Engine Failure

Another quick update! Had a great conversation with my home dealership and they are organizing transport back home and will fully stand behind repairing/replacing the engine, if that what it comes to. They’re doing the right thing and are working with the other dealership; I have no complaints.

Toyota has been having the dealership run a multitude of tests, and no diagnosis yet, which makes me feel like it’s not great news. I should have a full report tomorrow and I’ll keep you posted!

 

Thanks for the updates - we want to learn what happened with the engine. It's good to hear the positive service you're getting form local dealer.

 

I know this is probably not necessarily indicative of anything, however, the same error message I’ve attached appears in my Toyota app and it hasn’t cleared while the techs have been attempting to diagnose/repair. They indicated that the process has taken a while because Toyota corporate is making them run a full series of diagnostic tests, so I’m not actually sure if the alleged overfill of oil is the culprit or not, at this point.

Also, the only time I noticed oil leaking was after the engine failure, when the tow truck driver was loading the truck; I think you can see some of the oil drops in the first pic I posted.

 

That’s good news. I was thinking the dealers would be pointing the blame towards each other, glad they’re not.

 

Transport and internal rates are likely a helluva lot better than paying shop rates to someone else. Be mindful that they have a vested interest, that is not necessarily in your interest, to take this in house.

 

I always check when we are going on a long drive out-of-state (I check fluids, tire pressure, all the basics, etc.), but if it’s just my normal commute, I typically check every 5K or so, really just to make sure there is an adequate amount measuring on the dipstick. I used to have a pretty strict routine but now with all of the kids I’m slipping a bit

 

Many years ago VW considered 1 qt of oil used in 400 miles with the early Rabbit to be OK. Until you know what Toyota considers normal oil usage, you might want to check to your oil level often.

 

Manufacturer trend of saying it is normal for under 36k motors to use oil between changes drives me absolutely crazy. It is total BS. Motors should not burn oil if designed properly unless you don’t change the oil properly and the rings start to seize in the piston. Then oil gets into combustion chamber and gets burned. Crankcase pressure valve can also be an issue but really rare on low mileage motor. Audi tried telling me my adding 3 quarts every 5k was normal. Did a few rounds with Audi USA and they said I had to pay $1200 for an oil consumption test. Then they might help with repair. Sold the car shortly after that and never bought another one. My Tundra has not used any oil between first two changes. Have any of you noticed oil usage in your trucks?

 

I don't know why the VW and Audi engines use so much oil. Sister in Law had an Eos that suffered excessive oil consumption. Turns out it was a common problem with that model.

None of my recent engines have used much oil. The 2017 Fiat 124 did use about 8oz in the first 6,000 miles but has since settled into about 4oz before the 6,000 mile oil changes. Some of this could be caught in a catch can if I installed one. Really not bad for a highly boosted engine. That and I drive it like a total idiot where to Tundra gets feather footed.

 

Interesting video but I don't trust this show after they went after oil companies for having the audacity to make and sell premium gasoline when not every car needs it.

I can't even buy the oil and filter for any of my vehicles for $20...

 

My 22RE uses oil about as fast a VW considers ok

It might actual use oil faster than gas.

 

Most cars these days can take advantage of premium gasoline and then some. Anything directed injected, and especially direct injected with a turbo can take advantage without a doubt.

I run 94 octane in my F150 when I tow and still isnt maximizing timing. I bet it would take advantage of 96 or 98 octane.

 

Yup, anything with higher compression (over 10.5:1 say), or boosted can take advantage of higher octane fuel. Likely a waste of money for everyone else though. Just cause you drive a premium car, don't mean it needs premium fuel.

 

One day Volvo has switched their old and generally reliable 5 cylinder engine to a low tension piston rings, to save a few drops of gasoline. It started consuming oil.

When I bought my 19 Tundra new, I switched it Red Line 0w20. It was noticeably thicker than Toyota 0w20. Year later I had to rebuild engine in my Volvo and I was paying lot more attention to all engines in our family for some time. I didn't like burnt oil smell in exhaust in Tundra. Switched back to Toyota oil, no more smell. I think 3UR runs low tension rings as well, in colder climates they can't scrape all the thicker oil, the oil residue on the cylinder walls gets burned. It does not consume any noticeable amount of oil in 5k miles OCI.

 

Oh yeah, I understand all that. But there would have been a much less biased way for them to do their "investigation".

Evidence A: a commercial from an oil company (pick whichever one you want) that talks about the detergents they use and why their gasoline is better than everyone else's and doesn't mention the grade/octane level in any way.

Evidence B: drive up to a franchise gas station and ask the gas jockey (who's not an oil company employee or representative) which grade you should put in your 20-year-old Civic and he tells you premium is best for whatever reason.

Evidence C: run a highly specific "test" where you put that Civic on a dyno at a steady 10 mph to "prove" that it doesn't make more power on premium than on regular.

SMDH

 

what is the mechanism of action for a civic to make more power on premium fuel? All grades have the same amount of energy in them.

 

Okay, finally got a diagnosis (they are still working on final report).

According to the dealership, it is a bearing failure that led to the engine dying. At this point they said the truck will need a new engine, but are waiting for next steps from corporate. So it is a warranty item, but I’m genuinely surprised that a failure of this magnitude would occur at this mileage.

 

Main bearing usually dies of oil starvation. It seems what they see is a consequence of the problem, not the problem itself.

 

Sounds like it could be similar to what happened to @northerntundra1. Link to his engine thread: 2022 tundra blown engine. His was a spun crank bearing.

 

Now you just need to try to push them to replace as much as possible. E.g. If they only want to do a small block replacement, request the whole long block etc

 

Ask the producers of the show.

 

Okay, got the final report!

So, the oil being overfilled wasn’t actually the case. There was water penetration somewhere in the engine that caused additional fluid (water) to be added in with the oil, leading to the lubrication failure and ultimately the bearing failure. Toyota indicated that this has only happened to one other Tundra in our region, but it is indeed not caused by human error. They are going to be replacing the entire engine under warranty and reimbursing my associated costs.

 

Oil cooler, or head gasket, or turbo.

 

OUTSTANDING!!!!! Glad to hear it. Please let us know in a few weeks when you get it back in running order. All the best!!

 

Did they speculate on the source of the water intrusion? Maybe a defective gasket allowed for coolant to enter the oil (i.e. a head gasket). I guess they can't determine the source of the water intrusion without tearing down the motor.

Without a failed gasket, it could really only enter via the air intake. There was a dude that posted all over the internet a couple of months back who forded a couple of creeks/rivers and sucked water through the intake.

 

Good to hear that they are taking care of all of it for you. Hopefully it doesn't take too long!

 

Very glad Toyota came to bat for you and covering your costs. This makes more sense than an oil change error.
However
I find this more concerning now that water got into there for those of us that tend to drive through deep water - occasionally. .
fwiw
many years ago my wife had an Accord and she hit a small animal on the road. it got in under the bumper.
We did not know this but it lead to a crack in the block and antifreeze was getting in slowly.
You could tell because the dip stick level rose - oil changed color.
Again I point to some kind of sensor to alert if oil level gets high.

 

Water ingested through the intake manifold into the cylinders doesn’t destroy engines by diluting oil leading to lubrication failures. Water ingestion destroys engines by bending connecting rods since water cannot be compressed by the piston.

In this instance my guess is a leaking head gasket, or a flaw in the casting of the engine block or cylinder heads.