3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
I have an oil leak. After parking each night, I get three drips. One in the center of car about size of a quarter and two smaller ones in a line to the passanger side. Power steering, trans, and oil all show good level after 1 month of leaking so it seems it is a very slow drip. After sitting, the drips do not continue (but may drip while running; don't know).
The drip seems to be coming from the upper portion of the engine and dripping down on the trans and oil pan. Looking up from uder car there is a part just to the left of the engine (driver side); I am not sure if this is the distributor or ignition coil? The spark plugs plug into it. Anyway, this housing has two screws and the bottom one seems to have the housing cracked and oil leaking. I do not see any way to "get" to the darn screw and not even sure if this is the leak.
There's an o-ring on the distributor shaft that leaks after a while -- you have to pull out the distributor to get to it (an old one doesn't really even look like an o-ring any more...more like a hard piece of plastic set in a notch around the shaft). You can also have an oil leak inside the distributor (not nearly as common), but that generally causes all sorts of ignition problems.
Valve cover gasket also is a slow leaker -- look behind the valve cover and see if oil is getting all over the fuel injector connectors. Seldom drips off engine, but makes a mess of the back of it.
There are also a set of oil seals in the timing belt area: the crankshaft seal, the camshaft seal, the oil pump shaft seal, and the oil pump o-ring. Really should be replaced every timing belt change, but hardly anyone ever does. These will drip over on the passenger side of the engine.
There are also a couple of oil seals for the oil cooler (which the oil filter is mounted on). Not as common for those to leak, but it can happen.
There's also the rear main seal. It'll leak in the center of the engine, more or less. Not a real common leaker.
Added photo above. Can you tell me the part and how to access lower screw? Am I right that there is oil on the other side of that part (as I said, the spark plug wires plug into it; and yes, I do not know much about engine parts as you can tell).
Do these leak create any long term problem that me to be address or just mere annoyance?
If it were my car, i'd say the heck with it. but i'd find out exactly what is dripping first before dismissing it as just an annoyance.
I'd start by washing theengine. I always cover the alternator with plastic, and plug the intake with plastic bag. If your engine has a distributor, cover that too. then soak a warm or cool (not hot) engine with simple green or your cleaner of choice and wash it.
After that you will be able to find out what is leaking and where it is leaking from.
If it is engine oil, i'd probably ignore it rather then tear into it. If it uses one quart between changes, that is not too much for me to deal with and i'd leave it be.
Here is the amount of oil I get each and every day on the floor:
I cleaned and engine and ran for two days. The distributor housing is cracked and oil is in that crack but it does not seem to be leaking. However, there was oil on the upper portion (under side) right beside the distributor.
and also just towards the passenger of of that leak:
However, the worse of the drips came off the oil pan flange lip but I think it dripped down from the side...no pics as I did some more cleaning and will look tomorrow but I am worried about that one because the valve cover gasket seems like a doable job but pulling off alternator, belts, timing belt etc seems like too much for me.
Any thoughts on using some oil additive "stop leak". The drip is enough to be annoying but no enough for 8 hours to tear things apart .... Seems the seals just need a "little boost"...
If you really want to try and chase this down, get some UV dye and a black light. They sell it at any auto parts store. Clean everything up real good again. Add your dye to the engine oil, run 5-10 minutes and start shining that uv flashlight around. If it's a really slow leak, you might have to run the engine longer.
...but I am worried about that one because the valve cover gasket seems like a doable job but pulling off alternator, belts, timing belt etc seems like too much for me.
Any thoughts on using some oil additive "stop leak". The drip is enough to be annoying but no enough for 8 hours to tear things apart .... Seems the seals just need a "little boost"...
I don't like "stop leak" products -- they generally work by attacking the seals with a solvent like acetone -- swells the seals up for a while, but they're a stop-gap. Worse, they're not specific, so they'll go after your rear main seal, too (serious $$$ to replace). Better to replace the seals you can do easily (the distributor and the valve cover), and just replace the seals under the timing cover next time the timing belt is due for replacement. Just my opinion, 'tho, and worth every penny you paid for it
I don't like "stop leak" products -- they generally work by attacking the seals with a solvent like acetone -- swells the seals up for a while, but they're a stop-gap. Worse, they're not specific, so they'll go after your rear main seal, too (serious $$$ to replace). Better to replace the seals you can do easily (the distributor and the valve cover), and just replace the seals under the timing cover next time the timing belt is due for replacement. Just my opinion, 'tho, and worth every penny you paid for it
That's all good and well, but if it's leaking under the timing belt cover, won't it "soak" the timing belt as well, lessening it's "life"?
That's all good and well, but if it's leaking under the timing belt cover, won't it "soak" the timing belt as well, lessening it's "life"?
A teeny drip like he's showing? Doubtful. Even if it did, it's way cheaper to pay someone to replace the timing belt, etc. early than it is to pay someone to replace the rear main.
I got as far as buying some stop leak but have not uesed yet.
I decided to wait. I will redo the oil pan seal next oil change and maybe tackle the valve cover gasket. The timing belt is 6-7 years old so maybe next year I will get that and the seals in the valve cover via my mechanic.
Until then, some cardboard will rest on the floor under this thing.
Oh, and I weill check oil levels to make sure it does not get worse.
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