Exploring Cause Of New Oil Use And Light Smoke With A 22Re

[zero]

This discussion sort-of evolved from the trip-report section.

Here's the deal. Got a 1988 Toyota Mini-Cruiser. 20 footer with A43D trans., 4.10 rear, and 22RE engine. Engine and trans have 145,000 miles as shown on the odometer and as told to me by the original owner who got it new in Michigan.

Spent a month working on it but NOT the engine other then replacing the thermostat and changing the oil to Mobil 1 "high mileage" oil. Put new brakes and seals front and back, packed all bearings, added a #2 gauge charging cable front-to-back, new isolation relay, microwave, new air bag suspension, new air shocks in back, fixed the capacitive tank-level sensors for the fresh and waste water tanks, rewired the fuel-gauge sending unit, put in a new fuel pump just for the heck of it, etc.

Took it on a 1000 mile ride and it did fine the first 800 miles. When I got to the many very steep climbs in NY on the last leg of the trip - I started noticing an oil smell from the exhaust when stopped with the engine idling. I could also see a little smoke. Still seemed fine going down the road. Got 14-15 MPG for the trip which I think is great. Certainly lived up to my expectations. Note the engine never got hot. Not even with the engine working very hard on a few long hill climbs.

Got home and before I travel to North Carolina next month - I decided to try to find the source of the oil smoke and smell.

Here's what I did so far. And note - this part also appears in the Trip Report section. More to follow.

Spent half a day moving bulldozers and tractors around to make room in a pole barn to fit the Mini-Cruiser in. My regular repair shop only has a 9 foot tall door. A few inches too low for my Toyota unless I give it four flat tires.

Once in, I yanked the plugs and did a compression test. Got a perfect 175 PSI on all four.

Inspected the plugs and all look clean and the same. I.e. no one plug that looks different or worse then the rest.

Pulled off the valve cover. Looks extremely clean and unworn. Cam follower adjustments are just about dead-on. An indication no valve seat recession. At least – not recent.

Chain looks fine even though it has the plastic guides on the sides.

Pried on the valves – sideways – and there is no notable wear.

So now - I’m getting hesitant to pull it all apart.

I’m thinking of just replacing the valve-stem seals and putting in new head bolts. Obviously – I had to take out the head bolts to get the cam-follower-assembly off. Now – I figure I don’t dare put compressed air into a cylinder to hold the valves closed if I choose to replace the valve-stem seals. So – I think – I’m going to make 1 7/8 “ thick spacers so I can put four head bolts in, one cylinder at a time. This way I can hook air to the spark-plug hole to hold the valves in place. This so I can remove the valve locks, retainers, and springs and install new seals. I’m acquainted with other ways to hold the valves – like with a piece of rope – but prefer the compressed air method.

Also – three of the head bolts look awful. Not on top or at the bottom by the threads. The middles of the shanks look very eroded. Looks more like from heat and not from coolant or whatever.

I ordered a head-gasket set with new valve seals along with a bolt-set. By the time it gets here – I’ll have to decide if I’m going to yank the head . . or just put in new head bolts and valve-stem seals. I’m tempted to try the latter. If the engine still gives me some trouble – I can always pull it apart more later. It runs go good now – and tests so good – it’s hard to decide. I’ve put new valve-seals in many engines over the years with good success. But never had to do one that required taking out the head-bolts first

Note that in one photos the compression gauge only shows 100 PSI. At first test - all four cylinders read 100 PSI. I then tried another gauge and all four read 175 PSI. Obviously, one gauge is off a bit. I rarely use gas-engine compression gauges since I do mostly diesel work. My diesel compression gauge goes to 1000 PSI and is not very useful in a gas engine.

[fred heath]

An old trick I used to use to change valve seals without removing the head was to feed a length of nylon rope into the cylinder bore through the sparkplug hole. Rotate piston to top of bore. The rope holds the valves in place while you change the seals. Lower the piston, remove the rope, and go to the next one etc.

[Derek up North]

Yes, the 'old Indian rope trick'. One little (but important) detail you missed is to use a long enough piece of rope to have a good length of it sticking out the plug hole!

But for some reason, JD doesn't like it.

[zero]

Nothing wrong with the rope. I'm just a creature of habit. I also like hooking compressed air to each cylinder because it gives me an indication of how tight the valves are sealing.

Long ago - when I was a kid I got working on a 1955 Ford with a 272 V8. It was the first engine I'd ever tried to put valve seals in. In retrospect it was pretty funny. I had NO air compressor. Just a small storage tank. I'd go down to the gas station and fill it. Then hook it up to one cylinder and really try to work fast before that tank ran out of air and the valves fell in. Worked OK until I got to one cylinder that had a leaky valve. Leaked out that whole tank of air before I was half-done. But - it was that event that told me I'd better just pull the head off and do a real valve job.

By the way - that car never ran again. I was 14 years old and it was one of my first "big repairs." I was going to put a full-race cam in it, headers, three two-barrel carbs, etc. I pulled the heads off, it got rained on (car was outside) and it all got pretty much ruined. I probably ruined half-a-dozen cars before I actually worked on one and made it better instead of worse. When I was 16 I got a job in a gas station where a real mechanic worked and taught me a lot (good stuff and bad stuff).

[fred heath]

Actually, you would have to remove all the head bolts (except the one hidden below the cam sprocket) to remove the rocker assembly. At this point I would take the extra step and pull the head completely. If the old head gasket doesn't reseat perfectly, you could end up with a bigger problem.

I'm not sure about JD's engine, but my 20R you can pull the head leaving the intake and exhaust manifolds in place. Just lift the whole assembly as a unit.

[WME]

Your engine looks clean, guess somebody cared and didn't use Pennzoil

If you so much as bump the head you need to pull it and install a new gasket.

I had to helicoil the block where the 2 bolts that were between the exhaust valves, it must be hot there.

I maybe a bit old fashion, but I've never been a fan of changing the brand of oil on high mileage engines.

[zero]

I used to be 100% sold on 10W-40 Pennzoil. Used it in near everything. I rebuilt the 327 in my 1964 SS Chevelle in 1975 and by 1991 had 120,000 miles on it and it still ran great. For a street-racer - that is pretty impressive. After I sold it and the new owner wrecked it - we pulled the engine apart. Very clean inside. When Pennzoil went over 99 cents a quart - I switched to Shell Rotella T for gas and diesel rigs.

The bad oil in my neck of the woods is - or was - Quaker State. Especially when they sold HDX 30 heavy-duty diesel and large gas engine oil. They made a bad batch and there were engines damaged all over the country. Wound up with a huge class-action law-suit. Lousy detergency too.

I've used Shell Rotella T 15W-40 is all my cars, trucks, and tractors for years. Love it. Has a higher flash point then many so-called "synthetic oils." I just recently started using Mobil 1 high mileage oil in a few rigs. That to get lower viscosity when it's 20 below 0 F and also because it has the high ZDDP anti-wear package like the older car gas oils used to have . Shell Rotella T still has the high ZDDP also. Since I've changed over to Mobil 1 - I've had a few weird things happen. Don't know if it's just coincidence or caused by the change of oil. My 1998 Grand Caravan has 160,000 miles on the 3.8. Ran perfect. Had Shell forever in it. I changed it one fall to Mobil 1. Shortly after when first starting I'd hear what sounded like a light rod knock. Later put Shell Rotella back in and it's been fine ever since. Now - got this Minicruiser Toyota. Ran perfect up in Michigan. Changed the oil to Mobil 1 high mileage and got this seemingly new oil-use thing. Coincidence or not - I do not know - yet.

In regard to the head on this 22RE. Usually it takes some work to pop a head loose - even with all the bolts out. If there is any sign of separation - I wouldn't dare put back together without a new gasket. I had a few bolts that looked like you stated. They look like they've been heated a lot.

[5Toyota]

but I myself might change to a heaver wt oil in a high mile engine I run 20w 50 cuts oil loss. I have used pensoil for 40 since 1974 I had a datsen 24 years from new. seven Toyotas rebuilt b210 and Toyota 20r no sludge or anything after very high miles. way over 200ooo