The leak just keeps getting worse and worse on my 1989 22re motor. This is a second motor with only about 70k on it. I have checked the pvc valve and totally cleaned the engine and sidewalls with my friend's hotsy pressure washer. Now, two days later, it looks like nothing is cleaned. I have to put so much oil in it (a qt/week) that the oil is new and hard to detect where it comes from. I have been able to eliminate the valve cover, though. It seems lower. I'm guessing the front main and or timing cover gasket. Does any one know what spot in the front of the engine is MOST likely to leak? Is it hard to repair? And are any special tools needed? Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Well there are only 3 places on the front it can be leaking from...

Front main seal
Timing chain cover
Oil pan.

Good luck

 

Thanks. I guess I'll have to change all 3 to know for sure.

 

Check the rubber on the dip stick too and get a Haynes/fsm Manuel it will show and tell you everything you need too know to replace the gaskets

 

You have any photos of it?

snobdds is right regarding WHERE it could be from. The front main seal is an easy repair - get a sleeve for the crank and a new seal and you can do it in an hour or so, depending on your level of expertise.

Timing cover is another story, as is the oil pan....much more involved and messy. Try cleaning it up again, taking photos of all those places, drive it a little, and do that again when you start seeing leaks.

Good luck!

 

There is also the oil pump gasket, which snobdds probably counts with the timing cover since that is what it's mounted to. The head gasket at the hidden bolt to the timing cover. The O-ring on the distributor.

If it's clean and dry it should be easy to find, keep cleaning and looking.

If it's going every where it's hitting something moving. Check ontop of the water pump, that will be the headgasket to timing cover hidden bolt. And then around the oilpump.

Autopart store will rent you a leak detector if you get desperate and can't find it, since it's "clean oil".

PS. Becareful with that pressure washer it can make leaks worse or create new ones. Say for instance you hit the oilpan seal and blow out the FIPG. You can introduce water into your oil also.

 

There is no way to tell. The fan blows it around everywhere. The only thing I can think of if to take off the fan. But then it will probably over-heat.

The pressure washer I used is a hotsy... not really much pressure... just steam.

 

Had similar problem. And it ended up being the crank seal. All I have to say is get a large breaker bar to get the crank bolt loose. Or remove the radiator and get a impact wrench on it.

 

Put a Front crank seal and an oil pump o-ring seal then see where you're at. Chances are it's one of those two.