2AZ-FE Engine Rebuild

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Here is a link for the Toyota 2AZ-FE Repair Manual.

1. Balance Shaft timing in the repair manual is tricky and communicates incorrectly, to time it correctly make sure the engine is at TDC #1 then the timing marks they are referring to are LINES, not the circle or the adjusting holes.

a) engine @ TDC #1, make sure the LINES are facing opposite directions (lame terms, the empty circle should be facing each other, and the LINES facing opposite ends.
b) if your installing the balance shaft while the engine is outside (it has to be removed no matter what) timing the balance shift will be difficult as they are weighted and with turn 180 degree due to gravity, so make sure the LINES are facing opposite of each other.

This engine we have had in the family since new, 3-4k OCI on dino always on time...and still it was burning oil like it's free. Upon engine dis-assembly, I found out that the engine was VERY VERY clean, and all the bearings were in fantastic condition.

ONLY the pistons, were completely carboned up, and all three of the rings were stuck, it took me 6 continuous hours of using the old rings to clean the piston ring land of all it's hardened carbon build up.

My take on the cause would be that the pistons run at elevated temperature and dino oil is not enough, any motor oil that can resist break down at those temperature would be required. The pistons had plenty of oil return holes (8 per piston), unlike the 98-04 1zzfe motors were the lack of sufficient oil return holes (4 original, 8 updated Toyota design) was the cause.

I have personally not read on the 05-08 1zzfe motors with oil burning issues since they have the updated piston design, and we had 1 98 corolla with 310k with 3k OCI and another 99 corolla with 320k with 3k OCI since new before they started to burn oil, so to my understanding the design flaw was the contributor, where as in the 2AZ-FE the piston had 8 oil return holes per piston and still completely clogged up full of carbon.
 
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Originally Posted By: mehullica
Toyota has issued an service enhancement for the 2AZ-FE engine to 10 year 150,000 miles for excessive oil consumption.

06 Camry with 196k

at 170k it conveniently started to burn oil out of no where, all the oil changes before it didn't burn any oil but 1 oil change it randomly started...I know it's hard to believe but that's what happened with ours.

Also Toyota considers 1.2 quarts per 1000 miles excessive, anything below that doesn't qualify, according to my local Toyota dealership. that TSB was for the 07+ 2AZ-FE, the 02-06 don't qualify.
 
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Originally Posted By: tig1
Sounds as if a quality synthetic oil would be needed here.

+1, the total sump is only 4 quarts on the 2AZ-FE

my 00 celica 1zz-fed takes 3.9 quarts and the 03+ celica 1zz-fed take 4.4 quarts.

I also think it has something to do with not having enough oil in the sump as well.
 
The Kitacam definitely sounds better when the level on the dipstick is above half....whether that means it's getting more lubrication, can't say, but I keep it above half-way down from "F".

...and I switched from dino to syn (or syn-blend) when I bought it at 100k....
 
Originally Posted By: KitaCam
The Kitacam definitely sounds better when the level on the dipstick is above half....whether that means it's getting more lubrication, can't say, but I keep it above half-way down from "F".

...and I switched from dino to syn (or syn-blend) when I bought it at 100k....

Makes sense, whenever this engine was below the mark your referring to, it's made awful start up noise, so I did the same as you and kept it always to the full mark actually.

Since the rebuild no more oil burning, will update when I'm towards the end of the OCI.

Solution: clean or replace piston (waste of money) and install new rings, then use high quality synthetic oil, I higly doubt it will come back before 170k like last time, I have a feeling never, but only time will tell.
 
Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
Originally Posted By: KitaCam
The Kitacam definitely sounds better when the level on the dipstick is above half....whether that means it's getting more lubrication, can't say, but I keep it above half-way down from "F".

...and I switched from dino to syn (or syn-blend) when I bought it at 100k....

Makes sense, whenever this engine was below the mark your referring to, it's made awful start up noise, so I did the same as you and kept it always to the full mark actually.

Since the rebuild no more oil burning, will update when I'm towards the end of the OCI.

Solution: clean or replace piston (waste of money) and install new rings, then use high quality synthetic oil, I higly doubt it will come back before 170k like last time, I have a feeling never, but only time will tell.



How does that statement make any sense at all.
How much oil is in the sump is irrelevant as long as there's enough that the pick up tube is always submerged.
So whether the dipstick shows add or full is meaningless. The oil is still being pumped and the engine lubricated.
As far as sound goes the only way it makes any difference is that more oil would insulate the oil pan better. So less sound transfer thru the bottom,but it's still emitting the same noise.
So please explain if I've missed something on how any of this makes sense.
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
Originally Posted By: KitaCam
The Kitacam definitely sounds better when the level on the dipstick is above half....whether that means it's getting more lubrication, can't say, but I keep it above half-way down from "F".

...and I switched from dino to syn (or syn-blend) when I bought it at 100k....

Makes sense, whenever this engine was below the mark your referring to, it's made awful start up noise, so I did the same as you and kept it always to the full mark actually.

Since the rebuild no more oil burning, will update when I'm towards the end of the OCI.

Solution: clean or replace piston (waste of money) and install new rings, then use high quality synthetic oil, I higly doubt it will come back before 170k like last time, I have a feeling never, but only time will tell.



How does that statement make any sense at all.
How much oil is in the sump is irrelevant as long as there's enough that the pick up tube is always submerged.
So whether the dipstick shows add or full is meaningless. The oil is still being pumped and the engine lubricated.
As far as sound goes the only way it makes any difference is that more oil would insulate the oil pan better. So less sound transfer thru the bottom,but it's still emitting the same noise.
So please explain if I've missed something on how any of this makes sense.

Okay...That does make sense, but before I "thought", I wasn't exactly sure.

But the engine was always "quieter" with full oil, yes I did go by the audible noise.
 
I'm not sure what kind of mass an extra half-quart of oil adds, but it could be less air volume under the crank, extra mass, or some combination of the two. Maybe some resonance is being changed.

Next time the oil is low, pop the oil fill cap off at idle, make note of the noise, then top off the oil and see if it sounds different. Might want to record it.
 
Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
at 170k it conveniently started to burn oil out of no where, all the oil changes before it didn't burn any oil but 1 oil change it randomly started...I know it's hard to believe but that's what happened with ours.


Interesting. I know my parents had an Astro that decided to suddenly start burning oil. One day out of nowhere. Of course it could have just broken a ring or some such, and we never did a teardown.

Goes to show that you can't be complacent. Just because it wasn't burning oil last week doesn't mean it can't this week. I know I'm pretty sloppy about always checking my fleet.

I wonder if the holes had been filling up, but at some point the speed at which it plugs is an exponential thing. As oil gets stuck there from the holes slowly plugging up, it gets hotter, and thus carbons up faster, then leading to plugging the hole faster... Something like that.
 
Originally Posted By: tig1
Sounds as if a quality synthetic oil would be needed here.


My 2008 Rav4 2AZ-FE has had PP and QSUD 5w20 with 5000 mile oci since new. Now at 95,000 miles is starting to burn oil. It is only burning just under a quart in 5000 but it is starting. It is one of the burner engines listed in the TSB.

I am reluctant to have a rebuild done for $3500 since the value of the car is $10k. But am wondering if an overnight piston soak with seafoam or mmo might help? Has anyone heard of this being done with this engine?

I am due for the 100k tune up soon so I thought maybe a weekend soak?

BTW, my sump is 4.4qts.

One friend told me to top it off with Rislone and see if that would clean the piston rings and oil return holes.
 
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Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: tig1
Sounds as if a quality synthetic oil would be needed here.


My 2008 Rav4 2AZ-FE has had PP and QSUD 5w20 with 5000 mile oci since new. Now at 95,000 miles is starting to burn oil. It is only burning just under a quart in 5000 but it is starting. It is one of the burner engines listed in the TSB.

I am reluctant to have a rebuild done for $3500 since the value of the car is $10k. But am wondering if an overnight piston soak with seafoam or mmo might help? Has anyone heard of this being done with this engine?

I am due for the 100k tune up soon so I thought maybe a weekend soak?

BTW, my sump is 4.4qts.

One friend told me to top it off with Rislone and see if that would clean the piston rings and oil return holes.


Many operational variables could result in 1qt/5k miles, and NOT damage related...wait a couple of more OCIs and a drop more serious than this before taking any "repair" steps.
 
Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: tig1
Sounds as if a quality synthetic oil would be needed here.


My 2008 Rav4 2AZ-FE has had PP and QSUD 5w20 with 5000 mile oci since new. Now at 95,000 miles is starting to burn oil. It is only burning just under a quart in 5000 but it is starting. It is one of the burner engines listed in the TSB.

I am reluctant to have a rebuild done for $3500 since the value of the car is $10k. But am wondering if an overnight piston soak with seafoam or mmo might help? Has anyone heard of this being done with this engine?

I am due for the 100k tune up soon so I thought maybe a weekend soak?

BTW, my sump is 4.4qts.

One friend told me to top it off with Rislone and see if that would clean the piston rings and oil return holes.


Many operational variables could result in 1qt/5k miles, and NOT damage related...wait a couple of more OCIs and a drop more serious than this before taking any "repair" steps.


Why? A piston soak won't hurt an engine as long as you do a rinse. If the piston oil return holes are starting to clog I want to get them rinsed before they clog 100%...right?

How about Berrymans Chemtool or Seafoam?
 
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Originally Posted By: Doog
How about Berrymans Chemtool or Seafoam?

with the pistons outside the car, yes on the berrymans but while inside the engine, I highly doubt you understand how effectively they can be soaked...
 
And I thought the OP was the guy who called piston removal easy maintenance?

Doog, whenever an engine in our fleet starts using oil we first run a complete Kreen cleaning. No soaking needed, just two cups in the gas and two cups in the oil and drive it.

I have had some amazing successes and a single failure with this method. But it is a cheap fix and worth trying if you are ready to get rid of it or tear it down to rebuild...
 
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Well there is a new twist to the 2AZ-FE oil burner issue. I just got a letter from Toyota extending my warranty for this issue to 150,000 miles or until November 2018
banana2.gif


There is also a reimbursement provision for any owners who have already repaired their engine.

So, I think I'll do nothing until early 2018
 
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