Short version:
My 2002 Camry burns oil (though I never notice extra smoke exiting the exhaust). I have to add a quart every 200-300 miles. There's also a knocking noise. It started around 175,00 miles (currently around 182k) and otherwise in fine shape.

Longer story:
Early this year the engine started driving really loud when accelerating. We drove it like that for a couple days, then it started acting sluggish when accelerating too. I *think* it was around this time a knocking started occuring in the engine. The engine light eventually came on and we had it checked out. It was the catalytic converter and I had it replaced. Interestingly, the catalytic converter had already been replaced by the previous owner around 100k miles too.

It drove just fine after that for a couple weeks, though a light knocking remained. Eventually another engine code came up. VVTi Actuator Malfunction code got thrown. Code is P1349. Uh oh.

I had two repair places tell me the "engine was bad" and one place willing to swap out the actuator. They said when they did the old one was gunky so it makes sense. The code stayed off for a month or so, though the knocking stayed. Eventually it came on again. Now it's constntly on and only goes away for the first 10-15 miles after an oil chance.

So I'm willing to believe that the engine is dirty, has carbon build-up, or has O-ring wear.

But why did it happen after the actuator was replaced? What's causing the actuator to get dirty and throw off the timing still?


But mainly my 2 questions are:

1) If I keep driving it like this, will it cause other serious problems? It's driven absolutely fine for 6 months and 7k miles (except for the knocking). Someone knowledgeable said that it's possible the catalytic converter would be strained and have to be replaced sooner. That's an expensive item I'd like to avoid.

2) What can be done about it? I'm guessing the response will be that the engine needs to be overhauled, pistons clean, rings replaced, etc. But that will cost a couple grand, right? And it's not even guaranteed to fix the problem, is it? I'm not sure the car is worth it.

 

Is this a 4 cylinder, if so the engine has two issues?

This engine model has a design problem the result being it can burn a LOT of oil. This has nothing to do with the actuator, engine needing cleaning, etc.

The fix is an engine overhaul with new pistons and rings. Toyota has owned up to the design flaw and come out with a service bulletin for warranty repairs but your car is long out of warranty.

The actuator system is prone to plugging of the oil passages. There is a screen inside one oil passage that can plug up, make sure the screen is clean.

Burned oil poisons converters, the converter may have been damaged by the large amount of burned oil passing through the exhaust

Would need to listen to the knocking noise to determine possible causes. Could be rod bearing, timing chain tensioner or the VVTi system.

The link below has info on the VVTi system operation:

http://www.justanswer.com/uploads/sk...camry_vvti.pdf

Suggest you search this forum and sites such as Toyotanation.com for oil burning issues for a 2AZ-FE engine model and code P1349 VVti system and knocking.

Nothing besides an engine overhaul will fix the oil burning situation. The VVTi issue could be as simple as cleaning the oil debris screen. An overhaul replacement would cost at least several thousand, Toyota has a new piston and ring design which should (?) fix the problem.