Smell of Oil, whining engine sound

MRMike · February 29, 2004, 19:11

I went out in the car last night, experimenting with my GTECH, so needless to say I was exercising the car shall we say. Anyways I got back, and the car stank of oil in the interior. And when reving at idle it sounded really wheezy, almost like a supercharger whine. I've searched for whines but no one seems to have mentioned it before.

Also After checking my oil, it seems to be a lot darker than when i've looked at it previously. Maybe i'm being paranoid..but Take a look at the pic and see if you think the oil looks dark.. It's not losing any oil incidentally.

m http://www.SpyderMagazine.com/files/oil.jpg m

Cheers,

Anonymous · February 29, 2004, 19:28

errr.... looks like its due for a change!

SteveJ · February 29, 2004, 19:28

Doesn't look overly dark to me. The wheezing noise and oil smell could be because one of the PCV hoses has come adrift (PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Vacuum), and is allowing the oil fumes to find its way into the car.

If the PCV is lost, oil is no longer drawn up into the engine properly, resulting in a lack of lubrication to the top-end (cam shafts etc).

This is a worse case scenario, but should be considered based on the description you have given thus far.

HTH

MRMike · March 1, 2004, 13:36

Thanks for the replies and the diagnosis Steve, I've booked it in so i'll see how i get on.

Cheers,

Mike

markiii · March 1, 2004, 18:52

Quote from: "SteveJ"Doesn't look overly dark to me. The wheezing noise and oil smell could be because one of the PCV hoses has come adrift (PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Vacuum), and is allowing the oil fumes to find its way into the car.

If the PCV is lost, oil is no longer drawn up into the engine properly, resulting in a lack of lubrication to the top-end (cam shafts etc).

This is a worse case scenario, but should be considered based on the description you have given thus far.

HTH

surely not?

he PCV is teir to extract vapor and prevent excess pressure build up.

It's teh job of the oil pump to get the oil up there. Incidentally, Martin ha his blocked off, and hasn't reported problems with it.

MRMike · March 5, 2004, 19:28

Well just took it in to Mr T today...and things have got a lot worse..it's absolutely eating oil and what's left of it is really black and gloopy.

Furthermore it doesn't rev easily past 4k anymore, seems really laboured as if has an extra person, and more on board all the time.

A tech had a look at it this afternoon, and said yeah the oil is not good..and that he noticed that there is hardly any exhaust gasses coming out the back...he thinks it may be the exhaust gasket. I'm just praying that's it's not the cats, as the car seems to have a few of the symptoms...

I'm really not amused by all this, and feel absolutely gutted. As though I've just found out that my fiancé used to be a man. s:shock: :shock: s:shock: It was a major struggle to buy the car in the first place...and now I feel really disillusioned with it. you buy a new car so it won't have these problems..the only consolation is the warranty will cover it...and I'm getting new disks..

Oh well what can you do..so I'm 2 less for a week...and not sure what state my car is in. I know I'll get it back and it'll be fine..but it doesn't half dent your feelings toward it!

Nightmare

markiii · March 5, 2004, 19:33

don't wan't to worry you but those are all symtoms of cat failure.

though you will be teh first 03 to my knowledge if you are

Anonymous · March 5, 2004, 19:34

Quote from: "Mikeharper2"I've just found out that my fiancé used to be a man.

...I had to go back and read this a few times...

markiii · March 5, 2004, 19:35

your blitz kit, is it just teh filter or the full mesh cone jobby?

markiii · March 5, 2004, 19:35

make sure they inspect your pre-cats and document what they find..

MRMike · March 5, 2004, 19:45

Yeah I know Mark..all the syptoms are there..i'm just praying it's not that and it's something 'relatively' simple...the Blitz is just an element not an induction kit.

What astounds me is that despite niggling doubts about oil consumption...there has been nothing wrong with the car. Hell I was doing 0-60 runs in the mid sixes last week..and now this...

Guttted..

aaronjb · March 5, 2004, 19:49

Sorry to hear it Mike s:(

s:( I'd tend to agree with Mark, too.. s:(

s:(

*makes mental note to check oil at the weekend

Group buy on PPE headers for when our warranties run out, anyone?

Slacey · March 5, 2004, 20:25

Quote from: "aaronjb"Group buy on PPE headers for when our warranties run out, anyone?

Funny you should say that, I was thinking the same thing... although I'm tempted to just gut the pre-cats.

aaronjb · March 5, 2004, 20:30

Quote from: "Slacey"
Quote from: "aaronjb"Group buy on PPE headers for when our warranties run out, anyone?
Funny you should say that, I was thinking the same thing... although I'm tempted to just gut the pre-cats.

True - that's a lot cheaper than going for the PPE.. But not half as nice or flash..

Lets not do that GB for a while though, I just handed my notice in at work! s:D

s:D

MRMike · March 5, 2004, 21:31

s:lol: :lol: s:lol: s:lol: :lol: s:lol: I love how you guys can make a potentially very bad situation seem so much better...

GB on the PPE...sounds like a plan!!!

MRMike · March 10, 2004, 12:17

I hate to jump on the Toyota service are absolutely crap bandwagon..but man are they crap. I just rang up to ask how my car was doing..and whether they had diagnosed anything.."it's just in the workshop now it needs some parts, we'll call you when it's ready" Okay what parts does it need I said "oh i dont know". Erm could you find someone who does then. Guy calls me back and says it needs a whole new exhaust/cats etc and "did I want the twin one again?" What ? nah it's okay mate i'll forego the £500 that i paid 6 months ago. s:x :x s:x

I then said I want a call back from someone who can answer me the following, why on earth it needs a new exhaust..i could maybe understand the Ex manifold/cats etc..but not why it needs a new pipe etc..why its consuming oil, why it's making noises, and why it won't accelerate..

No word back yet..I think i'm gonna go back and lay the smack down

MRMike · March 12, 2004, 14:38

Right this time I'm gonna jump and ride the Toyota service sucks bandwagon all day..I am absolutely seething s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted: first of all..

[removed text]

Well as you will know I dropped my car off at Toyota Pinkstones last fri. The tech had a look at it and said yeah most likely pre cats. The disks also needed changing, which they agreed

I rang the other day to check how the work was going, and had a [removed text] girl at the other end of the phone. I said I wanted a call from a tech who could explain EXACTLY what was wrong with my car as I said I wanted the pre-cats looking at..and the oil problem

Same girl rings up, work is all done Mr Harper. Ready to pick up. Okay so what been done I say again.." i'll just get your sheet..disks..we've replaced your oil, and there is no problem with the revs we had it on a machine". I love that term, well who am I to argue with a machine? I said so what, it wasn't throwing any codes it wouldn't say anything. I asked you to look at the pre-cats.

So i said once again let me speak to a tech as there is a problem with the revs etc. She wouldn't let me and said they were too busy. I held for 20 minutes. As I've left the car close to home as i didn't want to drive it back up to Lancs I've had to get my dad to pick it up.

Again he asked whats up with it...no-one seemingly knows..other than some parts were ordered and now its fixed. Oh and the disks that were agreed to be fixed? Well they have sprayed over the rust on 2 out of the 4 disks. I told my dad to refuse to take it home. So its sitting there. I've told them that unless a tech gets back to me I'm going to contact Toyota UK. Still no call.

I am absolutely livid. I don't know what the hell they have done..if anything at all. My impression is they have done absolutely nothing apart from change the oil, and 'spray' the edges of the disks. In which case the car will still be on its death bed.

Should I take it to another dealer? Or wait for the regional service manager to call in the garage and meet him?

[admin edit (mph): removed text for legal reasons]

markiii · March 12, 2004, 15:05

if you haven't already speak to teh aftersales manager at your dealership, and explain to him what you want to know. and why you want to know it, if mentioning that other people have had problems and he asks where mention the owners club,DO NOT use the word internet. Dealers are wary of scare stories that appear on teh internet they won't realise the resource you have at your disposal just happens to be internet based.

be resonable and calm. I know you won't feel like it but trust me it will help.

most customers ata Toyota dealer don't care about all teh stuff we do. Lets face a Yaris owner just drives it. They aren't used to having to cope with people who often know more than they do.

MRMike · March 12, 2004, 15:09

Thanks Mark, I'm just frustrated because the service lady doesn't seem to understand why I would want to know what they have found out..it's fixed after all!!

If they haven't called byEOP today I will call the service manager tomorrow morning.

Thanks again

Anonymous · March 12, 2004, 16:03

Mike, just out of interest, whats your mileage?

MRMike · March 12, 2004, 16:06

A trully unbelievably low 6500 miles.... s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted: 6 months of driving

Anonymous · March 12, 2004, 16:14

That's scary - our has done about 7700 (2003 model as well) - haven't seen any dodgy signs yet (touch wood). Better get a move on getting the TRD header before anything happens.

MRMike · March 12, 2004, 19:38

Well just got off the phone with the service manager, who to be fair was rather excellent. I think he realised I was rather annoyed, the person on service earlier had the audacity to say "all the disks have been repaired, (Sprayed!) it's just that he's powerhosed the car and knocked the paint off two, they were all done earlier"

Anyways the pre-cat on the left bank had fractured, luckily I caught it early, and according to the service manager there is no debris in the main cat. Both pre-cats have been replaced as a matter of course. I'm debating whether to argue the toss and get them to replace the main one as well..

Anyways something struck me, when I was on the phone I mentioned Optimax and he was adamant not to use it. He didn't really give any reasons as to why..but subsequently searching on here it seems that a few people who use super and optimax have had problems. John Woodward stands out as he said how great it was like me only to have problems later on.. As people will know I am an avid supporter of Optimax..but I'm changing my mind now. I'm thinking that as it is ultimately additives that give it this octane rating, one of them is most probably lead. If this is the case its likely to go straight to the cats..

My car has had a diet of absolutely nothing but Optimax since it was bought..and the pre cat has gone after only 6000 miles...Whilst i'm not suggesting that it's the petrol only, I think it may exacerbate the weak pre-cat problem.

I'm also interested in whether the 98 no is the Research Octane no or the Motor Octane no..does anyone know?? The only slight problem with this theory is that the pre-cat problem seems to be more frequent in America...where the octane rating is lower...

It's just so strange..I've been anal about not hitting the limiter..not going over 3500 rpm till the oil is up to temp..and the car couldn't have been looked after any better...

markiii · March 12, 2004, 19:42

Mike,

sounds like a distinct improvement then.

When you say the Pre-cat had fractured, if it's just got a crack then I wouldn't worry about teh main cat.

If it has bits missing I'd press for it.

ref you octane rating comment, you may be aware but teh US use a different octane rating to us so it's not directly comparable

US is RON/MON IIRC wheres as we just quote RON

MRMike · March 12, 2004, 19:49

No there was just a crack in it apparently..no bits missing which could possibly explain why there was no 'white debris' in the exhaust that has been identified so often.

What i'm still unsure about is if there was a crack..why would there be no back pressure as previously identified by a tech..this would indicate to me that it was clogged..and not merely cracked. It's unfortunate i wasn't there to have a look at the removed cat, as a result of the garbled communication between the service desk and the techs.

The oil has been changed so i'm going to keep a hawks eye on it for the time being..

Do you think there could be anything in the petrol theory Mark?

Funnily enough I can't seem to find a break down of what is in Optimax..Whilst I appreciate the octane number represents the resistance of the fuel to knock, and should in theory be better for the engine..what worries me is the additives put in to make it this rating..which could maybe be part of the problem. Thinking about it, two mechanics have said to me don't put Optimax in.