Oil Leak ** NEW UPDATE** ITS OFF, ITS OFF Options

[Tigawoods]

well to outline this problem, i have been having an oil leak that has just gotten worse in recent weeks. it is coming from the backside of the engine and drips on the the plastics and the flexpipe.
i am going to be doing an oil dye test tommorow to get more info.

here is where the problem comes
the engine is under warranty at a shop in philadelphia. the last time i had a problem, i had blown a head gasket and they said it was dude to my headers having gasket leak, which i later found out could not happen. it cost me $500 to fix.
this oil problem from what i have been told, could most likely be the rear main seal, which is part of the rebuilt engine as i have assumed. there arent any items that i have added to the car that could effect this. i dont want to get screwed over and told that it was something that i put on to cause this. i just want to take it there and have them fix it (if it is the rear main seal or another engine component)

this needs to be dealt with now so i really need your guys opinions asap
thanks

This post has been edited by Tigawoods: Jan 2, 2009 - 7:50 PM

[6GenCelicaST]

Just from reading the first line my immediate thought would be RMS. The only thing that would cause it to leak would be a mechanic error. Either useing a pick or screwdriver to get the seal out thus causing a scratch or gouge on the cap or block, the seal wasn't put in properly or just old age. But from reading you said the block was rebuilt old age is out of the question (unless the never changed it.).

Off the top of my head there is absolutely nothing you could have done to cause this to leak. It has to be one of the options above.

[Tigawoods]

thanks that relieves a little of the stress. how long would it take (on avg.) to replace it? i know u have to drop the trans. etc. im just not sure how much of a task it would be for them.

[lagos]

Mike, you really should have talked to that shop when you first noticed the leak over the summer.
From what I could guess without getting under the car, it seemed like your rear main.

After seeing your head gasket, I can tell you that they used the cheapest rebuild gasket set in the world on your car. I would call them up and get them to warranty this. If they try to charge you anything, at least you'll have their diagnosis and can do the work on your own.

You're not alone though... I currently have a pretty bad leak from my cam seals and possibly the front main. Cant do anything about it till it starts getting warmer out though.

This post has been edited by lagos: Dec 22, 2008 - 11:24 PM

[Tigawoods]

i know i should of done it before and i am paying alot for it now. i am going to oil dye it tommorow. and talk to the shop. if they do diagnose it and say that it isnt under warranty i will have to pay for them dropping the trans and etc.
if it is then i will be very shocked. i can tell them to put a higher quality seal in there but its in their hands.
how long of a process would this take for them to replace it?

[lagos]

They should be able to diagnose it without dropping the trans.
You can do it yourself if you get the dye kit. It should be very obvious where its coming from.

Don't tell them to use a "higher quality seal". Tell them that you ONLY want an OEM rear main, directly from the toyota dealer. Buy one yourself if you have to, they are cheap.

The whole thing could be done in a day, but dont count on it. They will probably keep the car 2-3 days.


...and take some pics if you jack the car up and decided to look around. That should help figure out where its coming from.

[Tigawoods]

i will do that. its just having the holidays coming up i hope their hours arent messed up. i just need this fixed before i go back to school on the 13th. i had planned on picking up the special parts i had been talking about 2moro but this has to come first. if all goes well and this only does take 2-3 days then i should have time to put on my parts before i go, it isnt too hard to do.

i am going to do the dye kit tomorrow, and see where its coming from. i will update as soon as i find out where its coming from


i just hope hope hope that they honor the warranty and they dont charge me.

[lagos]

Its possible that it could just be your oil pan seal too. Sometimes they use cheap cork gaskets or regular rtv sealant (orange looking stuff), that starts to leak after a while. So again... put your camera to good use and post lots of pics up.

[Tigawoods]

will do sir

[Tigawoods]

well it isnt. the valve cover gasket.


clean engine

so here are the areas where the oil is collecting




it isnt the valve cover gasket and it couldnt be the oil pan (both of which arent covered under the warranty)
so my final guess is the rear main seal which is covered under the warranty
what else could it be. it has to between the valve gasket and the oil pan

This post has been edited by Tigawoods: Dec 24, 2008 - 6:42 PM

[presure2]

that last pic looks like the bottom of your intake manifold?
if thats the case, i wouldnt think rear main, i'd definetly thing VC gasket, or somthing else.

[Tigawoods]

i just checked the valve cover and it was fine. is there anything in between the valve cover and the oil pan?

[Galcobar]

Oil pump seal?

[lagos]

Actually Mike.. that looks a lot like the oil leak I have in my own car.
I know for a fact that my cam seals are leaking, and possibly the front main. Those are on the side of the motor, yet I have oil all on the back of my motor too. Oh, and my power steering pump is leaking a bit, so that could spray oil all around the back of the motor as well.

Did you see any signs of oil on the side of your motor when you changed your timing belt?
Did the valve cover gasket look like it was in good shape when you took it off? Were any of the nuts that hold it on really loose? Looking at the pics it looks like your harness and injectors are wet, and the oil is going past the Valve cover gasket and past that flat edge on the head.

There is another rare possibility. Ive seen mr2 guys talk about having oil leak past the brass rings that are a part of the oil drain on your headgasket, but if that was the case with your car... I would think you would notice other headgasket related issue, because your leaks is quite big.

Did you end up taking it to that shop? What did they say?

This post has been edited by lagos: Dec 25, 2008 - 1:24 AM

[Tigawoods]

i talked to the guys at the shop today. they said that the valve cover and the oil pan are not under warranty. so i am assuming everything in between is under warranty. i will most likely take it there friday. hopefully by then i can figure out what it is, then they can fix it rather then they diagnose it, fix the leak and say it was something else that is not under warranty.

there was no oil when i did the timing belt. the valve cover gasket was in pristine condition. i thought the oil buildup on the flat part on the head was just left over oil from the edge of the gasket.

honestly i have no idea what to do but to take it to them, i really want to figure out what it is though before i take it

[lagos]

I dont know what the deal is with that shop. First they dont cover the blown headgasket after just a few months after the rebuild, then they come up with new things that are not covered under warranty.

[Tigawoods]

honestly i dont trust this shop. they try to play their customers for fools. my assumption is that they fix things and say it was something else then charge them for it. thats why i wanted to figure out what it was so i could tell them and they could ONLY fix that and nothing else. then everyone would be pleased as punch

[lagos]

Just bring it in.. have them them give you a diagnosis. If its covered under warranty, then great. If its not, then tell them you want the car back, and fix it yourself.

[Tigawoods]

yeah. im not fooling around with it anymore. i am taking it in first thing on friday. i just hope that they get it figured out and fixed before i go back to school. so they have till the 9th. this is cutting it waaaay to close.

[808celica]

too much autoX????