2003 Camry le with 2.4 l engine 230K
Scotty - I inherited a 2003 Camry with 2.4 l engine with variable valve timing. It was not well maintained. It is an oil burner (about 1 quart every 1000 mls estimate). I just changed the oil and looking in the filter it appears it may have a sludge build up. I was going to try flush the engine in hopes of removing some of the sludge and use a product to try to loosen the rings to see if that helped with the oil burning. However, I recently watched your video advising against flushing if the car has variable valve timing.
Is there any way to flush out the sludge and maybe loosen the rings by removing tarnish and carbon (I guess) but without chancing messing up the VVT?
I don't know what to do now. There's so many products it's hard to know which one to choose and if it's safe to use. I don't want screw it totally up because right now at least it runs and starts well. Help!
I was hoping to reduce oil burning in hopes of protecting the catalytic converter. The front cat was replaced a couple years ago but the code reader gives the PO420 catalyst system efficiency below threshold bank 1. There's other EVAP codes but together they may be a separate question.
But generally which is worse for a cat - oil burning or messed up EVAP system?
I know both are not good but I only have limited resources. I know I need to try to address all the issues but I can't do them all at once nor can I afford a mechanic.
There's more to the EVAP question because there are other codes as well but I will ask separately. I am a 64 yr old woman and this oil change is my first. I am trying to learn how to diagnose the EVAP problem but it's not as easy as you make it seem when you don't have much experience doing this sort of thing.
My daughter has no car so I'm just trying to make this thing as reliable as possible although given the poor maintenance history and my lack of experience I'm not sure that I can do much. She needs a car bad and all I have is this car.
Thank you. I have become a regular viewer and just wish I would have found you yrs ago.
Best regards,
Stephanie in Spokane, WA
If it has not been well maintained over the last nearly two decades and 230K miles it's probably just plain worn out. A wet/dry compression test would help reveal how bad it is. Scotty does recommend the ATS product for cleaning carbon, but it can't fix excessive wear and may make matters worse in a worn out engine.
https://www.atscarbonclean.com/
As far as the sludge goes it might be best to just do a few frequent oil and filter changes to try gently getting some of the sludge out.
Another potential problem is the transmission fluid may have never been changed, whether it's automatic or manual.
I would just change the oil more frequently and keep quarts of oil in the trunk. We don't know if sludge is all that's standing in the way of a much bigger oil issue. My 1979 Catalina has a rear main leak, it loses around a half quart every 600 miles or so. I check the oil level before I drive it every time. I think of it as a pre-flight inspection. Haha. I keep 5 or 6 quarts in the car.
