First of all, hello. I have been reading this forum and other 22RE threads on other forums (pirate, IH8MUD, etc) as a guest, and this is my first time reaching out to anyone. Sorry for the length of this post, but I am in serious need of some opinions/wisdom. I have scoured the web and performed many repair attempts, but my 22R/E is still gushing.

So I bought this 1995 4x4 recently and found out it has a 22R block; when I plugged in the check engine bulb, it lit up. I looked up the codes and I had a knock sensor code - no knock sensor . With a pair of M10/M12 nut and bolt, and my neighbors MIG welder, I made an adapter and had the truck running strong; I didn't think much of the lack of power because I've never had a 22RE - this is my first yota pickup. It was running great until I took it off-pavement up in the high country and it developed an oil leak which was rather significant, clearly coming from the front of the motor and being flung about the engine bay by the harmonic balancer pulley. It was clear that the oil leak was coming from the main seal area, not the oil pan, or the oil pump housing, etc.

After searching the web for common leaks, it was apparent that the seal could need replacement, and/or the balancer need to be sleeved. After pulling the belts a few separate times (just the seal then just the sleeve), I was still leaking oil. Each time I repaired these parts the leak seemed to get worse - the first time I drove up into high country and back with the leak developing on the way up, the second time it leaked after driving across town.

I continued reading various front main seal leak posts and it was suggested that the oil pump, if damaged, could also be wearing on the balancer shaft. I examined the oil pump (3rd repair attempt?) and noticed that it did have some burs in a location that could be damaging the balancer shaft, so I replaced the oil pump. It was cheap off eBay and while I hadn't paid attention to the oil pressure gauge prior to my leak issues, it seemed like it was rather low, so why not? I also put a fresh sleeve on the balancer. But the damn thing leaked as soon as I fired it up.

I did some more reading and it was suggested that it could be possible the main crank bearings could be worn, causing the crank to hop or precess, leaving a periodic gap between the shaft and the front main seal. While most people (in the various yota forums) think that if this were occurring that there would be obvious knocking or vibrations, the normal running sound of the motor is not something I am familiar with and it doesn't sound like a diesel motor to me - but I'm not a gearhead either. At any rate, I decided to try checking/replacing the main bearings (and rod bearings while I was at it). While this was a pain in the ass, because my garage and tool sets were not particularly well-suited for this, and because I purchased the 85-95 22RE bearings kit (the 22R block has the thin thrust washers, which I discovered when I was in the middle of all of this), I managed to get everything replaced. However, I noticed that the old bearings were not particularly warn, so it was unlikely that this repair was going to work. And in fact, it started gushing fresh oil as soon as I got everything buttoned up and fired her up.

I'm at a loss of what to try next. The only thing I can think of that it is somehow timing chain related. There is also a mystery guide pin that I found in the oil pan when I was replacing the bearings (it doesn't have and retaining clip grooves and is solid all the way around, with crease about 1/3 from one end - pictured on top of a spray paint can lid). I am wondering if anyone knows wear it comes from (I assume it must be part of the timing cover assembly?) and if it may somehow hint to the source of the leak. I also found a thin shaving of hard plastic in the pan, but I wasn't sure if it was something I scraped off of the pan gasket (there was cork and RTV/FIPG) - but now I'm thinking it could be part of the chain guide.

Cheers!

 

That looks like the dowel pin for cylinder head alignment. Not sure how it would get in the pan unless someone dropped it changing the head gasket. It has been a while, I don't remember a dowel for timing cover alignment, just a bolt sleeve. The only other place for a dowel like that is for transmission alignment, they would look bigger.

As for your oil leak, are you driving the seal flush? Have you tried a Toyota seal? Have any pictures of the sealing surface and seal? You found that you have an earlier block, are you thinking pre 85?

 

The current seal was flush (came installed with oil pump). When I removed the balancer after the repair (time for last), it had shown wear on the repair sleeve with hardly any miles. The wear markings were even, and I believe there were two of them. The time before that, I observed uneven wear marks (suggesting a precession of the balancer, periodic interference with something). I unfortunately don't have any pics and I don't know what it looks like currently because I haven't disassembled it again, yet.

I haven't tried the (thinner) toyota seal yet, but I would doubt that it would make the difference, considering that I was seeing damage/wearing of the repair sleeves before and after replacing the oil pump - it shouldn't wear so quickly, unless something else is wrong, right?

 

are you packing the seal with grease and making sure you don't damage the inner lip when installing?

 

fatkid:
I forgot to mention, but I think that it is a pre-85 block because that is the range of years for which the thrust washers were thinner. It is definitely an R block because it did not have a knock sensor bung.

vital:
I lubricated all the parts with motor oil, cranking with the starter without spark for a while before running.

 

Could it be that the oil pressure relief valve is leaking. Did you take that loose? Did you replace the pump o-ring? I always replace them both at the same time.

 

I haven't touched the oil pressure relief valve on either the old pump assembly or the new one; however, when it first developed the leak is when I noticed that the oil pressure gauge was reading very low (~1/4 when revving on the highway, and <1/4 at idle), so I can't imagine that the oil pressure is so high that it is gushing out the main seal, if that is what you are suggesting. The oil is definitely coming from the main seal.

I replaced the oil pump O-ring the two times it was removed.

I will try to get some pics when I next work on it; I am just trying to get some ideas of what to look for before I tear it down again - I'd like this to be the last time

 

It is SO hard to diagnose over the internet, especially when the truck has clearly been frankenstiened by previous owners. There are so many things they could have done wrong...mismatched parts, incorrect installation etc. Buying parts for a 95 truck with an unknown year block, other than pre fuel injection, is pretty tricky business...

Short of bringing it to a mechanic, it almost seems like a complete tear down of the engine, to measure everything to make sure it's in spec, is the only way to find out what's wrong. And at that point it would be more for curiosity, since if you've got it torn apart, you might as well rebuild it.

Been taking any photos? Those are always nice to see...