TommyM

1 hour ago, Tony Prodigy said:

I know. It's kinda getting on the side of the ridiculous. Just like 8 speed, 10 speed transmissions. Sheesh !! What next ? 12 speed, 14 speed, 16 speed, 20 speed,30 speed, 40 speed, 50 speed 

Maximum gears you need is 8, that's it

ZF unfortunately have the best in the business in that regard. In terms of Toyota/Lexus, well the 6sp Aurions were brilliant. Perfect ratios, good final drive, etc.

Other than that, the A541E was bulletproof, especially the "adaptive" programming, it's nice to know it will actually kickdown when demanded haha, unlike some which are like "ugh do i have to ?" 😂😂

14+ speeds belong in one thing, semi's & busses, not f**king cars !

6 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Yep. They found the sweet spot for it. Another interesting bit of detail, if you already don't know, is that the current Gen Camry engine, The A25A-FKS & A25A-FXS uses 0w-16 !. This is a strict MUST USE viscosity otherwise you'll ruin it. 

This guy explains it well. Very interesting new technology too.

 

The only thing it's missing now is VTEC, twin turbos & AWD 😂😂😂

3 hours ago, campbeam said:

I have been doing the same with my Aurion. It is so easy using a plastic hand pump to extract the fluid from the reservoir. A good use for those empty hand/body wash bottles. 

Good minds think alike i see 😝

I brought a hand pump suction device for a lawn mower service, was $15, works a treat. And now after flushing it 5 times last year, it's back to amber red (penrite full syn atf's colour)

Did the same to the Calais, only now the power steering pumps are so much quieter. It's amazing how a fluid (mineral to full synthetic) can make such a difference.

6 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Yep. They found the sweet spot for it. Another interesting bit of detail, if you already don't know, is that the current Gen Camry engine, The A25A-FKS & A25A-FXS uses 0w-16 !. This is a strict MUST USE viscosity otherwise you'll ruin it. 

This guy explains it well. Very interesting new technology too.

 

I know, it's an impressive engine for a 4cyl. As i've said, i don't hate them, but the primary & secondary imbalance of 4cyls regardless of who makes it, isn't what i want to feel when i'm driving, hence why i personally won't own one. What next ?, 0w5 hahaha !

10 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

5w-30 for the 50 at between 7 to 10k intervals for me. My car has just clicked over 127K and looking inside the oil cap there is not even a hint of discolouration and you can clearly see clean metal. The Nulon I've been using has been excellent. I may do an oil change in the coming weeks and make some notes then.

So they still call for 5w30, that's good. I'm suprised they hadn't switched over to 0w30 like some have. Looking inside my oil cap, it's spotless, not an ounce of buildup. Even my baffles are clean minus that normal sand paper like finish all mz's have on the oil filler main baffle, regardless of k's they just look dirty when in fact they're not. Think it's just the oil gets super hot in that area, i remember reading something. Baffles can be a great example of "looks can be deceiving". Almost 250k & not a hint of valvetrain noise. I run full synthetics wherever i can. On a side note, just replace your power steering fluid in the reservoir once a year, it's cheap insurance to keep it clean. Beats replacing a $800+ pump

8 hours ago, campbeam said:

Camry 2.4L was notorious for oil consumption. Beyond a certain level of oil consumption, Toyota was replacing the piston and rings. After looking at a few different YouTube videos, I am currently thinking that the oil ring has got blocked due to oils being used and the extended oil change interval. The Car Nut did a YouTube video which clearly explains the various stages of increased oil consumption in Toyota engines. Frequent oil changes is the preventative measure. Also use the recommended oil viscosity for your engine. 

I have revised my level of importance on the oil specification as a criteria for selecting oil. Forgotten which full synthetic oil [maybe Nulon] that was previously on special but only had a SL oil specification. Apparently this was due to level of zinc which exceeded the level to meet the SN oil specification. Also oil manufacturers have to pay to get the latest oil specification for each of their different oils. Not surprising if a product can meet the latest specification. Whereas another product has been tested and being marketed on that basis.  

Yeah i saw that video. Quite interesting how much Toyota screwed up on that one, and only select ones had that, not every 2.4L was eligible 🤭😒

Some oils can, Penrite's ENVIRO range has proven to be one of the better oils out there as far as them specs are concerned, Mobil 1 5w30 meets the same spec, but has less zinc & additives to justify the price difference between them just isn't worth it. I'll just stick to Australian brands i think, so much simpler, comparable protection if not better. And getting info is easy, getting tech specs from Mobil 1 isn't exactly easy 😂

Why do you think i went back to 5w30 & haven't noticed any negatives, only positives if anything. "Use recommend oil viscosity", simple. 

The GF-S has plenty of zinc when you combine the total anti-wear packages, they take this out but replace it with a substitute that makes wear basically unchanged. The ENVIRO+ i do know has ALOT more cleaning agents over the 0w40 considering it's specific for "long drain intervals", even though i'm still doing it every 7500km regardless. I reset my trip odometer & watch the k's tick close to 7k then "book in a time" with my mechanic. I'm usually dead on intervals or before 😂

45 minutes ago, campbeam said:

Recommended oils are slightly different between the Aurion 40 series and Aurion 50. Later 2GR engines used newer manufacturing processes and materials for closer tolerances and to improve fuel efficiency. 

2GRs are known to be more prone to sludge. It has been put down to modern engine design and small oil galleries. Engine really needs high quality oil and regular oil changes to prevent sludge build up.

The "screw up" is a recommended oil change interval of 15K kms or 12 months. Lot to be said for the old school approach of regular oil changes every 5K or 6 months if you are a long term owner or a used car buyer. 

As for the lower tension rings, I think this is a recent development for later engines manufactured since 2014 [?]

I had a feeling they'd have differences even though the 50 & 40 series are identical in terms of 2GR-FE (and associated power/torque outputs)

Any idea what visc the 50's are calling for ?, or still recommended 5w30/0w30 ?. This is why you go off the extreme operating conditions and do it every 7500km haha !

15k intervals, yeah... that wouldn't be so much of an issue if your commute to work was 80km - 100km freeway only twice a day 😂😂

I believe low tension rings have been around long before 2010. E.g Camry 2.4L was notorious for it !

Also another thing, Mobil 1 0w40 is only rated at API SN GF-5

Where as ENVIRO+ GF-S is SN Plus, GF6-A 😉 with GF-5 backwards compatibility.

3 hours ago, campbeam said:

Good to hear from you particularly the feedback on 0W-40 oil in your 1MZ-FE engine. I was wondering whether the 0W viscosity was a bit too low for your engine.

Anyway, I bought some 0W-40 engine oil [5 litre containers] when it was on special and yet to use. Most likely will use 5 litres of the 0W-40 and add a litre of 10W-40 or 15W-40 in my 2GR-FE engine. Because I do a lot of short distance driving, I have been doing very frequent oil changes to keep on desludging the engine. Finally making progress after 5 years and refining my overkill oil change procedure. 

If you go back through recent posts, you will find a YouTube video presented by The Car Nut about engine oil and filters. if you have not seen it before, then very worthwhile looking at his series of videos. 

 

It's not that it was too low, i just felt the 40 weight vs the 30 weight, well.... 30 weight it's alot more snappy, probably because the oils flowing at the rate toyota want, aka not too thick haha !

By the book "oil chart", what oils does the 2GR-FE recommend and/or alternatives ?

Kinda curious to see how they changed. I gather with lower tension rings being a thing with newer engines, promotes oil burning early on i guess. All in order to quote unquote "reduce fuel consumption". 

It still puzzles me how the 2GR's are so prone to sludge. Where did they screw up i wonder......

I have actually, it was intriguing 😁

6 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Hi Tommy. Haven't heard from you in a while. All is good in the Aurion world, thanks for asking.

Excellent report by the way !.  I'm glad you were able to find the sweet spot for oil choice. The Toyota engineers are a pretty smart bunch and who am I to challenge them ? I and most others here tend to follow their recommendation too. If it says 5w-30 on the oil cap then 5w-30 it is. 

The drag you mention with the 5w-40 is appreciated as these Toyota engines are built with a much higher precision than the Holden and Ford era equivalent. Those engines will run on virtually anything and not bat an eyelid lol.

I somehow missed your last post. I like that tint gadget. Didn't know there was such a thing. Very cool !

Nice to hear from you. Take care mate 

Well they prefer 5w30, but can run on a 40 or 50 weight. Of course they'll run on anything 😂😂😂

Hell they'd probably run on molasses lol !

What's funny is the oil cap doesn't actually have the spec printed on it, for whatever reason i'm yet to see another AU spec MZ with it like the US market have. 5w40 is good, but like my mechanic said (even me) "if it's not burning it, leave it"

The ENVIRO+ has alot of additives in it over lets say HPR5, hence why i prefer the additive packs where cleanliness, wear protection, etc is concerned. Although HPR5 is Penrite's biggest seller "liquid gold" basically.

Update: 7500km interval

After numerous long trips, mixed driving, WOT moments, etc. I'm happy to report the Avalon ran beautifully, with one minor thing i noticed. It's as if it wasn't liking the 0w40, didn't burn a drop though i'm happy to report. So, after numerous research i've settled on what the engineers & book state. Which is 5w30 recommended which DOES protect in temps well above 38°C. 

So long as it meets the specs as per my owners manual.

*API SL/SM or higher 

Energy Conserving 

ILSAC (GF-3 & GF-4) 

* Designates applications to 1MZ-FE 2004 or newer. 

So i've decided on Penrite ENVIRO+ 5w30 GF-S, immediately i noticed the car ran better than the 0w40. But then again, Toyota V6's are super picky with what oil you run in them (well.... MZ or newer)

It provides me with the viscosity, tbn, cleaning properties, etc i want. Whilst being a brilliant oil. It's not too thin at all, now it validates what the engineers recommend with Toyota, just stick with it. 

Penrite ENVIRO+ GF-S (formally GF-5)

https://www.penriteoil.com.au/products/enviro-gf-s-5w-30-full-syn

Running thicker oil doesn't always give you more protection, sometimes the opposite, too much drag, etc - in turn (worse fuel economy, etc) Toyota's aren't like Falcon's & Commodore's where you can run dinosaur oil, they're alot more "highly engineered". I'm sticking with ENVIRO+. We'll see how much it's cleaned everything out again at my next service !

4 bolt mains & cross bolted mains on the 1MZ in my opinion is overkill 😂

Same with the forged steel crank, but that's just another reason these are such brilliant engines. Not to mention they make pretty impressive power per litre too.

KW ÷ Displacement × 1000

Volumetric efficiency i think it falls under ?

Other than that, i hope everyone is well. Especially in the Aurion world, among other 6cyl models from Toyota 😁

52 minutes ago, Hiro said:

Nope, bottom hose (so cool side/engine inlet)

I've actually seen so many diagrams with two sensors on that side, so i was like "hang on where's my bloody diagram with the single fan switch" lol

But thanks to you, well it's the switch i'm after. So knowing it's the cool side, a lower temp fan switch can only be beneficial then 😁

I dunno why some are vertical & others horizontal 😂

Different applications maybe ?, Lexus might call for a different placement, etc. The Avalon's up until 09/2003 had a lower temp fan switch that came (ON @ 90°C) (OFF @ 85°C) ones built after 09/2003 were fitted with the one below.

Dunno why they went to a hotter one for (ON @ 95°C) (OFF @ 90°C)

8 hours ago, campbeam said:

https://www.penriteoil.com.au/assets/pis_pdfs/HPR 5 5W-40 (Full Synthetic).pdf

I already run HPR 5 in the Calais, loves it. I'm actually trying the GF-S (formally GF-5) next service on the Avalon. Biggest thing i look at is their shear protection. Not to mention it calls for a 5w30 "preferred", no real need to go thicker considering it was on 5w30 before i tried 0w40. Many cars can run 5w30 well past 400,000km, engineers simply would state "you don't need to go thicker" they have a broad temp range to work with

Not to mention the ENVIRO+ GF-S/GF-5 is a f**king brilliant oil. I've just been trying to find a trusted oil that actually protects, does what i want, keeps the engine clean, etc. I'm not leaking or burning oil so 5w30 is offering very similar specs to the 0w40, which is more closer to a 30 weight than a 40 weight when hot.

17 hours ago, campbeam said:

Sounds like a good idea to me.

Lower head temperatures should help prevent or reduce potential of head gasket blowing. 

1MZ's don't really blow head gaskets, but they sure destroy oil 😂😂😂

Hence why i'm trying an alternative to Mobil 1 0w40 with near or similar specs. 

Hence why i feel dropping the fan switch parameters to 85°C - 90° (82°C thermostat which is factory) instead of 90°C - 95°C. It can only be beneficial realistically. Unplug that switch & them fans really ramp up. The ECU/Air con calls for high speed fans commonly with temps outside past 25°C, which is good. So either that switch calls for them OR the ECU. 

Pretty sure i'm not exactly stupid 😂

8 hours ago, Hiro said:

Remember that a lot of Toyota thermostats are installed on the inlet side to the engine/head (ie the "cool" side, or the bottom radiator hose) so they will be rated significantly lower than the boiling temp of the coolant etc unlike thermos installed in the top hose/"hot" side.  Need to be careful when comparing temps between engine manufacturers.

Pretty sure the 1MZ-FE's thermostat on the outlet side, because i know they have an external cast alloy filler neck. But the fan switch is located on the thermostat (near the starter motor) in simple term. I unplug it, they go into a "default" HIGH fan speed in the event that cooling fan switch fails, if it was a hot day (like that warm day we had in vic not long ago, i unplugged it then turned the ignition on, thus instantly the fans kicked on HIGH), ran them for about 1 - 2mins to cool the radiator down, started the engine and temps plummeted, then i shut it off. It wasn't overheating but i know how it operates on the temp gauge normally vs a warm day. 

Figured a lower temp fan switch won't cause any drama anyhow. I got to flush (well, drain & refill) my radiator with pink super long life coolant anyhow seeing as it's due for replacement.

Hey guys, i'm not a complete noob but i'm actually curious about those that have actually owned 1MZ-FE powered vehicles. I've recently had an interesting thing pop up in my mind, so i figured i'd ask the community their opinion.

Right, so first things first.....

The 1MZ-FE runs a factory 82°C thermostat (which in my opinion is perfect) considering comparable vehicles (Holden 3.8L's run significantly warmer, same with Falcon's 91°C & 92°C thermostats respectively. But fans don't really kick on till 104°C, now i'm well aware the more pressure you have, raises the boiling point of coolant and all that. I don't need that.

But my question is, so... seeing as the 1MZ-FE is such a simple engine to work on. Factory fan switch (which controls the cooling fans) in my opinion isn't really the ideal temp for Australian climate.

82°C thermostat 

Fans don't kick on till

ON @ 95°C 

OFF @ 90°C 

(Theoretical operating temp @ cylinder head before thermostat with stock fan switch is approx 110°C - 120°C)

Mind you the 1MZ's do have up to 20° higher head temps by design, thus likely to sludge without regular oil changes, they shear oil pretty heavily. Now, i can get a replacement fan switch that drops the temp to

ON @ 90°C 

OFF @ 85°C

(Now calculating temps that drops the theoretical head temps before the thermostat running a lower temp fan switch to around 100°C - 110°C) - which personally i'm alot more comfortable with. 

In my opinion it's all for emissions, i don't really see an issue in doing so, just to bring head temps down, i'm not altering the operating temp, simply keeping it more in line with the actual temp range (82°C - 90°C) - might help in other areas too. Especially on a hot day. 

Bit of info or opinions is highly welcomed 

Kind regards 

Tom

3 hours ago, ZZT86 said:

I'm a long time fan of Yokies but not tried them in years. Isn't the BluEarth an Eco tyre ?

The AE50 was more a mild GT & eco 

But they weren't a true eco tyre if that makes sense ?. Where the AE51 is aimed more at GT, handling, wet & dry stopping improvements, tread was redesigned for better water removal, grip, whilst being comfortable but not as soft compared to a Primacy 4. The latest 51's are worth a run.

Stiffer sidewalls too, thus improving handling somewhat. 

I think the eco range is Yokohama BluEarth ES 

BluEarth A AE50 

New* BluEarth GT AE51

Still sold as seperate tyres but Yokohama have come a very long way recently. They've basically expanded the BluEarth range.

Pics below you can see the clear tread improvements (water, slits, etc)

1 hour ago, campbeam said:

Most likely because I am price sensitive 😁, I noticed that 215/60/16 size tyres were cheaper than 215/55/16 or 225/55/16 tyres.

I want a tyre i can have spirited driving with, hence the lower profile. It's actually funny because i could swear 205/60's were more expensive than 215/55's 😂

So after speaking to my guys at Tyrepower (owner & next best fitter), a contact i acquired when i was with Mercedes. I told them my strict criteria. And after my near close call today, the conti's are going. They don't have adequate slits to allow water to escape so they're going ASAP (all 5 wheels)

Yokohama BluEarth GT's AE51 are the number one recommended. For the best all round firm GT tyre.

And to confirm on a 16x6, 225 is the absolute widest you can go safely. 

Usually 215 is recommended. 

But hey, keep the ideas rolling 😁

5 hours ago, ZZT86 said:

Sad. As I posted in another thread Hydrogen is coming . . . .  just give it time.

True, very true

What next ?, bringing back steam engines ? Lol

3 hours ago, campbeam said:

Stricter emission standards and manufacturers have responded with better fuel efficient engines.

 

Toyota’s solution was to introduce the 2GR-FKS engine which uses 95 RON and produces 224KW.

 

Toyota is introducing a twin turbo V6 engine to replace the V8.

 

https://www.carshowroom.com.au/news/the-end-of-toyota-s-v8-is-nigh-to-be-replaced-with-turbo-v6-engines-report/

 

Probably explains why sales of the V8 Landcruisers have increased significantly.

 

https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-news/is-this-the-300-series-effect-land-cruiser-200-series-v8-sales-soar-as-countdown-to-all-new

 

 

 

Yeah, stricter bulls**t more like it.

Yet the outgoing Aurion 2GR-FE is quicker 0-100 compared to the 8sp Camry. Go figure 😂

*I trust Pdrive TV results 100%, very accurate testing*

Well in all respect all they essentially did was put the Lexus GS350 V6 in. 

13 hours ago, campbeam said:

Being the bearer of bad news, you have not brightened up my Monday afternoon.

With nominal sales, it was inevitable and not such a hard decision to make for Toyota. Hybrids are selling quickly so makes sense to free up the production line to manufacture more of that model .

I am waiting for the next generation battery packs and more efficient and powerful electric motors to be fitted to an upgraded Hybrid sedan model. A 250-300 KW output specification would be a nice upgrade.

It would have been interesting, i'll give you that. But in a way i suppose what i look at is why couldn't they be simple & beef up the 2GR-FE ?

You don't need 12 bloody injectors for a V6, port & direct injection. Chrysler have shown you can extract power from a regular port injected V6 just fine, whilst still having low emissions, etc

My main shortlist was

(Availability in 215/55/R16 or with a squeeze for more grip even though putting a 225 on a 16x6 rim isn't common, but it's still safe)

Yokohama BluEarth AE51 GT

*(215/55/R16 97 W)

(225/55/R16 99 W)

Michelin Primacy 4

*(215/55/R16 97 W) 

(225/55/R16 99 W) 

Hankook Ventus S1 Noble 2

*(215/55/R16 97 W)

(225/55/R16 95 W)

I've used these before & they're a solid tyre if i'm honest. Very dependable in the wet, even in cars with more hp/torque than my Avalon.

All have similar load ratings so choosing can be difficult 😂

2 hours ago, campbeam said:

I am mainly interested in Touring tyres with excellent wet weather performance. It is why I have the latest generation of the Michelin Primacy tyres on my shortlist. They are available in the sizes that you are wanting.

You could look at the Bridgestone Potenza and there is a current 4 for 3 promotion.

If you are after a top quality performance tyre then you should seriously consider the Michelin Pilot Sport 4.

Only thing is PS4's aren't available in my size unfortunately.

I'm sticking away from conti's knowing how poorly they wear, i could go Pirelli P7 Cinturato's but again, they're disappointing.

I've seen really positive results first hand from the new Yokohama BluEarth AE51 GT's, they're a really decent tyre. Vastly improved over the AE50's, especially in tread design, wet grip, etc.

Michelin Primacy 4's i've also seen good reviews on.

I already run Pilot Sport 4's on my Calais (235/45/R17), they're super sticky. Great comfort, grip especially, etc.

I prefer quality brands. I'd never touch a Bridgestone, they lack in key areas 😂😂

I contemplated Conti UC6's but seeing they're made in China, i'll pass... especially the "premium" for Continental.

To our unfortunate disappointment, Toyota has done the inevitable and discontinued the V6 Camry. Which in itself was very disheartening to hear. Simply due to low sales. Mainly because people brought the Hybrid, no offense but i've driven a Camry hybrid, it was terrible. Especially that elastic band feeling CVT made the power delivery feel laboured/sluggish. 

Long live the Aurion in my opinion. Australia should have brought the current gen Avalon in from the states to replace the Aurion.

Call me a snob but i don't like 4cyl's for the life of me, simply for the NVH & roughness of all 4cyl engines, regardless of who makes it. They just feel unrefined in multiple areas.

What's your opinion on the matter of them discontinuing the best power per dollar V6 ?

They already dropped the Lexus ES350 so we should have seen it coming to Australia.

https://www.caradvice.com.au/906860/toyota-camry-v6-dead-in-australia-axed-with-2021-facelift/

So, ladies & gentlemen... few months update.

I've been monitoring my tyre life, but unfortunately i have to report the current continental tyres on my Avalon are wearing pretty averagely. There's nothing wrong with my alignment, etc - but the grip is negligible.

Now the factory rim size off memory is

16x6 JJ with (off memory) 45° offset

205/60/R16 were factory fitted 

I upgraded to 215/55/R16

Slightly lower profile, speedo accuracy is negligible (1.48% out)

Where as i want to correct that, now i can technically JUST fit a 225/55/R16 and get more grip, and also the speedo correction will basically be -0.23 (essentially dead accurate)

Because even the continental's i have at the moment struggle for grip if i really push the Avalon from a stand still in some situations, i just guess she was made on a good day, it has no issue getting out of it's way. Also braking isn't as good which shocks me.

Can anyone reccomend branded/respected brands with great grip over what i have, even so a 225 should boost grip substantially over a 205. I could get 205/55's in Michelin Pilot Sport 4's but personally i wana try have more rubber on the road if possible. I know the PS4's are excellent regardless of the size

Sizes i'm after preferably 225/55/R16 or 215/55/R16

Last resort is a 205/55/R16 Pilot Sport 4 unless i get more grip from the alternates.