I received my aunt's 1987 Toyota Camry LE automatic last year with 144,000 kms. I have since put on another 30, 000 kms. It burns oil like crazy - a quart every 150 miles or so.
Is it worth rebuilding the engine? I think it is the rings but the valves/guides have a fair bit of leak - I can feel it at the oil filler hole when it is running... I would buy a rebuilt head with new valve guides...
(At first I thought it was leaks: I replaced: the oil pressure sensor which was dripping, the distributer as oil was inside the distributor cap, and the valve cover gasket) no pickles, but loses oil.
Everything works well. No rust! It was from BC. The timing belt had been replaced once, but that was more than a decade ago... The air conditioning and transmission work flawlessly. I've replaced the master cylinder, muffler, front rotors/pads, alternator*, battery, and starter. (If only I had replaced the alternator first!) ball joints were replaced. Have I spent enough money on it?
Will a rebuilt kit (from Rock Auto for example) be everything I will need?
Brad Nelson
Pinawa, MB
I would cut my losses and not put any more money into it. It is a 1987 after all, so a lot of things are just due to age.
Time for a bit newer model in my opinion.
It’s time for a new car, mate. Don’t throw good money after bad.
Try to see if you can find an engine from a junkyard.
