The need to change your oil will not throw a code. "Flushing" your engine with Kerosene on the other hand, don't even get me started.

 

@2stroked Hi, I check the oil level. Was 1/8" inch lower than the Max. level from the yellow color stick. My car mechanic say because I check with the engine cold the oil level (shrink). The level oil is less than was before. So, some how the engine start eating oil (again?). Do this engine has a main end seal, or just an auger that returns oil back to the engine? I add 1/4 quart of new oil. I will go tomorrow at Autozone (8 AM) to get a new PCV replacement valve. The P 0012 after 1,000 Miles of driving show up again today (I just drove for 3 days with no failing code?). The color of the oil is dark brown. The oil recently was changed. I totally drove like 4 KMiles. I get a new engine noise. Like a rod caps clicks. I suspect that noise is coming when the rod is at TDC (dead center?) position. Noise from the push rod? How hard is to replace those 4x rod caps from the cylinders, or the pistons rings? The Toyota dealer will call them bearings, or rod caps?
Or the rod wrist pin may be moving in the piston(s) unusually free?
Or the crankshaft is getting old? Can have that so called fatigue?
My car mechanic say now in order to get a better "feeling" for the diagnostic must see the car in "person".

Thank you.

 

@Birsan I don't know how many times you need to be told this but FIND ANOTHER MECHANIC. No idea where you've managed to find all of these so-called 'miracle workers' but oil doesn't magically shrink when cold regardless of color or age or mileage on it, etc. You may notice a minute difference in volume with temperature but you're certainly not going to be able to measure it on a dipstick as it would be an ounce or two difference at most. That and the fact that oil level should be HIGHER on car when it's cold as all of the oil that was previously in the head and valve train would have drained back into the pan thereby raising the oil level. This is exactly why they say to check the oil level when the engine is warm as it will give you a true indication as to the oil level in the pan when the oil is appropriately distributed throughout the engine.

The only way a car is going to 'eat' oil is through burning it or a leak. If it's being burnt you'd typically notice a blue smoke from the exhaust as it would either be getting by the rings or leaking through bad valve guide and/or seals. If it's leaking, and yes, your car has a rear main seal (and I don't have any idea what you mean by having an 'auger'), you'll see the telltale signs of oily residue on the engine or oil spots on the street or garage floor.

If you truly do have a knocking rod that is going to require far more than replacing rod caps as usually the crank suffers some form of damage also, to the point it either needs to be turned and polished or, depending upon how bad the damage might be, replaced completely. Lots of things can make a knocking or ticking noise...see the link I've attached.

What is rod knock?

It's not going to fix itself, there is no miracle cure like Kerosene, which could likely be the cause of rod knock in that it flushed oil out of the bearings as you were running it through the engine, or any color of fluid that contains any kind of fibers, 'military grade' or otherwise. Heavier oil may reduce the knocking noise, in that it will dampen the actual knocking more than thinner oil lessening the actual noise, but it only prolongs the rebuild and does more damage to the crank in the process. If it is a knocking rod the ONLY fix is an engine rebuild.

Good news is there are any number of things that can cause a knock or a tick...bad news is none of them are good and will require some kind of actual fix and not in the form of some 'miracle' cure performed by a mechanic or your local Voodoo priestess.

If you're waiting to take it to that same mechanic that told you your oil was reading low because it 'shrank' overnight then I wish you luck...and, oh yeah, FIND ANOTHER MECHANIC!

 

I'm simply going to second everything @MileHightC said. I couldn't improve on it and don't disagree with any of it. That Kerosene flush that you did a while back really sounds like it's coming back to haunt you - as we both predicted. Just in case you missed the main point, FIND ANOTHER MECHANIC!

 

@2stroked Hi!
My car mechanic looks like he knows this car. He is using metaphors?...
1. What makes a Scion xB 2004 to go faster? A tow truck.
2. Why they install window defroster at the back window? To keep your hands warm while you pushing it.
3. If we will see a Scion xB 2004 in the top of a hill that it is called a Miracle!!!
4. How one call the Scion xB 2004 User Manual? This is now called "A Bus Schedule".
5. How to double the value of Scion xB 2004 in the year of 2021? By filling up the gas tank with gas.

Thank you.

 

@Birsan So did you figure out what the knocking noise was?

 

I wouldn't knock a 2004-2006 xB. I've owned two of them and put well over 100,000 miles on each of them. (The first one is now owned by my ex and has almost 250,000 miles on it.) When people ask me, I tell them that the xB is flat out the most reliable car I've ever owned - period. Of course mine doesn't have any cheap aftermarket Chinese parts in it and all of the work has been done by "real" mechanics. (ASE Master Tech certified or Toyota / Lexus certified.) The guy who had you pour several gallons of Kerosene into your engine? Nah, he's not certified at all.

 

@Birsan Well, did you pinpoint your 'mystery knock'?

 

Hi, Thank you for your comments.

Yesterday was replaced the PCV valve ($4.95), the VVT valve, and reset the Code error. The parts are made in Mexico from the store AutoZone.
1. The PCV valve for some reason was hard to remove (I use 19mm socket). I remember that like 3-5 years ago I use a anti-size lubricator on that thread (19mm). Then I had to remove the other black color rubber valve to have access to the spring.
Then inside the PCV valve the metal ball was stuck. There is a part inside that when is vacuum will move. Not here. That was the reason that the engine was "eating" oil.
2. The VVT valve had a real problem. The oil was for some reasons leaking from that end. Yes, I found an old black o-ring gasket. Was shrank? Was not doing the work to stop the oil to go out. Then by doing a visual inspection all the exterior metal was extremely rusted.
I think that was the reason of getting the Failing code P0010, associated with the P0012, and P0126. I get usually great heat. Like 130 to 140 Degrees Farenheit inside the cabin.
My car mechanic say yes like MileHightC, and 2stroked, we not need to change the oil. The color of oil it is like Honey. Most of the miles drove in the past week (1750 Milles) are done on high ways. So, he say if we calculate like 20% of "city miles" that will make 350 Miles.

I drove today to see the car behavior. Nothing than usual. I get good news and bad news about the sound/noise that coming from the front of the car.
The good news is that noise is NOT from the Bad Engine.
The Bad news is that the sound start at 60 Miles/Hr and up....we rule out that are not the front passenger brakes. We replace those like a Month ago. Also has new calipers.
Should be a damage part that vibrates, start resonating for some reason. Or a rotating part of the front passenger wheel.....still not sure.

Back in the car history, two/three years ago the radiator cover felt some where in the engine area. I drove 9 mounts and get a sound from time to time.
Then at the oil change when the car was on the lift we look for the old radiator cover and we find him. No more noise!!!

For those that observe the Good Friday:
Mercy Peace and Love
May the grace and Lord
surround you and be with you
on Good Friday.

Thank you.



The noise engine cover is coming down. I need to look for those giant black color plastic spheres . Looks like this is how is hold in that position.



Here is the hole after removing the VVT. I try to remove the interior round mesh to clean. I can not find it. Must be deep more than 3/4 inches? Or is gone?



I remove the pipe that going to the idle section. There looks like it is like extremely dirty and like dirt on the walls inside. The black plastic must the clean inside? This must be reason for the Failing Code?



On the left side is the new part. The old PCV valve is stuck open. That may be the reason of the engine of consuming copious amounts of oil.



The new VVT - come in vacuum plastic bag. I assume that is the best way to stay in a storage. Like old stock brand new part?

____

 

You ever think that 'rod knock' you have is that insulation that's half-hanging down banging up against the hood at 60 mph and up? I've got $50 that says it would likely be banging over on the passenger side.

On the one hand it seems that you try to take relatively decent care of your car, outside of some questionable mechanical advice and parts purchases, and then on the other hand I see your hood insulation hanging down like that and I think to myself, "How can someone drive around like that when it would cost $3.00 in replacement push pins or, cheaper still, some duct tape to half-a** fix that."

C'mon, man...

 

I'm with MileHightC on that one - fix the easy and extremely obvious stuff before you go any further. The wind blowing into your grille at highway speeds is likely making that insulation piece rattle against the hood like a rock in a tin can.

 

Hi, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I call my old car engine champion Wizard mechanic. He tell me what to do to fix P0010.

1. With the engine cold. Remove all electric plugs x3 that I used on last week.
2. Check inside the connectors for dust, rust and other things.
3. Clean with air pressure ad small quantity of an electric lubricant.
4. Go reset the Failing code P0010 (OBDI).
5. Check the oil engine color, level, and smell.
6. Check the coolant in the radiator for having the red color, to be sure that is no oil or other things that may flooding at the top in the liquid.
7. Fill up the gas tank and drive 400 Miles or more in less than 12 Hours.

I follow that recipe and the failing Code P0010, do not come back!!!
Thank you.



I have now 189K miles and no more failing Code P0010. Always is good to ask an experienced (Champion) gas engine mechanic. He is now my hero!!!



VVT was replaced. I use Anti-size. for the alternator bolts.
For some reasons in the Summer time the Alternator will produce only 13.7 Volts.
In the winter the Alternator produces 14.1 Volts.



This 2 electric plugs I disconnect them (clean with air pressure inside then add electric lubricator).
Then connect back, and check to have all the wires in good cosmetic conditions in their place.



When I start the cat my voltmeter show 11.0 Volts. That is too low value not acceptable.
This is a DEKA battery - sealed. Please let me know how to open this Battery and add Distilled Water? Thank you.



This thermometer shows 45 Degrees Celsius that is 113 Fahrenheit. I suspect that this must be the Specific for Scion xB 2004 normal temperature value.
In this conditions with the silicone hoses. It is true that silicone hoses keep better in control the hot coolant pressure of the old cars?

____

 

Your battery at 11V probably has a dead or dying cell or 2. With the car running, the voltage should be around 14V, if it is, just put in a new battery, you won't get much more life by trying to add acid or distilled water. If you have a battery charger with a de-sulphation mode, it might work.

What group size is that battery??? The standard 25 is very hard to find and I'm wondering what else fits - see other thread

The thermometer you show is reading the radiator temperature, which is lower than what the engine thermostat sees
Silicone rubber is fine with air or coolant, but not so much with oil or grease. But perhaps the standard hoses are not much better???
I replaced the big hoses at 100K miles along with the coolant. The ongoing plan is to replace the hoses every 2nd coolant change, now the coolant change is shorter.

 

@RichBinAZ, Hi, My car mechanic have an idea why my one year old Battery having such a low performance.

1. To clean the post terminals from corrosion/or other damages.
2. To open by force the seal top cover and check if the water is above the Cooper metal plates with 1/2" inch.
In sealed Batteries only the central cells get fast dry. The summer heat is more inside the battery than on the exterior cells.
At that high temperature the Distilled Water get fast evaporated in the atmosphere.
3. If the Battery have a high interior resistance the voltage drop. Also will make harder to the process of charging the battery.
4. Check the alternator output voltage on Open Circuit. Then check the voltage output under the load.
5. Use a voltage precision analyzer.
6. Check the data above and then jump to conclusions.

Thank you.

PS: The coolant system of Scion xB 2004 has total 5 pipes. Three large and 2 little that are going to the front idling controller.



This was recommended by my car mechanic. He say that this is smart analyzer, made to give even more information that one may need.
(cost $18.14 free shipping/eBay).
This must be install in serial, Between Alternator and battery. Then if the car have other overloading problem to check other wires.

____

 

You do realize that you just voided the warranty on your battery by prying it open.

 

Hi, For more than 10 (beautiful) years I do not use any warranty for the batteries. On all the batteries, I discovered that the lead /acid and gel batteries did not make their ratings. Will not perform as advertised by the manufacturer. It does not matter at what temperature where checked. Try to do this by yourself, and find the unpleasant truth....
Thank you.

 

@Birsan Tell me you didn't crack open your sealed battery to check the water level in it and if you had a mechanic who suggested you do this then, again, FIND ANOTHER MECHANIC.

I don't think there is a single person on here who has as many new and recurring issues with their car as you and, going out on a limb here, they all seem to be self-inflicted. Your O2 sensor 'fix', in adding an extension to it so it changes the way it reads, isn't a fix. It's a horrible version of a band-aid fix and it's no wonder you've got one or more recurring codes popping up. It seems the car is 'smarter' than both you and your 'wonder mechanic' in that it at least knows there's still an underlying issue.

Like most people on here who actually care about addressing issues the correct way, anytime I have gotten a CEL on any of my vehicles, and I can count on one hand how many times that has been, they have been properly diagnosed and fixed correctly never to be seen again (with the exception of a second CEL on a 208,000 mile Jeep Cherokee when an OEM Mopar TPS went bad in the span of two months).

No old school kerosene flushes, no 'magic matrix military fibers' of any kind, no extender to get what is likely a bad O2 sensor out of the exhaust flow, etc. My last xB battery lasted 8 years without having to pry it open to check on water levels, etc.

You are destroying your car but the irony is you'll change oil every 29 miles but pick out the absolute cheapest part or jankiest fix you possibly can and then you wonder why you still have issues. And for the dozenth time...your car will NEVER throw a code to tell you to change oil. There's a little light, hidden among the half-dozen others that are typically glaring on your dash, called the 'Maint Req'd' light...this will tell you when it's time to change the oil. And, amazingly enough, those crafty Toyota engineers even took the time to write code that allows you to choose one dash, two dashes, three dashes...all the way up to five whole dashes, each one representing an additional thousand miles on the desired oil change interval. When that lights up it's telling you to change your oil...no other light on your dash or code that's thrown or tea leaves swimming in your morning brew will do that.

 

@MileHightC Hi. Yes you are right again. I took the car to a new "car specialist" garage. I was for a diagnostic of my old "Humming noise". Same problem, and this is the third garage. Now the new diagnostic I posted on the old thread "Humming Noise". Now the new diagnostic is to replace the CV front axle (left and right side).
Please let me know how to find a good (honest) car mechanic for an old Scion xB first generation? Or I need to get a new car?
How is your experience when you are looking for a reliable car mechanic?

Thank you.

 

@Birsan I don't have to look for a mechanic as I do all my own work...but the fact that you've now gone to three places, replaced who knows how many parts and your 'humming' noise continues tells me that no one has actually done any diagnostic or troubleshooting.