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For the car gurus: oil problems? *UPDATED*

B

brikis98

Diamond Member
I got this car ~3 months ago when it had 42,000 miles, got an oil change for it and have driven it w/o any issues until now. the only thing that has bothered me about the car is that the gas mileage, despite the fact that my 25 miles (each way) of commuting is mostly highway, has maxed out at around 30mpg. with such a small car, during summer months, i would've expected better...

then, a day or two ago i noticed that the oil light will sometimes flash on for a second (or less) and then shut off again. i've driven the car ~4,500 miles since the last oil change, but the toyota manual says that i only need to change the oil every ~7,500 miles (unless i drive in VERY adverse conditions, which i don't).

i checked the oil in the car this morning... and the level was either very low or almost empty! of course, this is after the car had sat through a very cold night... so i'm not sure if that's an accurate assessment (aren't you supposed to check ~30 min after driving it?).

i'm going to take it to a mechanic tomorrow, but i was wondering if any of you guys know:

1. if the 7,500 miles the manual states is reasonable?
2. is my car "eating" up oil or does it just need an oil change?
3. is this related to the lower-than-expected gas mileage?

UPDATE: I got some 5w-30 oil for my car and had to add 3 QUARTS to get it to a "normal" level. I then started the car and noticed that when it was running (and esp reving) the smoke coming out of the tail pipe was slightly white. I don't see any signs of oil leaking out of the bottom of the car (the driveway below it is clean).

Suggestions? Advice?
 
The low gas mileage is probably a sign that the vehicle was not taken care of. Contrary to popular belief, no car will survive without maintenance.

How low is the oil? You are supposed to let the engine sit for awhile after it was running so that the oil runs down through all of the channels back into the pan before you check. 4,500 is not much for modern oil, but that means nothing if there is no engine left in the pan. An oil pressure light is never a good thing to see.

When was the last tuneup?
 
1) If that's what the manual calls for, that's just fine, assuming you're using quality oil.
2) There might be a leak, or it might be burning oil. It's most likely the latter, though a Toyota with that few miles burning oil would surprise me.
3) Possibly.

Try asking on the Corolla board here.
 
Originally posted by: brikis98
I got this car ~3 months ago when it had 42,000 miles, got an oil change for it and have driven it w/o any issues until now. the only thing that has bothered me about the car is that the gas mileage, despite the fact that my 25 miles (each way) of commuting is mostly highway, has maxed out at around 30mpg. with such a small car, during summer months, i would've expected better...

then, a day or two ago i noticed that the oil light will sometimes flash on for a second (or less) and then shut off again. i've driven the car ~4,500 miles since the last oil change, but the toyota manual says that i only need to change the oil every ~7,500 miles (unless i drive in VERY adverse conditions, which i don't).

i checked the oil in the car this morning... and the level was either very low or almost empty! of course, this is after the car had sat through a very cold night... so i'm not sure if that's an accurate assessment (aren't you supposed to check ~30 min after driving it?).

i'm going to take it to a mechanic tomorrow, but i was wondering if any of you guys know:

1. if the 7,500 miles the manual states is reasonable?
2. is my car "eating" up oil or does it just need an oil change?
3. is this related to the lower-than-expected gas mileage?
Click to expand...

1. 7,500 is reasonable, but most people tend to change it more frequently.
2. Cars often burn oil, especially regualr oil. My toyota with 80k runs through a quart every few 2-3 thousand miles. As long as you check it on a level plane, the reading should be fairly accurate, maybe a bit lower cause the oil is denser in the cold.
3. It's probably related. You are definitely low on oil...when the oil is sloshing around, it could set off the meter for a second here or there if the sloshing causes a low point over the sensor. Low oil would lead to more friction in the engine, making it less efficient. But even 30mpg isnt that bad - the EPA numbers are rarely accurate compared to actual driving, and assume a lot of unrealistic things. Hell, they're not even measured on the road.

You need more oil, definitely I'd recommend changing it more often, and keep an eye on it. When it runs low, add a qt into it.

I'd also check your air filter while you're at it.
 
do another oil change, put in some injection cleaner every other tank for a month. then see what that does for you milage
 
Definitely losing oil. (Up to 1 quart/1,000 miles is considered "normal" for any car, though I've never owned a car that burnt more than 1 quart/4,000 miles.)

As for the mileage, if it has the automatic, the ratings are 28/36 (31/38 for the 5-speed). If you have the automatic, I'd say that you're doing fine.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: BD2003
3. It's probably related. You are definitely low on oil...when the oil is sloshing around, it could set off the meter for a second here or there if the sloshing causes a low point over the sensor.
Click to expand...
The oil light is connected to a PRESSURE sensor, not a level sensor. When the oil light comes on it means your oil pressure has dropped below the critical value. In the OP's case, the oil pickup was probably starved for a little bit. Not good.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: BD2003
3. It's probably related. You are definitely low on oil...when the oil is sloshing around, it could set off the meter for a second here or there if the sloshing causes a low point over the sensor.
Click to expand...
The oil light is connected to a PRESSURE sensor, not a level sensor. When the oil light comes on it means your oil pressure has dropped below the critical value. In the OP's case, the oil pickup was probably starved for a little bit. Not good.

ZV
Click to expand...

Got it...that makes sense, I was just assuming. Still caused by transient low points due to the sloshing though, correct?

 
wow, lots of quick replies, thanks folks 🙂

any idea what kind of oil this car takes? any good brands to look for? i wanna go pick up a few quarts to keep in my trunk, but i don't want to get total crap...
 
Originally posted by: brikis98
wow, lots of quick replies, thanks folks 🙂

any idea what kind of oil this car takes? any good brands to look for? i wanna go pick up a few quarts to keep in my trunk, but i don't want to get total crap...
Click to expand...

It will tell you what grade (probably 5w-30) in the manual, or on the radiator cap.

Get the same oil they change it with.
 
any named brand oil is fine as far as brand, 5w-30 or 10w-30. Pull a spark plug and let us know what color the tip is, take a pic if you can. You can tell if it's burning oil or not.

With 47K miles it should be burning oil unless it was driven by a wannabe racer.
 
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
any named brand oil is fine as far as brand, 5w-30 or 10w-30. Pull a spark plug and let us know what color the tip is, take a pic if you can. You can tell if it's burning oil or not.

With 47K miles it should be burning oil unless it was driven by a wannabe racer.
Click to expand...

If he's already asking basic questions like whether or not he's low on oil, I don't think it's a good idea for him to go anywhere near the spark plugs.
 
Add oil immediately. The oil light means little or no oil pressure. You could be down 2 quarts or more.

I suggest you get an oil change now with filter at any Walmart to synthetic oil (Toyotas particularly benefit from it) and get extra synthetic oil there. Do not mix synthetic oil with regular oil. You can still change it every 7,000 miles after that, but check it more often between changes.

Check the oil and top off every fill up for awhile. You only need to wait one minute or so after shut-off to check the oil. The newer cars all use 5W 30 or less and seem to periodically lose a quart for no apparent reason.

Our Corolla gets about 30 MPG also, but injector cleaner won't hurt.


Jim
 
Originally posted by: BD2003
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: BD2003
3. It's probably related. You are definitely low on oil...when the oil is sloshing around, it could set off the meter for a second here or there if the sloshing causes a low point over the sensor.
Click to expand...
The oil light is connected to a PRESSURE sensor, not a level sensor. When the oil light comes on it means your oil pressure has dropped below the critical value. In the OP's case, the oil pickup was probably starved for a little bit. Not good.

ZV
Click to expand...
Got it...that makes sense, I was just assuming. Still caused by transient low points due to the sloshing though, correct?
Click to expand...
Yes, but in this case it's a transient low point that causes a severe lubrication issue.

If it were a level sensor, then a brief triggering won't cause lasting damage. Since it's a pressure sensor, it only triggers when pressure drops to a dangerous level.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: xgsound
Add oil immediately. The oil light means little or no oil pressure. You could be down 2 quarts or more.

I suggest you get an oil change now with filter at any Walmart to synthetic oil (Toyotas particularly benefit from it) and get extra synthetic oil there. Do not mix synthetic oil with regular oil.
Click to expand...
Old wives' tale. Mixing synthetic and regular, as long as they are the same weight, is perfectly fine.

There's also no benefit to using synthetic oil in a non-turbocharged or non-supercharged, water cooled, street-driven car. That engine will last 300,000 miles with regular oil just fine. Synthetic will only cost more.

ZV
 
Does it ever exhaust blue smoke under any driving condition (cold, WOT, intial accelration)? If not, then it's not burning excess oil. Oil sending units do go out though. Oil should be checked cold, though there is no significant increase in volume when it's hot.
 
Originally posted by: KMurphy
Does it ever exhaust blue smoke under any driving condition (cold, WOT, intial accelration)? If not, then it's not burning excess oil. Oil sending units do go out though. Oil should be checked cold, though there is no significant increase in volume when it's hot.
Click to expand...
It doesn't need to smoke noticeably to burn oil.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: KMurphy
Does it ever exhaust blue smoke under any driving condition (cold, WOT, intial accelration)? If not, then it's not burning excess oil. Oil sending units do go out though. Oil should be checked cold, though there is no significant increase in volume when it's hot.
Click to expand...
It doesn't need to smoke noticeably to burn oil.

ZV
Click to expand...

It hast to either leak it, or burn it which is visible as blue smoke. Emission systems are not designed to scrub burnt oil.
 
ok, Lexus tech here with Toyota factory training and 4 ASE's.

5000 miles is the MAXIMUM I recommend for ANY car. And to let you guys know, any in town or citry driving is considered SEVERE duty. Now I realize that you do alot of highway driving, but 30 mpg from a Corolla is about average.

Oil in the engine is flowed through the engine by the oil pump, but it is the oil being forced through the crevices and passageways in the engine that creat the pressure. the pressure is what keeps bearings alive and doesnt allow metal surfaces to touch. If you are THAT low on oil, its possible that your pump isnt getting a steady flow of oil and your engine is experiencing a loos of oil pressure below allowable factory tolerances. With the light coming on, thats exactly what has happened. DO NOT DRIVE EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME LIKE THIS OR TERMINAL DAMAGE WILL OCCUR TO YOUR ENGINE>

Your oil is meant to be checked when the engine is off. Off the top of my head, I believe that an oil change when the filter is replaced, you car takes 4 quarts of 5w-30. If no filter is changed, then subtract .2 quarts.

So:

1: 5000 miles MAX on an oil change, and only 3750 in hot and dry climates.
2: If no smoke is visible, your engine is not burning oil. Blue smoke means oil, white means coolant.
3: IF your engine has been run low on oil for an extended period of time, its possible that varnish has built up inside the engine. More friction the engine has to fight to run, the more fuel its going to add to maintain its power output. Also, regular maintenance including the changing of air filters and other fluids will prevent you car from a premature death. but to answer your question, it IS possible.

A likely scenario is that your drain plug may be loose. do you notice any oil underneath your car after it has sat for a while?

I will be flat out honest with you, your dealer is better able to deal with your car and any possible problems that may be associated with an aging vehicle.
Also, any parts that are replaced at a dealer (oil filters, air filters ect.) are Toyota genuine parts and YES there is a difference. (an oil filter designed for one or two engine families, or a filter designed for THOUSANDS....) In every FACET of how a part's quality can be measured, Toyota genuine parts are superior and well worth the price, even if its "just" an oil filter.

The choice is up to you, pay the extra money for quality factory service, or let Joe Bob's corner garage handle your car. You get what you pay for.
 
Originally posted by: KMurphy
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: KMurphy
Does it ever exhaust blue smoke under any driving condition (cold, WOT, intial accelration)? If not, then it's not burning excess oil. Oil sending units do go out though. Oil should be checked cold, though there is no significant increase in volume when it's hot.
Click to expand...
It doesn't need to smoke noticeably to burn oil.

ZV
Click to expand...
It hast to either leak it, or burn it which is visible as blue smoke. Emission systems are not designed to scrub burnt oil.
Click to expand...
It needs to burn some very large amounts of oil for it to be visible in smoke. Usually on the order of 1 quart every 500 miles or more.

The OP's car takes about 4 quarts of oil. If it were burning oil at a rate sufficient to make the smoke noticeable it would have run out of oil 2,500 miles ago.

He's probably lost 2-3 quarts in the 4,500 miles since his last oil change, at most that's a quart every 1,500 miles. That's not enough oil to be visible in the exhaust. It's also within the "normal" amount of oil consumption for an automotive engine.

I say it again, it is possible to burn oil without producing any noticeable smoke.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: ebeattie
ok, Lexus tech here with Toyota factory training and 4 ASE's.

5000 miles is the MAXIMUM I recommend for ANY car.
Click to expand...
Wonderful that you have the certs. 5,000 mile maximum is still bullsh*t.

ZV
 
Well unless you like letting the crap that turns your oil black called blowby (particulate carbon and HC combustion by products) build up and sludge the jesus out of your oil, 5000 max per oil change is not bs.

And for a corolla there is NO performance gain by changing to synthetic. Unles you plan on dropping in a 2JZ-GE or GTE, there is nothing to gain by using synthetic. And...DONT mix them. One or the other is the way to go.

Like I said, its your car. Personally? I can get parts for my truck ('93 Toyota pick up) at cost + 10%, from anywhere via our parts department. I will only use Toyota parts, and yes even at cost they are still more expensive than Murray's, Checker, AutoZone. Again, you get whay you pay for and your car/truck will live or die by how much maintenance you decide to have done to it. and the keyword here is MAINTENANCE. Repairng a car will ALWAYS cost more than just simply having your car properly maintained.

On a Toyota? You will should NEVER have a major mechanical problem; if you do you are among a VERY small percentage. As far as I can see, the only problems we are having are with convienience items. I have yet to see an engine, trans, rear end, differential, or axles fail due to inheirent factory problems/ design flaws. I have seen MANY cars in for repair because the owner decided the anual oil change at Wal-Mart or Jiff Lube (I hate those bastards with a FIERY PASSION. YOU DO NOT NEED TO F*CKIN USE LOCKTITE ON A F*CKING DRAIN PLUG!!!!!!!!!!!) was plenty to keep his/her car running.

But hey, do what you want, and with little to no maintenance Ill eventually see you in the shop for the $4000 engine replacement. 😉
 
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