3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
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I have quite the massive leak. It started out small but has gotten pretty strong. I haven't pushed the engine very hard. It got cold and I'm thinking maybe a seal froze up and shriveled/cracked. I always let the car idle for a while before I drive it.
Anyway. Today I accelerated from a red light and I saw the oil pressure light come on. It went away when I stopped accelerating, and randomly flickered on a few times along the way. I was terrified. When I got to my destination I looked down and saw oil dripping immediately. 5 hours later after work I walk out and there is literally a PUDDLE of oil.
Now here is some background info:
All seals associated with the timing belt were replaced 4k miles ago.
Tune up was done, along with SeaFoam in the oil for 50 miles.
I am using thinner oil (5W-30) because I heard it's better for the car in the winter. It gets pretty cold here, was 2 Fahrenheit just a few days ago.
So I need some advice. It probably isn't safe to drive on this. I have no idea where the leak is coming from, I have no access to a garage to look at it, and I absolutely need the car tomorrow to get somewhere important 20 miles away. Should I just fill her up, make sure the oil is at a good level and drive?
What could be causing the leak? The puddle develops directly under the middle of the engine. It could not be anywhere closer to the direct middle if looking from above as if the engine compartment were a square. Distributor? Would a distributor o-ring cause such a massive leak?
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1996 Toyota Camry | 4 Cyl. 2.2L | Black Paint with Tan Interior | All Stock | DEAD at 155k. Broken Crankshaft/Main Bearing
If youve got a leak that it bad enough to turn on while accelerating, dont drive the car untill you figure it out. The light turning on means your losing pressure and trust me, driving for even a few miles with the light on steady means your engines a goner.
If you need reallly to get where your going, have a ton of cheap oil in the car and pull over a couple times and check the oil. If your losing oil as bad and your saying nad the light turning on i think the oil pump o ring might be bad (improperly installed etc.) and causing a higher pressured leak. Every other gasket and seal I can think of doesnt have high enough oil flow to drip that badly.
Check the oil pan as that would explain the puddle after its turned off since well, there's always oil in the pan.
Change your oil sending switch.[cheap].Some switches fail/leak. Use 10W30.
Is there anyway to beg or borrow a ride to where you are going? Could save an engine rebuild,
If I weren't leaking oil i'd suspect some switch somewhere, but it just sort of make sense that if I'm making a decent sized puddle of oil in 6 hours, it probably has to do with that and not the switch, right?
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1996 Toyota Camry | 4 Cyl. 2.2L | Black Paint with Tan Interior | All Stock | DEAD at 155k. Broken Crankshaft/Main Bearing
It's a sending unit it looks like a bolt w/electric connector on it's head. It bolts in usually beside the oil filter. The core is a tough Plastic, the shell is metal the seal gives up the ghost and leaks with little to no warning.
Yes they can leave a piss of a puddle.
It's a sending unit it looks like a bolt w/electric connector on it's head. It bolts in usually beside the oil filter. The core is a tough Plastic, the shell is metal the seal gives up the ghost and leaks with little to no warning.
Yes they can leave a piss of a puddle.
What he said. A bit of a puddle in six hours is not enough leakage to cause a significant drop in oil pressure (unless you've ignored it and let the oil level get multiple quarts low). A puddle due to oil leaking around a failing oil sensor sounds way likely.
I'm going to go see my mechanic this weekend. I guess I'll go ahead and buy a new sensor and have him do it. I don't care how long it takes or how much money, I finally want this engine to be dry!
Edit: About the oil level: I had checked it a few days back and it was fine, but I checked after the light turned on and it was low. Like...not even on the dipstick. I didn't see it leaking this bad. I added a lot of oil and the light didn't turn on again when I just took a drive.
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1996 Toyota Camry | 4 Cyl. 2.2L | Black Paint with Tan Interior | All Stock | DEAD at 155k. Broken Crankshaft/Main Bearing
I'm going to go see my mechanic this weekend. I guess I'll go ahead and buy a new sensor and have him do it. I don't care how long it takes or how much money, I finally want this engine to be dry!
Edit: About the oil level: I had checked it a few days back and it was fine, but I checked after the light turned on and it was low. Like...not even on the dipstick. I didn't see it leaking this bad. I added a lot of oil and the light didn't turn on again when I just took a drive.
I wouldn't buy that sensor, then -- sounds like it's operating properly. Definitely need to get that leak traced down muy pronto, 'tho.
What could be causing the leak? The puddle develops directly under the middle of the engine. It could not be anywhere closer to the direct middle if looking from above as if the engine compartment were a square. Distributor? Would a distributor o-ring cause such a massive leak?
Dizzy usually leaks to the driver's side. I'd think that big of a dizzy leak would cause all sorts of ignition problems.
Oil cooler tends to leak more towards the passenger / front, but if it's running that bad, might be following the engine curves. That big of a leak, you'd see tons of oil right under the oil filter (oil filter attaches to the oil cooler). For that matter, if you're having a mechanical problem with the oil filter, you can get a real spew out of there too... easy to check from above.
Straight middle of engine compartment sounds more like the oil pan (even though it it doesn't tend to leak bigtime) or the rear oil seal (hope it's not that -- lot of labor to get to that bad boy).
All guessing, of course -- oil tends to crawl around when it's leaking. At least it's big -- should be easy to spot...
I thought the rear main seal was back where the transmission connected to the engine. I don't think it's dripping in that spot.
My mechanic did tell me though that I do have a rear main seal leak, a tiny tiny one. I hope it didn't get that large.
I know my dizzy was leaking for a long long time but I don't see what would make it erupt like this.
Yup, rear main seal is at the engine-transaxle join. Good news if it isn't leaking there -- that's really the only oil seal I'd consider "painful" to replace.
Really doesn't sound like the dizzy seal. On a '96, that much oil on all that high-voltage stuff would just be nasty...can't see how she'd hardly run.
Check the oil filter is on properly and sealed flush. If it's cross threaded or cocked slightly it will leak.
Can you see oil around the filter base? I'm assuming that's close to the middle of the engine as you describe it.
__________________ It worked fine until I fixed it!
One of the tools that can help you check things out is a handy dandy hand held camera inspection tool you can find at Home Depot. It's kinda pricey but well worth the investment.
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It worked fine until I fixed it! 
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