My '96 Camry (159,000 miles) is parked outside where the temp is 30-40 degrees (sometimes has ice on the windshield).
When starting the car the engine makes a clattering sound, which goes away once the engine is warm.
Is this "piston slap"?
Can this be fixed with a heavier weight oil? (It's due for an oil change anyway.)
Will the noise shorten the life of the engine?
Thanks,
Michael
Even dino 10W-30 should work fine at those temperatures. If it's oil flow related at lower temperatures, then dino or Mobil-1 5W-30 should help quiet down. If it's piston slap, a lower viscosity oil probably won't help. You need to go thicker like High Mileage oils do and even that might not do much.
But one thing at a time, first try to identify the source of the noise. You can check the source of the chatter by using a mechanic's stethoscope (HF has it on sale I think, for $1.99 coupon) or a long screwdriver. Be careful of moving engine parts. If the noise comes from the top (cover screws) then it's likely valve chatter, but if the noise comes from the engine block then it's piston slap. It's not recommended to just place the stethoscope on the valve cover, because you'll hear all sorts of noises. Valves can be adjusted easily; however, piston slap means excessive piston-bore clearance =3D poor production (like the new Toyota/Lexus 3.5L V6) or more likely in your case high mileage wear and tear.
If going lower viscosity try Mobil-1 5W-30 and a Purolator PureOne or Bosch filter. Use the taller like PureOne PL14477 version for the 2.4L engine, not the shorty 14476 for 2.2L. 7K on the wimpy filter is a bit long. Besides, Toyota lowered the NORMAL service interval down to 5000 miles for all their vehicles (I say for a good reason). Severe service I'd cut to 2500-3000 miles.
This is probably not true. Jiffy Lube might claim this, but Toyota does not. For a 1997, Toyota required 5000 mile oil changes for certain special operating conditions, otherwise it was 7500 miles. After all the sludge problems, Toyota just starting specifying 5000 mile oil changes for all conditions. They do not have a 3,000 mile recommendation. Ford does a good job of explaining when you need to go to a shorter oil change intervals and clearly, most owners don't need to. GM does even better, they include an oil life calculator routine in the engine's PCM that adjusts the oil change interval based on driving conditions.
Ed
Why? Toyota doesn't make this recommendation. It used to be that the Toyota's severe oil change interval was 5000 miles. In order to cover themselves after all the problems with sludge, Toyota reduced the oil change interval for all conditions to 5000 miles in the US. In Europe, Toyota's have much longer recommended oil change intervals (10,000 miles/yearly, with no severe service recommendation). If anything, driving conditions in parts of Europe are worse than the US (except maybe Alaska). It is claimed that oils are better in Europe, but as far as I can see the oil recommended for new Toyotas meets the more stringent European requirements.
Ed
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