Oil Consumption

Anonymous · May 21, 2004, 11:23

My sister's 2000 MR2 is suffering from truly excessive oil consumption. Local Mr T has looked at it, but says 500 miles per litre or less is deemed unacceptable.

We have worked out that her car over the last 3000 miles has averaged 712 miles per litre. I have never had to put any oil in mine (only water!?!) despite checking the levels. Anyone else had any experience?

I think were going to write to Toyota, she extended the warranty.

Also her poor car is suffering cracking in the hood material where it folds in the middle of the hood. Anyone else had this?

markiii · May 21, 2004, 11:24

check the pre-cats NOW

Anonymous · May 21, 2004, 11:25

Seconded. Sound like the start of engine failure. Take it direct to MR2 and get them to sort it out or you could be looking for a new engine.

markiii · May 21, 2004, 11:30

unfortunately it's out of warranty. so prpeare tobe charged like a wounded bull.

s:-( :-( s:-(

Anonymous · May 21, 2004, 11:35

The warranty was extended - cost her an arm and a leg.

She tells me that the Toyota guy said something had gone underneath (!) and was trying to get it fixed. When the car starts it makes an alarming rattle - what she originally took it in for. It kinda goes off after its warm.

Is this a pre-cat problem?? (Scuse my ignorance). Mr T man seems to think 'Cat may be gone'

Tem · May 21, 2004, 11:43

Quote from: "jimmer"Is this a pre-cat problem?? (Scuse my ignorance). Mr T man seems to think 'Cat may be gone'

Sure sounds like it...you might wanna read this one:
m http://www.mr2roc.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1250 m

markiii · May 21, 2004, 11:44

ratle could be heatshields, whihc may be that he means it's teh cat heat shield causing the noise.

however with that amount of oil he probably means cat, probably pre-cats as this si typical symptoms, usually requires a new engine s:-( :-( s:-(

I could write loads on teh topic but if you search on pre-cats (maybe without teh hiphen) it will take less tiem than me typing it. Plus you'll get everyone else thoughts.

there are 2 or 3 threads with loads of good info on this. once familiar I woudl strongly suggest pulling the 02 sensors from teh manifold and examining the cats, not that I don't trust toyota but I'd want to see teh cats for myself.

oh, and if this is teh problem, you want new block, new manifold, and new main cat, don't let them fob you off with just teh first 2, if the main cat isn't changed as wel, history will repeat itself.

Anonymous · May 21, 2004, 11:47

without trawling through Tem's thread, is there anything we can check periodically to ensure this doesn't happen? or is it one of those things where if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen, no preventitive measures?
if the answer is in Tem's thread let me know and I'll read it all,elsewise, anyone know?

Tem · May 21, 2004, 11:51

It's in that thread and mark also said it above.

Take the O2 sensors out and see if the cats are ok. But you should do that like weekly, to be sure. s:? :? s:?

There's also a good thread about removing them by GSB.

Anonymous · May 21, 2004, 11:52

Thanks for the advice!

The Toyota guys seem exceptionally vague with their explanations. We had to make them come and hear the noise as they reckoned there was none. When we started it they said "Oh that noise hmmm..."

Surely Toyota must be joking that 500 miles or above is acceptable oil consumption.

markiii · May 21, 2004, 11:54

our engine by design uses more than you'd expect, thats why so many corolla engines die as people forget to check the oil often enough, see handbook. However yours sounds way overboard.

If yor out of warranty gut them as preventative maintenance.

Anonymous · May 21, 2004, 11:56

Might be worth trying a different Toyota dealer, to see if you can get a more intelligent being interested!

scottee · May 21, 2004, 13:24

that amount of oil is sounding just like mine. Im keeping her topped up with oil until the new pisons/barrels are sorted, 2ltr here i come!

Anonymous · May 21, 2004, 15:11

New pistons & barrels? Hope thats a warranty job as sounds expensive!

Anonymous · June 2, 2004, 15:46

Definately sounds exactly like my prbolems, which was piston slap due to very worn bores (due to pre-cat break up I say).

Rattle is loud under load, and worse when car is cold, but still audible when warm.

Depending on how quickly this is picked up, it needs either a rebore and oversize pistons fitting (Toyota only produce one oversize), or a short engine, but if you can hear it loudly then I expect it is a short engine.

Mine was done under extended warranty, despite the problem starting within the original warranty - it annoyed me but at the end of the day I didn't pay for it, so shouldn't really care.

If you have problems with your dealer, phone Toyota GB and insist a Field Service Manager comes out to inspect your car, I did this and he identified the problem in about 5 seconds, and also supervised the dealer changing the engine.

James.