transmission oil is leaking. (w/ pics) please help out!

[unique7]

I'm sure this is the transmission box? As you can see from the pics its leaking.
Here is the thing, the bolt circled in red, the oil was forming around that bolt, and dropping onto the bolt on the exhaust pipe, so few days ago I put the car up on a ramp and after few swear words, cut hands, I managed to manoeuvre the spanner into the red circled bolt and tighten that bolt. It turned out that bolt was loose, I was able to do a whole 1 and a half turns. Now that the bolt is tightened, the leak has now started next to the bolt (yellow circled area).
Seriously, so just how can I stop this leak. Its driving me up the wall.
Look at the f'ing damage and amount of trans oil has dripped onto the exhaust pipe!
Before I take it to the mechanic I would love to get some advice. Maybe I can even do it myself? Some sort of special glue/seal to apply on the outside of the trans box or something?

Oh yeah, its a 1997 cam(wide body shape)

[uibalnme]

That looks more like engine oil, not trans fluid to me. Looks like you have a 5sfe too (I'm not sure, but that's what it looks like). If the oil is a brown color, it's engine oil. If it's more of a red color then it's trans fluid. Has your trans fluid level been dropping?

IMO, that looks more like a leaking distributor o-ring or valve cover gasket, not a leakinig transmission. I had the same symptoms with mine, and it was the dist. o-ring.

[abe88]

i dont know much about transmission leaks but ill try and help ya out
Have you serviced the transmission recently? i.e. flushed it and replaced the seal?

[unique7]

I did have the transmission 'serviced'. But that was over a year ago....
And the engine oil idea, I just went under the car and wiped the droplet with a paper towel and the colour of it is a goldy, brown colour. Not red.
I would have thought thats the auto transmission though? Or does the engine oil sit in there? Lol, sorry but I'm not that good with mechanics.

I know this isnt my transmission. I suspected that its the trans oil leaking because this is what the part 'kind of' looks like:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Toyota-Camry-SK20-3-0L-Auto-Transmission-97-02_W0QQitemZ250411633690QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Car_ Parts_Accessories?hash=item250411633690&_trksid=p3 286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A1|39%3A1|240%3A13 18

[project92camry]

yup thats an oil leak but from that region i would think its the rear oil pan. i would clean the bottom of my oil pan and the engine/tranny with engine cleaner and then wash it down wit a garden hose as much as i can and check the next day where the leak is comming from.

[abe88]

That picture is the transmission, but i do agree with uibalnme, it could be your engine oil leaking, u need to monitor your engine and transmission oil levels and see which one is decreasing so you can be sure what exactly is leaking, but its probably your engine...since you serviced the trans a year ago the oil should still be reddish.

[unique7]

Originally Posted by project92camry

yup thats an oil leak but from that region i would think its the rear oil pan. i would clean the bottom of my oil pan and the engine/tranny with engine cleaner and then wash it down wit a garden hose as much as i can and check the next day where the leak is comming from.

I actually already done this a week ago. Cleaned, washed the bottom and the leak came back from that area that I show on the pics.

So it is engine oil... Hmm, what can I do to fix it, without resorting to taking it to the mechanics, if anything!

[unique7]

Originally Posted by abe88

That picture is the transmission, but i do agree with uibalnme, it could be your engine oil leaking, u need to monitor your engine and transmission oil levels and see which one is decreasing so you can be sure what exactly is leaking, but its probably your engine...since you serviced the trans a year ago the oil should still be reddish.

The car was at the mechanics a month ago, and they re-sealed nearly everything. I can see the red seal around the engine head, the oil pan etc. But I have no clue how the idiot did not notice that area leaking as its so bloody obvious.
The oil was pretty low so I topped it up. If either one goes down now in a few weeks I guess I will know which one.
But that will take some time because its only very small drips, but I still hate seeing it.

[uibalnme]

Change the distributor o-ring. That's the most likely cause of the leak. It happens to alot of 5sfe(4 cylinder) engines.

Like I said, it happened to mine, and after the dist. o-ring was changed, the leak was fixed.

[project92camry]

i would try wat uilbalnme says since u said the mechanic re sealed the pan. but i would take it bak to him and tell him " yo wats up. my car is leaking after you touched it" and see if he can find the leak and fix it for free. lol

[abe88]

hahaha u can also say "you violated my camry now its leaking...wtf" :P but mechanics in oz are somewhat of bitches...but try it anyway u might get lucky. Which part of oz are you living in unique7?

[unique7]

Thanks guys, I guess I will take it back to the mechanic. Sigh
I'm from Melbourne mate!

[bronzemaxell]

that would be the rear main seal, harder to fix or engine oil pan.
how many miles on your car now?

[unique7]

Yeah thought so it would be a hard fix. Its in the worst position.
Currently I have done 250,000Km but its a reconditioned engine so I can never be 100% sure.