Is this a rear main seal leak?

hitthepin · 10-20-09, 06:26 PM

I've done a search and I'm pretty sure this is a rear main seal problem. Seems people have tried Auto-RX and that slowed or stop it with some owners.

Questions I couldn't find the answer to: Could having your timing belt changed cause this?

Had my T-belt, P/S belt, water pump and radiator flushed a bit more then 3 months ago and since driven under 4K miles.

Before I had the T-belt, water pump...etc.. done, the car was tight as a drum. Any chance the dealership forgot to tighten something?

v4tuna · 10-20-09, 06:46 PM

Can't help you out just want to comment how friendly california is to the underside of an automobile. I'm in canada and the salt the use on roads usually causes some corrosion . Your ride is sooo clean.....except for the oil leak.

Here we spray oil all over the underside so that wouldn't bother me at all

hitthepin · 10-20-09, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by v4tuna

Can't help you out just want to comment how friendly california is to the underside of an automobile. I'm in canada and the salt the use on roads usually causes some corrosion . Your ride is sooo clean.....except for the oil leak.

Here we spray oil all over the underside so that wouldn't bother me at all

Yeah, I guess CA is good for something other then high taxes.

My RX actually spent 2 of its almost 7 years in the North East though. However I've really tried to take care of it.

Nad1370 · 10-20-09, 07:17 PM

This looks like a rear main seal and/or torque converter seal that's leaking.
(fluid reddish)?

None of the work that was done would cause this leak.

hitthepin · 10-20-09, 07:47 PM

Thanks for the reply. However the leaking fluid isn't reddish. Its looks just like motor oil that would drain during an oil change. I guess the lightning and underside made it look that way.

What do think? Expensive job?

code58 · 10-21-09, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hitthepin

Thanks for the reply. However the leaking fluid isn't reddish. Its looks just like motor oil that would drain during an oil change. I guess the lightning and underside made it look that way.

What do think? Expensive job?

Depends on where you have it done. Dealer would be expensive. Independent wouldn't be near as expensive, as is also true for a Toyota dealer. $1k-$1500. at Lexus dealer. $750.- $900. at Toyota and MIGHT be a little cheaper at an independent. That leak doesn't look bad for a rear main seal. I would try the Auto-RX myself. Cost you about $25. and could very well stop it. It has for others.

As others have already told you, no chance of what the dealer did in parts that you named having caused it. Opposite ends of the engine. Strictly coincidence.

hitthepin · 10-21-09, 09:21 AM

Thanks Code58. I am going to try the Auto-Rx first. I have a bottle left over in fact from a sludge test I did about more than a year ago. Going to order more today.

Just wanted to make sure it didn't have anything to do with the T-belt/water pump service. Coolant too..

RayN · 10-21-09, 11:03 AM

Rear main seal. Exactly the same leak where I had. I used Auto-RX and so far the leak is gone.

hitthepin · 10-21-09, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RayN

Rear main seal. Exactly the same leak where I had. I used Auto-RX and so far the leak is gone.

Thanks. Would you share how you used the Auto-RX? ...and how many miles since the leak has stopped.

I plan on using the 2oz per quart of oil, using dino oil drive 2500 and then do a rinse phase as the Auto-RX website says to do.

Is this what you did or did you modify any of the procedure?

RayN · 10-22-09, 11:25 AM

I just followed Auto-RX procedure using a dino oil, 3000 miles. I notice the leak stop less than 100 miles after Auto-RX applied.

hitthepin · 10-22-09, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RayN

I just followed Auto-RX procedure using a dino oil, 3000 miles. I notice the leak stop less than 100 miles after Auto-RX applied.

Thanks. I know what to do, just not sure what to expect so this is good feedback I can use a benchmark.

TWong1200 · 10-22-09, 06:08 PM

As others state, definitely a rear main seal and completely unrelated to the work you had done.

hitthepin · 10-22-09, 08:53 PM

Darn.. I was hoping it was something the dealership did so they'd be on the hook for it.

Lexmex · 10-23-09, 05:13 AM

If you use Auto-RX, as Ray-N pointed out, you use dino oil with it. My uncle used to use this stuff in Mexico until we started having some issues importing it (and avoiding the hefty customs tax

, but we were using Chevron 5W30 oil we got at Costco (one of the best conventional oils) for small passenger vehicles and used Castrol GTX (Walmart had it) and stuff generally for stuff powerful 6 cylinder vehicles and above.

blueridge · 10-23-09, 09:21 AM

I did the Auto-RX treatment as Lexmex pointed out. I used it with Autozone brand 5-30. I used the high mileage treatment and currently on the finial rinse phase.