While i'm also enjoying this escapade... seems like it is time for this one to move on as soon as it "fixed" - and not to anyone you know.
So we're all buying Toyotas now 🤔
- Thread starter michaelluscher
- Start date
I'm getting that feeling too
The pending P0420 code is a definite
Of course once I give it a proper AFR, it decides to unalive itself
But it's got 11 months worth of sticker, and that's good enough for your average NY craigslister
However, it's daily drivable, and I'd like to keep it for a few weeks while I take my daily Camry down for major maintenance work
Timing belt, brakes, sending injectors out
Unfortunately my sister's boyfriend kinda likes it
Probably should sell it to someone I don't know
A rust belt classic, using fender washers to stop heat shields from rattling
Yep.......
Understood.
Upgrade that pending P0420 to an actual
I cleared it, let's see if it comes back
It probably will
I'll put a spacer on the rear O² sensor, that'll about conclude the money I'm willing to spend
I'll return the coils I ordered
I'll make an excel spreadsheet with costs, and look for what these are selling for in my area
I'll daily drive it in the meantime, with as little to no extra spend as possible
Be proud of this set-up - experience is gold! and it worked!
I should have paid more attention and helped with fuel pump assembly, 2003 Vibe, basically I ordered the separate parts and did the disassembly too. The filter housing can be had for ~$13 eBay and same for the pump motors for the Vibe. I stocked spares for all these parts including a junkyard assembly.
Now for the P0420, worst case scenario just checking for cat prices and replacement options, I'd think getting a local parts house like Auto Zone $495 and the 5 Year warranty seems reasonable, just think the $400 mark is where I'd want to be, that cry once thing...
though I might try Scotty Kilmer's clean it out with dish-soap method first, and Advanced Auto has the discount for buy online / pick-up in store option.
And try some part number searches on eBay could yield a reasonable option / risk $45 + $60 shipping, yes the shipping is high and the part is a risk, but at some frugal point we all must conserve our resources for other expenditures or savings. I don't always discard high shipping items knowing what it sometimes takes to ship things having had some experience a long time ago. And not one to discard used parts use, and you could email the seller and ask why it didn't work and may find another solution.
Oh, the other is your engine may be of different source according to a web page I have says the Scion's are from China, not saying that's good or bad, but different in that the oil burning problem may be more of a complaint for other manufacturing sites though I wouldn't know that for sure, but if you do have this one straightened out to the point where it is going to be a good one for a long time, you'll do well for yourself and it's fun to drive something say competitively as reliable as the new cars.
An update.
My past week, in TikTok form
Drove it back and forth to work all week, didn't miss a beat
It's about time
I did some other work to it, with parts that were ordered before I decided to stop spending money, and can't be returned
The fuel pump did definitely fix it, starts instantly under all conditions, no more stalling/hard starting or lean codes
And with unrestricted injectors, it's running right
Fuel trims
That's after a heat soak, starts even faster cold
Did an A/C refresher service to disband A/C stank
Found the source of assorted rattles/noises
Both wheel well liners were missing all the clips, and the engine splash shield is MIA
I had a bag of knock off eBay clips lying around that I just jammed into any opening I could find, and some zipties where appropriate
A solid afternoon of tightening, clip installation, zip tying, hosing out impacted dirt in crevices
$5 well spent, now I can grip the brake pedal in all weather
Replaced broken door pull/armrest/window switch retainer
Now you can close the door and rest your arm
Sat in 2hrs worth of traffic, never overheated or failed to restart when I'd shut down
Another $9 was spent changing the wiper blades AGAIN because those beam ones were too chunky and loose, so it'd slap the trim on the way down
FYI, these Trico part numbers are the same exact wiper blade as Toyota parts department Sightline brand blades, just without the toyota logo
A bargain @ $4.something each
The check engine light did actually go out for one drive cycle, and I'm learning more about what I can do with Techstream
The storage capacity is just barely below the minimum, so the PCM has determined this converter is just barely bad
I'm hoping a spacer on the rear O² will bring it into the clear
There's also the small exhaust leak right after the O² sensor, I'll have my exhaust shop look at it next week, as there's no way the bolts are coming out
I'll continue to daily it for another week, mainly because I've got no choice
My Camry is laid up with rear brakes that are nearly metal on metal, and I'm waiting on parking brake shoe hardware from RockAuto
Driving on
Next week we'll check in on the state of oil consumption
My past week, in TikTok form
Drove it back and forth to work all week, didn't miss a beat
It's about time
I did some other work to it, with parts that were ordered before I decided to stop spending money, and can't be returned
The fuel pump did definitely fix it, starts instantly under all conditions, no more stalling/hard starting or lean codes
And with unrestricted injectors, it's running right
Fuel trims
That's after a heat soak, starts even faster cold
Did an A/C refresher service to disband A/C stank
Found the source of assorted rattles/noises
Both wheel well liners were missing all the clips, and the engine splash shield is MIA
I had a bag of knock off eBay clips lying around that I just jammed into any opening I could find, and some zipties where appropriate
A solid afternoon of tightening, clip installation, zip tying, hosing out impacted dirt in crevices
$5 well spent, now I can grip the brake pedal in all weather
Replaced broken door pull/armrest/window switch retainer
Now you can close the door and rest your arm
Sat in 2hrs worth of traffic, never overheated or failed to restart when I'd shut down
FYI, these Trico part numbers are the same exact wiper blade as Toyota parts department Sightline brand blades, just without the toyota logo
A bargain @ $4.something each
The check engine light did actually go out for one drive cycle, and I'm learning more about what I can do with Techstream
The storage capacity is just barely below the minimum, so the PCM has determined this converter is just barely bad
I'm hoping a spacer on the rear O² will bring it into the clear
There's also the small exhaust leak right after the O² sensor, I'll have my exhaust shop look at it next week, as there's no way the bolts are coming out
I'll continue to daily it for another week, mainly because I've got no choice
My Camry is laid up with rear brakes that are nearly metal on metal, and I'm waiting on parking brake shoe hardware from RockAuto
Driving on
Next week we'll check in on the state of oil consumption
The o2 spacer will definitely fix your 420. On some Camrys and maybe other cars Toyota came up with a revised PCM programming that made it harder to fail the catalyst, as they were too sensitive initially.
One of my 2nd gen prii was a loose mess under the front bumper, fender liner box area. Like you, I threw a bunch of zip ties at the problem, drilled a few 3/16" holes to feed the zip ties through. Baffles me how other people can stand this, let alone under-carriage plastic flapping driving down the highway.
One of my 2nd gen prii was a loose mess under the front bumper, fender liner box area. Like you, I threw a bunch of zip ties at the problem, drilled a few 3/16" holes to feed the zip ties through. Baffles me how other people can stand this, let alone under-carriage plastic flapping driving down the highway.
Oil consumption update
I've put the 1200~ miles on this OCI that Toyota would've used to determine if you'd get the rebuild under warranty
This is Pennzoil HM 5w30, and a YZZF1 oil filter
At this rate, I'd expect it to need 1qt after 2500-3000 miles
While not ideal, I guess that's reasonable on an engine with 283,700 miles on it
A big improvement over when I bought it, where moderate throttle would cloud out an intersection
So the verdict is in, B12 and Kroil piston soak over a 7-10 day period has made some improvement
It's not a cure all, but I won't be needing to add the oil and check the gas like many 2AZs, or older worn out Honda's
Next OCI I'll throw in the HPL engine cleaner, see what it loosens up
So let it be known here and now, there is some hope for an oil burning 2AZ, without major rebuild
For the cost of a few cheap oil changes, $25 in B12 Chemtool, and a penetrant of your choice, you can give it a go
Because there's a lot of cars out there that missed the ZE7 campaign, and most have aged out on time/mileage
The only cars out there still vaugely eligible would be later production Scion xB, the last of the Matrix/Vibe, and the Prius in luxury clothes Lexus HS250h
This engine soldiered on in the xB the longest, ending production late January 2015
So if anyone has an opportunity to buy up a MY13/14/15 for cheap, sub 150k, they are still eligible for the rebuild
If I found one for the right price (some are listed for more than there new MSRP now), I'd buy it and make darn sure it fails
I've put the 1200~ miles on this OCI that Toyota would've used to determine if you'd get the rebuild under warranty
This is Pennzoil HM 5w30, and a YZZF1 oil filter
At this rate, I'd expect it to need 1qt after 2500-3000 miles
While not ideal, I guess that's reasonable on an engine with 283,700 miles on it
A big improvement over when I bought it, where moderate throttle would cloud out an intersection
So the verdict is in, B12 and Kroil piston soak over a 7-10 day period has made some improvement
It's not a cure all, but I won't be needing to add the oil and check the gas like many 2AZs, or older worn out Honda's
Next OCI I'll throw in the HPL engine cleaner, see what it loosens up
So let it be known here and now, there is some hope for an oil burning 2AZ, without major rebuild
For the cost of a few cheap oil changes, $25 in B12 Chemtool, and a penetrant of your choice, you can give it a go
Because there's a lot of cars out there that missed the ZE7 campaign, and most have aged out on time/mileage
The only cars out there still vaugely eligible would be later production Scion xB, the last of the Matrix/Vibe, and the Prius in luxury clothes Lexus HS250h
This engine soldiered on in the xB the longest, ending production late January 2015
So if anyone has an opportunity to buy up a MY13/14/15 for cheap, sub 150k, they are still eligible for the rebuild
If I found one for the right price (some are listed for more than there new MSRP now), I'd buy it and make darn sure it fails
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Minor update, I wound up keeping the last of the parts ordered
These plugs had been through a lot in 1000 miles, so $10 worth of new single platinum NGKs went in
The coils were suspect, so 4 Denso Japan made coils went in, two of the OEM ones had long cracks down the stalks
And aftermarket coils IMO are a unexpected failure waiting to happen
You can see where they modified the molds to not stamp in the Toyota logo and part number
And this Denso upstream AFR that RockAuto screwed me over with 2+ years ago was just sitting on the shelf
Thought it'd do more good in the car, and it's the only car I have/look after that it fits
The intermediate shaft is a little clunky, because Toyota
I've got the grease kit left over from my Camry, so I'll lube that up
Waiting for the O² spacer to hopefully put out the P0420
I suspect one rear brake is intermittently sticking, but that's not surprising considering I've yet to look at the brakes other than friction material being present
I might have all 4 rotors machined and slap mid line pads all around to smooth it out
The A/C is just okay, it does move condensate but it takes a little too long to cool down
I'll double check low speed cooling fan operation and wash the condenser before I put the gauge set on it
Might just need a few ounces of top off
I've been commuting with it 50+ miles a day, of brutal NYC stop and go traffic, thru the Holland Tunnel, all over Brooklyn
It's been my daily since my Camrys been laid up over brakes and wheel bearings
While it's not perfect, it's putting in the work
And that's all I can ask for at this time
Brakes, CEL P0420, and exhaust leak are about the only things left from me being able to put it up for sale in good faith
I might also try to warranty the battery, because +1 selling point
It's actually proving somewhat useful
Bought a tool cart topper and shelving on a whim at the HF because 25% off sale
Averaging 21-22 MPG
Always starts, always getting me where I need to go
Oil consumption is still looking ok, looks like I'll make it to 2000+ before needing 1qt
A big improvement over the smoker it was when I bought it
I'll probably do another week or two of driving, one last idle flush, then a bottle of HPL cleaner will go in
I found it's doppelganger somewhere in Bushwick
Along with inferior cubic urban vehicle
Driving on
These plugs had been through a lot in 1000 miles, so $10 worth of new single platinum NGKs went in
The coils were suspect, so 4 Denso Japan made coils went in, two of the OEM ones had long cracks down the stalks
And aftermarket coils IMO are a unexpected failure waiting to happen
You can see where they modified the molds to not stamp in the Toyota logo and part number
And this Denso upstream AFR that RockAuto screwed me over with 2+ years ago was just sitting on the shelf
Thought it'd do more good in the car, and it's the only car I have/look after that it fits
The intermediate shaft is a little clunky, because Toyota
I've got the grease kit left over from my Camry, so I'll lube that up
Waiting for the O² spacer to hopefully put out the P0420
I suspect one rear brake is intermittently sticking, but that's not surprising considering I've yet to look at the brakes other than friction material being present
I might have all 4 rotors machined and slap mid line pads all around to smooth it out
The A/C is just okay, it does move condensate but it takes a little too long to cool down
I'll double check low speed cooling fan operation and wash the condenser before I put the gauge set on it
Might just need a few ounces of top off
I've been commuting with it 50+ miles a day, of brutal NYC stop and go traffic, thru the Holland Tunnel, all over Brooklyn
It's been my daily since my Camrys been laid up over brakes and wheel bearings
While it's not perfect, it's putting in the work
And that's all I can ask for at this time
Brakes, CEL P0420, and exhaust leak are about the only things left from me being able to put it up for sale in good faith
I might also try to warranty the battery, because +1 selling point
It's actually proving somewhat useful
Bought a tool cart topper and shelving on a whim at the HF because 25% off sale
Averaging 21-22 MPG
Always starts, always getting me where I need to go
Oil consumption is still looking ok, looks like I'll make it to 2000+ before needing 1qt
A big improvement over the smoker it was when I bought it
I'll probably do another week or two of driving, one last idle flush, then a bottle of HPL cleaner will go in
I found it's doppelganger somewhere in Bushwick
Along with inferior cubic urban vehicle
Driving on
Well, it was 78° and humid 
here in NYC today
The A/C was just okay
I have a procedure for this, considering I have little A/C experience, and only driveway grade tools
1. Wash the condenser
2. Evaporator refresh kit (kinda washes the evaporator?)
3. New cabin filter
4. Evaluate cooling fan/belt drive/blower motor functionality
Two bolts and some clips whips the grille and horns out of the way
I didn't feel like pulling the bumper
$5 can of coil cleaner dislodged some dirt, but it wasn't too bad
Lots of rinsing and back flushing to clear it all out
Take for an extended drive to dry the condenser out, as when wet it'll perform better, skewing gauge readings
All other components checked out, but even during extended highway operation on MAX AC, the temp would go no lower than 48°
No bueno
After you've done all those steps, then and only then do you consider touching the A/C charge
There's a place in hell for the AC Pro™ can
Took for an extended drive to eliminate heat load, then installed a gauge set
These pressure's didn't look bad at all, and the compressor/fans were on constantly
I was looking for 35-45 and 150-170 based on 75° Ambient
These numbers can vary slightly due to humidity
I inverted a partly used can of 134a, purged the charge hose, and charged in 3 second bursts ON THE LOW SIDE
Close low side, let system stabilize
Bring RPMs up, check vent temp
Rinse and repeat
Brought the low side up to ~45ish, and the high side to ~175ish
Now it would cycle every few minutes, vent temperatures dropped, and evaporator condensation output increased significantly
Now it was a 12oz partly used can, and there's still some left in it
I'm estimating I only put in 3-6oz
...on a system that holds 17.2 oz, that means quite a bit
But now I get 38° to 42° out the vents, in around town traffic
Closed the can, sucked in the residual in the hose, recapped service ports
It's gonna be warmer this week, so that'll be a real test of performance, but as of today it was keeping me more than comfortable
For a $5 can of cleaner, and a $7 can of 134a, I'm calling that a win
I also found some leftover TSB intermediate shaft grease from my Camry, seems to have taken some of the clunk out of the steering column
78° of humidity outside, 38° of comfort in bumper to bumper inside
Next week hopefully the O² sensor spacer arrives, and I can get to the exhaust shop and get the leak repaired
Looks good clean
I'm gonna give the headlight polish another go
It'd look mint if it wasn't for the hood
here in NYC todayThe A/C was just okay
I have a procedure for this, considering I have little A/C experience, and only driveway grade tools
1. Wash the condenser
2. Evaporator refresh kit (kinda washes the evaporator?)
3. New cabin filter
4. Evaluate cooling fan/belt drive/blower motor functionality
Two bolts and some clips whips the grille and horns out of the way
I didn't feel like pulling the bumper
$5 can of coil cleaner dislodged some dirt, but it wasn't too bad
Lots of rinsing and back flushing to clear it all out
Take for an extended drive to dry the condenser out, as when wet it'll perform better, skewing gauge readings
All other components checked out, but even during extended highway operation on MAX AC, the temp would go no lower than 48°
No bueno
After you've done all those steps, then and only then do you consider touching the A/C charge
There's a place in hell for the AC Pro™ can
Took for an extended drive to eliminate heat load, then installed a gauge set
These pressure's didn't look bad at all, and the compressor/fans were on constantly
I was looking for 35-45 and 150-170 based on 75° Ambient
These numbers can vary slightly due to humidity
I inverted a partly used can of 134a, purged the charge hose, and charged in 3 second bursts ON THE LOW SIDE
Close low side, let system stabilize
Bring RPMs up, check vent temp
Rinse and repeat
Brought the low side up to ~45ish, and the high side to ~175ish
Now it would cycle every few minutes, vent temperatures dropped, and evaporator condensation output increased significantly
Now it was a 12oz partly used can, and there's still some left in it
I'm estimating I only put in 3-6oz
...on a system that holds 17.2 oz, that means quite a bit
But now I get 38° to 42° out the vents, in around town traffic
Closed the can, sucked in the residual in the hose, recapped service ports
It's gonna be warmer this week, so that'll be a real test of performance, but as of today it was keeping me more than comfortable
For a $5 can of cleaner, and a $7 can of 134a, I'm calling that a win
I also found some leftover TSB intermediate shaft grease from my Camry, seems to have taken some of the clunk out of the steering column
78° of humidity outside, 38° of comfort in bumper to bumper inside
Next week hopefully the O² sensor spacer arrives, and I can get to the exhaust shop and get the leak repaired
Looks good clean
I'm gonna give the headlight polish another go
It'd look mint if it wasn't for the hood
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An update
I wasn't driving it much, mainly due to a sticking then grinding rear brake
A full brake job was in order, and I think it went fairly well
Oh, and I put an O² spacer on the post cat oxygen sensor, so far it's made it through two trip detection without returning a P0420
If it does return, I'll stack another one in
I wasn't driving it much, mainly due to a sticking then grinding rear brake
A full brake job was in order, and I think it went fairly well
Oh, and I put an O² spacer on the post cat oxygen sensor, so far it's made it through two trip detection without returning a P0420
If it does return, I'll stack another one in
These rotors were hosed
Cleaning the hub with the hub cleaner
Always new rubber parts (all were various types of destroyed)
And the rubber ring on the slide pin was missing on all wheels
One rear pin was seized, hence the grinding
I had to Torch/Impact/Kroil it out
It eventually yielded, and cleaned up to usable
Stopping had your fillings shaken loose
While not dangerous, they were getting low
Oh, and the fronts were missing the low pad wear indicators
The last guy I tell ya
Oh, and the pins smelled like wheel bearing grease
I used CRC Brake lube on metal surfaces, and the PTFE silicone on the pins
Coming along
That's more like it
A new tool
Best $35 I ever spent
Makes bleeding and moving large amounts of fluid quickly very easily
I moved about 60oz of fresh Valvoline DOT3/4 throughout all 4 corners
While not a complete flush, the pedal feel is
Let's talk about Raybestos brake parts
I like their EHT full coated rotors
I've had quite a bit of trouble with their pads and included hardware
I spent far too much time fussing, fiddling, and filing down the pad to make it not bind
I like the compound and feel, but they really gotta improve the fit and finish
They were a PITA on the rear of my Camry and they were even worse here
I like their EHT full coated rotors
I've had quite a bit of trouble with their pads and included hardware
I spent far too much time fussing, fiddling, and filing down the pad to make it not bind
I like the compound and feel, but they really gotta improve the fit and finish
They were a PITA on the rear of my Camry and they were even worse here
Lets talk about oil consumption
As it stands, 2300 miles and it almost needs 1qt
So I did this cheap idle flush, and I'm letting it drain overnight
Tomorrow we'll do an oil change with a difference
As it stands, 2300 miles and it almost needs 1qt
So I did this cheap idle flush, and I'm letting it drain overnight
Tomorrow we'll do an oil change with a difference
I also recently bought an xB (2009) with an oil consumption problem and a missing cabin filter door. My B12 piston soak only took me up to about 1200 miles/quart. Maybe I should do a second one.
My hood front edge looks a lot like yours as well.
My hood front edge looks a lot like yours as well.