Valve cover gasket replacement on my sister's 2005 Camry - pictures

[350Rocket]

We got this car about a year with around 170k miles on it to replace her 2010 Taurus (when the water pump financially totalled the car). Finally got around to replacing the valve cover gasket as it smelled badly of oil.

The job went pretty well other than a p0352 the next day along with a misfire that disappeared just after she got to my place. I swapped coils and plugs between cylinder 2 and 1 to see if it followed but it never came back.

Nothing too scary underneath the valve cover but it is pretty varnished. Oil always gets dirty very quickly.

 

[Cujet]

Interesting. Are you moving to synthetic oil to clean it up?

 

[PontiacHO]

170k - carry on like it’s just another day…

 

[53' Stude]

I’ve got 197k on my 2AZ-FE in my 09’ Camry. Just gotta do something to stop the oil usage.


Nice write up and photos

 

[RoadDukie]

As you mentioned, it is pretty varnished.... but the cam lobes look to be in great shape with nice even wear.

 

[JohnnyG]

I think the oil gets dirty quickly because plenty of old oil seems to be left behind in those numerous valleys and dips. I wouldn't worry about it one bit. Maybe a cheapo oil change followed another one soon after will slow it down a bit.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Looks good

 

[JMJNet]

I’ve got 197k on my 2AZ-FE in my 09’ Camry. Just gotta do something to stop the oil usage.


Nice write up and photos

This one is a known Toyota issue with 2007-2009 Camry with 2az-fe engine.

You can google it.

 

[53' Stude]

This one is a known Toyota issue with 2007-2009 Camry with 2az-fe engine.

You can google it.

I have; it’s the rings

 

[svtrit]

I wonder what the mileage was between oil changes to varnish up like that? My sons’ 2000 with 170k miles was no where near that bronzed. It had been elderly driven and cared for before getting traded in, where the shop manager bought it and drove it for another 3 years. I’m guessing his had no extended changes in its past.

 

[PontiacHO]

I wonder what the mileage was between oil changes to varnish up like that? My sons’ 2000 with 170k miles was no where near that bronzed. It had been elderly driven and cared for before getting traded in, where the shop manager bought it and drove it for another 3 years. I’m guessing his had no extended changes in its past.

Hard acceleration forces some combustion past the rings in the best of engines. That can cause varnish etc.I doubt the elderly folks (like me) drove it aggressively. As far as varnish in any engine at 170k, you can’t ask for much more anyway..in my opinion. That engine/car has lasted far past most in that category.

 

[researcher]

I wonder what the mileage was between oil changes to varnish up like that? My sons’ 2000 with 170k miles was no where near that bronzed. It had been elderly driven and cared for before getting traded in, where the shop manager bought it and drove it for another 3 years. I’m guessing his had no extended changes in its past.

The 2000 engine is a different generation than the 2005 2az-fe engine. So having a different outcome where yours wasn't as varnished makes sense. From what I remember hearing, Toyota, for the newer 2005 engine..upped the thermostat temps and some other modifications to eliminate the earlier sludging issue. The piston ring issue didn't happen until the newer 2az-fe was introduced around 2007. The use of low-tension piston rings was blamed for it. Anyone else have more info, jump in and post!

 

[350Rocket]

Interesting. Are you moving to synthetic oil to clean it up?

Yes. It got several 3k oil changes on conventional and now it's on its second fill of full synthetic 5w30. So far no oil usage, just gets dirty early as it's cleaning it out.

 

[350Rocket]

I wonder what the mileage was between oil changes to varnish up like that? My sons’ 2000 with 170k miles was no where near that bronzed. It had been elderly driven and cared for before getting traded in, where the shop manager bought it and drove it for another 3 years. I’m guessing his had no extended changes in its past.

I believe it got 3k mile conventional oil changes but it was almost all short city trips by the previous owner for many years so it might have been almost once a year oil changes going mostly less than 10 minute drives.