[jaybb]

I have used this in oil using engines in the past with some success:

Engine Restorer

You add it at every oil change. You could also try going to a higher viscosity oil such as 10W40 or 20W50 to slow the usage.

The 2009+ is a different engine, 2.5l vs 2.4l. I've no idea if the existing electronics would work with the newer engine. Even if it did the overall expense would likely exceed the value of the vehicle.

If you are going use additive with every oil change, that is about the same as using 2 quarts of oil every 1000 miles.
I had a car years ago that used 1 quart every 800 miles. Some of the older cars may even use more. I went to a single weight oil during the summer months only, and just checked and added oil every week. Much cheaper than an engine job or a new engine at more than $1000.

 

[stiglet]

Be careful not to bend that damper in the hole. Apparently it's so important Toyota issued a TSB about it. You can get a funnel with threads that screws into the hole just like the cap. They are available on Amazon.

You can also use an empty 1 qt bottle of oil with the bottom cut off. Usually fits the threads perfectly on a Toyota.

 

[DL175]

You can also use an empty 1 qt bottle of oil with the bottom cut off. Usually fits the threads perfectly on a Toyota.

I use a bleach jug and it works quite well also as a screw on funnel. I can turn the handle when screwing it down.

 

[RTexasF]

If you are going use additive with every oil change, that is about the same as using 2 quarts of oil every 1000 miles.
I had a car years ago that used 1 quart every 800 miles. Some of the older cars may even use more. I went to a single weight oil during the summer months only, and just checked and added oil every week. Much cheaper than an engine job or a new engine at more than $1000.

The point of adding Engine Restorer is that it drastically reduces oil consumption. Admittedly it's a last ditch effort.

 

[all4HIM]

How much are you actually spending on oil? I'd be willing to bet you're getting several thousand mpg. Just another (practical) way to look at it.

We've got an '09 Camry and it's usingabout 3-4 qts. every 1000 mi. and Toyota has just ignored us and my wife is thinking of buying a used Rav4 I'm trying to talk her out of it since early 80's been a loyal Toyota owner and still have a '96 Tacoma SR5 that's been a pretty good truck but after the way Toyota has treated us never again will I buy or promote anyone to buy a Toyota product again!!!!! I am disabled now and cannot afford to have the car fixed.

 

[DL175]

the quart per 600 mile thing is phooey for us. we have been going thru a quart every couple/few hundred miles on our '06, easily. esp. in summer.

this year we switched to 20/50 in summer and that helped alot.

now back to 5/30 in winter (northeast cold), so i would anticipate the usual headache.

that said, compared to a new motor, a bunch of oil is not a big expense by any stretch. but it sure is a pain in the rear to keep remembering to add oil....

i think i just gotta get on a once a week thing to add a quart. i keep doing every month or so.

our car has 140k so far and is very well cared for. it's likely we'll just drive this thing till it stops and relegate it eventually to spare car duty. in that scenario, burning a lot of oil won't be an issue.

Your car can still be traded without a heavy loss since you did not fix the engine. Not everyone knows about the high oil consumption.

 

[all4HIM]

Your car can still be traded without a heavy loss since you did not fix the engine. Not everyone knows about the high oil consumption.

Well that would be lying to not inform someone of an issue with the car and while that seems to be the norm nowadays in this sin filled world, as both of us devout Christians we couldn't dishonor and sin against God by being untruthful. So many seem to have no problem with it but there is a day coming when we will answer for all we do.

 

[Willowbeast]

If you are trading in your car to say a mazda dealership, they won't ask. So technically you are not lying if they don't ask.
Anyway our 07 is a burner and like many, during the time of the consumption tests it passed how coincidental.... I'm not going to bother, I check it once in awhile and like others have said, I really only change my oil once a year because I keep adding new oil so it stays fresh. Keep in mind this is a second car to us and maybe drive about 6k kms a year on it for the past 2 years.

 

[Izzy1]

I'm in the same boat. Adding a quart every 6-700 miles meaning every other weekend. Someone said Toyota will lose customers. They lost this one in July. Bought a 2019 Tiguan. By by Toyota.

 

[ravenuer]

I'm in the same boat. Adding a quart every 6-700 miles meaning every other weekend. Someone said Toyota will lose customers. They lost this one in July. Bought a 2019 Tiguan. By by Toyota.

Glad VW has never had any "issues", right?

 

[IgorSinelnikov]

Is this still live thread? I had my 2006 RAV4 2.4L burning/going through the oil (didn't really measure how much). I made an executive decision to replace the cylinder head gasket for there were obvious signs of oil leakage around the head. Job was relatively easy, a bit tedious. The old gasket was dried out and brittle like a thin glass. I hope that will help my Ravy to run a bit longer.

 

[robfrav4]

I just want people to know that I stumbled upon this by accident. I posted here before. We still have our 2006 RAV that underwent the Piston repair at around 90,000 miles. That was the good news and it was covered under warranty even better news. However we made the foolish mistake of keeping the rav and at 160,000 miles guess what the problems back again. Guess what they're not covering it. Guess what the car is now my daughter's because she puts very few miles on it and I check and add a quart of oil every 800 to 1200 mi. Guess what we now own a new Forester and a new Legacy. Guess what Toyota lost a customer over this shame on them.

 

[Izzy1]

I just want people to know that I stumbled upon this by accident. I posted here before. We still have our 2006 RAV that underwent the Piston repair at around 90,000 miles. That was the good news and it was covered under warranty even better news. However we made the foolish mistake of keeping the rav and at 160,000 miles guess what the problems back again. Guess what they're not covering it. Guess what the car is now my daughter's because she puts very few miles on it and I check and add a quart of oil every 800 to 1200 mi. Guess what we now own a new Forester and a new Legacy. Guess what Toyota lost a customer over this shame on them.

I hear ya. See my previous post above. I've had some success using Seafoam engine cleaner. I went from adding oil every 7-800 miles to every 12-1300 miles. It's getting another treatment now. You have to drive it 300 miles with the Seafoam in the oil then change the oil and filter. Might want to consider it.

I never had the ring/piston change done... long story. Looks like I would have been in your situation in the long run. Another good reason to leave Toyota. That said, my RAV is still running fine at 210K miles.

 

[DL175]

I just want people to know that I stumbled upon this by accident. I posted here before. We still have our 2006 RAV that underwent the Piston repair at around 90,000 miles. That was the good news and it was covered under warranty even better news. However we made the foolish mistake of keeping the rav and at 160,000 miles guess what the problems back again. Guess what they're not covering it. Guess what the car is now my daughter's because she puts very few miles on it and I check and add a quart of oil every 800 to 1200 mi. Guess what we now own a new Forester and a new Legacy. Guess what Toyota lost a customer over this shame on them.

That engine was poorly designed. Your testament proves a rebuilt engine is a short term solution that will return back.

 

[Kendog170]

Something you should know. The piston has a scraper ring. After the cylinder fires, the scrapper ring scraps the oil off the cylinder walls and repeats over and over. Behind that ring are holes for the oil to drain back into the crankcase. The holes are too small so the oil that doesn't drain gets pushed out the motor by the piston on it's next pass. With that said, adding thicker oil will only make it worse. You should use the thinnest oil recommended so more oil will get through those holes behind the scrapper rings. The new pistons they install have larger holes and maybe pitched more downward than the defective ones.
Hope this makes sense.

 

[Blogson]

The replacement pistons as one comparison post showed eliminated the notch in the defective pistons which apparently was allowing too much oil to be splashed onto the cylinder wall above the piston skirt, also apparently creating the problem regarding the oil control ring as that both apparently impeded the ring oil drainage situation and caused more oil to be present than the ring could control.

 

[Izzy1]

The replacement pistons as one comparison post showed eliminated the notch in the defective pistons which apparently was allowing too much oil to be splashed onto the cylinder wall above the piston skirt, also apparently creating the problem regarding the oil control ring as that both apparently impeded the ring oil drainage situation and caused more oil to be present than the ring could control.

Is there a theory on why for most the problem doesn't show itself until around 50K + miles. Mine started at just over 100K (now at 207K)? That notch is there when you drive it off the lot.

 

[Blogson]

Is there a theory on why for most the problem doesn't show itself until around 50K + miles. Mine started at just over 100K (now at 207K)? That notch is there when you drive it off the lot.

My theory (only a guess!) is that because of the oil ring control problem there was a progressive buildup of material on the oil control ring which eventually led to the ring's drainage holes becoming so blocked that they could no longer function. Perhaps another member has a definite answer.

 

[Oh name? You got it!]

sorry to be so late, but...
..."I have a 2007 Rav4 base with 4 cyl that I bought used with 30,000 miles.Therefore I think that I have no factory/dealer recourse. I have 135,000 miles now, and it started consuming oil excessively around 100,000 miles. It finally got to using a quart every 450 miles. I started adding Lucas oil stabilizer and after adding a quart, I have used a pint of oil in the last 1500 miles."

07 4cyl oil burning?

Hey guys, first post here even though I've been a lurker for a while now. I have a 2007 4cyl rav4 that i think has an unusual oil consumption but don't know what do do about it since I already did 1 consumption test and passed. I wanted to see if it was at all normal for other people to be at...

www.rav4world.com

 

[Oh name? You got it!]

I found some even better material on this subject:
"Why do Toyota engines consume oil ? And how to prevent it?"

I might have found a fix all here.
I am not referring to the oil change frequency parameter suggestions in the middle of the video, (I know everybody here does that already) I am referring to a bit after that(19:20). He both suggests researching out the best oil system cleaners you can find and using them, and reports his experience of these oil system cleaners working well. If you want to understand the reason why oil consumption is a problem to begin with, obviously the beginning of the video is where you'll find that, and I think that would be a good idea.