88 camry 3fse oil leak

[leatherneck270]

I have an 88 3fse, 4cyl, auto with 189,000K miles. she runs well with a couple of issues. First is a bad oil leak from the front drivers side of the engine at the head block mating area. No oil and water mix.. So I am going to replace Head gasket,timiing belt,oil pump,water pump. I did a compression test and all cylinders came up to 185-187psi. So does anyone think while to perform the above, should I change the rings and bearings also?..

anyone else have the oil leak issue....

she also has a vibration when idling in gear and sitting still only.. Idea's???

[fredk]

With that mileage you better pull the pan and push em out and do rings, bearings, all the seals on the front, the distributor seal from kbox.ca and just make a day of it, it is a easy car to work on and the cams will have to come out to get the head bolts out, notice that you will have to put a little bolt in the one cam gear that has the backlash spring gear on it to hold the spring, The block will be ok, just scuff the walls a little and new pistons will go along ways to a quiet motor since the 3s is known for piston slap and get good ones, pull the head with the intake on it

[TBayToyotaBoy]

Why do you recommend pulling the head with the intake still attached? Wouldn't this be a convenient time to replace the intake gasket before it gets brittle and starts leaking? You are far more experienced with the 3SFE than I am, so I'm curious...

[fredk]

its alot easier to get the intake off the head when its off the motor

[Fruitbat]

Wow, you're going pretty hardcore on that old Camry. Mine was leaking/burning about 1L/1000 miles for the past....forever. I figured it was cheaper and easier to just keep topping it off. Then again, I wasn't planning on driving it forever.

Timing belts on S series engines = nightmare, in case you didn't know.

The vibration sounds like engine or tranny mounts. Since you'll have to take a couple out to do the timing belt, you might want to look at replacing them at the same time.

[leatherneck270]

Fredk

Thank you for the info, wasnt sure if I should replace rings and bearings since the compressor was excellent. But you make since, because i am there anyway. Piston replacement?? really, I did not think that was required. It an old car, but we have a new jeep and I only use it to go to and from work,,and it still gets 30 plus mpg.... and I dont need another car note. thanks, i will price out pistons also

Thanks

Originally Posted by fredk

With that mileage you better pull the pan and push em out and do rings, bearings, all the seals on the front, the distributor seal from kbox.ca and just make a day of it, it is a easy car to work on and the cams will have to come out to get the head bolts out, notice that you will have to put a little bolt in the one cam gear that has the backlash spring gear on it to hold the spring, The block will be ok, just scuff the walls a little and new pistons will go along ways to a quiet motor since the 3s is known for piston slap and get good ones, pull the head with the intake on it