Circus Freak

If anyone has any advice...i'll take it, i've been living with this oil leak for over a year in my 95 toyota 4 runner 3vz. I took it to a local garage who i though knew what they were doing but i was wrong. I now have an appt. in a week in a different more reputable service station. The leak has been seaping for months. from the the top of the engine compartment, forget it, can't see squat, on the other hand get underneath and it's so far up to the rear at the top of the engine it seaps, mostly on the drivers side in the beginning, now on both sides but not to a point where i have to add. The oil gathers and now leaves three drips on the bell housing where it only used to leave one drip and it happens only when it's running. The first service garage said they thought it was the driver side valve cover gasket so they replaced it to no avail for couple hundred and yes i took it back and they reseated it > no good. The second more reputable garage says it's now both valve cover gaskets with knowledge of the first attempt and states they can't be 100% sure until they get that done as the path to least resistance will not reveal anything else before that job gets done....i'm currently not in a position to perform any of this work...any info leading to the root cause of this leak would be helpful, i've been reading a bit on this site as far as the head gaskets/oilpan gasket and coolant o ring with possible causes...Thanks

Paul H.

have you tried doing a complete cleaning of the engine to remove the crude and oil? If not do that and then run it and with a flashlight and small mirror ind your leak.

CyMoN

and spray foot powder I have heard works after the motor has dried it will show the leak

CILO

lol, did the exact same thing to my old camry in the trunk. the day after a storm I was able to track down a leak that had filled the spare tire area with water. didnt think the same concept can be applied to an engine.

slosurfer

the pass. side could be from the oil cooler. My valve gaskets have slight leak and then all of a sudden I was getting drips. It was the oil cooler.