My car burns a crapton of oil.....

[bommy261]

I have a 2002 Toyota Celica GT @ 134k miles. I've had the car since 75k miles and at around 100k it has started to burn oil. At first it wasn't too bad, but its getting ridiculous now. I'm averaging about 1 qt every 500 or so miles, if not more. I check the oil about 2-3 times a week to see if it needs refilled.

This is a known problem for the 2002 GTs, apparently douchbags at Toyota didn't size piston rings properly, my car is like having a 2 stroke b/c of the all the oil it burns.

Anyway, I plan on getting rid of it in the next 6 months, do you think I should mention the fact that it burns oil when I sell it? I may just trade it in to a dealer when I get a better car and let them worry about it.

Input?

 

[Eli]

I doubt the rings are the culprit of that kind of oil consumption. If the rings are the reason it's burning so much oil, it would also have horrible compression and power.

I would be more willing to bet that it's the valve stem seals.

Are you sure there are no other leaks? It would also double as a mosquito fogger if that much oil is being burned through combustion. Can you see huge clouds of blue smoke upon acceleration?

The only time I've seen that kinda oil consumption through combustion was when a valve stem seal was missing on a recently rebuilt head.... The clouds of smoke were quite impressive.

 

[Gillbot]

do a compression test and go from there

 

[boomerang]

Your question is, do I tell a potential purchaser that it burns a shit-ton of oil.

Although not religious myself, I would suggest you go with, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

 

[bommy261]

i do not see clouds of smoke during acceleration, i do find what appears to be black soot all over the back of my white car around the exhaust.

it is not leaking. I have been parking in the same spot on my driveway for the last 3 months and no oil marks have been found under my car, only other way to explain my car needing to be fed oil on a constant basis is its burning it somewheres.

I would feel bad selling a car that burns this much oil to someone, which is why i think i'll do the trade-in route. i never liked dealers anyways

 

[exdeath]

Do you know for sure you are burning the oil or is it just leaking somewhere? Toyota engines are pretty bad about the back of the valve cover leaking oil all down the back of the engine since it sits slanted. You can have a quart of oil all down the engine and cross member before you even see a drop on the ground.

 

[T2urtle]

Your question is, do I tell a potential purchaser that it burns a shit-ton of oil.

Although not religious myself, I would suggest you go with, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

i would only tell if its a private party.

to the dealership and to the private lots, i say nothing as because they do it to you.

But i would spend a small reasonable amount of money looking into why it burns oil... maybe there is a oil LEAK...just a thought. chances are higher then oil leaks due a gasket and maybe the car with its age only burns .5 every 3000 miles, i would say that is within normal.

from my 2 toyota cars in the family, they tend to leak oil randomly. Not excessive enough to worry but enough to be annoying. Just too valve cover, oil pan, O-ring on the dizzy. i've done all 3 on both camry and it has slowed down the oil leak.

 

[LTC8K6]

Maybe it only really leaks when you are driving down the road? You'd need to let it idle for a while in the same spot. Maybe with some cardboard under it.

If it's a known problem, then a dealer is probably going to be aware of it already.

 

[Eli]

I suggest two things;

1) Have someone drive behind you as you nail it a few times, ask them to report if there is blue smoke.

2) Put a piece of cardboard under the car and sit there at 2,000RPM for several minutes.

That will help you narrow it down.

Have you checked the plugs lately? Are they oil fouled?

 

[thomsbrain]

I would tell a private party. Just couldn't live with myself otherwise. I told the buyer of my old Accord that it was using a quart every 1,000 miles. She didn't seem to care. I hope she remembered to check it...

 

[StageLeft]

I would tell a buyer that, yes. I am selling my car now and have it in my listing that the fluid reservoir does not fill all the way. This is an IMPOSSIBLE thing for anybody to diagnose when buying a car unless they are anally retentive in the extreme, but they will figure it out eventually and I'd rather they not curse my name.

Now, if you tell this to a dealer they're just going to send your car to auction anyway and not forward this information on. You could tell them but your car won't get more than $3k trade-in now anyway and I really doubt they'll care either way.

 

[bommy261]

no i haven't checked the plugs, i will pull em out this weekend and let you guys know. thx for the tips!

 

[StageLeft]

no i haven't checked the plugs, i will pull em out this weekend and let you guys know. thx for the tips!

That's what she said?

 

[radioouman]

Just to let you know, I sold a Dodge Dakota last summer that was leaking so much transmission fluid that it would leave a 6-8 inch puddle every night. I put that in the listing on Craigslist and had the truck sold 3 days later.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Just to let you know, I sold a Dodge Dakota last summer that was leaking so much transmission fluid that it would leave a 6-8 inch puddle every night. I put that in the listing on Craigslist and had the truck sold 3 days later.

Leaking trans fluid is usually a simple repair - burst hose, leaking pan, at worst a seal leak (unlikely at that quantity)

Almost every reason for burning (not dripping, burning) is a PITA to fix.

 

[mztykal]

Do you know precats on your car? You have a 1ZZ motor right? I know on our MR2's we have precat issues...

 

[EightySix Four]

That's what she said?

Weak, you can do way better in other threads.

 

[HannibalX]

I would feel obligated to disclose the oil problem to a private buyer. A dealer? No, they have people for that.

 

[CraigRT]

Try driving a Saturn S-series. Same oil burning issue. Ring design.