2000 Rav4, burning oil causes and solutions?

[needsducktape]

2000 rav4 5speed manual tends to burn loose oil about 2 qts per 3000 miles

I've heard its common issue but not sure of the causes - I have replaced the PCV valve and did a timing belt (and therefor new valve cover gasket)running 10-30 high mileage oil (whatever was on sale) does not seem to slow the oil loss.

No visible leaks.

Any Toyota owners out there dealing with this? Is there a particular brand/viscosity that seems to help slow the burn?

 

[GreeCguy]

Have you tried a heavier oil, (10W40 or a straight 30 weight)?

Have you tried a Marvel Mystery oil soak?

 

[Errtt]

wow. few weeks ago I let go a 98 Rav with 200k on the clock. It had use Castrol for the last 155k. Stick level never dropped below full for 5k OCIs. Castrol 5w-30
I was waiting for time if it start using oil, I would have tried 10w-30 or more likely 10w-40

 

[morris]

trying MMO would be easy. 4 oz in 10 gal of gas. it might take 2-3 tanks to work. it might seal the rings. if they are not to bad. see if your mech can test to see if its rings or valve guides.

 

[Donald]

Forget the MMO and do some investigation.

1) Is there a puff of smoke at start-up but no other time? Could be valve stem seals.

2) Do a compression test and if any cylinders are not that great than pour a small amount of oil in the bad cylinders and retry. If the compression goes up then maybe a ring problem, but not a burned valve. If the compression stays bad, then burned valve.

3) Now its possible your compression is fine but you still burn oil. So maybe the compression rings are fine, oil ring is crudded up. Auto-Rx.

 

[LeakySeals]

2.2 I4 non-vvt-i?

 

[needsducktape]

just some other FYI

It runs like a champ, good gas mileage and no smoke or CEL lights on.

 

[hattaresguy]

Originally Posted By: needsducktape
just some other FYI

It runs like a champ, good gas mileage and no smoke or CEL lights on.


Than you have no problem, just drive it and keep an eye on the level.

Its an old lose motor, its not unusual for them to use a bit of oil.

 

[needsducktape]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: needsducktape
just some other FYI

It runs like a champ, good gas mileage and no smoke or CEL lights on.


Than you have no problem, just drive it and keep an eye on the level.

Its an old lose motor, its not unusual for them to use a bit of oil.


Well there's the problem, owned by a female friend who lives too far away for me to keep an eye on it.

 

[needsducktape]

She said the oil light came on breifly. Does that mean the there was no oil?

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: needsducktape
She said the oil light came on breifly. Does that mean the there was no oil?


Quite possibly, although it could be other things (but not so likely).

Is your friend capable of checking the oil?

 

[needsducktape]

not really, which is why I wish I lived closer to keep an eye on it.

maybe I should dump a qt of HDEO next time I see it. Looking to slow the loss as much as possible in between the once every two months or so, I am in her neck of the woods

 

[supton]

I'd teach her. Tell her that if she doesn't, it's apt to not only seize up at the worst time, but seize up while she's on the wrong side of the tracks. Or while she's crossing the tracks, or some other wildly dangerous time. I wouldn't focus so much on the cost of vehicle replacement as the inopportune time that it's likely to "blow up" (and I'd deliberately phrase it that way).

Presumably she can pump gas. If she can do that then she can check the oil. At this rate of consumption I'm not sure she has a choice.

On the good side, IIRC this is a pretty decent 2.0 I4, known for longevity.

How many miles on it? Not sure that 1,500miles/quart is particularly high. Just high for someone unable/unwilling to keep an eye on the level.

 

[surfstar]

Originally Posted By: supton
I'd teach her.


Yep. Link to a youtube video. Quite simple.

 

[KitaCam]

Learning to open the hood is harder than pulling/reading the dipstick...

 

[needsducktape]

Originally Posted By: supton
I'd teach her. Tell her that if she doesn't, it's apt to not only seize up at the worst time, but seize up while she's on the wrong side of the tracks. Or while she's crossing the tracks, or some other wildly dangerous time. I wouldn't focus so much on the cost of vehicle replacement as the inopportune time that it's likely to "blow up" (and I'd deliberately phrase it that way).

Presumably she can pump gas. If she can do that then she can check the oil. At this rate of consumption I'm not sure she has a choice.

On the good side, IIRC this is a pretty decent 2.0 I4, known for longevity.

How many miles on it? Not sure that 1,500miles/quart is particularly high. Just high for someone unable/unwilling to keep an eye on the level.


Its got about 117K and was a one owner before she bought it around 104K
I did the timing belt and valve cover gasket a few months ago-

 

[Doog]

Tell her to go to a 3000 OCI at a Jiffy Lube.