Question re: seals replacements 2000 Toyota Tacoma

Maintenance/Repairs
1

Our 2000 Tacoma has 350,000 miles and has been very well-maintained. Never skipped an oil change or transmission service, even replaced the timing chain twice as preventive maintenance.

On a recent service visit, the shop alerted us to the need for seals replacements, and we had been adding about a half-quart of oil between oil changes.

We authorized the repair, along with new tires, alignment, tie rod, everything they said necessary to get the vehicle tip-top.

We picked up the truck on a Friday and the following Sunday, I noticed a considerable amount of blue-white smoke puff from the tailpipe upon cranking the vehicle. This never happened prior to the repair.

The following Monday, we attempted unsuccessfully to text the shop via the same number we used to communicate with the shop pre-payment. We tried again that Wednesday. Thursday, we called and left a vm, no reply. Same for that Friday.

I reasoned that the seals replacements may have allowed oil to find its way into exhaust and that it would burn off soon. We had hoped the shop might say this was a possibility.

Over that weekend, we checked oil for the second time. The first time, having just picked up the vehicle, oil was full. The second time, after approximately 300 miles of driving since the seals replacements, the oil was more than a quart low.

Is the exhaust smoke and drop in oil level normal after this type of repair?

We finally reached the shop 6 business days after retrieving the vehicle with an almost 4 grand bill that we paid in full. Now, they tell us they’ll take a look, but the engine may need a rebuild.

Again, prior to the seals replacements, we filled less than a quart between oil changes and never observed smoke from the tailpipe.

We’re a little taken by surprise and hoping for some perspective.

2

I don’t know why you spent the money to have the seals replaced?

That’s considered as normal oil consumption on some brand new vehicles.

You wasted your money and ended up with a worse problem.

Toyota considers oil consumption of up to 1.1 quarts per 600 miles as normal for some of its engines, particularly the 1NZ-FE engine. However, many owners find this level of consumption unacceptable and have raised concerns about it.

Tester

3

That’s about what we were afraid of.

The shop recommended the repair as eventually necessary, better to fix now than later.

4

The shop had no way of knowing that.

They talked you into an unnecessary repair.

Tester

5

Is this a shop you used before? You didn’t say if it’s a new shop or not.

6

Many, many times, which is why we were a little surprised they wouldn’t return texts/calls for a full week after a ticket that big.

7

I’d say the shop needs to do the ENTIRE JOB again

you were a long-time good customer and they took $4k of your money and returned a vehicle that was in far worse shape than it was prior to the repair

What’s more, this disastrous engine oil consumption . . . AFTER the repair, that is . . . may eventually damage your catalytic converter, imo

IMO, given the fact that you had only needed add 1/2-quart between oil changes, I feel the shop should NOT have upsold you that repair

I feel the shop should also have noticed this

I’m worried the shop basically botched the repair

they shouldn’t have returned the truck to you in its current condition

8

Were the seals replaced to correct oil leaks or valve guide seals to correct oil consumption/smoke?

9

Leaks

The smoke didn’t enter the picture til immediately after the vehicle was returned to us

10

They probably left the engine idling for 30 minutes after the repair to check for leaks. Exhaust smoke on old engines becomes more noticeable after periods on idling.

11

OK, here is my thinking on this, and I may be way out in left field, but with 350,000 miles, I am sure you have some blowby, that pressure has to go somewhere, so it start seeping out the weak seals, now that those seals have been replaced, now it is pushing the oil past the next weakest seals, those sound like the valve guide seals, hence the smoke puff upon start up…

Make sure the PCV system is in good working order…

Could try replacing the valve stem (guide) seals, but that not help much depending on if/how much blowby the engine has…

12

Did you ever try using a high millage oil like Valvoline Max Life?

Tester

13

The smoke is worse upon first starting the engine, then it thins out but persists

The first time I noticed it, two days after picking up the truck, for a second I thought something was on fire.

14

That’s exactly what we use, Tester, and what we are topping with until we can learn if the shop is going to make a genuine effort to correct the situation.

15

Could that scenario potentially be consistent with the now much greater oil loss post-repair?

16

The smoke should have cleared after driving. If the smoke has continued, there may be a problem with the oil draining from the cylinder head to the crankcase.

Which seals were replaced? Valve cover gasket? Rear main crankshaft seal?

17

Leaking valve guide seals is the most common cause for smoke at start-up with a cold engine.

If the engine didn’t do this before, they messed up.

Tester

18

Plausible…

I have seen many times though were a shop replaces most of the external seals and gaskets without pulling the engine (or trans), then it blow out the rear main seal… So could be a combo with the rear main and valve stem/guide seals…

Need to verify the PCV system is working OK, none of the recent repairs is not part of the cause of the oil loss, and then find the reason for the now much higher oil loss… May need to clean the engine top to bottom and add some oil dye…

19

I too am curious as to what was replaced or resealed.

It’s all after the fact now, but I agree. There’s no way I would recommend any kind of service or repair on any engine that only uses half a quart between oil changes, much less an engine with 350K on the clock.

20

I don’t want to perform an engine repair on a 26-year-old truck, but we must document the oil leaks during an oil change. Next, the service writer will demand prices for the repair.

When I see a 20-year-old car come in for an oil change, I go for a long walk. It will take 20 minutes to complete the multi point inspection (free), so let someone else take on the work.

Some service writers know enough to not offer an engine repair on such an old vehicle, but most do not. Then they want the work completed by the end of the day, but hoses and connectors will break during disassembly and will need to be ordered.