With 216K miles, my 98 still runs and shifts fine. I am seeing random drips right in the middle of the engine. I can't really tell where. After driving to work, I smell faint burning. Don't know what's up with that. I want to drop the pan and replace the gasket. I really don't know if it is leaking there, but that is a good place to start. What's the best way to go about removing the oil pan?

 

Could be leaking from the rear main seal.

 

Could be a couple of things. Might be the valve cover gasket if you smell burnt oil since oil touches the exhaust. (Do a visual inspection around the valve covers if there's oil all over). It could be the cam seals that are leaking or the VVTi cam gear. But with 216k miles I assume you already did your 2nd timing belt replacement and replaced all the seals?

 

No need to drop the pan. These engines almost never, or at least very rarely have leaks from the oil pans unless you bottom out or hit them on something. The common culprit is the cam seals, crank front/rear seals, valve cover gaskets, and VVTi pulley o-ring. Other than that, there's really nowhere else to leak oil from on these cars.

 

If it leaks in the middle of the car, its most likely your rear main seal as someone mentioned.

 

When I first got the car, the first thing I had done was a Valve Cover Job, as well as a timing belt/water pump job. That was about three years ago. I just came back from the Lexus dealer and bought $12 worth of gaskets for drain plug. All this time I've never had one on there. I read somewhere here that could cause leakage.

 

That's a possibility but you can't rule out what we told you so far. Did you do any visual inspection first before you bought those parts? Try cleaning the engine with a degreaser first then drive your car. Start from the top of the engine and see if it starts any leak there. From here you can see where the leak can come from.

 

Sounds like what mine is doing. I have narrowed it down to the vvt-i pully

 

Oil always leaves a trail. Typically, the rear main seal won't make the burning smell, but you have to remember the engine gets very hot and the oil will vaporize and you will smell it, just not strong. Try just finding a trail. If you can get under the car, a rear main seal will cause oil to leak from between the engine and transmission. On some cars there is even a small notch in the bell housing that the oil will drip through. Good luck!

 

I have the leak from the "keyhole" where the tranny connects. Im sure its the rear main seal. Car "spots" when parked after driving. My only question really is how hard is tranny removal Im not scared to fix it just want to know the complexity of removing our tranny. Any write ups? Yes i know..noob question

I'm not super concerned because the car from last change of oil has not lost any measurable oil on the dip stick... but I will need to fix it obviously

 

Even though its not the same car but it roughly goes like this

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...5spd-swap.html

 

can i get help on my 1999 gs 300 oil leak.. mine is dripping in the middle near the rear.. is it a rear main or other possibilities?? i already replace the valve cover gasket..

 

Remove the inspection cover on the bell housing and stick you pinky in there. Is pinky oily? Yes? Then remove tranny and change rear main and while your at it your tranny seals (so you dont have to do this all over again in a few months cuz you tranny leaked)

 

one easy way that might help or not is clean out the old oil and and when you drive it you might be able to spot the leak thats how i found mine

 

go to advanced auto and by the dye or the dye kit for $15 and you will see exactly where it is leaking.