that if you take it back to the same mechanic now, he'll advise against changing the oil more than likely. Do you hear any top end valve train rattles or unusual sounds on cold start up ? If you do, then that's the engine protesting the thicker cold grade oil. Remember that most of the engine wear occurs at cold start up and if the oil cannot reach the vital areas quickly enough, then you will risk premature wear. If not, then it should be ok until then, but to be on the safe side, I would go back to the correct specification oil of 5W-30. Use a full synthetic, not mineral oil. You also need to regularly check your oil level to determine if it is using oil. The mechanic's adage of "they tend to use more oil as they get older" doesn't always ring true if it has NOT been confirmed. No disrespect to you John, but some mechanics prefer a gullible customer, especially if they're not mechanically inclined. Don't be that guy. I'm guessing you're not a DIY type of guy. If you were or know someone who is, you could have them do the oil change for you, or perform a compression test etc. It's pretty easy actually.

Pretty much yes. If coolant is leaking into the combustion chamber, then you will have the by product at the tail pipe, which is the tell tale white smoke. If the leakage is slow or intermittent, you may only see white smoke intermittently too. You can also verify this if you are losing coolant and having to top it off regularly. A pressure test of the cooling system can verify this as can a compression test of the cylinders. If you had a proper head gasket issue, then your car will become undriveable. I don't think this is the case. Did you discuss any of this with your mechanic ? Are you able to do any DIY things yourself ?

I'm all for trying different products Rob. At the moment, I have a lot going on and I haven't really had the time to dedicate to the detailing aspect hence why there's been little to no detailing posts. I hope you get well soon too mate. Don't push yourself, just take the time required to recover so you can bounce back and be stronger than ever. I'm going through some medical issues too. Something I don't really need right now, but we soldier on as they say. Hope to be on top of things in the coming months. Cheers mate

Sounds like the mechanic is trying to justify himself using his bulk purchase of a cheaper oil and not wanting to stock various grades to accommodate the various requirements of other engines. I would bet money he is using the same 15w-40 for ALL cars regardless. One size fits all approach. This is one mechanic I would avoid. He only cares about his bottom line and not his customers needs. If the engine isn't actually consuming oil, ie, it's not leaking or blowing blue smoke, then I would continue to use the 5W-30 as the manufacturer recommends. Why would you put a thicker oil in when it doesn't need it ? It's up to you to check the oil on a weekly basis and figure out if in fact it is using oil. Higher mileage cars don't necessarily use more oil if it's been serviced regularly and well cared for. 300K mileage isn't a great deal for a Toyota engine if it's been looked after.

Does your car blow any blue smoke ? If it's just leakage related, then why don't you address the leaky gaskets ? The reason why the factory specifies 5W-30 for the 2AZ-FE is so on cold start the oil is thin enough to circulate quickly and easily to through the fine tolerances built into these engines. If the oil is like molasses, it will struggle to move around as quick and can increase cold start engine wear. I think 15w is too thick for this engine. I'd be more inclined to use a 5W-50 or 10w- 50 fully synthetic if you have oil consumption issues. It's thin enough for those cold starts and thick enough not to burn as much.

Hi John, if your budget allows, I would buy the latest model with the lowest kays. The last of the Australian built Camry (7th Gen) were the best. So from 2012-2017, try and find one inside this bracket. Any earlier and you may be up for plenty of high mileage/age related repairs and or replacements. So for the money you would otherwise have spent on an old car with much less residual value, you may as well invest that same money into the latest one you can afford with the lowest mileage. Makes sense right ?

You need to be careful what you determine to be smoke. Smoke is pretty obvious but every car on start up, especially on the colder mornings, will exhibit steam from the exhaust. The hot gases exiting the engine travel through a cold metal pipe (your exhaust), where condensation will form due to the temperature difference. The resultant condensation will start to evaporate into steam as the pipe heats up. It has no smell to it except your typical exhaust fumes. White smoke can either be a plugged up EGR valve or head gasket issue.

Rain -X for me Rob. Last a long time and easy to apply. I just give the windscreen a once over after each wash, which can vary from one month, two or even three.

Fair enough. I had a quick look online about this oil brand and there doesn't seem to be too much there about it. Those few that have used it say it's ok, but what you need to check is if it is an approved oil by Toyota. Get the specs and compare to what is written in your handbook. I'm assuming it's for your Camry 4 cyl right ? The mechanic who uses it may be getting a really good deal on bulk purchase, as any business would, and although it may be ok some for some but not for others. I tend to think that it will be ok to use, but please just check it out first.