2011 Toyota 5.7L Burning oil

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I have a 2011 Toyota Sequoia with the 5.7L engine, 100k miles. We bought it at 77,000 miles. I will admit not checking the dipstick before I made an offer and handing over the check. Shame on me. I checked it 12 miles down the road when I stopped to fill up. 2 quarts didn't even make a mark on the dipstick. No low oil light was on and I knew it had an 8 quart sump, so I drove it on home. Did an oil change and filled it up with 8 quarts. I noticed that over the first 5k miles we drove it, it burned a quart of oil. I went 10k miles on the oil change, as allowed/recommended by Toyota on these engines. By the time 10k rolled around, it was at least 1 quart low.

The next 10k miles about the same thing.

I am about 3k miles into another oil change and I dumped 2 quarts in it the other day to fill it up.

It passes emissions testing. No smoke out of the tail pipe. No spots on the clean, concrete driveway.

This vehicle does not get driven daily but we seem to be putting 12-14k miles a year on it. No short trips.

I really do not want to get rid of it because I would only look at another newer Sequioa.

Help.


PS-

I have a 2014 Tundra with the 5.7L engine, had it since new. I have 74,000 miles on it.

First oil change was at 5,000 miles. Next was 15,000. Then 10k mile oil changes after that. At 75,000 miles, I'm switching to 5-6,000 mile oil changes, no more 10k mile oil changes. I do not drive it under optimum conditions. I was for the first 65,000 miles, basically 100 miles per day, highway miles.

It seems to consume 1 quart per 5,000 miles also. Again, these are 8 quart sumps, 0w20 Full Syn only. Expensive oil changes but I'm going to 5k on both from now on.
 
Have you changed the PCV valves in both trucks? If not, thats step 1. Then I would run at least three 5k mile changes, using the same oil and filter each time and track how much it burns. By the end of the 2nd or 3rd change, you will tell if the PCV valve solved the usage. Regardless, 1 quart per 5k miles is still nothing to worry about. Just add 1 qt and you can go 10k miles per change if you want. It will get a 1 qt additive refresh.
 
1qt per 10k wouldn't bother me, but qt per 1,500 seems excessive. If it's burning oil I'm not sure there is much that can be done, if it's due to engine wear. Any "fix" would cost more than a couple cases of oil.

I do seem to recall that cam towers were an issue, in terms of oil leakage?

I decided to start using 0W30 in mine, as I think the viscosity thing is overblown. Lightly used it doesn't matter one whit, but I sleep better with 0W30.
smile.gif
I do plan to stick with full syn though, I don't see a reason to go conventional, even though with an 8 quart sump and an oil cooler it shouldn't need syn under non-towing conditions.
 
This may or may not help but I cured an oil consumption problem in a Saturn L200 4 cyl with 75k miles on it by running Mobil 1 high mileage oil in it. It was consuming 1qt/800 Miles. Engine still running strong today with 170k miles.
 
A sudden change from a quart in 5K to a quart in 1.5K usually indicates a PCV problem.
Another possibility is that the rings are stuck or at least coked up, which can be a problem on some engines and using 0W-20 grade oil over the miles doesn't help.
Replace the PCV itself and check all of the tubing for freedom from obstruction.
If this doesn't solve your consumption problem, a dose of Kreen may be in your future.
I'd doubt that a 100K Toyota V-8 is actually worn out.
 
There really is no reason to use an uber-thin oil in Georgia. In fact, I will bet you will find better UOA results and lower wear with a higher viscosity synthetic. Here in Florida, I get far better UOA results with 10W-30 and a touch better still with 5W-40 M1, Turbo Diesel Truck.

Interestingly, the million mile van and other high mile vehicles often use 10W-40 oil.
 
Thanks for the advice about the cam towers. After reading some on those, I will take a look.

I'm not changing oil viscosity. Sorry, but I doubt any of you are engine manufacturing engineers nor do you perform testing on them. There are many cases coming out where the non-spec'ed viscosity is causing problems in the newer engines. This ain't 1982.
 
Do a compression test to really tell if something’s shot. Wet and dry test both. Why on earth Are you running 0 weight Oil in Georgia? I don’t even use that stuff here in the Tundra Of Newyorkistan. That business is extremely overrated I my opinion but I’m not going to quibble over a hundredth of a MPG.
One glaring trouble in your specific case is this. Sure you caught it but really have absolutely NO IDEA how far the P.O. let it get to , for how long
eek.gif
. Add to that it makes you wonder what his real reason was 🤥for selling it. Toyota’s aren’t the truck people ditch at 100k before they soon blow up. Quite the contrary.
Best is to do as indicated here by others , clean the engine real good. Then watch carefully for leaks. Park in the same place too so you will see drips. Especially watch the Oil plug , oil pan , albe cover areas for leaks. That much h will be obvious. Try switching to 20/50 and see if that helps.
Do that compression test though and look at the plugs as you do it. Toss in a new set of plugs while in there too if OEM. If the comp test shows low due to rings then you’re hosed. Mitigate it by going old school to a straight weight 30 or 20/50 Dino Oil. It’s not the answer but may just keep things quite manageable to let it live out it’s life more or less with regular 5k oil changes. Oils is cheap engines are $$$$ period.
If it’s really trashed there is a not so awful way out I know of. I used to work freight at Custom and saw a nightly truck load of low mile Oriental engines coming into the US. I checked hundreds of them so it’s really true, most with under 50k miles never way up there and [censored] clean lookin. Something about japan making them take them off road at 10 years not being deemed green enough whatever. They are there in quantity being imported daily. More importantly this was all through the dreaded Obama years without letup. These are complete engines with the hoses Clipped and all the goodies intact shrink wrapped on pallets. I can’t tell you the retailers but you can find them easily enough. I first heard about this in the early 90 s from the parts guy at Honda so asking your Toyota parts counter is a good place to start. I hope you don’t need this option but it’s nice to know it’s there. Good luck
 
Good grief. This forum used to be full of good knowledge. Now, I'm not so sure. Does anyone really read what someone posts in order to try to really comprehend?

We are talking about a pretty nice vehicle (this is a Platinum trim model). I do not feel like there is major damage to the engine. Based on the throttle response of this thing, I'm pretty sure it does not lack any power; I fully believe this thing could hit 175 MPH easy.

I'm not switching oil viscosity. Please do some research before any of you recommend doing that any longer. That really didn't work in the 60's, 70's and 80's and it does not work now to preserve/revive an engine. I can tell many of you have no clue what goes on under these tremendously sized valve covers. There's not flat tappets under them. These modern engines were designed to run on the 20 weight oils. I know CAFE has been blamed for the thin oils, but after doing some research, the thin oils are allowing the modern engines to do what these engineers have designed for.

No, I'm not gonna search out some 10+ year old piece of [censored] engine that has been shipped over here to remove junk from Japan. I don't have an "Oriental engine". The engine in both of my Toyotas was made in Huntsville, AL.

Thanks...I'll figure it out.
 
Have you tried a different brand? Different additives may help. My Ranger was using a quart every 2000 miles or so. I changed the PCV valve, but it didn’t help. I had been using Castrol 5W-20, but tried Idemitsu 0W-20. Now it uses less than half the oil.
 
Originally Posted By: thooks
Good grief. This forum used to be full of good knowledge. Now, I'm not so sure. Does anyone really read what someone posts in order to try to really comprehend?

We are talking about a pretty nice vehicle (this is a Platinum trim model). I do not feel like there is major damage to the engine. Based on the throttle response of this thing, I'm pretty sure it does not lack any power; I fully believe this thing could hit 175 MPH easy.

I'm not switching oil viscosity. Please do some research before any of you recommend doing that any longer. That really didn't work in the 60's, 70's and 80's and it does not work now to preserve/revive an engine. I can tell many of you have no clue what goes on under these tremendously sized valve covers. There's not flat tappets under them. These modern engines were designed to run on the 20 weight oils. I know CAFE has been blamed for the thin oils, but after doing some research, the thin oils are allowing the modern engines to do what these engineers have designed for.

No, I'm not gonna search out some 10+ year old piece of [censored] engine that has been shipped over here to remove junk from Japan. I don't have an "Oriental engine". The engine in both of my Toyotas was made in Huntsville, AL.

Thanks...I'll figure it out.


There isn't a snowball's chance in [censored] 381HP is going to propel a 6,000lb SUV to 175Mph (would take roughly 525HP).

That being said, have you tried a different 0w-20? Some oils will consume whilst others won't. I had that experience in my Expedition where it drank AMSOIL AZO 0w-30 like a drunken sailor, but wouldn't consume any Mobil 1 AFE 0w-30 between oil changes.

I agree that stepping up to a 20w-50 or something else silly like that isn't the answer. If it truly isn't leaking anywhere then it is either going by valve seals, rings, or out the PCV. Using a less volatile 0w-20 might help, going to a high mileage oil might also help, though I don't believe it is available in that grade.
 
I checked my 2014 Tundra when I got back from lunch. The cam towers are completely dry. Absolutely no leaking there. I will check the Sequoia when I get home this afternoon.

There is a High Mileage 0W-20 Mobil 1. I don't think I've ever seen it on the shelves. I'm sure it would be a special order. I generally use "Extended Performance" in the Sequoia and Regular Mobil 1 in the Tundra.

I'm going to replace the PCV valve and go from there.
 
If you can find it, can't hurt to try a 0W-20 HM oil. Mobil, Valvoline, and I think Pennzoil all make one.
 
Originally Posted By: thooks
I checked my 2014 Tundra when I got back from lunch. The cam towers are completely dry. Absolutely no leaking there. I will check the Sequoia when I get home this afternoon.

There is a High Mileage 0W-20 Mobil 1. I don't think I've ever seen it on the shelves. I'm sure it would be a special order. I generally use "Extended Performance" in the Sequoia and Regular Mobil 1 in the Tundra.

I'm going to replace the PCV valve and go from there.


M1 EP 0w-20 is an excellent oil, however if the PCV valve doesn't rectify the issue, I'd try something different like Castrol Edge 0w-20 and see if that makes an improvement.
 
Originally Posted By: addyguy
If you can find it, can't hurt to try a 0W-20 HM oil. Mobil, Valvoline, and I think Pennzoil all make one.


I've seen all of these oils on the shelf and it wouldn't hurt to give one of them a try.
I'll add that engines aren't all that different from what we had back in the day in that the important parts rely upon a minimum HTHS viscosity value to work. While an engine may be just fine on a modern low HTHS twenty grade, this is only so because the engineers have cut the margins, finding it safe to do so. The OP might consider what Toyota recommends for this very engine in other markets if only to see that 0W-20 isn't the only factory recommended grade.
Higher viscosity will often greatly reduce oil consumption.
If your problem turns out to be stuck rings, the relatively high NOACK of the 0W-20 grade may well have contributed to that.
 
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