Using lots of oil

[MattPerformance]

If parts only, then you want another recon motor fitted (also with 6 month warranty) and you should only have to pay around £250 for labour.

Just to be clear, if they replace the engine under warranty then you won't get a new 6 month warranty (your warranty will be valid for the balance of the original 6 months).  If you make a contribution to the replacement engine (not consumables or labour) then you will be entitled to their full warranty conditions again.

As for a "new" engine for £1500-£2000, that is pure fantasy.  They could supply and fit an official Toyota short engine (bottom end only) for that price but a new engine (by definition) would cost many thousands.  Most recon firms don't guarantee which type pistons will be in the recon engine and since they don't normally need replacing when the engine is overhauled, and almost every engine that is in the refurb system will be the old-piston type, you are almost certain to get the old pistons in just about any recon engine (especially those at the lower end of the price spectrum).

I agree that both the precats and the main cat will be U/S now so remove the former and replace the latter as soon as practicable after the engine repair.  But if I were you I'd stop talking to the engine supplier about the cats.  If they get a sniff that they can blame the failure on part of YOUR car rather than THEIR engine, they will try to.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. Mentioned it briefly last week as I needed to find out what work they had done but have not said anything else for just that reason.  Am going to get the garage in Reading to do the other stuff after the engine is sorted.

[K T M Rider]

Just to be clear, if they replace the engine under warranty then you won't get a new 6 month warranty (your warranty will be valid for the balance of the original 6 months).  

Erm, yeah that does sound more realistic to be fair   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:  

but if you don't ask you don't get.

Personally I would want another warranty (as without one, they have less reason to care & may be tempted to do a very basic makeover on  your existing engine).

So if they want a small contribution, it's probably worth it.

[Anonymous]

So - seven weeks later I finally have my car back.  Engine rebuilt from bottom to top by garage in Chertsey.  Local garage in Reading have been fantastic and checked out all the work they did and said all ok and that they had done a good job. No charge either after a bit of muttering.

So now it has had two engines within 6 months.  Presumed that the damage to both had been caused by pre-cats and wanted garage man in Reading to remove them but even when I showed him the instructions downloaded from here he seemed reluctant.  But he did look at them and they are intact. I saw them too and they looked like they do in the pictures.  So was not that causing the damage.

So really I need to know two things - what could cause two engines to go so nastily wrong in case it happens again

and does anyone know anyone in the Reading/Berkshire in general area who would remove the pre-cats.

Deb x

[kentsmudger]

As mentioned before, has the main cat been replaced this time? - If it has a blockage from the previous failure, then the back-pressure will damage the new engine too.

[MattPerformance]

what could cause two engines to go so nastily wrong in case it happens again

The only way to answer that question is to know exactly what went wrong with the engines.  We know there is a piston (oil control ring) design issue which will lead to massive oil consumption and consequential damage but this condition CANNOT develop from new within six months (assuming a reasonable mileage, not 50k!!).  Where are the old engine parts?  And what was replaced?

[markiii]

Why exactly can't it develop in 6 months from new?

[MattPerformance]

Why exactly can't it develop in 6 months from new?

Because the oil control ring issue is caused  by oil degradation over a period of time causing the ring to stick in the piston and the control ring failing to perform its function.  (According to Toyota) This cannot happen in six months.

[markiii]

So if you use  sshit shit sshit  oil? Overheat it? Apply excess heat by running lean? Wash the bores by running rich?

Maybe a perfect operating spec engine it can't

Personally I say it's possible

[frogger]

CANNOT develop from new within six months

I suspect this may be the issue. i.e. its unlikely the replacement was a new engine.

Failed recon or breaker wngine that was on the brink, perhaps, all pure speculation of course.

[mrzwei]

This is probably not the best place to post this so feel free to dump it.
Given the understandably increasing numbers of posts concerning shot engines then the following may be of some use:

Practical Classics magazine are using a company called Ivor Searle to refurbish a TR4 engine. They are reputedly the largest independent supplier of remanufactured engines in the UK but also get involved in individual projects.
According to their website they also supply and guarantee 'number checked' used engines all of which are checked and serviced prior to supply.

The site is   m http://www.ivorsearle.co.uk m  and is worth a look / email if you want your own engine refurbished or a remanufactured one or a used one.

They won't be the cheapest on the block (no pun intended   s:D s:D  ) but you get what you pay for.

I haven't had any dealings with them but would ckeck them out at least for advice if ever I get an engine problem.

[Tadlad]

My car is now sorted.  Put a replacement engine in from a guy I got to know and trust and so far 750 happy smoke free miles.  Like you I was thinking 'what could cause the engine (post 2003) to fail (in exactly the same smoky way as yours)?  I changed it myself  and eliminated everything I could think of by replacing the manifold, radiator, injectors, exhaust (not necessary but hell why not) and essentially the main CAT.  The cat was £240 and very very easy to fit.  If you were losing so much oil (basically you had burned all of it before noticing it had gone) I would assume the main cat must have absorbed some of it.  I have owned loads of cars and belonged to many forums and have never experienced and heard of so many engine failures!  A guy in a petrol station when I picked up my engine pulled up behind me in his MR2 W reg and told me he was on his third engine! To think I did not but a MGTF because I was concerned about the K series and head gaskets!  When I had a Z3 I never had a seconds trouble and never heard of anyone else having this sort of problem.  Hopefully now its sorted I can enjoy the car - my insurance is the original engine which I will strip and rebuild - pity I feel the need.

[Tadlad]

here is my DECAT manifold:


Here is my main cat (below the exhaust):

[MattPerformance]

So if you use **** oil? Overheat it? Apply excess heat by running lean? Wash the bores by running rich?

Maybe a perfect operating spec engine it can't

Personally I say it's possible

Of course it's possible to knacker an engine in no time at all through "excess heat, running lean and bore wash" but that's not the same mode of failure.
As for **** oil, define?  All mass producted oils meet international norms so even the cheapest of the cheap would not cuase a failure in 6 months of average mileage.  Using the WRONG oil is another matter.

Personally, I say it's NOT possible and I don't have a disclaimer in my signature  s;) s;)

[markiii]

My point was it is possible under non perfect conditions to ovalise a bore in less time than Toyota may expect, an engine that fails is  by definition not running within expected specs. Having seen precat break up at very low mileage on 03 engines I know they don't all run within expected spec, and that's just one example


Though I concede you have more experience with blown engines than I    s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  

And  sshit shit sshit  oil

Here's an example magnetic, may meet the standards, never going near another engine in my cars

[SteveJ]

Here's an example magnetic, may meet the standards, never going near another engine in my cars

I used to work with someone who had done a stint as a test engineer at Mira, and he said when they tested Magnatec in a medium stress test (using Mk 2 Tubbys) the oil stopped lubricating at all after about 7000 miles and grenaded the engine on several cars.

Basically it is NASTY NASTY NASTY stuff that turns to water the second you use it in anything other than a shopping trolley.

[Anonymous]

just a thought but an engine is not exactly got a shelf live ie will last 5 years and go bang. however the amount of miles it does in this time could effect it. some sales men will do thousands of miles in just 1 month. but that just my 2p's worth.