Leaky under carriage (not about the male aging process)

[atalarico]

My 97 Limited has 226k miles on it, and I'm noticing that gaskets and seals just aren't made to last quite that long. I've been addressing and resealing leaks as best as I can as I find them (front of the transfer case to drive shaft seal, valve cover seals/spark plug seals, etc.), so I'm wondering if anyone can give me a yay or nay on what's going on in these pictures.

For the record, I have thought my transmission drain pan has been leaking for about a year or more since I screwed up the drain plug and had to improvise a seal. However, I've been told by two mechanics that it's not leaking, one I trust more than most and another just run of the mill chain. I haven't noticed any significant loss of fluids though and I check every fluid just about once a week.

I'm going to drop my transmission pan at some point pretty soon and tap the threads on the drain plug and replace the mesh filter and the gasket. So, if that's what you see, cool! If not, and it's something more serious...=(

 

[Chuckles89]

I don't know anything about automatic transmissions, but it looks like just the pan is leaking.

 

[volkinator]

Trying to remember... I know all the diff and oil pan bolts have a crush washer. Have you replaced any of those yet? I know lots of people reuse them, but that might help. I don't remember if the A/T pan has a washer though.

 

[atalarico]

Thanks for the input! Yeah, it looks pretty obvious, but I just get nervous about dealing with my old transmission.

As for the crush washers, I haven't been great about getting new ones, and I learned that lesson on my rear diff drain plug a few years ago. My current drain plug for my A/T has two washers on it because I had to eat up some of the length on the bolt because I was using a longer one to get a bit more purchase on the good threads. Not ideal, but it seems to have held for going on a year now. I figured I'd just be tapping and replacing it as soon as I saw signs of that bolt actually leaking, but it hasn't developed more than a tiny amount of fluid around the washers and never amounts to a drip.

Thanks!

 

[atalarico]

...and while we're on the subject, does anyone have a link to a recommended transmission gasket replacement kit on ebay or something?

Should I not even bother with retapping it and just replace it instead? I do have the Yota Yard nearby and I've never actually been there...which is criminal.

 

[Unner]

Looks to me more like something above it is leaking and running down. Pressure wash everything down there and get it all cleaned up and see if it comes back. It may be residue from your valve covers leaking before or so. If it comes back having everything clean will make it easier to see where it's leaking at.

 

[atalarico]

Looks to me more like something above it is leaking and running down. Pressure wash everything down there and get it all cleaned up and see if it comes back. It may be residue from your valve covers leaking before or so. If it comes back having everything clean will make it easier to see where it's leaking at.

Interesting! The valve cover leak could have let oil all the way back to the transmission drain pan? I can definitely see how some of the leak evidence up near the bell housing (what is that thing called?) on the A/T could be from that, so I guess it would follow that it could keep on going down the line too.

Just like the other leaks I've had with the 4runner, I drove with shot valve covers for at least a year or so because the leak was so small I'd only have to add a quarter of a quart of oil every few months. I think it was the burning oil smell that really drove me crazy.