Mtnangie

Hi,
I have a super bad oil leak and can't seem to get any definitive answers from the 3 shops i've brought it to so far (I am not a mechanic myself); i've heard it's the oil pump seal, I need a new engine (rings are bad), rear main seal and that they can't tell where it's coming from so I am asking for your help.

Here are the symptoms: oil is everywhere, even on the underside of the hood. When I cleaned off the engine well it looked as if it was pouring out directly from the front of the block. It does trickle down and leave a big puddle below the oil pump, making it look as if it's coming from there. It has been using about 1 qt of oil/ week. The last time I drove it I had to stop halfway on my 40 mile commute home to put more oil in, suddenly it was leaking even more. It sounded as if it were trying to overheat (a few little bubbling sounds, but not bad like when it really overheats) when I stopped during that last trip, and felt as if it had suddenly lost a lot of power. I stopped driving it then because I didn't want to damage the engine. There is no smoke coming from the tailpipe so i'm thinking it's not the rings??

Here's what i've done: replaced the PCV valve, replaced the oil pump o-ring and seal, and took the oil pump apart again to add a speedi-sleeve when the seal didn't fix it.

It's a 1994 toyota deluxe pickup, 4 cyl 22RE, with 260k. I love my toyota and would like to fix it. It's been the best vehicle i'e ever had. However with each of these possible fixes costing many hundreds to thousands of dollars I am trying to determine what might actually fix it as, unfortunately, I don't have an unlimited supply of cash.

Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks!

snobdds

I would check the timing cover for possible leaks and the Valve cover gasket including the half moon gaskets. How does the oil pan gasket look? The biggest one is the front oil seal and if you already replaced that one, then there is not a lot of seals left. Start with the easy ones and go from there.

The rear main seal is harder to diagnosis but I don't think that is your problem because a leak there would not sling oil onto the hood.

mightymouse

iTrader: (6)

where are you from? Do a compression test to check the rings. If you have the time and will power stop taking the truck to service shops and start figuring it out for youself. These little 22re's are easy (in my opinion) to work on. Several spots for oil to leak include, but not limited to, head/timing chain cover mating surface, front oil seal, rear main seal, oil ports at the head gasket mating surface. Best thing to do is clean the engine as best you can and start looking. Other surfaces that can leak are the valve cover gasket. If it's spraying the underside of the hood it would make me think that the oil is leaking on the fan assembly or belts causing it to spay and get every where. That's where i would start looking first. Make sure if you can't find any conclusive evidence of a huge oil leak do the compression test. Good luck man and post some pics of the oil's origin and maybe we can help you out some more.

Mtnangie

Hi, thanks for the responses. I live in the mountains of Colorado (Leadville).
I was thinking either timing cover, cam seals, and front main (crankshaft) might be the problem. What are the half moon seals? When you guys say the "front oil seal" what are you referring to, the front crankshaft seal or something else?
Yeah, I would love to start learning how to work on this...I don't have any tools, and recently when I put in the alternator (thought I could at least do that myself!) I needed help from a man to muscle it in there...I just didn't have enough! I do have the manual though I just feel so retarded when I read it trying to figure out what everything is. But thanks for the encouragement!