Diff/Oil Leak? questions
- Thread starter JayBluShu
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jmildoc
New member
Could just be oil, do you change your oil or take it somewhere? if you take it somewhere they likely dont remove the skid and when you remove the filter the oil will drain into the skid plate. I know this because I have changed mine in a hurry before and figured it out. anyway, we are all here to help so never a dumb question.
JayBluShu
New member
Last oil change a buddy of mine works at Jiffy lube, he did it for free. He did take off the rear skid when changing it this time but who knows about the people who previously changed it. that does make sense as to why there may have been a build up on the skids.. I cleaned off skid and i will clean off on truck and check back in a little to see if it is still going on.
Yeah the only problem is I don't know whats what so its sometimes hard for me to work on it.. lol but much appreciated!
Yup clean it right up and keep checking to see if you can find the source, to me it looks like the third.. Worse case is you have to reseal your front diff ... not the end of the world. Looks like someones had those 3 bolts off on the bottom of the 3rd recently ?
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JayBluShu
New member
What is the bottom of the 3rd? This is my first time talking off the skid plates so personally i have not touched any of these bolts under here. How would i go about resealing the differential?
It looks pretty wet around your drain plug. I'd check to make sure you didn't get your money's worth on that oil change
so do i have an oil leak as well?
TheeMikeB
New member
Your oil pan drain plug (the silver/brass colored bolt in the first picture) seems to be building a drop of oil on it. I would guess that either that bolt is lose or that there is no drain plug gasket in there.
As that oil drips down and you drive, the wind/airflow will push that oil all over.
Take a can of brake cleaner and spray all the oily spots, wipe clean with a rag and keep checking it often. Try and trace the source of the oil.
It's hard to tell from these pictures but check the top of the engine also, make sure the oil fill cap and dipstick are all there and sealed properly. It could be dripping all the way down from the top.
As that oil drips down and you drive, the wind/airflow will push that oil all over.
Take a can of brake cleaner and spray all the oily spots, wipe clean with a rag and keep checking it often. Try and trace the source of the oil.
It's hard to tell from these pictures but check the top of the engine also, make sure the oil fill cap and dipstick are all there and sealed properly. It could be dripping all the way down from the top.
dam , good eye ... looking at it again you can see it leaking right from the drain plug , its about to drop right beside you when u were snapping picture.
JayBluShu
New member
Do you think there would be that much oil on the differential seal just from oil flying from the drain plug? cause it does look like a big build up right from the seal on the diff? not too sure though
This goes to everyone.. i have never changed my own oil before as this is my first car and ive only had it for about a year. that being said, if i take out the drain plug to put a new gasket in there or say a smaller one would all my oil start pooring out? what kind/size gasket should i put in there?
lol i guess "drain plug" is self explanatory but i really dont know.
Without inspecting the entire area in person, it's hard to say definitively. Just from the picture it looks like when the engine oil filter was removed, the oil ran down onto the front diff. That is normal. However, it also looks like whoever did the oil change was lazy, and didn't bother to clean off the drained oil.
If you remove the oil pan drain plug, (which does appear to be leaking a bit) then yes, all of your engine oil (with the exception of the oil in the filter) will drain out.
Since you aren't prepared to make any repairs if your oil pan or drain plug threads are damaged, I'd ask a competent mechanic that can fix whatever he finds, to take a look at it.
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JEL
New member
Had the exact same thing last year, consequentially it was after it went to the dealer for an oil change due to my bicep surgery, they had crossed the oil drain bolt and it was leaking as a result. It had about 3-4 missing threads, thankfully Toyota thought of such things and the metal in the pan appeared to be harder than that of the drain plug, so the pan was fine and the leak subsided when I simply installed a new oil drain plug.
Wish I had taken a picture, it looked 100% identical to yours.
Wish I had taken a picture, it looked 100% identical to yours.
TheeMikeB
New member
Yes, it doesn't take that much oil to make it look worse than it is.
Try it.... poor a capful of oil on your garage floor and wipe it around.... it spreads further than you think it will. Same thing with drips and airflow.
