I use to be a Toyota service advisor and manager. One thing I can tell you is never change your oil at 10k mile intervals. 5k with full synthetic oil is the best solution. Also these low tension piston rings are garbage. I have done many of these engines and can tell you that while this is not a good issue for Toyota they are not the only ones. I would still drive this vehicle over any domestic or German vehicle.

The narrated time laps are the best.

$7k and you get a video of proof of the repair on KZfaq … worth it 👌🏽 new subscriber

My father once told my “nothing good is cheap or nothing cheap is good” if you need something to last you need to maintain it properly that’s why I agree with you on using original parts and good fluids.

I started watching your channel shortly after I purchased my 2020 4Runner. I have always taken good care of my cars and do my own maintenance whenever possible. Thank you for being so informative and teaching even more things to consider when working on my car. Because of you, I faithfully change my oil every 5k miles. I so appreciate your honesty and integrity. May God bless you and your family.

Customer's rationale for going ahead with this repair makes a lot of sense to me, particularly in the current used car market.

i have a 2011 camry with the 2.5. Never burned a drop of oil, I have religiously followed 5,000 mile interval oil changes. If the motor has been well maintained you are not going to have any issues. One of the most bullet proof engines Toyota has ever produced.

You have a high skill set. Not all shops and mechanics can operate at your level of expertise and professionalism. Your an honest businessman who needs to make a living and pay your employeess...That's why God has blessed you and the community you serve. Wish there were more businessmen like you!

On a long trip, when everything is nice and hot, you can barely hear the 2ar fe running at idle. Sometimes I have to press my ear up to the car to even hear if anything is making a noise. For context, I can hear a Prius pull up on my driveway clearer than this engine at idle. It truly is a gem and I'm taking care of mine!

Had a 2010 Camry with this engine. Noticed it burning oil at around 165k miles. I had bought it from my dad at 135k miles but he did his oil changes every 6-8k miles. I always do mine at 5k. It’s a damn shame for such a good car. Got a Mazda cx5 and sold the Camry to my brother for cheap as a second car, to last as long as it can.

Wow, I think I just found the best car channel on KZfaq.

This channel is both knowledge, therapy, and heartwarming to know that there are excellent mechanics (humans) out there. I love this guy.

I had a 2010 RAV4 (white color that was pealing) with this 2.5 litre motor. Just sold it in 2022 with about 150,000 miles. One major issue was the rattling noise from the VVTI right after purchasing in 2010 (covered by warranty). I religiously changed the oil and didn’t experience oil burning issues. The only other issues that I had before selling it was rear wheel bearings and a minor oil leak, like a drop possibly from valve cover or rear main seal. Overall, it was a great vehicle for the 12 years we owned.

I had a 2011 Camry with this engine, and experienced a lot of oil usage, and then the catalytic converter became clogged. I changed my oil regularly, but not as often as recommended. I wish I'd known about The Car Care Nut a lot sooner.

I had a 2008 Rav4. I had the recall done at a Toyota dealer. Video on my channel. I drove it until I had a guy pull out in front of me and the car was totalled. It didn't burn any oil after Toyota replaced the oil burning burning issue. I purchased a 2017 Rav4 and have over 186000 miles on it and it's been a great car. Thank you for making these videos.

2010 toyota camry LE owner here with the 2.5 4 cylinder 2AR-FE engine. I am very dilligent about following your advice on everything AMD. My 2010 camry now is approaching 81,000 kilometers. It only had 71,000 kilometers on it at the end of november 2023 when i bought it from an 83 year old lady who was the original owner. I get my oil changed before 5000 mile intervals. I am having the 6 speed automatic transmission fluid changed very soon. I already had the coolant/antifreeze replaced with new super long life toyota coolant/antifreeze. The car currently has the ABS and stabillity control lights lit up on the dash... i am having a diagnostic scan done very soon for this issue. Keep up the great video content AMD !!!! I love your honesty and your ability to explain things to people in the simplest possible terms,so that everyone can understand whatever topic you are explaining ! Thanks again .... from a loyal subscriber in northeastern ontario, canada ! P.S. : I will be getting the engine serpentine belt and the A/C belt replaced in the near future.

The newest version (2018) of the 2.5 seems to be a really great engine! Many Uber drivers out there with 250k + and no oil consumption. Change your oil regularly, and don't use cheap oil. Those quick lube places probably use the cheapest bulk oil they can find 😮

no matter how many jobs you do, your heart always skips a few beats when you start the car after any repair...it just goes with the territory....doesn't matter if you change the oil or replace the motor, 30 yrs later, it still skips a beat...great job

"And by investigate, I mean let's put this car on the lift, let's remove the engine, let's tear it apart .... " I love this channel!

Amazing video. I love your thought process Ahmed. You are truly are a priceless automotive technician. I wish I had some one like you telling me that the rest of the car is falling apart before I decide to replace the engine. Long ago, when I was an ignorant fool with cars, I had replaced an engine only to find that I have a Hollywood chair at the shop with never ending repairs after. Thanks again for sharing the Car Care Nut ethic! God bless brother.

In some vehicles just changing the PCV valve will stop oil consumption. That said, my dad got over 300,000 miles on his 1963 Buick Electra 225 by changing the oil every 2,000 miles with Mobil Oil. The Electra 225 ran perfectly when parked, we just didn't need it anymore!

Hello Sir .I am watching your videos on daily basis.I can to tell you that Toyota should pay you tons of money for representing their company and for teaching technicians how to work on Toyota product .You are hands down the best teacher on the net .Calm voice without stupid music or screeming to the microphone .that is exactly how instructional videos should look a like .👏👏👍

For the money, it's a fantastic job performed on this car. I like your logic of spending time looking over the rest of the car to justify the expense for the engine replacement. Very good job AMD! With time and/or mileage proper maintenance, I hope this vehicle goes at least 200,000 on the engine!

I agree with the owner’s logic here, especially in his case where he’s the original owner, maintained it overall until it reached this point. I’m a 2nd owner of a 2007 RAV4 w/the oil burning issue. I just keep the oil level right, especially now that my nephew is currently using it. TCCN videos rock 👍🏻

I am an original owner of a 2009 Rav4. Has 176,000 miles. At about 150,000 miles it started burning oil. I am a diy so changed oil every 5,000 miles. I couldn't determine why it burns oil but this video answered that question. Burn about 1 quart every 4,000 miles so that's not too concern yet.

Great vid…..I had this rapid oil-burning issue on a Camry, and was VERY disappointed with Toyota. No recall, no service support….abandoned by Toyota. Thanks for your narrative on this job. 👍

I absolutely love these videos, professionalism at its finest!! I would rather watch these than the junk that’s on the tv

2013 RAV4 here, original owner. 1st oil change at 2k miles, 2nd at 5k miles and every 5k miles after that. Started with Mobil1 but have been using Costco (Kirkland 0w20) for the last 50k miles or so. Car has 135k miles right now and does not burn any oil.

Agreed! The voiceovers are appreciated. I’m sure it adds time for you, but the quality is there.

I still have my 2009 Camry Hbrid (2AR-FXE) and was fortunate enough to have the pistons and rings replaced during the TSB campaign several years ago. Hasn't burned a drop since. Thanks to this channel, I do the oil changes and most of its maintenance. Now I just need a tire machine and a way to program the TPM sensors :)

This is one of the things that makes me crazy about lexus. They didn’t want to change our oil until we hit 16000kms (10,000miles). Even though we had ECP and prepaid maintenance we had to pay to get the oil changed after 6 months. We are retired and we mostly drive short trips. It’s pennywise and pound foolish.

Excellent video ! My ‘13 Camry XLE , 130K miles, goes from oil change to the next one without even top off 😃 I do my oil change every 5k(service light on) and use only synthetic Mobil 1 high mileage EP 😁

Thanks for reiterating the importance of timely oil changes.. and a good brand of oil as well

Great video as always , you are my go to mechanic on KZfaq anything dealing with Toyota’s ,really enjoy your expertise on these common issues on different models , be waiting on the next video 👁️👁️!!

I have a 4 cyl 2010 Camry SE that i bought new in 2009. It currently has 215,000 miles and uses less than a quart every 5,000 miles. My son has been driving it in college the last few years and I remind him to keep an eye on it. I've changed the oil with synthetic ever since it was new every 5,000-6,000 miles. I hope the car makes it another 2 years.

$7k... you know what you have. I would do it also based on the circumstances. Used car prices are insanely high. Love your vids. Keep them coming.

I have two cars with the earlier 2AZFE. One has a valve seal issue and has made a puff of smoke on startup for the last 16 years. Neither consumes excessive oil. The 2006 Highlander with 192,000 miles would consume a half quart in 5000 miles if driven at 80 MPH for extended times, but normally is on the full mark at OCI. The 2003 Camry that smokes on startup has never had oil added in 120,000 miles

Well this warning is too late for me, but I’d rather know to be alert for the potential problem. So far, so good on a 2011 Camry. I’m forcing myself to go old school and check my oil every stop to get gas. Always clean and full. However, the records from original owner show he bought into 10,000 mile synthetic oil change for first 40,000 miles. I change it every 5000. Thanks for the video.

I have the same engine in my 2010 Toyota Camry. 248,000 miles plus and no oil leaks. Change my oil every 5,000 miles with a quality Toyota OEM oil filter and quality 0W-20 Full Synthetic Motor Oil. No issues. It doesn't burn any oil at all!!

You're great at helping people understand the math of car issues, swaps, investment etc. It's really complicated and different for everyone depending on their needs and skills. Great channel.

I have a 2012 Toyota Camry with 400000 miles and would love to bring to this guy. So hard to find honest mechanic in my area.

That owner’s logic to spend so much money was very sound. If I was on that position I would to the same. We love your honesty and can only pray to find a mechanic with your work ethic.

Amazing. What a journey . Beautifully done . So happy with my service earlier this month . I’ll always get my cars to you

You are 1 big reason why I will hold on to my 2017 Camry .I learned so much on this motor platform

Boy we need more people like him have critical Thinking skill.common sense and superior logic.

I used to look at new cars thinking which ones I'd like to get when used some years down the road but with 10k mile oil changes I better save up for something new.

I have a 2011 rav4 with this engine. Purchased it as a lease turn in with 45k miles . We still have this vehicle now has 156k miles . I have always changed the oil right on the 5k mile mark with mobile 1 . It doesn't use any oil . It's been a very good car .

You are not a drop in the bucket- You are the mechanic we all dream about Up front Knowledgeable - and approach the job as if it were your investment - Excellent Channel Excellent Man 👍

This is a good video to give you my thanks, AMD. I've got a 2010 Prius(😱)with 90k miles. I was doing the bad oil changes(13-16mo/11k) before I found your videos a couple years ago. Because of them, I caught any issues before the rings locked up and I started burning oil. I had the dealership run a strong oil detergent through at around 75k as part of a big maintenance service(engine/trans/cooling), and I've been religious about oil changes ever since(Pennzoil Ultra Platinum). I'm trading it off in about a week for a brand new Prius, but now I can feel good about handing off a Toyota that should have another 200k or more left on the ICE drivetrain(based on testing, the hybrid battery probably has about 8 years left if well treated - I also added the OEM retrofit battery vent filter you recommended for the early gen3s).

I so wish you were within a couple hours of me. I would be your customer for life. I really like the way you work on cars. You have a gift brother!

Loved to watch you do this job - EXCELLENT video. This is the video I’ve been waiting 7 years for. My wife bought her first brand new car in 2008: a 2009 Camry with this 4 cylinder engine. After about 6 years of meticulous maintenance (at around 110K miles) oil started vanishing. No leaks, no smoke coming out of the tailpipe, no change in performance. I kept watching the oil and adding oil in increasingly large amounts for another two years. As Toyota said the oil consumption rate was “within acceptable range” they didn’t do anything about it when the warranty was still active. Being old school, I finally felt that a quart vanishing every 500 miles was a sign of eminent failure, so we sold the car for very little to a friend (for their teenage son) with total disclosure about why we were getting rid of it at 189K miles. He’s kept a very close eye on the oil as we instructed, and seven years (and a massive number of miles) later he’s still loving that car and had zero trouble with it aside from buying oil all the time. So if you have this engine and “over-maintain it” as you said (keep a very close eye on it and accept extra oil consumption & more frequent changes) don’t freak out about the vanishing oil. Thanks for mentioning the catalytic converter clog. Hopefully w/his being a Camry (not RAV4) he won’t have to replace that.

The issue is simple, maintenence. The oil to use is Mobil 1. They make the toyota genuine oil for these engines. The varnish could mean different things, but likely sludge sat in there a while. The 2az had the same issue, and its indeed the scraper ring. They did a new design and it gets gunked. The 2az had a one piece design at first. On original parts, you need to change every 5k miles, but also add an oil cleaner additive before you do. Some additives stay the life of the oil, some should be in the last few hundred miles. Now, I've also heard that some people attach a bracket to the oil pan with a magnet in it, to catch any metal that gets in. It's not entirely necessary, but you actually never know when metal just begins to fail. The other thing is that if you're ever in the engine, DO NOT use the original rings. Rings come as kits, and dealers and mechanics will send you the same rings from the parts catalog. Yk, the ones with the defective oil ring. Aftermarket, in the case of the 2az at least, give you a traditional scraper ring. If you're burning oil from overtightening your head bolts or overheating....well....oops. Ns300l or a shave I guess.

Great video. I have a 2009 Rav4 with the 2AR with 185,000 miles and it doesn't burn a drop of oil. Have changed the oil every 5,000 miles since new.

Great Video. Stopped me from buying a 2011 Toyota RAV4 with the 2AR-FE engine with 160k miles on it. Research is the key when buying a used vehicle.

Bought a 2003 camry with 2arfe, from an in law. This guy changed oil every 2000 miles, a fanatic. Today at 215000 miles zero oil consumption.

The transparency, Ethos, honesty, intellect, and wisdom. Always learning, thanks.

so few drivers understand we ALL driving way deep into the Severe driving maintenance schedule and so few actually follow the interval and just do what the manufacturer says, no matter what any auto manufacturer says, 5,000 or less, you might push to 6,000 on synthetic, the but the whole 10,000-15,000 is a total scam for cars that are garage queens that only get driven only on the highway. When I owned my Scion tC with the 2.4, I sent an oil sample to Blackstone Labs and they said I could push it to 8,000 and be ok, but it's just such a cheap investment to change the oil more often than trying to get longevity on oil changes.

I appreciate very much your detailed convencing informations regarding oil change intervals. My German Toyota Avensis 1.8 from 2008 runs like a Swiss clock with synthetic oil every six months. So no sludge inside the robust (Corolla) motor ist developing. 🎯

I did this job to my 2009 Camry around 500,000 kilometers, but i had a very good machining shop near me that machined the cylinders and replaced the pistons and rings with bigger diameter ones from Japan, now just passed 780,000 km with no oil leaking problems. not planning to stop using it ( goal is 1 M 😅). 33:50

Oil and oil changes appear to be a mystery to most folks. Many will get their oil changed and not even know what or why it is done. Ask them and they will say, "The dealer said to do this every X-number of miles or time". Dealer (hopefully) said to read and under the owner's manual. Most people can tell you it's in the glove box but they've never looked at it. It's really good that experienced mechanics, like yourself are around to help these folks through the day. Great video!

So even with the long 10,000 mile oil change interval this engine still goes 150,000 trouble free miles. Thats still impressive😉

Love the content, always answering questions I didn't even know I had. Yeah! why is it burning oil :)

Oh no!!! Not what I wanted to see....I have the exact same RAV, same color, too. Mine is a 2012. I bought it in 2016 with 16,000 miles on it. I am religious about service and have the oil changed every 5,000 miles with full synthetic oil, brake fluid every three years, coolant at appropriate intervals, tans/4x4 fluid, too. It's got 140,000 miles on it now. I don't think it has a consumption problem, but will be on the lookout after watching this video. Thank you!

I'm so thankful for your teachings. We are looking for a used Toyota and I've been watching all your videos. Praise the LORD! 🕊

Gettings from Romania, you are the sole reason why my 2018 Lexus IS300 300h (which has the 2ar-fse) gets an oil change every 10K km. You mentioned that in around 2012, the 2ar got some updates. Could you maybe mention in a video what exactly was changed?

My wife's 2010 RAV with the 2AR has 205000 miles. I've been religious about changing the oil roughly every 5,000 miles. The majority of the miles were when she commuted 100 miles round trip three days a week (highway). I would push it to 7500 sometimes during that time, but never more than that. Now her commute is about 10 miles and as soon as that "MAINT REQD" light turns solid, I change the oil and filter. It doesn't burn any oil. It'll get a slight dark haze on the rear bumper between car washes, but no measurable loss of oil. Every 5000 miles...he's not kidding. Do it!

Thank you for this video, going to be taking a warrantied 2AR (timing cover gasket leak) and rebuilding it for an MR2 Spyder swap. This content gives me the perfect step by step on tearing down and reassembly with bonus points for Amd ASMR!

Excellent Video! I have the exact Automobile. Same Year, Engine, and color, Ha Ha. 179 K miles. So far she is running great. Started using full synthetic mobile 1 5w20 at 120 thousand. And changing the oil at 3 thousand miles at 150 K. Hope to keep her purring along for many more miles. Thanks for your honest, expertise info. As my Dad always said. Change the Oil. And check the dip stick every weekend.

In my experience the 2ar is surprisingly resilient to oil burning, both parents don’t change there oil very well and both still don’t burn much oil, only about a quart every 5k miles. My mother had once not changed the oil in her 2013 for 30k miles, granted it was highway miles but still that’s an absurd amount of time to go over. That’s when the oil burning started and it still doesn’t burn too much. Try that with a 2L turbo Mercedes or Audi! I’ve also tried some oil cleaners now and will see what the results are

Great format! Your narrations are packed w/good information. Videos I’ve watched where the host mentions the size of the wrench used on every fastener are monotonous. I’ve always found the wrench that fits it the one to use ;)

Don’t get me wrong. I love Toyotas. Our family has owned 8 or more total Toyota and Lexus model without major issues. Although, Toyotas are not all sunshine and roses folks..

I have a 2011 Rav4 with this engine and its at 180k mile and still runs great no burning oil. Only things I have ever had to replace are coolant hose and brakes. Will keep this car forever as a spare car.

Those quick lube places probably use the cheapest bulk oil they can find 😮 Even the dealerships uses bulk oil, so there's no way to know if they're cutting corners. Their main goal is to sell you a new car, not ensuring your old car lasts 200-300k miles without major repairs.

Very interesting to hear that they changed every 5000 miles. I was listening to David Chao talk about oil change intervals with the Nissan GTR lead engineer this week. He was recommending 3000 mile oil changes. I feel like the timing chains are almost always still good on the other engines you have rebuilt. I wonder if it overheated at some point? Thanks for the awesome content!

I almost regretted getting rid of our 2012 RAV4 about 5 years ago. Knowing about this oil burning issue, now I'm glad we did!

Three days ago I bought a 2013 Toyota RAV4 Limited with 123K miles from my local Toyota dealer who sold it originally and maintained it all its life since new. ALL 5000 mile services were done AHEAD of time as did the owner of this RAV4. Is THIS what I have to look forward to, AMD? Is THIS what I have to look forward to, TOYOTA??? THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!! Toyota has a problem! Toyota needs to find a solution to this problem with one of the most popular of their engines! 150K mile boat anchor!!! This is totally UNACCEPTABLE and now my heart is in my mouth!

Love this channel 🙂

My favorite parts of the video are when you speed up the work, while talking softly over the video about what's going on.

Great video. I think the biggest issue with the oil changes comes down to driving habits. I put Walmart or whatever the cheapest bundle at the auto store is in my vehicles and have been doing so for 20+ years and have never had a problem. When I married my wife she had just picked up a 2013 RAV4 and I’ve done all the maintenance myself. About to cross 200k and it runs like a top, just like my 275k Honda, my 350k Dodge (Cummins), and my now sold 360k Ford. I do what the manual says or 6 months whichever comes first. The only car I was super picky about oil with was my FD RX7 and I think that’s self explanatory why 😂

I have the exact same Rav4. I’m sitting in my shop watching the video doing my 5000 mile full synthetic oil change using Toyota filter… I drive 65 miles round trip to work everyday! It uses no oil between oil changes….. oils cheap change it

You spend the little extra on synthetic fluids, the friction in the pistons probably would not have been a problem with synthetic. I would go to a mechanic with a reputation over chain lube with low paid employees, you know you get a good job and actually get synthetic oil. You could go 5000 miles between changes if you drive enough and are better off than 2 changes of generic oil.

I had 02 Camry 4cyn, 5speed manual transmission. It was made in Japan. I put 300,000 miles on it when I sold it. It never used any oil. I changed with full synthetic mobile 1,every 5000 miles or less. Never used any oil . As a matter a fact never did anything except battery and tires .

I have a 2009 RAV4 with a 2AR, 140,000 miles. No problems yet. After watching the video, I want to trade it in.

I have 2013 Toyota Highlander 4cylinder 2.7 and have 152k miles now he eat oil but not that much I change oil every 4-5k miles ever since I buy this brandnew and I have it 10cvs already and drive so smooth..just take care this Toyota engine and give you more and more miles.

All you have to do is replace the word "RAV4" with "Prius" (for those same years) and you have basically the same video. Sounds like the factory had dropped the ball on rings and pistons in those years no matter what engine you had.

I rant like a psychopath to friends and family about 10000 mile oil changes. If you need to keep a vehicle longer than 5 years or 75k miles you MUST do 5000 mile oil changes at least. Those 10k mile oil changes are designed for what the "manufacturer" considers the lifespan of the car which is usually 3-5 years and 60 - 80k miles. Same with "lifetime" transmission and diff fluids. Change those both at least every 60k miles.

If I lived close, you 100% would be my mechanic. Great job.

Owner makes a lot of sense. If they have no other issues with the car it toally makes sense to just pay the price to fix a car they know will do what they need it to do.

This video scares me. My wife bought a 2012 Rav4 2.5 with 82,000 miles on it from CarMax. The vehicle was a one owner vehicle from California. So its totally rust free. I have been doing the oil changes myself every 4-5,000 miles using Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 0W-20 oil and official Toyota oil filters. I have had really good luck with this oil. So far, my wife's Rav4 isn't using/burning any oil. I put roughly five quarts in and I get roughly five quarts out. When I changed the spark plugs at 100,000 miles. There wasn't any oil nor carbon build up on the spark plugs. I also changed the PCV valve (thank you AMD for your video on changing the PCV valve on the 2.5) at the same time as the spark plugs. I also serviced the transmission by dropping the trans pan and changed the filter. There was very little clutch material and metal on the magnets. The vehicle runs and drives great for its age and looks to have been well maintained. The seats have no stains nor tears and actually, the interior looks brand new. We are now at 106,000 miles without anything wrong with the vehicle. Anything we should watch out for in the future?

I love pennzoil platinum ultra synthetic.

thank you for not compromising on you values as a mechanic..

My wife and I recently picked up a 2013 Rav4 LE AWD with the 2AR-FE and 130k miles, doesn't burn oil, been dealer maintained its whole life. Great engine, I love them.

Just noticed this engine was used in the TC of every gen starting back in 2004. Have seen many of those engines burn out with neglect and lack of topping oil off. My friend who did 5k intervals never had an issue with his 05 TC.

I wouldn’t believe what the owner told you. He used cheap oil and he paid the price

My mom's 2007 Rav4 burned so oil I was actually amazed. Sad because we missed the campaign where it was fixed for free

I use the factory yota oil every 6 months on my 21 tundra. Only put ab 7 k a year on her. Love this truck!

What brands and types of oil do you consider as good oil to use for a oil change?

I'm wondering if the owner *really* knows if the oil was truly changed every 5k miles. If he did it himself, like I do, then it's true. Otherwise, I think this is the source of the issue. I personally changed the oil on my 04 Scion xb every 5k miles, and it never burned 1 drop of oil.

Excellent...we admire your principles....regards from Athens Greece...( Toyota carina 1.6l. Mod 1995 )

I have the 2AZ-FE in my 2013 Scion xB and I'm a fanatic about oil changes...6 months or 5,000 miles and I have 100% of the paperwork in a binder to prove it. No problems thus far.