My boy just came home in his 94 runner with 3vze and auto. He drove 800 miles and used less than one qt of oil but the engine dumped about a half qt in my driveway before he shut it off, I started it today, didn't leak at all, then I drove it into the shop and it leaked all over. He lost the oil filler cap and had the hole covered with duct tape. Could it be a crankcase vacuum issue maybe? Engine was recently rebuilt (don't tell me I shouldn't have, I know it). Thanks for any hints you guys might have.

Happy Boxing Day!

 

There would be an oil/crankcase pressure problem for sure. But, where does appear to leak from? The valve cover fill hole?

 

i had the same problem in mine and it was anoil cooler on the driver side rear of the motor you can only get at it from the under side. Its round with a bolt in the middle. there is a few o-rings in there i think it was like 9 or 10 bux. hope that helps

 

Thook: It didn't leak out of the filler hole--there was a strong negative pressure there--the duct tape he used to cover it was all sucked in. I haven't figured out where it's coming from yet, I washed off the engine this afternoon and when it drys I'll start it up and see what there is to see..

Travs95: Is that the aluminum thingy that's tucked up high on the left with about a 17mm bolt in the middle? It did look like there could of been oil coming out of there. What is it? Does anyone know where there is a complete schematic picture of this engine posted?

Thanks!!
Jim

 

ya that is the one. there is an o-ring under that cap thats where mine was leaking. Some days no oil some days a big puddle

 

After d--king around all week I finally got the engine clean enough to spot where it's leaking--everywhere! It's the oil pan, all around. So then I grabbed a 10mm and the whole d--m pan is about to fall off! Torqued it down to 52 in/lb as best my silly little inch-lb torque wrench will do but the two studs (are they supposed to be studs?) on the rear of the pan by the torque converter are stripped. This engine has about 5000 mi after a complete professional rebuild, so why did this happen? Anybody got any ideas?

Thanks!

Jim