Oil leak?

i can't see anything, but i've heard about timing chain leaks, which can be ignored. if you can get them to fix, it's worth quite a biy since there's some extensive disassembly.

 

Hard to tell where the picture is from, but a semi common area of concern is the timing chain cover gasket. There are several threads and pictures of the subject, including one I started.

 

Looks nice and dry

 

Bill, I am at 195K miles on my Gen3 which I purchased used at 60K. It has had a small weep of oil in the same area as yours. To me it looked like it was coming from the timing chain tensioner cover. I resealed that with the Toyota FIPG when I purchased it. Based on comments from other members I am inclined to think the real leak is from some small area on the timing cover or from one of the timing cover bolts. I typically clean the area when I change the oil and it has not gotten any worse. If I was still under warranty I would see if they will fix it, but for me, 140K miles later it has not been a big issue.

 

Yeah, it's good that you can get it taken care of under warranty.

Don't get too spoiled by the Corollas' LED headlights.

 

This seems the best approach. I've looked at the install diagrams for that belt cover: the complexity of bolts, areas to be caulked, is just nuts. And of course it's in very tight quarters, down the side of the engine.

 

Someone here who had to pay had to come up with $1700 IIRC. And others were quoted higher. That sounds like a decent dealership.

 

I think the labor time is reduced now since people have found that it is possible to R/R the timing cover without removing the engine.

 

I was just quoted 17 hours and $2,000 by a dealership to fix a small timing cover leak. They said they use the hours provided by Toyota.

 

That’s about what I was quoted 4 years ago at the toyota dealer. But at the time I was under an extended warranty, so they covered it.

If out of warranty, I would just monitor the oil level as well as the area of the leak and if it got to the point where it was actually dripping, I’d consider doing something.

But you probably just have some seeping or dried oil around the seal. Not worth te quoted price, but it’s close to the end of the month and they probably have an expensive toy they need your help paying the monthly bill on.

Good luck and keep us posted .

 

Thanks! I think that is good advice and what I plan to do. The car is running fine and there is always the fear that if they start mucking around in there, it will spawn another problem. I am looking at replacing it about this time next year, so hopefully I will make it until then without any big investments. It's been a good, reliable car.

 

Here's a TSB for piston and ring replacement. The time allotted for that is 16.6 hrs. To be fair, I think it'd take more time, but anyway: that TSB is a lot more work I would think: removing/installing the timing chain cover would be a minor blip in that job.

Again, I would not jump in on this, just monitor for a while (like the service writer suggested). It's a serious intrusion, and might even end up more messed up.

 

Interesting video:

Different Toyota engine, but similar.