3ZZFE - Oil Consumption

[kompressor]

Hello! I have a Corolla with a 3ZZFE. The car as 156000 km's. Always assisted on a Toyota dealer with 10W40 oil. From the 150000 I star to do the oil change my self and put 5W30 original Toyota oil on it. The problem is that after 5600 km´s I noticed that on the dipstick "misses" 8 mm, of oil, from the max marc... Can this be consider a "big problem" or is this normal on the engines?
PS: The daily basis is 12 km journy...

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

One quart per 5000 miles is normal ... so for you that would be, more or less, from full to low on the dipstick every 8000 km.

Anything else is considered excessive, but if you have to throw in a quart between oil changes you're still in decent shape, just means the oil rings are showing their age.

You also used a thinner oil, so that's normal to see more consumption than you did before (always use the recommended oil for the engine/temperature of your are).

If you start going to thicker oils, you'll destroy the top end of the motor and starting spinning main bearings.

 

[kompressor]

One quart per 5000 miles is normal ... so for you that would be, more or less, from full to low on the dipstick every 8000 km.

Anything else is considered excessive, but if you have to throw in a quart between oil changes you're still in decent shape, just means the oil rings are showing their age.

You also used a thinner oil, so that's normal to see more consumption than you did before (always use the recommended oil for the engine/temperature of your are).

If you start going to thicker oils, you'll destroy the top end of the motor and starting spinning main bearings.

Thanks for the input! So waht do you mean by "you'll destroy the top end of the motor and starting spinning main bearings"? I'm using the oil recommendantion that came on the manual (5W30). The Toyota dealer as another opinion (10W40)... By the way: can I put 5W40?

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

You can use any oil viscosity you wish, however what is best for the engine may be another matter.

What year is your Corolla? Some oil consumption is perfectly normal. By design, all engines consume at least some oil.

 

[kompressor]

You can use any oil viscosity you wish, however what is best for the engine may be another matter.

What year is your Corolla? Some oil consumption is perfectly normal. By design, all engines consume at least some oil.

Hello! So my Corolla is from 10/2005. And another question: I have a Yaris 1.0 vvti (made on 2002) with 156000 kms on the clock and NEVER consume any oil at all... Same drive style; same road; same everything! Oh! And runs on LPG!!!

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

For your 2005 Toyota Corolla, Toyota engineers prefer the 5W-30 viscosity. Virtually no car in the world comes with the 10W-40 viscosity anymore and it's almost obsolete. A thicker oil like a 10W-40 will reduce fuel economy, reduce power, increase engine wear, increase emissions, reduce throttle response and increase engine operating temperatures, which are all not advantageous to have happen.

By design, any engine consumes some oil. The oil drain intervals you are using with your Yaris are not long enough to show on the dipstick that any oil is being used between oil changes. But all engines use at least some oil. If they don't, something is wrong and the piston rings would be wearing out prematurely.

For your 2005 Corolla, try using a better oil and that may very well reduce oil consumption. I feel AMSOIL synthetic motor oils, The First in Synthetics, (TM), pioneered the synthetic oil industry for cars/trucks and this is the distributor in Portugal -

Comopor Comercio de Máquinas e Equipamentos Lda
Antonio Neto
Apartado 84 2460-601
Alcobaça Portugal
00.351.244769860
comopor@comopor.pt or a.neto@comopor.pt
www.comopor.pt

Here is the link to the AMSOIL 5W-30 product description. High quality synthetic oils like AMSOIL typically reduce oil consumption -

http://www.amsoil.com/shop/find/product/asl?zo=349698

Reduces Oil Consumption and Emissions
Volatility (burn-off) occurs when oil gets hot, causing high oil consumption and emissions. AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil exhibits an extremely low volatility rate; it controls volatility-related oil consumption and emissions.

I hope this helps you out.

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

Thanks for the input! So waht do you mean by "you'll destroy the top end of the motor and starting spinning main bearings"? I'm using the oil recommendantion that came on the manual (5W30). The Toyota dealer as another opinion (10W40)... By the way: can I put 5W40?

If you use a thicker oil than the engine was designed to use, it may be so thick that it fails to lubricate the tight spots (such as main and connecting rod bearings, cam bearings, etc.)

When these components get starved of oil, you'll end up spinning them, at which point the oil hole will become blocked, and once that happens the engine chews the bearing up and the engine is trashed.

I'd stick with 5w30. No need for 10w40 unless you live in a hot area that never gets cold.

As far as 5w40, I shy away from viscosity that is not recommended, as they can void the warranty. It's not worth it.

 

[kompressor]

Hello! Thanks again for the reply. Ok. So... I had 3 Nissan (N15 and N16) and none "eat" any oil. Not a single ml on the dipstick... But if say engines consume some oil... I start to have another problem: I can find 5W40 of any brand (Castrol; Bp and so on) but I cant find 5W30!!! And the 5W40 is a lot cheaper!!!!

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

5W-30 is one of the most common oil viscosities of all. Contact the people at the link I left for you.

A vehicles engine is worth thousands of dollars. Never select an oil on price, but on its performance.

If you go long enough on oil change intervals you will discover that any engine consumes some oil.

Again, what year is your Corolla?

 

[kompressor]

Like I said early the car is from 2005. Its a VVTI engine. As for the oil. the problem here in Portugal is the lack from brands... We just have the Castrol and BP... The rest are very few and very expensive!!!
And I cahnge the oil every 10000 km's or a year.
PS: On my other post I mean 5W30 instead of 5W40. The 5W40 now is very easy (and cheap) to find!

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

Do you really want cheap oil in an engine worth thousands?

For the best oil that wont burn off so fast and will pay for itself in reduced oil change costs and improved fuel economy, AMSOIL synthetic motor oils, contact -

Comopor Comercio de Máquinas e Equipamentos Lda
Antonio Neto
Apartado 84 2460-601
Alcobaça Portugal
00.351.244769860
comopor@comopor.pt or a.neto@comopor.pt
www.comopor.pt

 

[kompressor]

Do you really want cheap oil in an engine worth thousands?

For the best oil that wont burn off so fast and will pay for itself in reduced oil change costs and improved fuel economy, AMSOIL synthetic motor oils, contact -

Comopor Comercio de Máquinas e Equipamentos Lda
Antonio Neto
Apartado 84 2460-601
Alcobaça Portugal
00.351.244769860
comopor@comopor.pt or a.neto@comopor.pt
www.comopor.pt

Is BP/Castrol a BAD BRAND????

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

No brands are, "bad", per-se.

Maybe a better question would be, which is the best brand that will save me the most money?