oil leak..2000 solara 4cyl. - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

jim2000solara · 11-15-2009, 07:58 AM

2000 4cyl. solara...changed VC gasket...still have leak..looks like from behind coil pack...is there a(n) plug or seal, or anything else, in that area that may be the culprit?..any info would be appreciated...thanks

hill8570 · 11-15-2009, 04:39 PM

There's a plug where the distributor used to be on the older 5S-FE motors -- sometime it'll leak oil. Just below the valve cover on the driver's side of the motor. P/N 90339-36001 .

jim2000solara · 11-15-2009, 05:13 PM

thanks hill...that's probably it...do i take the coil pack off and the bracket to get to it?..

jim2000solara · 11-16-2009, 05:23 PM

Just for info...I just have to remove VC to replace...$5.00 at dealer.

sboppana · 11-17-2009, 05:04 AM

just to know.... what kind of engine oil are you using!! because my 2000 camry didn't had any engine oil leaks until I switched to pennzoil full synthetic engine oil... I had it changed at 143k and after driving it for 1000 miles the engine sounds horrible, pickup was dead and started leaking.. but couldn't figure it out from where it's leaking... either gasket or something else.... DON'T GO FOR FULL SYNTHETIC ENGINE OIL ON HIGH MILEAGE VEHICLES.... it happened the same on my friend's 99 camry 4 cylinder.... 112k....

hill8570 · 11-17-2009, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim2000solara

Just for info...I just have to remove VC to replace...$5.00 at dealer.

Glad it was so easy to get to...I was drawing a blank on the access. Did it stop the leak?

hill8570 · 11-17-2009, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sboppana

just to know.... what kind of engine oil are you using!! because my 2000 camry didn't had any engine oil leaks until I switched to pennzoil full synthetic engine oil... I had it changed at 143k and after driving it for 1000 miles the engine sounds horrible, pickup was dead and started leaking.. but couldn't figure it out from where it's leaking... either gasket or something else.... DON'T GO FOR FULL SYNTHETIC ENGINE OIL ON HIGH MILEAGE VEHICLES.... it happened the same on my friend's 99 camry 4 cylinder.... 112k....

That's painting with a pretty broad brush, but yeah, if you've got a rig with marginal seals, the synth is going to make it past the seals easier than dino. Personally, I just run synth (since it's way less likely to sludge), and fix any leaking seals. The 5S-FE is the oil leaker from hell, anyhow...IMHO, replacing the camshaft, crankshaft, and oil pump seals (along with the water pump) should be part of the timing belt service on the 5S-FE. You could also go with high-mileage synth -- it'll swell the seals up enough to fix any little leaks.

Weird that your rig is having driveability problems from the synth, 'tho -- that's real rare. Are the plugs oil fouled? Not sure what else the oil could get to that would cause that sort of problem.