I think I'm in BIG trouble!!! - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

nevanerviss · 06-22-2006, 06:30 PM

I'm on my way to work this morning, and I notice smoke coming out the back of my car ('96 Camry, 4 cyl). I can't say if it's coming out of the tailpipe because I was driving at the time. Anyways, then I start to see smoke coming from in FRONT of me on the driver's side of the car, coming out from under the hood. I park the car and go to work. At lunch, I notice a small pool of oil around what I think is the oil sending switch, as you face the car with the hood up, it's down kinda near the middle of the engine with wires attatched to it. I left the car running when I checked for spitting oil under the hood. My question is, WHY THE HELL IS MY CAR DOING THIS??? What's involved with replacing this thing? It looks like a straight forward process, but this is the first import that I've ever owned, and I bought it for the reliability. Also, (physics aside) would that make smoke come out of the back of the car? It didn't look like it was coming from the tailpipe itself, because it wasn't concentrated in any one spot, but all across the back of the car... Please help me, my car looks like a mosquito fogger!!! I feel like Spy Hunter!!! This is my only form of transpo and I need to get this fixed P.D.Q.!!

It just started doing this this morning; I drove this car to New York a couple weeks ago (I'm in Michigan) and it had NO problems whatsoever. I am a girl, but am mechanically inclined, so I don't mind getting my manicured hands dirty, but I'm NOT Mr. Goodwrench, so go easy on me... Also, the engine has 194K on it... The previous owner said that he had the bottom end rebuilt about a year and a half ago and the top half done about six months ago and that it has 73K on the rebuilt motor, but I think he's full of shit, so I'll just treat the car as if it has 194,000 miles on it.

Thank you in advance for your help.

hooRAH · 06-22-2006, 06:52 PM

I left the car running when I checked for spitting oil under the hood. My question is, WHY THE HELL IS MY CAR DOING THIS???

Um, so is it spitting oil from that piece or is it coming from somewhere else?

BigPete · 06-22-2006, 08:15 PM

Was there alot of smoke?
Did you have a professional mechanic take a look at the car before buying it?

marc780 · 06-22-2006, 10:43 PM

Quote:

I notice a small pool of oil around what I think is the oil sending switch, as you face the car with the hood up, it's down kinda near the middle of the engine with wires attatched to it.

What i would do is wash the engine first, and then look for the leak. I use simple green and some rags and bristle brush. (Dont spray the alternator with anything just cover it with a plastic bag)
Since it seems to be coming from the front part of engine, it could be either the oil switch as you say, or it could be a loose or defective oil filter. Another possibility is a bad valve cover leak dripping down.
If it is coming from the oil switch, maybe it is just loose and needs to resealed on the thread portion. And if from the other spots you would just change the filter or gasket. Probably not a huge problem (hopefully)
This image is from the Toyota manual, it is the only one of this switch i found, just to show the general location. On other cars, I have seen the oil light switch leak from around the electrical connectors. And if this is the case on yours, you would of course just change the switch.

Quote:

would that make smoke come out of the back of the car? It didn't look like it was coming from the tailpipe itself,

Yes an engine oil leak could come from out the back at speed, it could be dripping down on the exhaust tubing as you drive. Its easy to check if oil is coming from the tailpipe, just stick your finger inside the tail pipe and see what comes off. Exhaust soot should be light or dark gray, but it should be dry. If your finger glistens with oil, then you have your answer, this indicates the engine is burning oil.

***Your Uncle Moe*** · 06-23-2006, 01:10 AM

What color is the smoke? Is it Black or white? Because it sounds to me like coolant is burning and not oil. Lets hope your oil and your coolant aren't mixing, then you would have a problem on your hands. Did they reuse the old gasket when they rebuilt the engine? Lets hope it didn't fail.

shingouki808 · 06-23-2006, 01:32 AM

Just as a secondary precaution, you might want to make sure nothing got into the intake. I got a little oil on the filter element for my short ram and it was like having a smoke screen kit installed on my car. But yeah, best bet, cover all the electricals, disconnect the battery and clean the engine. That's the easiest way to single out the source of a leak. Check around the valve cover, next to where the cam gearing cover is behind the distributor, the oil filter, and the switch. One more place you might want to check, there's an oil feed line under the cap and rotor. Check for cracks in that line. Good luck, and hope it's one of the lines and not a head gasket.

nevanerviss · 06-23-2006, 07:08 AM

I think the picture that you showed is, in fact, what I saw leaking... I don't have the smoke on startup like I've read in other posts... However, when I got the oil changed, they pulled the dipstick out and the oil fill tube looked like a chimney... I KNOW that's bad, right? In spite of that, I've noticed no loss in power, gas mileage is still the same, but oil consumtion is fair... The car still pulls and shifts fine, but when I get to about 75-80, I feel like James Bond!!! But the smoke doesn't start immediately, it starts after the car has warmed up... I think I'm gonna change the oil pressure (sending?) switch, and the valve cover gasket just for good measure, and hope that fixes the problem...

One other thing... On the oil filter, one side of it looks like it's been sprayed with oil, like there's oil seeming out of the side... I'll post pice later today of what I'm talking about... What could THAT be? Is there a gasket or something where the filter meets the block that may have gone bad?

DFBonnett · 06-23-2006, 07:19 AM

Is the filter tight? Try twisting it just a bit tighter with just your hands. Does it turn?
The problem is with any used car is you really don't know what the previous owner did. He may have cracked the sending unit working on something else.

Hajoca · 06-23-2006, 07:29 AM

For the oil pressure sending unit, The Factory service manual tells you to clean the threads, and apply loctite 242.

I used some pipe dope and that worked for me after I removed the switch to test oil pressure.

It leaks or spits alot more oil when the pressure is high (high engine rpms) when you are travelling at 70+.

***DAMON*** · 06-23-2006, 08:03 AM

if it is the oil pressure switch, its a very cheap and easy fix. take somepictures of the engine bay if you can or where you think it is leaking and we will help you out

Mike Gerber · 06-23-2006, 09:43 AM

It does sound like it's coming from the oil pressure switch as others have described. That switch is cheap and easy to replace. It does require a special socket to remove and install one. Some people can remove it and install it with a set of channel locks if there is room, but I would just pick up the special socket where you buy the switch. If you go to the dealer for the switch you will have to go the auto parts store for the socket. Don't forget to pick up something to seal around the threads of the new switch. You can ask at the auto parts store what they recommend, if they don't have the locktite 242.

As far as the oil around the oil filter; if it's on the bottom it's probably just residual oil form when the filter was changed the last time. With the location of the filter at about a 45 degree angle downward in the front of the engine, a lot of oil comes out when the old filter is removed. Do hand check it for tightness, as has been suggested above.

Also, before driving any further, check the oil. Depending on how much, how fast and how long it's actually been leaking, the car can be very low on oil. Run it out of oil and the leaking oil pressure switch will be the least of your problems.

Mike

nevanerviss · 06-24-2006, 10:46 AM

Ok... I went to the stealership and got an oil pressure switch, a PCV filter, oil filter, and a valve cover gasket... I figured since I will have the valve cover off, I may as well change the PCV filter while I'm at it...

Now... Is it easier to get to this oil pressure switch from the top or the bottom? It looks like I can probably get to it from the top, but without much clearance... This "special socket" that you guys spoke of; can I just improvise with a really big deep well socket, or should I go to the auto parts store and ask for an oil pressure switch socket?

DFBonnett · 06-24-2006, 10:52 AM

You need the socket. Don't forget the Locktitie.

nevanerviss · 06-24-2006, 05:05 PM

This is the thing that's spewing oil like a geyser... I'm pointing at it with the stick... It's on the same side of the engine as the distributor, directly underneath it... I bought an oil pressure switch, thinking that's what this was, but it's not that... WHAT IS THIS THING??? How do I get it off, and how long does it take??? Hell, I can't even get the wiring harness of the damned thing!!!

I can't even get the valve cover gasket off either...

Here's another pic...

marc780 · 06-24-2006, 08:11 PM

Nevanerviss i checked the toyota manual and the only thing i can see would be leaking in that area IS the oil pressure switch. I cant tell from the photo what it is you're pointing at, too blurry.
But another possibility - under the oil filter, where it screws onto, you should probably see two hoses coming from there. Toyota says this is an "oil cooler". So the mounting point, oil cooler, and those hoses might be worth a closer look.