Oil leak

Could be the oil pressure switch, it's common. Inexepsive and easy to replace it.
When she gets back you should do a thourough look and find it. Maybe gunk it down
and drive it then look again.

 

Always a bit of a puzzle, trying to figure just what and where these close up pics are. I think I’m looking at the right-rear corner of engine, and that’s the cover plate of the timing chain tensioner, which has been prone to leak. Or the aforementioned oil pressure sensor, same vicinity, same issues.

That’s shorthand for “clean it with some solvent”.

 

how did she notice the leak, oil puddled on the ground? has she checked the dipstick?

 

Hours have generally blown a vapor out of the timing chain tensioner It has to start getting quite bad to have used motor oil color running down the silver timing chain cover not screwed in tight enough for the hermetic seal at the end of the tensioner is really blown out and oil can run from that seal being messed up enough so there's always that usually you just screw in another one and call it a day It looks a lot worse than it is by the time it shows up on the stick a good bit of time has gotten away from us.

 

You just buy one and screw it in well a lot of folks do same with the oil pressure sending unit You just buy a new one and screw it in taking it in and yeah I guess for some that's the way to go.

 

unfortunately, that timing chain cover is an expensive repair i think

 

But timing chain tensioner is not that involved, just a small gasket replacement.

 

Yes if it's the cover it's an expensive repair because the head has to come off or be lifted up off really and timing components undone and you might as well do the chain and guides and all that nonsense while you're in there That's what I bought to do the 2013 then catastrophic engine failure so it was kind of pointless after that engine failed I pulled all that stuff off was brand new barely been a few revolutions cam phaser and everything.

 

I don't thing so. Maybe just the valve cover? The engine mount too. But not the head?

 

Look into that mendal and let me know I think so. I remember seeing and watching a buddy of mine attempt this and I think that's what had to be done but I'm not positive on a Tuesday I would have to go and physically look or you can't get the timing gear undone so if you're just sealing it up and not doing anything else maybe but there is some cat somewhere I do believe.

 

maybe i'm thinking of the wrong cover. a lot of people are told by the dealer that they have an oil leak, and the fix is upward of $2,000. but most of the time is a very small weep, no oil loss or puddling.

 

Timing chain cover leaks are common.

The most common spot leaks down by the tensioner or the oil pressure switch.

Location:


This was mine after a clean:



The timing chain cover process from a dealer mechanic’s notes:

CUSTOMER STATES THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK ON ENGINE. VERIFIED AND FOUND LEAKING AT THE TIMING COVER. NECESSARY TO REMOVE TIMING COVER AND RESEAL. CLEAN EXCESS OIL.

VERIFIED THE TIMING CHAIN COVER IS LEAKING ENGINE OIL DUE TO FAILED FIPG.

DRAINED THE ENGINE OIL AND COOLANT. REMOVED THE UPPER AND LOWER COWL, REMOVED THE VALVE COVER.

DISCONNECTED THE ECU HARNESS. REMOVED THE THERMOSTAT WATER OUTLET HOUSING.

REMOVED THE FRONT ENGINE MOUNT AND BRACKET. REMOVED THE WATER PUMP AND THE HARMONIC BALANCER.

REMOVED THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER. REMOVED THE OIL FILTER HOUSING. REMOVED THE TIMING COVER MOUNTING BOLTS.

REMOVED THE TIMING COVER.

REMOVED THE OLD FIPG FROM THE TIMING COVER AND THE ENGINE BLOCK. REPLACED THE 3 OIL PASSAGE O-RINGS AND THE CRANK SEAL APPLIED NEW FIPG AND INSTALLED THE TIMING COVER.

TORQUED THE MOUNTING BOLTS TO SPEC IN SEQUENCE. REINSTALLED THE OIL FILTER HOUSING WITH 2 NEW O-RINGS. REINSTALLED THE CHAIN TENSIONER WITH NEW GASKET. REINSTALLED THE WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT WATER OUTLET HOUSING WITH NEW GASKETS. REINSTALLED THE HARMONIC BALANCER.

REINSTALLED THE FRONT ENGINE MOUNT AND BRACKET. INSTALLED THE VALVE COVER WITH NEW GASKET.

REINSTALLED ALL REMOVED COMPONENTS AND TORQUED TO SPEC.

FILLED WITH COOLANT AND ENGINE OIL. CHECKED FOR LEAKS.

OPERATION OK AT THIS TIME.

 

Above post outlines the steps.

@rjparker : curious, did you get an electronic invoice, or did you OCR? That’s a handy step-by-step; with some more info, say torque values, FIPG spec and application guide, you’d have a good timing chain cover reseal instruction.

 

That is an ocr from a pic of an invoice

 

I suspect timing leaks after an in-engine reseal is caused by difficulties with initial cover alignment and uneven torque in the first 30 minutes when the engine mount or oil filter bracket are not immediately installed. Oem leaks at 100k miles may be due to thermal cycling.

 

It might help to use an alternate to Toyotas form-in-place gasket spec; it has a very short cure time. Something like 3 minutes from commence of gasket placement, to 15 minutes to completion of bolt install and torque. There’s something like 24 bolts, with various sizes and torque specs.

Besides applying gasket to the seal, there’s 2~3 spit lines on the engine face that require beads.

I’ve seen a factory video where a robot applies all the gasket, in a matter of seconds, with the engine out of the car. This is a far cry from the typical DIY scenario.

gasket maters we’re using Permatex Ultra-Black IIRC, which has a more leisurely install limit, and 24 hours cure time.

GM’s gasket application seems funky-but-effective too: apply a closely spaced series of blobs, then smear together with a finger.

still, OP’s issue is very likely the timing chain tensioner gasket, not timing chain cover?

 

Some company just needs to make the strips of gasket needed that goes down each side of the cover like they do for all other Toyota covers or did ..

 

I first saw this type of oil seep years ago on Corollas - to the point where I call it "the Corolla triangle". The point where the block, cylinder head, and timing cover all meet up.

I personally haven't repaired one as the "minor" amount of oil coming off it wasn't worth the cost of timing cover R & R. Especially since the car was - is 10 to 15 years old by the time I see this.

No, I have resealed the chain tensioner plate on a couple different cars and that had no affect on the seep.

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