Synthetic or Dino for An Oil-Burning Camry

[khittner]

I know, from my 2-stroke Vespa, that synthetic 2T oil is better than dino 2T for minimizing piston & exhaust system deposits.

Question: Are synthetic auto oils similarly better than dino car oils for minimizing exhaust system/cat problems in a high-mile, oil-burning 2AZ-FE engine? I'm burning 1qt/1K miles now, which may still be "within factory specs". I don't know what consumption rate starts fouling the catalytic converter, but I'd like to forestall that for as long as possible.

 

[53' Stude]

Originally Posted by khittner
I know, from my 2-stroke Vespa, that synthetic 2T oil is better than dino 2T for minimizing piston & exhaust system deposits.

Question: Are synthetic auto oils similarly better than dino car oils for minimizing exhaust system/cat problems in a high-mile, oil-burning 2AZ-FE engine? I'm burning 1qt/1K miles now, which may still be "within factory specs". I don't know what consumption rate starts fouling the catalytic converter, but I'd like to forestall that for as long as possible.



No oil will stop the bad oil control rings unless you take the pistons out and replace the rings. Synthetic doesn't help my 09' Camry with 2AZ-FE. I'm using HK 5w20&30 blend. No use wasting synthetic.

 

[Anduril]

Those engines were defective, no oil will help

 

[Imp4]

Maybe... maybe... a round of Valvoline Premium Blue could help.
Otherwise, stock up on clearance Rotella Gas Truck and burn your way through it.

BTW, at $70+/1gal, the VPB is a stiff price to pay for a possible improvement to an old car.

Others have varying degrees of success with Maxlife.

Good luck!

 

[Charlie2015]

I've had pretty good results with valvoline maxlife in my oil burning 2az-fe. I usually use 2 quarts every 3,000 miles. With Maxlife, I used 2 quarts over 5,000 miles.

 

[BigCahuna]

Have you checked the PCV valve? My wife's '11 Equinox is also a oil burner it calls for 5w 30 oil, so what I did at last oci was to mix in 3/4 of a qt of 20/50 wt in it. It helped with the consumption. It was using almost a qt every 750 miles, now it uses about 1/2 a qt in 1500. Not a perfect cure, but it's better then rebuilding the motor.,,,

 

[Mainia]

Our old 2011 Ford E250 delivery van at work has 210,000 miles on it and used non to semi oil when it was in service as a main delivery van. I received it as a driver as a semi maintenance guy at work, I use it as a Menards and Home Depot building and parts getter and it would get about 3,500 miles a year with me and it's old place of use in shipping grabbing it for quick deliveries here and there. It had a horrible lifter tick. I would run a couple of can of Sea Foam and PEA cleaners through it for the next 3 years with 3-4 oil changes of Group 3's Walmart full synthetic, a sale of Valvoline full synthetic. and a Pennzoil HM synthetic. All changes with a Fram Ultra's and one with a Mobil1 filter. It came to me as an oil burner eating 4 qts per 3,500 miles. it is NOW a 1/2 qt every 3,500 miles and the tick is almost gone, so so so faint. So yes you can sometimes do wonders with oil choice and time.

 

[khittner]

Originally Posted by Imp4
Maybe... maybe... a round of Valvoline Premium Blue could help.
Otherwise, stock up on clearance Rotella Gas Truck and burn your way through it.

Others have varying degrees of success with Maxlife.

Good luck!

I've been through most of the "ring de-coking" drills short of a top end job, including VPB Restore, Kreen piston soaking, etc., without a lot of difference, so I've given up on reducing its oil consumption before it goes to the boneyard. Though, FWIW, a recent dose of AT-205 does seem to have reduced the valve stem seal cold start-up cloud.


"Those engines were defective, no oil will help."

The earlier 2AZ-FEs (my car is an ‘02) were less problematic; I can get it over the 300K-mile mark (it's at 290K now) with the current "check-the-gas-and-fill-the-oil" routine, but a daily P0420 code will be the end of it. So I'm just looking for any recommendations on extending the converter's life.

And, thanks— I did stock up on RGT 5w-30 during the recent Amazon sale. Gotta love $8/5qt. bottle after the rebates roll in.

 

[eljefino]

Had an 02. Didn't burn much oil.

These cars had a recall for less sensitive ECM programming for the catalytic diagnostic. If you haven't been reflashed, consider pursuing it. There's also the spark plug fouler-spacer trick for the RO2S.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Castrol GTX 20W50 should be resistant to slipping past the rings... but yes, no oil will ever fix defective engineering or defective parts.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted by khittner
I know, from my 2-stroke Vespa, that synthetic 2T oil is better than dino 2T for minimizing piston & exhaust system deposits.

Question: Are synthetic auto oils similarly better than dino car oils for minimizing exhaust system/cat problems in a high-mile, oil-burning 2AZ-FE engine? I'm burning 1qt/1K miles now, which may still be "within factory specs". I don't know what consumption rate starts fouling the catalytic converter, but I'd like to forestall that for as long as possible.

A good HM blend (another vote here for semi syn MaxLife), a new PCV valve, a new 195F thermostat, work it hard with a fair amount of highway driving-it may surprise you! Or, it will need a rebuild to get those weak oil control rings out.

 

[khittner]

Originally Posted by eljefino

These cars had a recall for less sensitive ECM programming for the catalytic diagnostic. If you haven't been reflashed, consider pursuing it. There's also the spark plug fouler-spacer trick for the RO2S.


Hey, thanks for this info! I found it, well down in my Alldata TSB list, and it doesn't look like my car got the decal to indicate that it got the ECM reflash for P0420 codes. It may keep the "biege bomber" out of the crusher a bit longer.

What's the "spark plug fouler-spacer trick"?

 

[D1dad]

I'd say at almost 300k and no cat failure that your alright. My altima uses a fair amount and at 122k all is well with the cat. Of course in Ohio we don't have to do inspections.

 

[rainman49]

I treated my daughter's 07 Camry with BG EPR twice and then started using 0w-40. It slowed the oil consumption dramatically. It had been close to the quart per 1k miles. She moved closer to her job so she doesn't put as many miles on her car, but I haven't had to add any oil the last two times I checked it.

 

[Earls1st]

Are the combustion byproducts of full synthetic oil less likely to foul the catalytic converter and downstream oxygen sensor than that of Dino oil?

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted by Earls1st
Are the combustion byproducts of full synthetic oil less likely to foul the catalytic converter and downstream oxygen sensor than that of Dino oil?

My take on it is, measurably reducing oil consumption is more important for cat and sensor life than what type of oil is being burned.

 

[khittner]

Originally Posted by Earls1st
Are the combustion byproducts of full synthetic oil less likely to foul the catalytic converter and downstream oxygen sensor than that of Dino oil?


My real question, concisely stated. Thanks.

 

[Revving2Redline]

Originally Posted by HangFire
Originally Posted by Earls1st
Are the combustion byproducts of full synthetic oil less likely to foul the catalytic converter and downstream oxygen sensor than that of Dino oil?

My take on it is, measurably reducing oil consumption is more important for cat and sensor life than what type of oil is being burned.


Maybe. Synthetic IS cleaner so if its consumed or burnt off it should be less contamination. Getting it to use less no matter what is probably more important.

 

[SteveG4]

Originally Posted by BigCahuna
Have you checked the PCV valve? My wife's '11 Equinox is also a oil burner it calls for 5w 30 oil, so what I did at last oci was to mix in 3/4 of a qt of 20/50 wt in it. It helped with the consumption. It was using almost a qt every 750 miles, now it uses about 1/2 a qt in 1500. Not a perfect cure, but it's better then rebuilding the motor.,,,

I'll try that mix soon. Thanks.

 

[Oro_O]

Quote
What's the "spark plug fouler-spacer trick"?


Take a spark plug non-fouler (on rack at auto parts stores). Drill out the thin metal baffle on the cylinder end. You put it in-line between your 02 sensor and it's normal mounting hole. Pulling the sensor back out of the direct flow will "trick" it enough to defeat the CEL. It works, you can google it.

You said above you had run VPB Restore? How long, etc. and did it do anything at all? The full-ester oil, correct?