Oil leak help

[hernameispaddie]

Hello all,

I have a 95 LE 2.2 with 136k miles. I have oil leaking on to the flex pipe section of the exhaust which is causing a lot of smoke when I drive. The distributer was leaking really bad. My friend owns a shop and told me the whole unit not just the o ring needed to be replaced. So he went ahead and replaced it. I checked and no more leak under the distributer! But there's still something leaking onto the flex pipe. Any ideas what that could be? I'm pretty sure it's not from the valve covers but I might go ahead and replace the gasket just to eliminate that. Eventually I'll take it back up there but if any one can give me an ideas that be much appricated. Thanks

[95PimpingCamry]

Check the back side of the valve cover. Common leak.

[hernameispaddie]

Originally Posted by 95PimpingCamry

Check the back side of the valve cover. Common leak.

Yeah, i planned on going over that today. Any idea of anything else I should check???

[ghettosled]

the only other part aside from the distributor and valve cover that can leak oil in that vicinity is the oil pan. though i would put money on it being the valve cover.

[JCamry94]

I got the same damn problem right now. Hoping the gasket will fix it.

[hernameispaddie]

So I checked the valve cover. It's appears to be leaking a little but not enough to be the only leak. Not sure where else to check? I torque the cover down a little untill I can actually replace the gasket this weekend.

[Camry92]

Here's a little list of some possible oil leak sources I could think of on your 5SFE engine. If you can check each one to make sure it is not the problem you may be able to narrow down the source of your oil leak.

1- Distributor o-ring > replaced so you should be OK.
2- Valve Cover Gasket > replace (these always sweat / leak down the back side of the engine).
3- Oil Pan > check (this never leaks since it is not a gasket just RTV sealant with no oil pressure.
4- Rear Main Crankshaft Seal > check (engine oil leaking between engine and transmission cover)

On the front side of the engine... (less likely since you said it's dripping on the flex pipe).

5- Oil Pump o-ring > this becomes brittle and cracks and leaks oil under pressure. Check all around the lower timing belt cover on the front side of the engine. This should be changed every time you do the timing belt.
6- Oil pump shaft seal > if you see oil around the oil pump.
7- Front crank shaft seal > check
8- Camshaft timing belt sprocket oil seal > check

While you are at it you may want to double check your oil filter cooler gasket is not leaking. It leaks between the engine block and cooler that the oil filter mounts on to and the oil drips down the front of the engine.

There are probably many more potential sources but these are few that I have had experience with in the past.

Hope this helps.

[hernameispaddie]

Originally Posted by Camry92

Here's a little list of some possible oil leak sources I could think of on your 5SFE engine. If you can check each one to make sure it is not the problem you may be able to narrow down the source of your oil leak.

1- Distributor o-ring > replaced so you should be OK.
2- Valve Cover Gasket > replace (these always sweat / leak down the back side of the engine).
3- Oil Pan > check (this never leaks since it is not a gasket just RTV sealant with no oil pressure.
4- Rear Main Crankshaft Seal > check (engine oil leaking between engine and transmission cover)

On the front side of the engine... (less likely since you said it's dripping on the flex pipe).

5- Oil Pump o-ring > this becomes brittle and cracks and leaks oil under pressure. Check all around the lower timing belt cover on the front side of the engine. This should be changed every time you do the timing belt.
6- Oil pump shaft seal > if you see oil around the oil pump.
7- Front crank shaft seal > check
8- Camshaft timing belt sprocket oil seal > check

While you are at it you may want to double check your oil filter cooler gasket is not leaking. It leaks between the engine block and cooler that the oil filter mounts on to and the oil drips down the front of the engine.

There are probably many more potential sources but these are few that I have had experience with in the past.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, this does help. I plan on doing the valve covers some time this week. I really hope it's not the rear main seal. I don't even know what that would cost me...