92-96 Camry: Sludge? Common Problems?

Hi all,

I am looking at getting my girlfriend a used 90-91 or 92-96 Toyota Camry (either sedan or wagon).

I have heard that the 97-01 models tend to have an engine sludge problem - is this the case on previous models?

Also, any common mechanical problems with 90-91 or 92-96 Camrys I should be aware of? (I live in the southeast, so I am not really concerned with appearances.)

Thanks for any advice!

Reply to
duckman66
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Just make sure the vehicle has had oil and filter changes every 3,000 miles and there should be no issue.

If the vehicle that you are looking at does not have complete service records, I would move on. Someone else's neglect will end up being your headache.

Reply to
Car Guy

Having records is NOT conclusive proof of TIMELY oil services. For instance, based on the absence of paperwork would you pass up a sharp Camry whose routine maintenance had been performed by the owner himself? Likely the Do-It-Yourself'r is not going to keep receipts for oil and filters he used and may only record the mileages he did these services. SO.... the point I'm getting at is you NEED to LOOK inside the oil filler cap area for yourself and check for varnish. Take a flashlight with you, look close, and deep. If not satisfied, arrange to have the valve cover pulled.

Reply to
Philip®

Philip,

Good point! From the Do-It-Yourself'r I have met, they still have logs of oil changes. These people not only record the milage they have performed the service on, they also note what oil they bought as well as the filter. I am sure these people are probably more detail oriented then others but they still take the time to make the necessary notes not to satisfy the potential buyer, but to keep track of what services were performed and when they were performed.

Reply to
Car Guy

No.

Those reports pertained only to the later years in the following "Generation" of Camrys.

Reply to
Daniel M. Dreifus

I always found it interesting that one rarely heard of sludge complaints until the introduction of API SJ oils on. These oils have reduced ZDDP compared to previous designations. The SJ standard in particular was inferior and was rapidly replaced by SL. ZDDP is not only an anti wear additive, but it also helps reduce oxidation and nitration issues.

Reply to
jjnunes

In news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com, Charlene Blake being of bellicose mind posted:

It is obvious is that you never have. You're just making up stuff as usual. Did you EVER put up a website with PROOF of appropriate oil services of ANY of your synchophants?

Reply to
Philip®

One of the risks of responding to Charlene "Box of Rocks" Blake is that you run the risk of becoming frustrated with her religious dedication to foolishness.

Reply to
Philip®

1999 ES300 V6....oil and filter changes (documented) every 5,000 miles since new. The car now has over 75,000 miles on it.

When the valve cover was taken off, it was very clean inside.

Why is that Charlene???

-

-- Curtis Newton snipped-for-privacy@remove-me.akaMail.com

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ICQ: 4899169

Reply to
Curtis Newton

Hmmm... some European manufacturers recommend 10K miles between changes. I wonder what the inside of a Toyota motor would look like with that sort of maintenance interval ?

Reply to
Jimmy

"Jimmy" skrev i meddelandet news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Ford recommends 12.5 K miles interval in Europe. No problem with the proper oil. Only difference is viscosity, 5W30 in Europe and 5W20 in the US. I suspect a Toyota engine is no worse than a Ford engine. Almost nobody changes oil at 300 miles here, 600 miles or more is common. But, the lowest cost oil is never used either, except maybe by youngsters in old junk cars. /per

Reply to
per

That was my point. Toyota, and some of the posters here, are pointing the finger at people who didn't change their oil on time as the cause of the sludge - yet we have other motors going many, many miles more between changes without damage. Apparently this Toyota engine is a little bit different that the other motors around the world.

Reply to
Jimmy

pointing

cause

more

Do a LOT more investigation before you draw such a conclusion. Sulfur levels in gasolines around the world vary a LOT. This additive contributes to oil contamination. Motor oils themselves vary a LOT around the world. Synthetic blends are the norm for GM branded oils in Europe but not in America. Our API gradations set minimum standards whereas the European ACEA system is much more specific about application and whether or not the oil is suitable for what "We" would consider "long drain" intervals. It should occur to observant persons that something is woefully deficient in the grading process when a $0.79 mineral oil qualifies for the same API SL rating as Mobil1 0w-40.

Reply to
Philip®

"Philip®" skrev i meddelandet news:k7eOb.14508$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...

An article about this matter:

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Reply to
per

Pulleeze. Do some research yourself. European manufacturers typically recommend the same long change intervals for their cars sold in the USA using the same oils we use here. No sludge, full warranty coverage from the manufacturer, even with 10K changes.

Nexxxxt ?

Reply to
Jimmy

"Jimmy" skrev i meddelandet news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

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/per

Reply to
per

In news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Jimmy being of bellicose mind posted:

WHEN you use the specific oils that meet their European ACEA or "in house" specs (every manufacturer has their own oil sequence rating systems), then you can run those 10k mile plus intervals. Simply using any API SL does not cut the mustard.

Reply to
Philip®

In news: snipped-for-privacy@news.wineasy.se, per being of bellicose mind posted:

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"/per" I read the above thread in its entirety. Good of you to post it. It is SO obvious me that 7500 miles is a ridiculous amount of mileage on a turbocharged engine, using the fuels we use WHEN a conventional mineral engine oil is used.

When cars were simpler .... people knew more about them. IS IT SO DIFFICULT to pull out the dipstick and check the oil level and the color? IF it is or you can't be bothered ... then pay up the ASS for your ignorance. OWN it!

Having said this .... it is an EVIL CONSPIRACY to even suggest how long oil should stay in an engine WHEN the recommendation is based on IDEAL ... LABORATORY conditions but ... not reveal to the new car owner that the REAL WORLD oil service intervals require shorter intervals.

Reply to
Philip®

Marketing bull shit by scamsoil. IMHO, one of the most likely reasons why Valvoline is selling non-API spec and the BIG reason Scamsoil is selling almost exclusively non-API oil is because to get the API rating you must meet the specs using much LESS in the way of anti-wear additives then you could use 10 years ago. The reason is to avoid damaging the cat converter and having it fail due to excessive anti-wear compounds coming out the exhaust. So sure, Scamsoil can make a "better" oil (if by better you mean it can pass meaningless tests) then others if they don't meet the same FULL spec, including the limits for maximum amount of anti-wear chemicals.

Valvoline probably figures that as long as they call it a high mileage oil and target it to people with high millage cars it won't matter much because by then the car is out of factory warranty, even for the cats.

I haven't looked at the scamsoil "warranty" for a while but as I recall it covered the engine, not the emissions system. And even the engine coverage was worthless (just like all the other oil companies, not singling out scamsoil there) since there are so many hoops to jump thru I doubt anyone would ever bother trying to submit a claim.

-- Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . . Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House of Representatives, August 17, 1789

Reply to
AZGuy

Maybe the problem is the price of the Mobil 1. Personally I think Mobil 1 is superior, but I am not at all sure it is 3 or 4 times as good. I would contned that as long as you purchase oil that meets the vehicle manufacturer's specifications and that you change it at the vehicle manufacturer's recommended intervals, then there is no advantage to buying Mobil 1. If you are less than diligent in changing your oil, Mobil

1 probably provides a safety margin. However, so far in my life, I've never had to replace a highway vehicle becasue of a worn out engine. I did finally trade off a 40 year old tractor becasue it was blowing a lot of oil out of the breather, but that was a special case.

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

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