2001 Toyota Camry engine seized.

[mattbruns3]

My 2001 Camry engine seized. It had oil in it and I changed the oil at the right intervals. I used the right viscosity. What else could have caused it to seize?

 

[Brian123]

My 2001 Camry engine seized. It had oil in it and I changed the oil at the right intervals. I used the right viscosity. What else could have caused it to seize?

We need more information, like how long you have had the car and what mileage is on this car? Are you the original owner, if not, when did you buy the car? Did this car use oil between oil changes, did you check the oil level every now and then?
These are just questions to help you out and help us help you.

 

[fantastic]

Catastrophic failure? Was there any noises? Let us know more details as @Brian123 suggests.

 

[supton]

That’s a bummer. Seized? I wonder if the timing belt shredded and has packed itself in somehow to jam up the works. When was the belt last changed?

Can you get a ratchet onto the crank and check? If it has some play, then I wonder if the water pump, alternator or power steering pump have seized instead.

 

[mattbruns3]

We need more information, like how long you have had the car and what mileage is on this car? Are you the original owner, if not, when did you buy the car? Did this car use oil between oil changes, did you check the oil level every now and then?
These are just questions to help you out and help us help you.

My Mom had it before I did. It had 202,000 miles on it. I was having to add a quart of oil every 2000 miles due to a minor leak from the valve cover gasket. I never let the oil level get low. I used Mobil 1 High Mileage 5W-30. That's what's recommended for older Toyotas with high mileage. I changed it every 5000-6000 miles even though the manual calls for 7500 miles.

 

[supton]

Another thought: does it have any coolant in it?

 

[HemiBenny]

Did you try the things suggested to you at ToyotaNation?

 

[mattbruns3]

Catastrophic failure? Was there any noises? Let us know more details as @Brian123 suggests.

When it seized it made loud knocking and ticking noises before it quit.

 

[mattbruns3]

Another thought: does it have any coolant in it?

Yes. I made sure all the fluid levels where good.

 

[Hirev]

The 2001 camry had a timing belt (cam belt) that needed to be changed every so often. Not changing this can cause bad things to happen.

 

[mattbruns3]

That’s a bummer. Seized? I wonder if the timing belt shredded and has packed itself in somehow to jam up the works. When was the belt last changed?

Can you get a ratchet onto the crank and check? If it has some play, then I wonder if the water pump, alternator or power steering pump have seized instead.

The timing belt was changed last year.

 

[supton]

Could be just dumb luck. One expects some amount of warning, with noises or idiot lights, loss of power etc. Perhaps one out a million failures is just straight up unknown.

At this point, it’s all just speculation. Do you plan to tear into this and find out?

 

[mattbruns3]

The 2001 camry had a timing belt (cam belt) that needed to be changed every so often. Not changing this can cause bad things to happen.

It's a non interference engine. The timing belt breaking won't damage the engine. It broke last Summer and it started back up after the new belt was installed.

 

[supton]

The timing belt was changed last year.

That’s good. Could still be related to the TB, job done poorly, idler pulley not replaced, similar faults.

 

[Brian123]

The 2001 camry had a timing belt (cam belt) that needed to be changed every so often. Not changing this can cause bad things to happen.

Replace the Timing Belt every 6 Years or 90,000 miles, whichever comes 1st, was about to post and saw you replaced the Timing Belt.

How often was the Coolant changed and before the engine seized was there any codes?

 

[HemiBenny]

Again, did you do the things suggested over at ToyotaNation? If you don’t take something apart, you’re not going to know anything. We don’t know why it seized.

 

[mattbruns3]

Replace the Timing Belt every 6 Years or 90,000 miles, whichever comes 1st, was about to post and saw you replaced the Timing Belt.

How often was the Coolant changed and before the engine seized was there any codes?

Timing belt is every 60,000 miles with Camrys. There were misfires codes. I changed the plugs and wires. It got rid of the misfires for a little while then it started again but it would only misfire when the engine is cold.

 

[supton]

but it would only misfire when the engine is cold.

Coolant ingestion from a failing head gasket, or a crack? that finally gave up and filled a cylinder enough to hydrolock?

What have you done to investigate further?

 

[dishdude]

OP said it was knocking before it seized, so in most likelihood it spun a bearing.

 

[kschachn]

Another one of these catastrophic problems where everything that’s suggested has already been done but still the problem remains.