Between the several threads started on this, Nick has yet to tell us how many miles per quart he is currently getting.
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The rear main crankshaft seal should be replaced before the engine is installed, 18 minutes labor and $35 for the seal.
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Was the engine running when it got caught in the flash flood? If it was, then it probably hydrolocked which does a lot of damage. If it wasnât running, then the mechanic had no business replacing the engine, just drain all the fluids and replace them.
One place the 4 cylinder engines tend to leak from is the front seal. It is pretty easy to replace. If you look at the front of the engine, the front seal is behind the harmonic balancer. The harmonic balancer is just behind the belt pulley. It will sling oil outward 90 degrees from the front of the engine, in a circle. You will see oil on the hood just above the harmonic balancer as well as to either side. It is easy to replace and should not cost too much.
But not too much is still a couple hundred where 2.5 qts/1200 miles of road trip can go a long way on that couple hundred. Vehicles usually use more oil on a road trip than around town.
The bad thing about the front oil seal is that it is the seal for the oil pump. It can leak a qt/500 miles for 100k-150k miles, then suddenly fail catastrophically and dump all the oil in your engine in just a few minutes or less. So if that red oil light comes on, stop the engine immediately, not when you get to a safe place. Had it happen on two Toyota engines.
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The front pump seal (torque converter) seal should also be replaced anytime the engine is out. The last thing one wants is to have a major leak from the transmission after reinstalling the engine and have to face pulling the transmission out.
Which brings up the question of whether or not the transmission fluid was contaminated by flood water.
Along with contamination of steering/suspension components and of the wheel bearing grease especially considering those are likely all 17 year old seals involved.
I dunno. I have only replaced engines in one car. Two engines on the same car. The first one a GM Goodwrench reman and the second one a used with new head gaskets. Looking back it was a mistake trying to get my money out by throwing more money at it.
I guess I would live with or try and minimize the oil use/leakage-who knows which or both at this point. Another engine? More money and the second one could be worse. My general rule has been to never open a high mileage engine up for OH or repair and now I would probably add to never put a new engine in unless maybe at low miles on the car. Lots of questions to be answered concerning flood issues, level of the oil after the quick lube, oil used in a 1200 mile trip, where the leaks are coming from and how bad and so on. I had a car that I drove 100 miles every day and used a quart every 500 miles. I would have continued that infinity without other problems.
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2AZ-FE 4-cylinder engine?
Thatâs the most common engine for your Camry
Those engines were known to use a lot of engine oil
Yes, engines burning a lot of oil will degrade the catalytic converterâs efficiency, which can eventually generate P0420
Do you live in a state that has emissions inspections?
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I believe you can buy high mileage oil or some such thing that has different additives that are designed to not poison the catalyst as quickly.
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No, theyâre designed to swell seals to reduce leakage.
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There was some oil at the auto parts store that was advertising that it doesnât poison the catalytic converter as fast. It has reduced zinc or such in it. So if a car burns a lot of oil and you just want to add more oil then better think about saving the catalyst.
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Forget transporting the car then driving it back home: Too much of your time and good money after bad. The oil leak doesnât sound that serious. Deserves at least an investigation to make sure itâs not something that is easily remedied. As for oil consumption, just think how much oil you can buy with what it would cost to transport the car back to the engine installer. Iâd be as worried that the car was in a flood. Long term problems, especially electrical, are probably inevitable. If you like the car, check out the leak and keep an eye on the dip stick. Otherwise, cut your losses and move on.
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I may be moving to a state soon that does emissions inspections.
2005 Camry LE
Engine: 2.4L I-4
A lot of people seem to be agreeing with you saying its not worth throwing more money into this car because there will likely be flood damages that come up in the future. I think Iâm going this route.
However, lets say that I drive this car for as long as I can without any serious issues. What do you think will be the eventual effect on my catalytic converter with my engine burning oil? (Iâm going to buy Engine Restorer tomorrow)
The money is already spent on the engine replacement, you can continue to use this car as long as you want.
What part of the car got wet in the âflash floodâ?
The engine wiring is waterproof. The interior wiring and modules are not waterproof.
Was the catalytic converter a quality unit? Cheap catalytic converters are often borderline on âcatalystic efficiencyâ, meaning that they are unreliable.
You will have to replace it, and that will not be cheap.
I view that as sort of a Hail Mary Pass. Yes, it might work, but the question is whether it will work well enough to significantly reduce oil consumption. I tried it in the engine of my friendâs oil-burning Rav-4, and it reduced the rate of oil consumption to âonlyâ 1 qt per 300 miles, rather than the previous rate of 1 qt per 250 miles. Ergoânot much of a difference.
Just FWIW, my 59 Pontiac would always use oil on the highway. It would be down a quart after the 200 mile drive from school. Otherwise no big oil usage. Pop a quart in after a highway drive and no big deal compared to the alternative. 125,000 when I sold it. Of course no cat.
You can use thicker oil to reduce oil consumption as well, like 10W40 or 20W40 or straight 40 in the summer. But with variable valve timing on some engines if you go too thick it the valve adjustment wonât work right and the the check engine light will come on and I think it will get stuck one configuration such as better low end torque and the engine will be less efficient.
Yeah, better to use an oil thatâs recommended in the owners manual and be sure to keep it topped up.
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