Any Thoughts on this Oil Leak?

[brillo_76]

I saw no oil behind the timing belt cover but the lower left cover bolt was oily.



I cleaned things up best I could with some Dawn and a toothbrush and rinsed it clean.

After a 1 mile drive I think I now see where it's coming from. With my seriously limited knowledge, would I be correct in thinking crank seal?

For what it's worth, the work I had done 7 months ago included:



Timing belt

Water pump

Thermostat

Belts and radiator hoses

Valve cover gaskets

Spark plug seals/grommets

Crank seal

Cam seals



I had no clue what he was talking about at the time but I remember him asking if the half moons needed to be done. I replied "You're the expert, you tell me". He said they "looked fine" and didn't touch them.

I know when I do the valve covers I redo the half moons.

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[fatherohenry]

Lower left bolt on which part? The top cover? Middle section or the crankshaft cover?

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Lower bolt on the timing belt cover, driver side. Inside the timing belt cover was oil-free as were the other bolts.

 

[fatherohenry]

I know when I do the valve covers I redo the half moons.

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If I knew then what I know now!. Before that I'd only changed oil and spark plugs myself.

 

[brillo_76]

Lower bolt on the timing belt cover, driver side. Inside the timing belt cover was oil-free as were the other bolts.

So the top cover... As oil can't go uphill. That's really sounding like either the camshaft seal on that side , valve cover or half moon on the driver side.

The bottom cover could be crank or oil pump seal.

The middle would be water pump and that's antifreeze not oil.

3 have covers on the timing belt. Top plastic covers camshafts. Middle aluminum covers water pump and has the fan clutch bearing on it. Bottom plastic covers crankshaft pulley and oil pump.

Hope this helps.

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[fatherohenry]

So the top cover... As oil can't go uphill. That's really sounding like either the camshaft seal on that side , valve cover or half moon on the driver side.

The bottom cover could be crank or oil pump seal.

The middle would be water pump and that's antifreeze not oil.

3 have covers on the timing belt. Top plastic covers camshafts. Middle aluminum covers water pump and has the fan clutch bearing on it. Bottom plastic covers crankshaft pulley and oil pump.

Hope this helps.

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I only touched cover 1 - with 4 bolts on top, 2 on the sides a bit lower - the cover where the upper radiator hose connects. Was just checking to see if there was any oil behind it. The lower left/driver side bolt was only slightly oily - I assumed from the oil on the outside of the cover

I guess I need to start early, pull off whatever I need to so I can tighten the VC bolts I wasn't able to get to and see what happens. But if I get to the point where I can tighten all the VC bolts maybe I should just do the half moons and replace the VC gaskets again. Just need to psych myself up enough to get started. I rather do LBJs four times than start tearing apart my engine!

 

[Bad Luck]

I only touched cover 1 - with 4 bolts on top, 2 on the sides a bit lower - the cover where the upper radiator hose connects. Was just checking to see if there was any oil behind it. The lower left/driver side bolt was only slightly oily - I assumed from the oil on the outside of the cover

I guess I need to start early, pull off whatever I need to so I can tighten the VC bolts I wasn't able to get to and see what happens. But if I get to the point where I can tighten all the VC bolts maybe I should just do the half moons and replace the VC gaskets again. Just need to psych myself up enough to get started. I rather do LBJs four times than start tearing apart my engine!

I can't really tell from the photos, but what is the highest point of the oil dye?

 

[fatherohenry]

I can't really tell from the photos, but what is the highest point of the oil dye?

From what I can see without taking things apart, the highest sign of dye is here sort of above the water inlet. Makes me think tightening those interior driver side valve cover bolts might help. About how long should it take to access the left-side valve cover bolts? I've read as little as 10 minutes but I'm certainly not at that level. I assume getting in there would also reveal more. But it seems like a good place to start. I hate being a pansy about this.

And the more I think about it, the more this bothers me. Part of my brain is telling me to just redo the damn timing belt job. But it's been running fine and I don't want to make more work for myself.

 

[Bad Luck]

From what I can see without taking things apart, the highest sign of dye is here sort of above the water inlet. Makes me think tightening those interior driver side valve cover bolts might help. About how long should it take to access the left-side valve cover bolts? I've read as little as 10 minutes but I'm certainly not at that level. I assume getting in there would also reveal more. But it seems like a good place to start. I hate being a pansy about this.

And the more I think about it, the more this bothers me. Part of my brain is telling me to just redo the damn timing belt job. But it's been running fine and I don't want to make more work for myself.

To get to those valve cover bolts you'll need to take off the upper intake manifolds. Here's mtbtim's youtube video on how to do valve cover gaskets which will show you how to get to where you need to be to tighten all the valve cover bolts: https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2323344-post4.html

 

[fatherohenry]

To get to those valve cover bolts you'll need to take off the upper intake manifolds. Here's mtbtim's youtube video on how to do valve cover gaskets which will show you how to get to where you need to be to tighten all the valve cover bolts: https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2323344-post4.html

Yep, I've seen Tim's videos; love 'em all. I was just curious about an average time to get that stuff removed. Turns out for me it was 30 minutes and I go slow. I really need to start wearing pants so I don't have to hike up my skirt to tackle these projects. Like Tim says - it's not rocket science!

The bottom cover could be crank or oil pump seal.

The middle would be water pump and that's antifreeze not oil.

3 have covers on the timing belt. Top plastic covers camshafts. Middle aluminum covers water pump and has the fan clutch bearing on it. Bottom plastic covers crankshaft pulley and oil pump.

Hope this helps.

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Now I'm clear on the timing belt covers. I assumed the first one to come off, covering the camshafts, was no. 1 but I guess it's no. 2.

Anyway, I had to tighten the VC bolts a bit to get to 53 in/lbs but there was no sign of leaking anyway.

I just went out again, at night, and checked for dye. Nothing around the valve covers, front or back. No dye by the oil filter or cooler. I previously saw no oil behind the no. 2 timing belt cover. It really looks like it's only coming from somewhere behind the crank pulley. But if the crank or oil pump seals were leaking, wouldn't there be oil on the timing belt that I'd see behind the top cover?

 

[fatherohenry]

I just watched Tim's timing belt video again and now realize that the cam seals are behind that backing plate so it's entirely possible the left seal is leaking and I just didn't see it. Guess I'm preparing for a timing belt job. Just bought the crank and cam pulley holder tools and will order the seals in the morning. Or do I just order aircabinman and replace everything since the guy used a Duralast kit to begin with? If it were June that wouldn't even be a question.

 

[Bad Luck]

I just watched Tim's timing belt video again and now realize that the cam seals are behind that backing plate so it's entirely possible the left seal is leaking and I just didn't see it. Guess I'm preparing for a timing belt job. Just bought the crank and cam pulley holder tools and will order the seals in the morning. Or do I just order aircabinman and replace everything since the guy used a Duralast kit to begin with? If it were June that wouldn't even be a question.

If you have the funds to do it I would order the aircabinman kit. I'm not a fan of anything duralast. If the last guy replaced the crankshaft seal I would get one of those as well. Better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

 

[fatherohenry]

If you have the funds to do it I would order the aircabinman kit. I'm not a fan of anything duralast. If the last guy replaced the crankshaft seal I would get one of those as well. Better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

I actually just ordered the complete kit. It's only money and I've never seen a luggage rack on a hearse anyway.

 

[brillo_76]

I just watched Tim's timing belt video again and now realize that the cam seals are behind that backing plate so it's entirely possible the left seal is leaking and I just didn't see it. Guess I'm preparing for a timing belt job. Just bought the crank and cam pulley holder tools and will order the seals in the morning. Or do I just order aircabinman and replace everything since the guy used a Duralast kit to begin with? If it were June that wouldn't even be a question.

Its very possible that cam seal is the leak. I haven't heard of a oil pump leaking.
I only use Airbcinman kits.

If its #1 or #2 timing covers where you are seeing it. I would suspect that cam seal as its would like down and behind the plate then over when if it hits water pump and out directly where you are seeing it.

 

[fatherohenry]

Before diving into that minor timing belt job I finally realized the mirror in my toolbox might be of use. Yeah, I'm on the ball like that.

I know I'm new at this but it doesn't look like a cam or crank seal leak to me.

As the VCGs were done 7 months ago but not the plugs or half moons, is there any situation where re-using the valve cover gaskets would be acceptable? That's $65 I could easily spend elsewhere.

Right cam plug/half moon:

Left side:

 

[brillo_76]

If the vale pan gaskets is fairly new and soft. I think it would reseal... Let's see what the others say?

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[Bad Luck]

I think you would be fine reusing the valve cover rubber gasket and the intake manifold gaskets. I’ve reused a lot of rubber valve cover and intake gaskets without issue. Since yours are pretty new they should be soft and supple enough to seal correctly.