2002 Corolla - Burning Too Much Oil?

#52
You'll need to change the PCM and wiring since they are different motors, and it is possible that the mounts won't line up since these are different generation engines and Corollas.
 
#56
It's a 2001 corolla with 185,000. Uses a quart about every 500 mile. Toyotas are the only vehicle I've ever owned and have kept the oil changed every 3000 miles. This is the first one to use oil on this level. Thanks for any input.
 
#59
What do you mean by ....

... "if we catch it soon enough there may be hope"? I do seem to get the impression that some on this forum are implying that a different oil type might help. If so, what's the theory???
 
#60
Same issue

I have an 02 corolla, I've been putting Mobile1 5W-30 in it and it burns a qt about every 300 miles. I drive almost all city miles and it takes me almost 2 weeks to hit 300 miles. I had a toyota dealership do a comp test and it came back 200-210psi on all cylinders. The previous owner had to replace the catalytic converter because the oil consumption had fouled it up. I am suspecting that to be the case again along with fouled up o2 sensors because I have occasional jerking, running rich/lean, rough idle, etc. I only paid $2400 for it and it now had 170k miles on it, so... If I can keep topping off the oil and get avg 35mpgs for the next 30k miles, I guess I'll just deal with it rather than trying to spend a ton of money trying to fix this problem. If I drive it for 2-3 years and don't have to spend anything more than oil, gas, brakes, tires, etc. I'd be happy to give it away.
 
#61
My 02 is burning a quart every 100 miles. Car has 150k on it. Check engine light just came on. Before that happen the car started jerking and idleing bad. The jerking you felt on the highway at 65mph, had to speed up to stop it. Parked it and and it hasent done it again in a few day but the check engine light is on. I also suspect the plugs, 02 sensor, and or cat is getting clogged with oil. But the car gets a consistant 35mpg
 
#62
I suspect the spark plugs are becoming fouled with oil and misfiring. Unburned fuel being sent out the exhaust because of misfiring spark plugs will destroy the catalytic convertor. Very expensive to replace. Things will start going down hill faster from here unless the situation is addressed. Using a high quality P.A.O. based synthetic oil in a 10W-40 viscosity may help the situation. High quality P.A.O. based synthetic oils burn much cleaner than old school petroleum oils do and can help reduce or even eliminate spark plug oil fouling.

One of my customers had a car that was burning a quart of oil about every 150 miles and fouling out a set of spark plugs every week, which was getting very expensive. We moved the engine up to AMSOIL 10W-40 Premium Protection synthetic motor oil - http://www.amsoil.com/shop/find/product/amo?zo=349698 and the car never fouled a spark plug again for years afterwards. Oil consumption was reduced to about a quart every 1,100 - 1,200 miles, which also saved a lot of money in oil costs. We also used the AMSOIL Engine Flush to help clean out the engine and free up the piston rings from the petroleum oil sludge and goo that was making them stick, not seal and allowing oil up into the combustion chamber where it was burned and sent out the exhaust. http://www.amsoil.com/shop/find/product/flshcn?zo=349698
 
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#63
Pontiac,
Sounds exactly like my problem. I figure that the semi-clogged cat is causing back pressure, pushing fumes back up the pipe, causing the engine to choke. I've been thinking about taking the cat off and straight piping it to test my theory. I don't know how that would mess with the o2 sensors... the code on my check engine is bad cat
 
#64
Well I swapped out my plugs. 3 of the 4 look good but the 4th had corrosion. The previous owner said he changed them. That was 7k miles ago. I also removed my negative battery terminal for about 20 min and the check engine light cleared.
 
#65
If you have the onboard computer scanned at Autozone, Advance Auto Parts, etc., (they'll do this for free), the trouble code will still be stored in the computers memory. Disconnecting the battery doesn't erase it, it can just reset the monitors that monitor the various functions of the vehicle and after driving a few days, they will become ready again and turn the check engine light back on if the problem that caused the light to come on in the first place wasn't repaired anyway.
 

Kev250R

This is my other car
#66
If you have one plug with corrosion on it that could be indicative of a blown headgasket. How often are you having to add coolant?

Kevin
 
#67
Doesnt use any coolant. If it was a head gasket i would be loosing coolant, and i would be seeing it in the oil. I go through about 1 qt of oil per 100 or so miles. Here is a pic of my plugs. 3 looked good (like the one pic) and 1 looked like this. I was told these plugs were changed about 7-8k miles ago. Cant guarantee that, but the previous owner said he changed them. Same guy that didnt tell me the car is buring oil..........
 

Attachments

#68
That's all carbon fouling ... seems like #4 is severely burning oil.

Try synthetic and engine flush as Scott suggested, see if it helps. If it doesn't, then the damage has already been done and the engine needs to be rebuilt with updated pistons.
 
#69
Most "synthetic oils" aren't truly P.A.O. based Group IV synthetic oils that can help to reduce oil consumption. No, most of them are merely petroleum oils subjected to more refining. That's not a synthetic oil in the traditional sense of the term, no way, no how.
 
#70
I suspect the spark plugs are becoming fouled with oil and misfiring. Unburned fuel being sent out the exhaust because of misfiring spark plugs will destroy the catalytic convertor. Very expensive to replace. Things will start going down hill faster from here unless the situation is addressed. Using a high quality P.A.O. based synthetic oil in a 10W-40 viscosity may help the situation. High quality P.A.O. based synthetic oils burn much cleaner than old school petroleum oils do and can help reduce or even eliminate spark plug oil fouling.

One of my customers had a car that was burning a quart of oil about every 150 miles and fouling out a set of spark plugs every week, which was getting very expensive. We moved the engine up to AMSOIL 10W-40 Premium Protection synthetic motor oil - and the car never fouled a spark plug again for years afterwards. Oil consumption was reduced to about a quart every 1,100 - 1,200 miles, which also saved a lot of money in oil costs. We also used the AMSOIL Engine Flush to help clean out the engine and free up the piston rings from the petroleum oil sludge and goo that was making them stick, not seal and allowing oil up into the combustion chamber where it was burned and sent out the exhaust./QUOTE]

Great info here, thanks a bunch! I have a 2002 Corolla and was looking into doing an engine flush after reading this. I read - "In very old cars, however, the engine flush might clean these piston rings, valves, and other parts a little too well. Sometimes, the gunk acts as spackle in non-metallic parts like rubber seals that have cracked with age. Cleaning out the gunk exposes those cracks, and the weakness of those parts becomes apparent." I am wondering if you have found this to be true and if I should still go for it?
 
#71
My 2002 Corolla also has been going on about a qt every 100 miles. about 150,000 miles. After doing a scan, I had p0300, p0303, p0440, p0441, and p0446. Could all of these be connected? I've replaced the spark plugs and about to change out the ignition coils. Thanks!
 
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