First Car Toyota Corolla 1.4 vvti

almostover

Girlfriend recently passed her test so on the look out for a set of wheels for her. She has her eye on a corolla, this one specifically: https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-corolla/12744121

Have contacted the lady who owns it. She has had it 8 years, does small mileage and purchased it from a man in Carlow who imported it from the UK. Apparently it had an elderly owner in the UK. She has serviced it regularly in a local garage (doubt the book was stamped). It looks clean on the add and if a few hundred can be got off the price I reckon it's a runner.

I'm to view the car this evening. From internet research I've read the radios can give trouble. Also, have seen reports of gearbox issues. Most of this should be apparent on a test drive so my main concern is the VVTi's reputation for oil consumption. Obviously blue smoke from the exhaust would be an indicator of this but failing that are there any other warning signs for this? I've read that Toyota did a recall and replaced the short blocks to remedy the issue. Is there any way to check if this car was recalled? Will the engine number help in identifying if an uprated short black has been fitted?

Atlantic Dawn

Do a car history check on it to see what comes back from its time in the UK.

Kimbot

Oil consumption was only an issue on the facelift version right before that model from what I remember. And actually the main issue with that was that people were using 10/40 oil instead of 5/30 semi synth.

almostover

jonnycivic wrote: »

Oil consumption was only an issue on the facelift version right before that model from what I remember. And actually the main issue with that was that people were using 10/40 oil instead of 5/30 semi synth.

Judging by my phone conversations with the owner this isn't a detail that she'd know. I've asked about servicing and the response was it's been serviced yearly at a local garage. Hopefully the garage will have used the 5w/30 semi synth. I presume any excessive cylinder wear will be apparent from blue exhaust smoke or excessive blow by from the oil filler?

joujoujou

Just to clarify - the reason for oil burning issue (improper oil flow causing oil piston rings to seize) in early VVTi engines was those engines were designed to use 0W20 oil, not even 5W30. However, even if 5W30 (or worse) oil was used, some engines did not burn oil at all.

There was no recall from toyota on that, because recalls are only for safety related problems (like recent airbag story). But if a car owner came to toyota with complaints regarding oil burning issue, they replaced short block and few other things free of charge, obviously only if car's warranty still pending. VIN number or even reg plate number would be enough to check with dealer if block was replaced or not.

Redesigned engines (capable to use 5W30, A1/B1 A5/B5 fully synthetic oil) were fitted since mid 2005, as stated in Toyota Service Bulletin EG6020.

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Regarding gearbox - the bearings inside can go very quickly alright, although (same as above) they don't have to.

almostover

joujoujou wrote: »

Just to clarify - the reason for oil burning issue (improper oil flow causing oil piston rings to seize) in early VVTi engines was those engines were designed to use 0W20 oil, not even 5W30. However, even if 5W30 (or worse) oil was used, some engines did not burn oil at all.

There was no recall from toyota on that, because recalls are only for safety related problems (like recent airbag story). But if a car owner came to toyota with complaints regarding oil burning issue, they replaced short block and few other things free of charge, obviously only if car's warranty still pending. VIN number or even reg plate number would be enough to check with dealer if block was replaced or not.

Redesigned engines (capable to use 5W30, A1/B1 A5/B5 fully synthetic oil) were fitted since mid 2005, as stated in Toyota Service Bulletin EG6020.

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Regarding gearbox - the bearings inside can go very quickly alright, although (same as above) they don't have to.

Is there anyway of evaluating potential engine wear on an earlier VVTi engine?

joujoujou

Yes, but obviously it's not 100% without disassembly.

1. Cold start - hear if timing chain is rattling (it should not rattle even a fraction of a second).

2. Drive it for 1000 km and compare oil level on dipstick before and after.

almostover

joujoujou wrote: »

Yes, but obviously it's not 100% without disassembly.

1. Cold start - hear if timing chain is rattling (it should not rattle even a fraction of a second).

2. Drive it for 1000 km and compare oil level on dipstick before and after.

Only no. 1 will be feasible this afternoon! Thanks for advice

Kimbot

joujoujou wrote: »

Just to clarify - the reason for oil burning issue (improper oil flow causing oil piston rings to seize) in early VVTi engines was those engines were designed to use 0W20 oil, not even 5W30. However, even if 5W30 (or worse) oil was used, some engines did not burn oil at all.

There was no recall from toyota on that, because recalls are only for safety related problems (like recent airbag story). But if a car owner came to toyota with complaints regarding oil burning issue, they replaced short block and few other things free of charge, obviously only if car's warranty still pending. VIN number or even reg plate number would be enough to check with dealer if block was replaced or not.

Redesigned engines (capable to use 5W30, A1/B1 A5/B5 fully synthetic oil) were fitted since mid 2005, as stated in Toyota Service Bulletin EG6020.

==================

Regarding gearbox - the bearings inside can go very quickly alright, although (same as above) they don't have to.

Thats very interesting about the oil, the recall however was done as I got a letter to get mine checked out in the garage I bought it from a couple of years earlier, might not have been widespread but I do know of a few that got the same letters at the time.

joujoujou

Letter it was, not the recall per se. Know it from toyota themselves. No mention about it in recalls database either. And indeed you were lucky you got the letter (more than likely that was local dealer's idea though).