[jomazq]

i bought a well used 85 n/a for $200. the only symptom of a problem was an oil leak. it's large as oil leaks go, but i thought that for $200 plus repairs i was getting a bargain. after it got towed home i figured that i'd start in on fixing the leak learn alot more about what was going on with the motor. so i started looking. and i found two leaks. one is very easy. on the exhaust side the cam cover gasket spays onto the heat shield and and makes for a smokey engine bay. but there's another one that near as i can tell is flowing from the passenger side of the motor. and it flows. near as i can tell the motor is losing quarts of oil when i run it for fifteen minutes at a time(or less). my brother is a working mechanic with a few years experience (no expert knowlege)(just some common sense) , and he thinks the rear main seal may be to blame... he has a friend who will do a full gasket and seal replacement with him for parts money($150) but i can't afford to waste the time or money. are we on the wrong track?

 

[ITA-MR2]

Well, unless you've got a RHD car, the rear main is on the driver's side.

Depending on exactly where it's coming from:

Oil cooler lines; oil pressure sender; distributor seal; cam seals; front main seal; cracked oil pump housing?

You say the cam cover gasket is leaking and "spraying" the header? Unless it's the worst gasket I've ever seen (like physically not there), or it's actually just dripping a lot; you've got a crankcase pressure problem. Check to make sure the vent hose (rubber hose from the intake cam cover to the intake manifold) isn't plugged up or collapsed.

 

[jomazq]

well it's not a spray i can see(like a spray bottle) but there is a build up of oil, and the source is not a visible drip of any sort. so i had assumed that it was a very fine spray. thanks for the list of check points !

 

[GaToy]

Yeah, my 86 had an oil leak when I bought it. Changed the distributor seal and it has never leaked (oil) since. Now if I could just keep the head gasket from blowing out i'll be doing alright.

~C.C.~

 

[jomazq]

i never thought of checking the distributor seal.... did it leak alot at the time? or was it still reasonable or road worthy?

 

[Max_Misawa]

Paradise Racing sells 4AG seal kits for cheap.
It was around 99 dollars.
But don't qoute me on that.
Luis is the owner operator and all around good guy.
Drop in on him

www.paradiseracing.com

Max

 

[cfspinner]

Try powerwashing the motor and getting all the old oil off. Once it's clean you may be able to spot the leak a lot easier.

 

[casualsax3]

Cam seal. That's what it was for me. You won't be able to tell where it's coming from, the oil just shows up, and it's more or less directly below the distributor when it hits the ground. I'd do the cooling lines too, as I had a leak there as well. I'd say your cam seals though.

 

[TiN MaN]

oil sump, more or less the whole thing, i really stink at applying RTV

is there a set of gaskets for the sump?

im so sick of ripping the sump of and siliconing it, only to have it leaking again by the end of the week

 

[azmr2]

oil sump, more or less the whole thing, i really stink at applying RTV

is there a set of gaskets for the sump?

im so sick of ripping the sump of and siliconing it, only to have it leaking again by the end of the week

Are you applying it in two stages or just one? I've used the RTV high temp silicone from Autozone and Checker and it works fine.

 

[GaToy]

i never thought of checking the distributor seal.... did it leak alot at the time? or was it still reasonable or road worthy?

It still drove just fine. But it spotted everywhere I went. The front of the motor and the A\C compressor was soaked. When I pulled the distributor I could see the cracks in it. I went to Toyota and bought a $2 O ring and it hasn't leaked since.

~C.C.~

 

[jomazq]

the problem is that it's alot of oil. unreasonable amounts pour out. the only coherant visual i can get is that it flows down along a couple of hoses on the passenger side of the motor and also flows down the side of it. dripping from the bottom of the oil pan. it's all on the passenger side. but i don't have enough money to buy a new/used oil pump. i can't drive it around. i don't think it'd make it down the street. the flow grows when i rev the motor.

 

[azmr2]

Take it to the carwash and do what cfspinner says above. Then drive it home immediately and drain the oil. Then start taking off the oil cooler hoses and seeing if all the fittings are tight and where the "new" leaks are coming from. Just keep replacing things until you get to the bottom of it, even if it's a front crank seal, they all can be fixed! You may have to take off a lot of parts to get to the source of the problem----a/c compressor, alternator, dizzy. Then start on the crank seal.

 

[ITA-MR2]

Unless I'm misunderstanding, that really sounds like the oil cooler lines. If that's so, it's by far the cheapest and easiest fix of the bunch (except maybe the distributor O-ring).

 

[cfspinner]

Unless I'm misunderstanding, that really sounds like the oil cooler lines. If that's so, it's by far the cheapest and easiest fix of the bunch (except maybe the distributor O-ring).

I agree with ITA. That much oil, especially flowing freely and in greater amounts when you rev the engine, sounds like the oil cooler lines, particularly the one comming off the base of the oil filter. Pretty simple fix....check out this write up on changing them out for stainless steel lines. Did it myself last week...not bad at all to do...just dirty.

 

[azmr2]

Norm, (ITA) do you ever read what other people have said before you post, or is it just me that you ignore? I wouldn't mind it so much but you keep making a habit of it. I guess this makes the second time I have "yelled" at you for doing it?

 

[KBOX]

Oil cooler lines or you have oil squirting out between the plates of your oil filer sandwich assembly. Which btw is a good idea to change those orings and gaskets if you are changing the hose.

 

[ITA-MR2]

Norm, (ITA) do you ever read what other people have said before you post, or is it just me that you ignore? I wouldn't mind it so much but you keep making a habit of it. I guess this makes the second time I have "yelled" at you for doing it?

If you'll notice the posting times, before you get on your high horse . . . I was posting at the same time you were.

 

[tiller]

My 89 was leaking from the same area and I also thought it was the oil cooler lines as they were covered in oil. Changed them out and still leaking just as bad. Thought I didn't tighten up one of the lines as it was covered in oil. Retightened them and still leaking so I got under the car and noticed that oil is leaking around the oil filter and running down the oil cooler lines. Ordered the sandwich repair kit and will change that out next oil change. I hope this solves it. Before you tear the whole engine apart I would replace other things until you are certain that is were the problem is.

 

[jomazq]

Thanks Guys!

ok, now i've got some direction. :thumbup get the engine cleaned, and check where it's coming from. most likely the oil cooler lines and or the oil filter sandwich assembly... and then if it's still not fixed, maybe i'll tear the whole thing apart... you guys are the ultimate resource :smile: ... i probably would have not had the car for a couple weeks. now this has turned into a possible saturday morning project!