tb-av

1999 2.7 4WD extended cab 220,000 miles

I have an oil leak on left side that I'm wondering if anyone has any opinions on. I can't actually see where the leak is coming from. My problem is that if I pull things apart I have no way to go buy parts. Also if it ends up being too complicated, like a head gasket, I don't think I can do it.

The odd thing is, the rear section of the heat shield is dark stained. As though something had dripped down out of that black box above it. What is that box btw?

The the right side of heat shield is fairly clean. sort of silver metal looking BUT.. the very front of the heat shield has a little puddle of oil in it -and- there is oil coating the upper radiator hose. This seems like oil somehow blowing forward but no other signs of oil on anything.

It's odd in that the top of the shield is basically clean. The inside front of shield has oil puddle. forward of that is oil, but no other oil in this forward area.

There is a light coating of oil towards rear of engine down around back and on bell housing but it looks thin. Nothing like the puddle and spray up front.

I would expect things to drain or blow back towards rear and be generally messy but it seems things are moving forward but I'm unable to find a source.

Is there any sort of tube or fitting associated with that black box or something I can't see?

Sorry about picture rotations, not sure why PB rotated them.


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darkcyde77

Hi - what was the outcome of your leak? Ive got exactly the same, and have narrowed it down to coming from underneath the coolant pipe which is directly underneath the distribution cap.

I've a horrible feeling it's the head gasket gone! :-(

tb-av

I unfortunately have not had time to get to it. Plus was hoping for some replies.

I can't picture the coolant pipe you speak of, but will look for that. Isn't the oil pressure sending unit down that way?

the strange thing on mine is that I have yet to see a of oil on the ground but you can clearly see it puddle up in the heat shield.

Thanks for the reply.... I will probably try to do a close inspection on mine this weekend. If I can come up with anything I will let you know.

Yep... I've got that same feeling about the head gasket.

Do you know what that black box is under the air intake? Mine has a oil on the bottom of it as well.

darkcyde77

I've had the distributer out today thinking it might have been from there, and then I degreased the engine, ran it on high revs until I saw the oil hemorrhaging out. The pipe is definitely a coolant pipe, with a temp probe in it too. There is also a blanking plate down there, but I don't think it's coming from there.

It's a real bitch to get a look at without shrinking your head to fit! LOL

I have been told that these engines need the head bolts tightened regularly, otherwise they stretch.....had a look at some info and they are inside the valve cover, and underneath the cams, so the cams will need removing to get at them....it;'s not a leap to change the head hasket from there I believe!

tb-av

What you are describing sounds a lot like what I'm having. I'm heading out now to see if I can get a better look.

I had considered that one of those $125 flexible fiber optic cameras would come in handy.

I was hoping it would be something simple but I don't see any leaks around the valve cover gasket so it's sounding like no matter what it's going to be head related to the point it needs to be pulled.... or should be pulled...

tb-av

Ok, I was finally able to take a closer look at mine. Still haven't pulled the air intake stuff off but I looked at all the areas with oil on them.

Mine is not forward in that distributor area. It's dry up front. There is a wiring harness that runs right along the left edge of valve cover with a bolted attachment point right where the 2nd valve cover bolt is located.

All of my valve cover bolts are loose. I believe now, hopefully, that mine is leaking from that one bolt ( 2nd heading rearward, on left ) and possibly the one behind it, which I can't get to right now, until I can remove the air handler stuff.

But I could -easily- snug up all of the VC bolts... which I did... lightly.

I think I will plan on a VC change, as there is no sense pulling all that stuff out and not changing it at this point. It's either going to cure it or not.

But it seems we may different problems. Unless of course your VC bolts are loose too.