Oil leak from head gasket....help.
12-26-10, 10:56 AM
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Oil leak from head gasket....help.
Hello All,
I have a 1999 ES300 with approx 140k. The car is immaculate inside and out and I have babied the engine since I bought it with 99K on it. Have always run Mobil 1 and Bosch filters. It is my wife's daily driver but she only puts about 3k miles a year on it. During a routine oil change I noticed the front (I believe the RH) exhaust manifold wet with oil. At first I thought it was the valve cover gasket but after washing the engine down and taking her for a test ride it appears the oil is coming out of the head gasket right in the middle of the head. There has been no coolant loss or any type of smoke coming from the exhaust. In fact everything seems to be working perfect other that the leak. I have never seen an oil leak out of a head gasket. I have been researching a couple of different manuals for replacing the head gasket and it is obviously a lot of work. I have a few questions I hope you can help answer. 1. Has anyone else ever come accross this? If so how did you resolve the problem. 2. Do you think changing to a high mileage non-synth oil and putting in an additive would help/cure the probem without a tear down? 3. Can you access the head bolts without actually removing the cams and the gears from the top of the heads. 4.if so, do you thing re-torquing the bolts might help? 5. if I tackle the gasket replacement process would you do both heads? 6. would you pull the whole engine and replace rear seal along with gaining good access to rear head.
Whew...I know that was a lot but I wanted to throw it out for your opinions. Thanks in advance for your time and effort in answering.
Have a great Holiday.
Kevin
I have a 1999 ES300 with approx 140k. The car is immaculate inside and out and I have babied the engine since I bought it with 99K on it. Have always run Mobil 1 and Bosch filters. It is my wife's daily driver but she only puts about 3k miles a year on it. During a routine oil change I noticed the front (I believe the RH) exhaust manifold wet with oil. At first I thought it was the valve cover gasket but after washing the engine down and taking her for a test ride it appears the oil is coming out of the head gasket right in the middle of the head. There has been no coolant loss or any type of smoke coming from the exhaust. In fact everything seems to be working perfect other that the leak. I have never seen an oil leak out of a head gasket. I have been researching a couple of different manuals for replacing the head gasket and it is obviously a lot of work. I have a few questions I hope you can help answer. 1. Has anyone else ever come accross this? If so how did you resolve the problem. 2. Do you think changing to a high mileage non-synth oil and putting in an additive would help/cure the probem without a tear down? 3. Can you access the head bolts without actually removing the cams and the gears from the top of the heads. 4.if so, do you thing re-torquing the bolts might help? 5. if I tackle the gasket replacement process would you do both heads? 6. would you pull the whole engine and replace rear seal along with gaining good access to rear head.
Whew...I know that was a lot but I wanted to throw it out for your opinions. Thanks in advance for your time and effort in answering.
Have a great Holiday.
Kevin
12-26-10, 01:15 PM
#2
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Before you do anything else, clean the engine, and buy some UV Oil leak detector, and a UV light bulb. You will than be able to easily and accurately determine the origin of your oil leak.
Its very unlikely to be a head gasket. Most likely a Valve cover gasket,
Phil
Its very unlikely to be a head gasket. Most likely a Valve cover gasket,
Phil
12-26-10, 02:50 PM
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Oil leak from head gasket....help.
Thanks Phil,
I will definitely try that. I think I was wrong in my original thread. The problem side is the front (LH) and not the back (RH). Either way I will attempt to locate the UV additive and light. I appreciate the feedback.
I will definitely try that. I think I was wrong in my original thread. The problem side is the front (LH) and not the back (RH). Either way I will attempt to locate the UV additive and light. I appreciate the feedback.
12-26-10, 04:01 PM
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mine was leaking from the cam seal on the actual rear of the engine(driver side) but would run down and around the head and made me think it was my head gasket too. turned out just the cam seal but now my valve cover gasket is leaking too so i plan on doing the timing set and upper engine gasket set this spring.
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