Recently bought my wife a Camry. I was aware of the oil consumption that these motors have. I kept checking the dipstick every week after we bought the car. After we put about 1800 miles on the car. There was no oil consumption. Then I checked it at around 2500 miles and all of a sudden the dipstick was just below the minimum line. I went straight to the store and added a quart of oil and it put it around the 75% mark I would say. Why would the motor suddenly consume a whole quart in just 700 miles. Would this seem normal among the guidelines of engine consumption? Anybody have over 200,000 miles on these engines that are consuming oil? I am worried that the owner before me did not check the oil frequently and deprived the motor. I am just assuming the average person doesn't check there oil that often.

 

I have an 07 as well and my engine does consume a little a bit of oil at about the 1500-2000 mile mark. I usually have to add half a quart or less. My engine doesn't seem to be too bad but I make sure to get my regular oil changes at the 3-4000 mile mark. I think that you can go longer but I figure the changing of the oil will help take out some of the sludge.

I'm not sure why your car suddenly ate a quart. Were the driving conditions different during that 700 miles, like a long road trip?

My car is just shy of 140K miles right now (need to update my signature!) and going very well. I might be one of a few though.

 

Check PVC system.

 

Driving conditions weren't changed. Just a mix of city and highway. I remember reading the owners manual saying it's normal for some oil consumption but did it specify how much?

I also plan on changing the PCV valve. Don't think it will change the consumption but I am a firm believer in changing it. As I did my matrix at 77k miles. I would also like to try using some BG engine oil treatment some time in the future.

 

The PVC system could be plugged up resulting increased engine internal pressure and oil consumption.

This engine has a tendency to burn oil if the oil return holes in the pistons oil ring grove become plugged with carbon. Switching to a synthetic oil might help prevent or slow this action.

 

Just got an oil change 5 days ago. Put about 500 miles on the car and the oil went from full on the dipstick to half way mark In between full and low. Is this normal? About how much oil is that half a quart? Looks like I'll try doing the pcv valve first.

 

Depends on who is stating what normal is. Most owners would state not normal, Toyota states 1 quart per 1200 miles is normal.

There are various post on the internet and at this site on oil consumption issue plus a service bulletin.

Toyota Engine Excessive Oil Consumption | ToyotaProblems.com

Toyota Hit with Class Action Lawsuit over Oil Consumption Defect

 

Ya I had read those. First 3000 miles my wife drived the car it only burned about 1 quart maybe about 1.3 to make it at the full line of the dipstick. Now it's looking like in on my way to a quart every 1000 miles. That's a little excessive but I have to deal with it.

 

Check anything that could cause excessively high internal engine pressure.

Make sure the oil level is for some reason not excessively high.

The increase in oil consumption can be sudden.

Switch to full synthetic to possibly slow the carbon built up pistons.

Some owners have tried chemical solvents in the cylinders to try to dissolve the deposits. Then letting the chemicals act on the deposits over night (or for a few days) and changing the oil. If going this route keep in mind these liquid solvents are not compressible. If excess fluid is in the cylinder and you go to start the engine, damage could be done. Get all fluid out before starting. One other issue is the engine block is aluminum and solvents will dissolve any engine oil on the cylinders walls also.

For those thinking about buying a Toyota, consider avoiding the 4-cylinder 2AZ-FE engine.

 

my 2007 LE 4 cyl started doing this somewhere around 90k in 2012. it was sudden and drastic. It has about 180k on it now and has not had the enhanced warranty repair yet. at about 120k it started making knocking noises but only under load and I've already tried to get the dealer to diagnose but they say they cant reproduce it... so I shouldn't end up having to fix it to get the pistons. Unfortunatley, it didn't fail the first test last year because just before becoming aware of the enhanced warranty I attempted to remedy the problem on my own with solvents cause the dealers kept telling me its normal. Its scheduled for test tomorrow and I know its going to fail. I'm going to qualify for the repair but it still just doesn't make sense to me to put new pistons into a 180k motor and do nothing else. =/ I have inquired about discount on swapping with new motor, for the amount they would have spent on piston replacement, but no dice. Even though its made it so far I am still concerned about catastrophic failure due to premature wear that's no fault of my own. I did read of a guy that uses a 07 as a taxicab and he had well over 200k on it and cant get the warranty repair because hes admitted to using it for "commercial" purposes which Toyota says is abuse... you just have to keep putting oil in it.