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So after doing some degreasing I think the main oil leak is coming from right at the bottom where I'm pointing but is also wet a few inches above this area also.
would it be front main seal?
Sometimes the O ring that seals the oil pump to the timing cover seeps.
That leaking oil might come out from the oil pump/timing cover joint, or it may come out one, or more, of the oil pump bolts.
If you decide to change the seal, remove the oil pump while the harmonic balancer is off and reseal the oil pump to the timing cover with a new oil pump ring and Permatex Ultra-Gray.
I have tried to stop a seep I thought was the front main, only to have to take the belts and balancer off again when it was actually the oil pump/timing cover joint that was leaky.
Sometimes the O ring that seals the oil pump to the timing cover seeps.
That leaking oil might come out from the oil pump/timing cover joint, or it may come out one, or more, of the oil pump bolts.
If you decide to change the seal, remove the oil pump while the harmonic balancer is off and reseal the oil pump to the timing cover with a new oil pump ring and Permatex Ultra-Gray.
I have tried to stop a seep I thought was the front main, only to have to take the belts and balancer off again when it was actually the oil pump/timing cover joint that was leaky.
thanks for letting me know I will do both!
those old worn out looking belts are going too. Kind of funny to see a "mitsubishi" branded belt on the truck? Never knew they made belts.
I'd guess it's a combo of oil pan and oil pump. Oil and water pump are good intermediate level stuff to replace. Pretty straight forward and simple, but a bit more involved than an alternator or starter. And definitely good insurance. I've always replaced them soon after buying a new used R-series Toyota. Peace of mind.
Usually when I bought an older, high-mileage truck, I'd replace: all belts. All fluids. Water & oil pump. Check coolant hoses closely and at least replace upper & lower main hoses. Radiator cap. Fuel filter. Then I'd adjust the valves and put in new half-moon gaskets and valve cover gasket.
Then all I'd really need to worry about on long trips were problems beyond routine maintenance stuff, which luckily isn't a problem very often with Toyotas.
new shocks on all four corners
all 3 hoses.
2 of the 3 belts as I'm not sure about AC yet. If it works I may keep it in but if it doesn't I'm pulling it all out and storing it.
valve cover gasket set
front main seal
oil pump gasket set (The beck arnley has 3 items shown in their kit vs all others only the big thin seal)???
I was thinking tie rod ends and maybe that stabilizer shock as my steering feels kind of loose but not sure.
so now thinking of just getting the oil and water pumps too.
The steering on our "new" '83 had a lot of play--almost 3"--and most of the play was due to worn ends of the Drag Link. The Drag Link has been rebuilt and now there's a little play left, less than 1" and I may be able to adjust the steering gear to remove that--will try anyway. The steering stabilizer has no impact on play in the steering, but it's cheap. I paid a bit more than $30 for a new one on eBay. Replacement wasn't difficult.
Don't forget to replace all the gear oil in the tranny, xfer case and differentials. Dirty job that needs to be done. Always remove the fill plug BEFORE the drain plug in case the fill plug is frozen.
Did rear diff last week and did front today.
the front diff fluid was thick and grey looking. Pretty gross.
Magnet had a lot of crud on it but no metal.
see pics.
still going to do trans and TC.
greased all zerks and of course oil/filter.
using valvoline 80w90.
Looks like the front diff had water in it. You can also replace the differential breather on top of the differential. That may help keep out some water. If you intend to 4-wheel across streams, there are some "remote" breather kits available that will KEEP the water out. Kind of expensive though. Check eBay & Amazon.
Thank you for the breather tip. I will look into one of those replacements. Maybe rock auto? Or one of the specialty Toyota sites.
I will not be wheeling this truck really. I mean some very light stuff but probably not water and mud etc.
the rear diff oil almost looked blueish in color. I was told by PO it has a new Detroit trutrac in it. I didn't know what fluid was in it or when so I just changed it so I know!! And according to Eaton that diff doesn't need any special additive like lim. Slip or synthetic. Just regular old gear oil so that's what I made sure was in it.
Cleaning the breathers is a VERY good idea, but will not help to keep water out. The opposite, actually, since once they're clean, they'll allow water in if you submerge the axle. But it will keep you from blowing axle seals. Extended breathers are a great idea for people who go through deep water. I'd guess most people don't need them. But I did unscrew mine and soak them overnight in some sort of cleaner...maybe brake cleaner. Then blow through them to make sure they're clear.
If they're clogged, they aren't venting pressure, which means the pressure is pushing on axle seals and will eventually cause them to leak.
If you're really tackling the front main (which I would personally only suggest doing if it's leaking, but if you're comfortable doing it, that's cool), be prepared to need a speedy sleeve or something if there's any wear. Otherwise you'll get it all back together to find you have a leak you didn't have before...
Yeah that fluid looks nasty but with fresh stuff in there, they should be fine. They're pretty tough. You can also spray brake cleaner up through the drain hole till it runs out somewhat clear, then just let it dry completely before re-filling.
I've seen options for a repair sleeve or slimmer seals. The job looks very easy. From a video I saw on YouTube if there is oil dripping from the exact spot mine is, it's probably front main seal.
Thank you for the breather tip. I will look into one of those replacements. Maybe rock auto? Or one of the specialty Toyota sites.
I will not be wheeling this truck really. I mean some very light stuff but probably not water and mud etc.
If you're just sticking with the stock breathers and not doing extensions, the original vents will clean up just fine. No need to replace.
yeah I will just clean mine. Do they just pop off? And spray them out with brake parts cleaner? Or maybe soak in soapy water?
did T.case today. Fluid looked pretty new. But piece of mind knowing I've just done all fluids is worth it so I know when they were done.
last to do is the transmission. But I'm going to source GL4 for that. Tough to find so I will go online.
drain plug for tc had some junk on the magnet and I sprayed it off and a bit of small metal was on it. I doubt anyone else has ever used brake parts cleaner and a tiny rag to clean out the bits so it's probably been slowly accumulating for 36 years.
Is this cause for concern?
The breathers sit on top of a nut, which will be completely covered in dirt and grease. Get a rag or scraper or something and scrape around the base of the breather and the nut will be unearthed.
Since it's a "floating" cap over a vent pipe, you can't really get in there to clean it mechanically. And though your truck is pretty dang clean, it's probably still got 36 years of gunk. Submerge and soak overnight. I'd use brake cleaner.
01-21-2018, 10:02 AM
