40cpe

Our '02 IS 300 5 speed has 185,000 on it and has recently began hemorrhaging oil. It has had a small valve cover leak for a few months but we were waiting until the timing belt was due again to get it all done at once. I'm retired and am going to do this my self. I'm thinking the VVTI gear o-ring has let go, so I will change it, too. I see a lot of "kits" out there at varying prices. I want a quality kit, but would like the best value. I'll do the belt, water pump, tensioner, cam and crank seals, valve cover seals, and spark plugs. Is there a "go to" vendor for these parts? Thanks for any suggestions.
Gene

daddystop

Hello Gene,

I'd probably buy a new VVTI gear rather than trying to rebuild yours. It's not that you cannot do it, it's just that it's easier to replace the entire gear.... then rebuild your old one and keep it on the bench for someday when you need it again. I'd make sure that's what's leaking first. I would buy only OEM toyota parts. I think I bought my entire timing belt kit from ebay and all of the parts were quality toyota parts in toyota bags w/ toyota part numbers. Good luck to you.

40cpe

Thanks for your comments. I've washed the engine down as best I could and am letting it drip/dry. Tomorrow I'll put it on stands, drop the lower pan, and run it to see if I can see the leak. I already have the cam sprocket cover off.

40cpe

I'm thinking now my oil leak is not from the front. I started a new thread with a picture.