I have a 98 (new to me) SR5 with an oil leak from somewhere. I am getting a few drops overnight onto the floor and after a trip, it smells slightly of burning oil when I park.
I removed the skid plates to hopefully get a better idea of where it's coming from and it's definitely coming from toward the front on the driver's side. I got under there and everything is just coated in oil. I looked around and the highest point with oil appears to be right above the exhaust manifold. I can't tell for sure where it's coming from, but I'm thinking valve cover? This guy's photos are identical to what mine looks like, except mine is caked oil and his looks more wet - http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/202171-how-diagnose-leaking-gasket.html#post2074410
What would be the best way to confirm that this is a VC gasket leak? I don't think it's a head gasket because I don't have any of the classic symptoms that point to that.
If it is the valve cover gasket, what all should i replace while I'm in there? The timing belt was completed a few months before I bought the truck, but everything else is fair game. Or, if I'm already going in, should I just bite the bullet and do the head gaskets too since it's only a few extra (expensive) steps?
I've only got 163k miles, so I'd like to keep her taken care of as much as possible. Any advice is appreciated.
I removed the skid plates to hopefully get a better idea of where it's coming from and it's definitely coming from toward the front on the driver's side. I got under there and everything is just coated in oil. I looked around and the highest point with oil appears to be right above the exhaust manifold. I can't tell for sure where it's coming from, but I'm thinking valve cover? This guy's photos are identical to what mine looks like, except mine is caked oil and his looks more wet - http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/202171-how-diagnose-leaking-gasket.html#post2074410
What would be the best way to confirm that this is a VC gasket leak? I don't think it's a head gasket because I don't have any of the classic symptoms that point to that.
If it is the valve cover gasket, what all should i replace while I'm in there? The timing belt was completed a few months before I bought the truck, but everything else is fair game. Or, if I'm already going in, should I just bite the bullet and do the head gaskets too since it's only a few extra (expensive) steps?
I've only got 163k miles, so I'd like to keep her taken care of as much as possible. Any advice is appreciated.
