Toyota Camry

[Dakhar]

Folks we have a Toyota 2.4 Camry. It must be around 5 years old, in good shape, never been driven hard etc.

It seems to be in good mechanical shape, nothing apparently wrong with it.

We recently had an LPG system placed on it, but now it seems to consume oil?

Here is what happens:

every 8 weeks or so, I find that the car is down a quart or so. It does not blow smoke, and there are NO leaks of signs of leaks left on the drive way/parking lot. I can not figure out where the oil is going.

Anny suggestions?

[Thaiboxer]

Have you checked the cooling system? It could be an internal leak. If there is a crack in one of the cylinder walls, part of the cylinder head, or if the head gasket is bad, that could cause a leak. Check inside the radiator and see if the coolant has oil floating on top, or if it looks creamy. The only other thing I could think of is the PCV (Postitive Crankcase Ventilation) system. At high speeds, air flowing through via "blowby" (gases escaping around the piston rings) picks up any oil vapor and carries it to the combustion chambers where it is burned along with the gasoline. Being that you lose only a quart after 8 weeks, it could be a small leak in one of the cylinders.

[mikethevigoman]

Folks we have a Toyota 2.4 Camry. It must be around 5 years old, in good shape, never been driven hard etc.

It seems to be in good mechanical shape, nothing apparently wrong with it.

We recently had an LPG system placed on it, but now it seems to consume oil?

Here is what happens:

every 8 weeks or so, I find that the car is down a quart or so. It does not blow smoke, and there are NO leaks of signs of leaks left on the drive way/parking lot. I can not figure out where the oil is going.

Anny suggestions?

In the uk we found out that older cars ran very dryand hotter ( internally ) on gas and can crack heads/valves etc, then oil would be used, and strangely enough never smoked,!..that is quite a lot of oil consumption id say, have an oil change done, get it right on the full mark and monitor it on mileage, if consuming it get a compression test done,.

Edited February 29, 2008 by mikethevigoman

[Who, me ?]

gasket ??? Any oil in the cooling water tank ? any sign of "mayonnaise" in oil ?

[Dakhar]

We took the car down to the Toyota dealer, they kept it for a few days.

The wife called, the folks there said it had bad rings... or it sounded as if that was the problem. They stated that they see this all the time with cars that have had LPG added.

I asked the wife if they did a compression check... she does not know.

Toyota also stated in order to really diagnose the root of the matter, it would cost 70K. In order to fix the problem (rings) it would cost several hundred thousand.... and no specific numbers offered on that.

Seems like I could get an engine from HK and have it placed in the car for cheaper?

Ohhh man, what a day

[Gary A]

We took the car down to the Toyota dealer, they kept it for a few days.

The wife called, the folks there said it had bad rings... or it sounded as if that was the problem. They stated that they see this all the time with cars that have had LPG added.

I asked the wife if they did a compression check... she does not know.

Toyota also stated in order to really diagnose the root of the matter, it would cost 70K. In order to fix the problem (rings) it would cost several hundred thousand.... and no specific numbers offered on that.

Seems like I could get an engine from HK and have it placed in the car for cheaper?

Ohhh man, what a day

You can buy a LOT of oil for that kind of money. Buy it a case at a time and keep it at home. I wouldn't do anything to it as long as it is not blowing a lot of smoke. When you renew your registration, the inspector will tell you if it needs rings. (Pollution check). Besides that, the Toyota dealer appears to want to rob you blind. Ridiculous price.

[Carib]

1/4 of oil in 8 weeks?? After switching from gasoline to LPG ?? No problem, donot let them touch the engine, it will just cost you lots and lots of money, and absolutely no guarantee it will not use the same amount. Every engine uses some oil, it is no big deal. Just drive it and donot worry about it.

[Plus]

We took the car down to the Toyota dealer, they kept it for a few days.

The wife called, the folks there said it had bad rings... or it sounded as if that was the problem. They stated that they see this all the time with cars that have had LPG added.

I asked the wife if they did a compression check... she does not know.

Toyota also stated in order to really diagnose the root of the matter, it would cost 70K. In order to fix the problem (rings) it would cost several hundred thousand.... and no specific numbers offered on that.

Seems like I could get an engine from HK and have it placed in the car for cheaper?

Ohhh man, what a day

You can buy a LOT of oil for that kind of money. Buy it a case at a time and keep it at home. I wouldn't do anything to it as long as it is not blowing a lot of smoke. When you renew your registration, the inspector will tell you if it needs rings. (Pollution check). Besides that, the Toyota dealer appears to want to rob you blind. Ridiculous price.

Absolutely.

Get a second opinion from another service center, or better yet take the car to the garage that installed LPG.