I think it was last spring (2015) that I received a notice from Toyota that they were issuing an extended warranty on my 2007 Toyota 4 cylinder 2AZ engine until January 2017, 10 years from the date I first started driving the car. I think this was a result of several class action law suits being filed or threatened to be filed by people whose Toyota 2AZ 4 cylinder engines started burning oil excessively, some to the point that their engines were destroyed. Apparently many consumers had paid anywhere from $3,000. to $7500. for engine repairs. Toyota is in the process of reimbursing those owners for their expenses.
This is not a recall and they won't do anything until the engine starts burning oil excessively which they define as over about 1.5 to 2 quarts (Don't remember exactly) in a test they perform in 1200 miles. Then they will repair the engine mainly replacing the pistons and rings with a newly designed piston and rings. The last time I talked the local service manager, they didn't have the replacement parts yet and had many customers on a wait list.
I think a multitude of things contribute to this engine problem. First, the recommended oil is 5W-20 or 0W-20, both of which I believe are racing oils. Manufacturers have been using thinner and thinner oils to maximize EPA gas mileage figures. They have to recommend the oil that was used in these tests regardless if that is the best oil for the engine. They have a very small oil pump albeit driven directly off the crankshaft and the service manual stated acceptable oil pressure for idling is from about 6 psi to maybe 14 psi, the acceptable at normal driving speeds, I don't remember exactly, but lower than you would normally expect. I am a retired Aerospace Engineer, but have always done my own maintenance for the past 50 years. I have rebuilt engines and even cars that had been totaled. One of the vehicles I re-built in 1988 was a 1988 Toyota pickup which I am still driving although it doesn't have a lot of miles on it as it was always my second truck. But it is still like new except for a few dents I have since put in it. Back to the point of low oil pressure is that for normal driving the acceptable low pressure is so low that by the time the warning light comes on the engine oil level is about 2 to 2.5 quarts low in an engine that only holds a little over 4 quarts. This is a fact that many owners have attested to. This has resulted in many of the owners literally destroying their engines, requiring a new short block. The oil does two things, it lubricates and it helps aid in cooling the pistons, rings, and cylinders. I use Mobil one fully synthetic in all my vehicles and in my 2007 Camry use 10W-30 as I believe it will last longer and perhaps not become an excessive oil burner.
Another word about their extended engine warranty. It is essentially of no value to me as best I can tell this problem manifest itself in the 50,000 mile plus range and right now I only have about 39,000 miles on the Camry. And when this extended warranty expires, God willing, I will have only about 45,000 miles on it. I have complained endlessly to all in the Toyota empire to no avail. I don't feel I can in good conscience sell the car to someone else. I can only drive it or trade it in for a new one, but I refuse to sell them my car at wholesale and pay retail for theirs.
This 2AZ 4 cylinder engine is in at least 3 model years of Camry's, 2 or 3 model years of Corollas, 2 or 3 model years of RAV4's and I don't remember the others. I think it is a travesty that the public in general is not aware of this as many people tend to buy used cars.
I would like to hear from any mechanics and what their opinion is of using the 10W-30 oil instead of 5W-20 as a means of providing much better lubrication and cooling and perhaps averting the excessive engine burning problem.
This is not a recall and they won't do anything until the engine starts burning oil excessively which they define as over about 1.5 to 2 quarts (Don't remember exactly) in a test they perform in 1200 miles. Then they will repair the engine mainly replacing the pistons and rings with a newly designed piston and rings. The last time I talked the local service manager, they didn't have the replacement parts yet and had many customers on a wait list.
I think a multitude of things contribute to this engine problem. First, the recommended oil is 5W-20 or 0W-20, both of which I believe are racing oils. Manufacturers have been using thinner and thinner oils to maximize EPA gas mileage figures. They have to recommend the oil that was used in these tests regardless if that is the best oil for the engine. They have a very small oil pump albeit driven directly off the crankshaft and the service manual stated acceptable oil pressure for idling is from about 6 psi to maybe 14 psi, the acceptable at normal driving speeds, I don't remember exactly, but lower than you would normally expect. I am a retired Aerospace Engineer, but have always done my own maintenance for the past 50 years. I have rebuilt engines and even cars that had been totaled. One of the vehicles I re-built in 1988 was a 1988 Toyota pickup which I am still driving although it doesn't have a lot of miles on it as it was always my second truck. But it is still like new except for a few dents I have since put in it. Back to the point of low oil pressure is that for normal driving the acceptable low pressure is so low that by the time the warning light comes on the engine oil level is about 2 to 2.5 quarts low in an engine that only holds a little over 4 quarts. This is a fact that many owners have attested to. This has resulted in many of the owners literally destroying their engines, requiring a new short block. The oil does two things, it lubricates and it helps aid in cooling the pistons, rings, and cylinders. I use Mobil one fully synthetic in all my vehicles and in my 2007 Camry use 10W-30 as I believe it will last longer and perhaps not become an excessive oil burner.
Another word about their extended engine warranty. It is essentially of no value to me as best I can tell this problem manifest itself in the 50,000 mile plus range and right now I only have about 39,000 miles on the Camry. And when this extended warranty expires, God willing, I will have only about 45,000 miles on it. I have complained endlessly to all in the Toyota empire to no avail. I don't feel I can in good conscience sell the car to someone else. I can only drive it or trade it in for a new one, but I refuse to sell them my car at wholesale and pay retail for theirs.
This 2AZ 4 cylinder engine is in at least 3 model years of Camry's, 2 or 3 model years of Corollas, 2 or 3 model years of RAV4's and I don't remember the others. I think it is a travesty that the public in general is not aware of this as many people tend to buy used cars.
I would like to hear from any mechanics and what their opinion is of using the 10W-30 oil instead of 5W-20 as a means of providing much better lubrication and cooling and perhaps averting the excessive engine burning problem.
