Decisions, decisions on daughter's 07 Camry

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Daughter just purchased an 07 Camry LE with the 2AZ-FE 4-banger with 84k miles from individual. Don't know maintenance history of vehicle. Had my mechanic look it over and said tranny fluid is getting old. Was going to do several drains and refills with Maxlife, but I'm undecided about engine oil. My research on 2AZ-FE indicates it can become an oil burner if not maintained properly because of plugged drain holes in the pistons. Toyota went to 0w-20 or 5w-20 recommendation for 07. Previous models used 5w-30. Oil on dipstick when purchased was above the full mark, which leads me to believe whoever changed it last just poured in 5 quarts instead of the 4.5 quarts needed to hit the full mark. What would you do for first oil change. Try 5w-20 and watch for consumption or go ahead with 5w-30. I've got synthetic or syn blend in both. Also have some Kreen if anyone wishes to chime in on that application.
 
Originally Posted By: rainman49
Daughter just purchased an 07 Camry LE with the 2AZ-FE 4-banger with 84k miles from individual. Don't know maintenance history of vehicle. Had my mechanic look it over and said tranny fluid is getting old. Was going to do several drains and refills with Maxlife, but I'm undecided about engine oil. My research on 2AZ-FE indicates it can become an oil burner if not maintained properly because of plugged drain holes in the pistons. Toyota went to 0w-20 or 5w-20 recommendation for 07. Previous models used 5w-30. Oil on dipstick when purchased was above the full mark, which leads me to believe whoever changed it last just poured in 5 quarts instead of the 4.5 quarts needed to hit the full mark. What would you do for first oil change. Try 5w-20 and watch for consumption or go ahead with 5w-30. I've got synthetic or syn blend in both. Also have some Kreen if anyone wishes to chime in on that application.


You really need to read up on the anatomy of a 4 cycle engine.

There are no drain holes in the pistons to get clogged. If there were you would have no compression. No oil should get above the rings that needs to drain back down. The rings (3 normally) scrape oil off the cylinder walls and return it to the oil sump. Sometimes the oil control ring (the bottom one) (or maybe all 3) become crudded up and do not scrape like they should and oil gets past the rings and is burned during normal combustion.

But I can assure you there are no drain holes in the pistons.

I would use a decent synthetic oil, like PP or M1.
 
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He meant drain holes in the piston OIL CONTROL RINGS, which is and has been a problem with many Toyota engines.

I'd run a high mileage 5w-30 with 1 bottle if Rislone engine treatment as preventative maintenance to heed off oil consumption issues and maybe clean any gunk in the rings.

I did that in my Corolla and consumption has dropped a lot.
 
use hm oil but if toyota says 0-20 or 5-20 i would go with that
also change fuel filter and run some kind of fuel system cleaner in it
also if you change the tranny fluid buy a new filter and use hm tranny fluid
 
Happy birthday Drew. What a great day to have a birthday on.
smile.gif
 
You have no indications yet that there are any issues. I'd merely baseline ALL fluids (don't forget PSF, brake fluid, coolant, transaxle if separate), and then watch for issues.

She bought with just the right time to start to possibly need lots of stuff, or not. A big unknown.
 
That 2.4l will likely use oil regardless of how well (or not) it was maintained. Toyota has repaired/replaced many of those engines that were perfectly maintained and some used a quart every thousand miles. Teach her how to check the oil and insure that it is done weekly.

Were it mine I would use regular 5W30, and a quality filter.
 
Hello rainman.
I traded my wifes 07 Camry for a new one not too long ago. And I have a daughter who drives an 09 Camry. They have both been very reliable. they both had the 2.4 4 cyl engines. With that being said, my daughters car burns a little oil. To the tune of about a quart every 4k miles or so. I think she may run it a little hard from time to time. And she lives in Dallas and ZOOMS around the interstates there.
My wifes did burn a little oil starting about 65000 miles. About a quart every 5k miles or so. And she drives really easy.
I used 5w20 and 0w20 in them. Just went to German Castrol 0w30 in daughters car to see if the heavier oil may slow consumption.
Any ways, hopefully it is as good as the two I took care of.
Those cars my go for many miles.

As for an oil choice, go with something in the 5w20 or 0w20 range and monitor it for consumption. No reason to do anything now as you just don't know the car yet. Time will tell.

Good luck
 
toyota is one of the most dependable vehicles made she made a great choice
i personally never go over 3k on any oil regardless (that includes synthetic)
 
Originally Posted By: dblshock
I run TCW-3 in the fuel steady to avoid deposits.


Good.

I've found its an inexpensive way to keep the fuel system and combustion chambers clean.
In every engine I've used it in when I put my inspection camera in the plug holes the piston crowns are pretty clean.
 
Originally Posted By: rainman49
Daughter just purchased an 07 Camry LE with the 2AZ-FE 4-banger with 84k miles from individual. Don't know maintenance history of vehicle. Had my mechanic look it over and said tranny fluid is getting old. Was going to do several drains and refills with Maxlife, but I'm undecided about engine oil. My research on 2AZ-FE indicates it can become an oil burner if not maintained properly because of plugged drain holes in the pistons. Toyota went to 0w-20 or 5w-20 recommendation for 07. Previous models used 5w-30. Oil on dipstick when purchased was above the full mark, which leads me to believe whoever changed it last just poured in 5 quarts instead of the 4.5 quarts needed to hit the full mark. What would you do for first oil change. Try 5w-20 and watch for consumption or go ahead with 5w-30. I've got synthetic or syn blend in both. Also have some Kreen if anyone wishes to chime in on that application.


Had the same engine in my 07. It loved 5w-20, Motorcraft no less. Go figure. I tried 5w-30 in it as well, nothing bad happened but both it and the same motor in my 2009 Camry loved that Motorcraft. Smooth, quiet and excellent mileage. Tried some others but the butt-o-meter voted for the MC every time. Weird. My 2014 Ford Focus burned it off like no tomorrow, but loved 5w-30.
 
84k miles imo is nowhere near high miles for a Toyota. I'd use your fave full synth in 5w30 every 3k miles. No additives and no high mileage oil.
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
84k miles imo is nowhere near high miles for a Toyota. I'd use your fave full synth in 5w30 every 3k miles. No additives and no high mileage oil.



That's not high mile on today's vehicles at all. My charger has just under that and it runs better than new.
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
84k miles imo is nowhere near high miles for a Toyota. I'd use your fave full synth in 5w30 every 3k miles. No additives and no high mileage oil.



That's not high mile on today's vehicles at all. My charger has just under that and it runs better than new.


Absolutely!! 84k miles to me is still new.
 
I don't even remember 84,000 miles
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Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
84k miles imo is nowhere near high miles for a Toyota. I'd use your fave full synth in 5w30 every 3k miles. No additives and no high mileage oil.

That's not high mile on today's vehicles at all. My charger has just under that and it runs better than new.

Absolutely!! 84k miles to me is still new.
 
If it does turn out to burn oil, there are "cures" for it. It has been widely discussed in the model sub-forum at toyotanation.com (we have a prior gen. 02-06 V6 ES300/330, so the same forum though not the exact same engine/body as yours). However, I did have the exact same coking issue on late 90s Acura SLX (isuzu trooper). Soaking the rings with a cleaning agent (SeaFoam, Kroil, etc) has fixed it for many, and did for me w/the Acura.

I first was able to greatly reduce my usage with 2 5k oci's with an HDEO (Delvac), but that engine may not like the 15w-40 (the isuzu engine sure did). Now I have switched to Mobil 1 HM 5w-30 to reduce the change of re-coking going forward. That would be (among others) a good oil choice for that engine from what I've heard of from a lot of other 2.4l camry owners, and it is a very good oil in our 1mz-fe V6 Lexus.
 
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