Help, my 2nd Gen might be dying!

[pilkinga]

Recently my 1994 V6 3.slow manual started having some problems. I bought the 4Runner about seven months ago and I was averaging around 285-300 miles per tank, recently that has dropped off by about 100 miles and I don't know what is wrong. It has also started using oil, and I have to add about 0.5-1 quart every other week or fill up.

I brought it into a local mechanic, and they could find nothing wrong with it. No fuel line problems, they did a compression test and said that it was also fine. There are no oil stains in my driveway so I know that it is not leaking and must be burning the oil. When you first start the car the exhaust has a whitish smoke, and when you shut it off it stinks really bad (I can see thru the catalytic converter end to end).

The head gasket recall was done on this 4Runner, but with the oil consumption, I'm concerned it might need another new head gasket and a valve job. Maybe the oil is getting flung from the gasket onto the exhaust somewhere.

1) Does anyone have any other suggestions for the cause of my problem or has anyone had similar symtoms?

2) How difficult on this model is a valve and gasket job? Do I need to remove the engine?

3) If the valve and gasket job takes care of the oil consumtion, do you think that will fix the gas mileage also?

Please help me, I love my new 4Runner and I am hoping I didn't buy a lemon. Thanks in advance for your help and responses!

 

[toyoboy]

depending on how many miles your truck has, Toyota say that 1quart every 2000 miles is ok. It is normal for your milage to drop during the winter due to the quality of gas and cold weather. If you do a valve job, you would just have to remove the the cylinder heads. Here in Oregon, is free to test emissions. So take it to your local smog test and see if it is running rich. But if your
truck is running find, your not loosing coolant, I'm sure you mit not have anything wrong with your truck.
Good luck

 

[vandert]

Common problem with the oil consumption

Its going past your valves that why you can't find it , go to a thicker weight oil, probably like a 20w50 and run that year round it will cut down on the oil consumption and the probably culprit in your excessive gas milage is usually the O2 sensor.

My old 22re went from 350 a tank to around 125 and it was jsut the o2 sensor

It cost a pretty penny but Autozone or your local part store can hook you right up.

Generally thats the only problem, give it a try.

Also I got horrible gas milage when my battery was going out on my old 22re due to a constant excessive load from the alternator, just another idea if the 02 doesn't work but it will, I can almost guarantee it.

T