So we're all buying Toyotas now 🤔

Down a gravel road late at night, I've run out of NYC 😳
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Awful bright for 10pm 😎
Driving on 🚗
 
I had a 2002 Corolla that used oil, I switched from 5w-30 to 0w-20 (supertech synthetic) and it eventually stopped using oil all together, I ran that car to nearly 300k miles, 200k on the 0w-20 oil, it was totaled in an accident. I’m sure It would still be on the road otherwise.
 
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Had to drop off/pick up 4 family members for a cruise
4 people (of various sizes)
5 big roll away suitcases, plus a half dozen purses/carry on/duffel bags
...Just barely fit 😬
Glad I played a lot of Tetris as a kid 😅
We may have slightly exceeded the weight limit, but it did 70 on the Turnpike going and 70 on the turnpike coming back, in beautifully air conditioned comfort

Once we get to 2500-3000 miles on the OCI, we'll recheck oil consumption

It's really crying out for a pair of front quick struts, and repairing the exhaust leak, it's on the to do list

Continually driving on 🚗
 
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2700 miles and it's probably time for 1qt

I'm hoping if I step it up to 5w40 or 0w40, I can stretch it to 3k per qt

Still a big improvement, and far better than most non rebuilt 2AZs
 
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2700 miles and it's probably time for 1qt

I'm hoping if I step it up to 5w40 or 0w40, I can stretch it to 3k per qt

Still a big improvement, and far better than most non rebuilt 2AZs
That's some impressive results! For the longest time ever it was preached that 2AZ/1ZZ have manufacturing defects, and chemicals are not able to fix it, rebuild is the only answer. But here we see proof that with correct chemicals huge improvements are possible! Props to Berryman and @High Performance Lubricants for great chemicals, and props to you for putting in the elbow grease, time, effort, and $$$! Glad to see you keep this thing going. 300K is around the corner!
 
Let's check up on our oil burning experiment shall we 🤔
We're ~9 months and ~9,000 miles into this project ?
1,350 miles into Mobil 1 0w40
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I'm hoping to make it to 3k per 1qt at this rate
The cold starts are superb 🤌
Current mileage 289,050
Will it make 300k
Only time will tell...

🚗 on....
 
Oh, and here's me refreshing the suspension
With KYB shocks and quick struts
The old ones were factory, and clapped out
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Don't remove the cowl, you don't need to
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Old ones all leaked out
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Don't worry, I cut the tag off
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I changed the rear shocks without jacking it up, or removing a wheel, some of the easiest suspension work I've ever done on any car
They were struggling to stand at attention
 
Here’s hoping for 400k! I wonder if my results with ow-20 synthetic were due to the thin oil or the fact that I changed it more regularly and it’s synthetic so it cleaned better. My Corolla’s oil consumption was basically gone by the time my son wrecked the car and it ran like a top!
 
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He used their preassembled unit, so Excel-G.

I’m curious if he has a Carolina squat now. I installed a front pair of KYB preassembled struts onto a neighbor’s Highlander and now there is a slight Carolina squat.
In the past I noticed the Carolina Squat, but it usually settled after 2-4 weeks, or 1000+ miles. How long have those been installed on the neighbor's Highlander?
 
These are my two 2012s.

First one has 50K on it. Purchased locally and came from Phoenix, so looks showroom new.

Second one I bought with salvaged title (light front end damage) with only 20K on it.

Sometimes a little quirky, but mine are both great and use no oil yet.

Looking for a 1st generation one to add if I can find one not clapped out.

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These are my two 2012s.

First one has 50K on it. Purchased locally and came from Phoenix, so looks showroom new.

Second one I bought with salvaged title (light front end damage) with only 20K on it.

Sometimes a little quirky, but mine are both great and use no oil yet.

Looking for a 1st generation one to add if I can find one not clapped out.

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I'm so jealous of your hood having paint 😭
And the facelift bumpers + gauge cluster
One day I'll find a nice clean Release Series
Because some of them had a Sunroof 🙂

Urban 📦 gang 💪
 
I'm so jealous of your hood having paint 😭
And the facelift bumpers + gauge cluster
One day I'll find a nice clean Release Series
Because some of them had a Sunroof 🙂

Urban 📦 gang 💪
I paid a lot more for the Army Rock colored one than I wanted to but it needs nothing. The bottom pictured one is quirky though. As is notorious on these cars, they get a lot of windshield chips because of the shape of the car. Well, if the previous owner doesn't install an aftermarket windhsield correctly, moisture will seep in and rust the channel.

And mine has this problem and it leaked in terribly this past summer. It is a pain in the but to repair and a little pricey. And the roof has about a dozen dime sized rust spots starting, so I am going to have to sand down the roof and paint it. Otherwise it's been great. ha :)
 
He used their preassembled unit, so Excel-G.

I’m curious if he has a Carolina squat now. I installed a front pair of KYB preassembled struts onto a neighbor’s Highlander and now there is a slight Carolina squat.
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Make of that what you will 🤷‍♂️

It sits about how other xB² I see around sit (barring different wheels/lowering springs)

It's got quick struts in the front, but the factory springs still in the back

I'm no lightweight (6'2/270) but when anyone sits in the driver's seat or there's anything in the cargo area, it sits right, and keeps correct attitude during acceleration/braking
 
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We're getting close to 1 year on this project 👀
Oh how the time flies
No real new updates, it could probably use both rear wheel bearings, because they're loud
And I need to warranty the rear Element3 pads, they're slapping around in the bracket causing a hysterical rattle
One of the TPMS sensors is showing the low battery icon on the Autel TPMS tool, sometimes it trips the light, I just check the pressures manually 🤷‍♂️
I swapped the POS Fel-Pro donut gasket out for a OEM Toyota one, that I slathered in orange exhaust RTV, it leaks a lot less, but I still here a little something
That's a job for the smoke machine in the spring
I temporarily lost one of the keyfobs, so I got two aftermarket ones online for $20 delivered
A locksmith copied them, they were easy to DIY program

Both engine and transmission are a little loud, for one reason or another, but here's hoping to 300k 🫡

Continually driving on 🚗

A cold start on the 0w40, because why not 🙂
 
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