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??? oil leaks while turned off, but not while running ???

688 Views 2 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  ToyotaTam
ToyotaTam

Hi all!

I have a 'super awesome '97 2-door RAV4 manual 5-speed.

BACKSTORY
It was using a bit of oil, so i took it in and first they resealed valve cover. There was never a drip spot on the drive.
It was still using oil, so i took it back in and they changed seals on distributor and oil pan.
Less than a week and it is now LEAKING oil. Parked overnight and there is about an 8-inch diameter oil patch ?
I took it back today, and they are resealing the oil pan as we speak.

My mechanic said that he cleaned it all off and let the engine run while i waited (which was about an hour), and there were no leaks. But as soon as he turned the engine off, oil started to drip from the engine. Any ideas what it could be. He thinks either the glue he used didn't set and it is the oil pan again, OR, it's the rear main seal. Any comments, ideas, suggestions???

Thanks!

Tami?
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Roughly where is the oil dripping from?... Driver's side, passenger side? If it's the drivers side, then he's probably on the right track. Sealants vary, but some recommend a 12hr cure time before exposure to oil.

3S-FE engine, right? There is an oil pump seal on the passenger side that can sprout a big leak on the 5S-FE, which is very similar.
BMR, Thank you for your response and thoughtful comments. I do not know the engine number.

hmmm, well when i crawled under oh so briefly, there was a drip that sort of ran/oozed across the skid plate (neither driver nor passenger), and also a drip i saw smoking off the tail pipe... which if i recall was a bit more off to the passenger side??? In general, the drip patch that occurred on the concrete beneath the car seemed more centrally located. But, i'm guessing that might be due to the oil running across the skid-plate, thereby obscuring it's originating side. Honestly, i did not examine it further. ?

The shop called, and said that they have resealed the pan. Since the weather has been cool, it takes longer for the glue to set, so this time they will keep it overnight to make sure the glue has cured. So, if we have more than this issue, we will know more tomorrow.

I will keep you posted!


Thanks again!! ??
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