Please help me pinpoint Oil Leak PICS Included Options

[6G96GT]

Hey Guys,

I've developed an oil leak and can't figure out where it would be coming from? Here's a pic taken from the passenger side of my front tire inner wheel area. The red circled area is the focal point. The red arrows indicate that the oil starts coming out from where the red arrow on the right is, then flows down in the direction of the green arrow. The left red arrow indicates where the oil pools up before it drips onto the pavement.

The oil flows along that metal edge if you know what I mean. Also, it's a slow leak. I prolly add about 1/5th of a quart every week, once a week. It makes about a quarter sized diameter oil spill on the ground overnight.

- Couple additional things...the seal on the pan-to-block is not wet. The areas behind the black where the cat would be is not wet. Only the area pointed at is wet and it's definitely coming from the area where the right red arrow indicates. I wiped this area several times with my thumb and it just keeps coming as the green arrow indicates.

Any ideas where it's coming from? I'm no mechanic but I'd like to have a clue before I drop it off at the mechanic before I he gets into it.

PIC ONE JUST A REFERENCE WITHOUT DRAWING...



PIC TWO - SAME PIC BUT WITH DRAWING...

[rave2n]

Oil pump pulley has a seal on it, could be from there.

Not fun to fix fyi.

[bsamps4]

Could be front main. Would help to clean thoroughly and re-check when leak starts back.

[Box]

Could be front main. Would help to clean thoroughly and re-check when leak starts back.

That. Clean it off and watch it run for awhile, should be able to find the source easily.

[Tigawoods]

looks like a similar leak to mine

[mkernz22]

same as my leak. I replaced everything on the oil pump, but mine is the front main (the metal gasket) that is causing the leak.

[6G96GT]

Hmmm...my engine was fully rebuilt by a professional mechanic with a high reputation 2 years ago. It only has 20K miles on it since the build and this is really the only issue since then. How bad is a main seal if that's what it is to replace? Hours?

[xrav22]

Hmmm...my engine was fully rebuilt by a professional mechanic with a high reputation 2 years ago. It only has 20K miles on it since the build and this is really the only issue since then. How bad is a main seal if that's what it is to replace? Hours?

Once the mechanic gets the timing cover off it is very easy to see what is leaking. the front seals seem very solid but you can see it clearly . Also the cam seals they are visible . It is probably the oil gear cover seal it is very thin and cheap and when mine was leaking
I had oil all the way to the back bumper.The seal is 12 dollars at toyota. So After he takes off the cover you can really decide what to do. I just replaced my oil cover seal as the rest of the stuff was fine.
Good luck

[Special_Edy]

Take the timing covers off and run the engine. Its either leaking from the front crankshaft seal, the camshaft seal, or the oilpump gasket. What you are looking it in labor is being charged for a timing belt change.

[rave2n]

That rtv looks odd..

[Smaay]

power steering and oil pump

[Tigawoods]

So in an effort to not start a new thread I am going to post it here.

With my whole area disassembled, I am diagnosing where my oil leak was coming from (no real specific area it seems so im replacing all the seals.)

It was definitely oil.


So for seals on that side, that could splash oil around that area.

Crankshaft seal
Oil Pump Gear Seal
Oil Pump Gear Perimeter Seal
Oil Pump Assembly Gasket
Oil Pan Seal
Valve Cover Gasket

are there any other places on that side of the engine that could be the culprit of a 1qt a week oil leak

[Syaoran]

^Cam seal as well could leak.

[Smaay]

there is no gasket or seal on the oil pan, its a type of silicone that toyota uses. its not uncommon for that to just break down and start to leak.

[Tigawoods]

^Cam seal as well could leak.

I left that out because I couldnt see it dropping a quart a week sitting, if it where the cam seal, but I am going to replace it regardless

there is no gasket or seal on the oil pan, its a type of silicone that toyota uses. its not uncommon for that to just break down and start to leak.

its still considered a seal in my mind

[Special_Edy]

1 quart a week is either the camshaftseal, crankshaft seal or the oil pump seal/gasket. It has to be under pressure to leak the fast.

My oil pump gasket got a small leak in it and I lost about 1-2 quarts of $10 a quart oil a week till I fixed it.

[trdproven]

dont count out the power steering fluid, just to make sure.

[toyota123]

I have the same type of leak on mine. But I only leak when the motor is running. I've been told the most likely culprit is the came seal. Sound about right to you guys? . I'm taking it to a mechanic next week to find out for sure though

[6G96GT]

Hey I wanted to update this thread, it was the oil pump seal after all guys. I had it fixed a couple weeks ago and over a 1,000 miles later now and not a drip.