Found my first oil leak this morning...

[4Runner4Leon]

PO said he had the VC gaskets replaced a couple years ago, but there is still oil coming from somewhere. I also noticed when I did the plugs last fall there was oil in the tubes. Some worse than others.

My bad, I was replying to the photos posted by the OP. Where is your leak coming from?

If the PO had the VCGs replaced, the shop could have done a bad job, or not replaced the spark plug seals or cam plugs, or not resealed the half moons. In any of these cases, you'll probably want to do the job right and replace all of these as part of the job.

 

[Link12]

My bad, I was replying to the photos posted by the OP. Where is your leak coming from?

If the PO had the VCGs replaced, the shop could have done a bad job, or not replaced the spark plug seals or cam plugs, or not resealed the half moons. In any of these cases, you'll probably want to do the job right and replace all of these as part of the job.

Yep, it happens. I found out why mine was leaking so bad. Not sure how someone did this. Replaced everything with all toyota parts.

 

[SpidermanGeek]

Do you remove the upper and lower plenum to do this?

Nah, I just snug the ones I can reach.

 

[PatrickStapler]

I did a quick search here and got a lot of hits. At the expense of being repetitive, is there a quick list of part numbers associated with all these seals...and maybe a link to a procedure? I downloaded the FSM yesterday, but haven’t had time to look through that.

 

[4Runner4Leon]

I did a quick search here and got a lot of hits. At the expense of being repetitive, is there a quick list of part numbers associated with all these seals...and maybe a link to a procedure? I downloaded the FSM yesterday, but haven’t had time to look through that.

(2) valve cover gaskets (11213-62020)
(16) washer seals (90210-05007)
(6) spark gaskets/seals (11193-70010)
(2) cam plugs (11183-50010)
(1) FIPG (00295-00103)

May also want to get PCV valve and grommet.

How-to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5fAXAuGozI&feature=youtu.be

 

[jeredcollins]

Put your hand back there when the engine is cold, if it's really wet, that is your culprit. Also your trans should be really oil if it's dripping on the floor. That is the rear cam seal and mine was the source of my leak. I remedied this when I did the valve cover gaskets a month ago, but mine never made it to the ground. Keep an eye on your oil level too.

Gotta brush up on engines 101. I have no idea what a cam seal is. I’m sure there are YouTube videos out there though to learn.

 

[Link12]

Gotta brush up on engines 101. I have no idea what a cam seal is. I’m sure there are YouTube videos out there though to learn.

Just reach back there between the valve cover and the firewall and you will feel a round circle 2" or so in diameter. See if it is really wet with oil.

 

[octanejunkie]

Gotta brush up on engines 101. I have no idea what a cam seal is. I’m sure there are YouTube videos out there though to learn.

Just reach back there between the valve cover and the firewall and you will feel a round circle 2" or so in diameter. See if it is really wet with oil.

There is a bracket over the left rear cam seal (passenger side) that works as a retainer and mount for the rear wire harness cover piece - the bracket feels flat and triangular in shape, the 2" round cam plug is behind it. If it is leaking, and it most likely is, the entire area back there will be wet and sooty from dust and dirt stuck to the oil. Degrease it before disassembly.

FWIW, the retainer bracket securing the right-rear cam seal (driver side) is just a bar.

 

[PatrickStapler]

Awesome!

(2) valve cover gaskets (11213-62020)
(16) washer seals (90210-05007)
(6) spark gaskets/seals (11193-70010)
(2) cam plugs (11183-50010)
(1) FIPG (00295-00103)

May also want to get PCV valve and grommet.

How-to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5fAXAuGozI&feature=youtu.be

Thank you Sir.

 

[PatrickStapler]

(2) valve cover gaskets (11213-62020)
(16) washer seals (90210-05007)
(6) spark gaskets/seals (11193-70010)
(2) cam plugs (11183-50010)
(1) FIPG (00295-00103)

May also want to get PCV valve and grommet.

How-to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5fAXAuGozI&feature=youtu.be

So i haven't watched all the way through the video yet. If you are only doing the VC and related seals, is it necessary to remove the upper and lower plenums? Reason I ask, is you don't list those items in your list above.

 

[4Runner4Leon]

So i haven't watched all the way through the video yet. If you are only doing the VC and related seals, is it necessary to remove the upper and lower plenums? Reason I ask, is you don't list those items in your list above.

You do have to remove the plenums to get to any/all of these. And indeed you'll need the gaskets, my bad for omitting these above.

(2) Intake Plenum Gasket (17176-62040)

 

[JRZEE2000TR4LTD]

So i haven't watched all the way through the video yet. If you are only doing the VC and related seals, is it necessary to remove the upper and lower plenums? Reason I ask, is you don't list those items in your list above.

Tim has a nice DIY on this with ALL the part#s you need. Use OEM.

And yes you should replace the plenum gaskets even though some say you can reuse them. And be careful of the plastic wire loom on the passenger side. Tim does a nice job of rectifying this problem instead of picking the plastic bits out of your valve train.

Do it once RIGHT!

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/217550-3rd-gen-toyota-4runner-diy-videos.html#post2323344

 

[PatrickStapler]

Cool. Thanks gentlemen.

 

[jeredcollins]

Just reach back there between the valve cover and the firewall and you will feel a round circle 2" or so in diameter. See if it is really wet with oil.

Thank you for the help. I’ll give it a try here in a little bit. Do you know if there is any special tools needed to change out a cam seal?

 

[4Runner4Leon]

Thank you for the help. I’ll give it a try here in a little bit. Do you know if there is any special tools needed to change out a cam seal?

Nope, just the two 10mm screws that hold its cap in place (upper left in photo below). BTW, just to be clear, these are cam plugs, not cam seals. Cam seals are in the front, you replace them during the timing belt job.

Also, I would not use Tim's approach to the harness cover. I would break it up before even removing the valve covers, and plan on using a split wire loom, or something like it, to enclose the harness. I wasted way too much time screwing around with the OEM cover, and swore to just break it up next time.

 

[4Runner_family]

valve cover gasket troubleshoot

My son and I just finished putting our 5VZ-FE (3.4L v6 3rd gen) back together. Replaced the valve cover gaskets, tube seals, and cleaned/ resealed the camshaft plugs and the "half moon" plugs. It smoked like crazy when we started it up, and it looks like we overtightened the valve cover bolts. Will this fix be as simple as replacing the 16 grommets (with less torque on the bolts, of course)? Or did overtightening those bolts ruin the new valve cover gasket too?

 

[4Runner4Leon]

My son and I just finished putting our 5VZ-FE (3.4L v6 3rd gen) back together. Replaced the valve cover gaskets, tube seals, and cleaned/ resealed the camshaft plugs and the "half moon" plugs. It smoked like crazy when we started it up, and it looks like we overtightened the valve cover bolts. Will this fix be as simple as replacing the 16 grommets (with less torque on the bolts, of course)? Or did overtightening those bolts ruin the new valve cover gasket too?

Hmm, I bet it's something other than overtorquing the valve covers. If you overtorque the valve cover bolts, you will probably strip them, which you should have felt.

So I am guessing that you either grossly undertorqued those bolts, or else the gasket got displaced when you put the cover back on, or you didn't seal the half moons or cam plugs properly.

Are both sides smoking, or just one? Could it just be residual oil burning off the exhaust manifolds?

 

[4Runner_family]

Both sides are smoking. we were thinking residual oil at first too. (or coolant, or liquid wrench), but it's pretty consistent after a couple laps around the block. I removed as many bolts as i could without tearing it down again (i think i got 7 out), and all the grommets look pretty shredded. I'm thinking you're right about the cam plugs and half moons. so....current plan is to tear it down again, replace the grommets, also replace the cam plugs (we just resealed them), and seal the heck out of the half moons this time. also bought replacement VC gaskets just in case...

since you mentioned torquing these bolts, what do you use as a guideline for tightness? I've read everything from 12-14 in. lbs to 50 in lbs. either way, most torque wrenches i've seen measure in ft. lbs...so i'm leaning toward using my calibrated arm as my torque wrench

 

[4Runner4Leon]

Both sides are smoking. we were thinking residual oil at first too. (or coolant, or liquid wrench), but it's pretty consistent after a couple laps around the block. I removed as many bolts as i could without tearing it down again (i think i got 7 out), and all the grommets look pretty shredded. I'm thinking you're right about the cam plugs and half moons. so....current plan is to tear it down again, replace the grommets, also replace the cam plugs (we just resealed them), and seal the heck out of the half moons this time. also bought replacement VC gaskets just in case...

since you mentioned torquing these bolts, what do you use as a guideline for tightness? I've read everything from 12-14 in. lbs to 50 in lbs. either way, most torque wrenches i've seen measure in ft. lbs...so i'm leaning toward using my calibrated arm as my torque wrench

The correct torque is 53 in-lbs. You can use your calibrated arm, but I have to tell you, I was surprised that 53 in-lbs was quite a bit higher than what I thought it would be. OTOH, you don't want to go much past that, as I don't think there is much margin against stripping.

Second time around you should be able to do the job in half the time . But why were the grommets shredded? Or did you not use new ones?

 

[4Runner_family]

Ok, shredded might be a bit of an overstatement. we did use new ones, but the majority seemed torn. I'll reinspect before opening the new box.

I was thinking the same thing about how long it should take the second time. Also, it looks like even torque across all 8 bolts is even more critical than hitting that exact 53 in-lbs.

thank you for the insights! hoping to have it in working order again by the end of the weekend!