A little PSA about E110 Corollas (98-02)
So I've seen a few threads around here, and even other forums, about needing a newer, safer daily driver, and I see the 1998-2002 corolla being thrown around alot as a suggestion. My dad had one of these when I was a kid, The Tale Of The Tired Toyota, but that's a thing for another day and thread.
Basically, if you plan on getting one of these corollas, be careful, because the 98-99 ones have issues with oil return holes getting plugged by oil sludge which leads to the engine drinking oil at an alarming rate. My dad's 98 corolla, purchased used in 2000 for $12,000 canadian, began burning oil in 2001 and it just got worse from then on, The mechanic had told us in 2002 that the engine was a goner, and needed replacing right now because its on it's last legs, That was BS because it ran fine for another 12 years (albeit while burning a ton of oil) anyways, besides the point, The 99-98 ones have the non-VVT-i engine which is the oil burning pile of crap, my uncle sees people complaining about oil consumption on these all the time.
The 2000-2002 corollas however, despite having pretty much the same body aside from the front end, have a revised engine, with VVT-i technology, and the oil return holes in the piston have been enlarged to reduce the chances of oil sludge plugging them.
This is the one you DON'T want ^ (98-99)
This is the one you DO want ^ (00-02)
Basically, if you plan on getting one of these corollas, be careful, because the 98-99 ones have issues with oil return holes getting plugged by oil sludge which leads to the engine drinking oil at an alarming rate. My dad's 98 corolla, purchased used in 2000 for $12,000 canadian, began burning oil in 2001 and it just got worse from then on, The mechanic had told us in 2002 that the engine was a goner, and needed replacing right now because its on it's last legs, That was BS because it ran fine for another 12 years (albeit while burning a ton of oil) anyways, besides the point, The 99-98 ones have the non-VVT-i engine which is the oil burning pile of crap, my uncle sees people complaining about oil consumption on these all the time.
The 2000-2002 corollas however, despite having pretty much the same body aside from the front end, have a revised engine, with VVT-i technology, and the oil return holes in the piston have been enlarged to reduce the chances of oil sludge plugging them.
This is the one you DON'T want ^ (98-99)
This is the one you DO want ^ (00-02)
, i wonder if the clogged returns can be cleaned up using an additive in the oil before an oil change every so often. I have one of those non VVTI 1ZZFE engines and i did see some consumption on the last oil change and its funny that i have been using DexOS oil which was also developed due to lifter build up on LS engines.
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