V8 Cam Seal Leak

[BOFFROAD]

After driving with a few other 4runner friends for about 1hr 45min to Hungry Valley for a weekend offroad camp trip I noticed oil all over the lower passenger side of my 4.7 engine. I can't tell where it's coming from. It looks like it is coming from the upper front passenger side of the engine.

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[gm350reratliff]

It doesn't really look that bad in the picture. Get some brake cleaner and when the engine is cool spray the hell out of it and see if the oil returns.

 

[Slymatic]

Yeah, I've seen a lot worse then whats in the picture. Also, that's a very common area for the oil to start showing if your camshaft seal is leaking. Easy way to tell is to see if there's oil on the lower edge plastic gear cover. If so, try and remove the cover (or at least the top 2 and center bolts) and see if there is oil on the inside of the cover. If there is, your looking at a very large and not so fun job.

 

[BOFFROAD]

Thanks for the replies. The photo isn't that good but it did lose about half a quart of oil on my 1hr 45min drive. After reading a lot I also think it might be a cam seal. I will try cleaning it off and open the top of the timing belt cover to see if I can locate it better.

 

[Cruiserfanatic]

Thanks for the replies. The photo isn't that good but it did lose about half a quart of oil on my 1hr 45min drive. After reading a lot I also think it might be a cam seal. I will try cleaning it off and open the top of the timing belt cover to see if I can locate it better.

There's no way that small of an oil leak is where you lost a quart and a half. You would have oil all the way down your block and all over the exhaust manifold. Did you legit check the oil level before and after the trip? And if you did, how long was it sitting before you checked it? If it had been sitting say, overnight, before the trip, it's going to be higher than it would be right after shutting it off. It takes awhile for all of that oil to find it's way down, which some of it never does.

 

[zerge916]

have you figured it out yet?

 

[kruton]

Camshaft seal

I noticed oil in the same area on my v8 as and pretty sure its the camshaft seal. Not a easy and cheap fix

https://youtu.be/3htWFtHrOPw

 

[BOFFROAD]

have you figured it out yet?

I believe I have. It think it's the passenger cam seal and so do 2 other Lexus mechanics that looked at it. The thing is, it hasn't leaked since I've been driving it around. I cleaned off as much oil as I could and haven't seen new oil leak. What really sucks is that I did the timing belt myself 10k miles ago. I did not do the cam seals at the time because I read that they were difficult and required a lot more work as the extremely tight cams must be removed. One of the mechanics recommended that I continue to drive with it and watch the leak. He said if it's slow then just try to wait until the next timing belt change so that I don't have to drop $1300 on seals right now.

I am happy that it hasn't leaked anything during short drives around home but I am still worried about the fact that it leaked approximately half a quart during my 1hr 45min drive which did include climbing about 4,000 feet in elevation.

 

[kruton]

I believe I have. It think it's the passenger cam seal and so do 2 other Lexus mechanics that looked at it. The thing is, it hasn't leaked since I've been driving it around. I cleaned off as much oil as I could and haven't seen new oil leak. What really sucks is that I did the timing belt myself 10k miles ago. I did not do the cam seals at the time because I read that they were difficult and required a lot more work as the extremely tight cams must be removed. One of the mechanics recommended that I continue to drive with it and watch the leak. He said if it's slow then just try to wait until the next timing belt change so that I don't have to drop $1300 on seals right now.

I am happy that it hasn't leaked anything during short drives around home but I am still worried about the fact that it leaked approximately half a quart during my 1hr 45min drive which did include climbing about 4,000 feet in elevation.[/QU

Pretty much the same thing I am dealing with. Changed the timing belt out almost 2 years ago and didn't do the cam seals. Just gonna watch mine till the next belt change..might run some high mileage oil with some seal conditioners to see if it helps. Probably wont help but its worth a shot.

 

[BOFFROAD]

Pretty much the same thing I am dealing with. Changed the timing belt out almost 2 years ago and didn't do the cam seals. Just gonna watch mine till the next belt change..might run some high mileage oil with some seal conditioners to see if it helps. Probably wont help but its worth a shot.

I'll probably do the same next oil change.