My 2001 RX has 207k miles. In July 2017 I had the timing belt, water pump. cam & crank shaft seals, and tensioner replaced. The valve cover gaskets were also replaced in March of 2017.
Shortly after the timing belt was replaced the car started leaking large amounts of oil. I had to put approximately 3 quarts of oil in it in a 3 month period (following an oil change). I took the car back to the mechanic that did the timing belt work and they're claiming it's the oil pump that's leaking and quoted me $600 to replace it.
If the oil pump needs to be replaced then that's what I'll do, but from what I've read the oil pump usually lasts the life of the car. It just seems a little coincidental that it started leaking right after they worked on it and now it needs another $600 repair. Anybody have any thoughts on this?
I'd like to take it somewhere else for a second opinion but I know it's a lot of time in labor to disassemble and get to the timing belt area to see where the leak is coming from, so I'm not sure how to go about getting a second opinion without paying more money for this.

 

Please post which location the oil is dripping out of the engine block.

Salim

 

Oh, of course! It's leaking under the passengers side of the engine. I had an oil change last week and they confirmed that the leak was coming from under the timing cover. That's what made me take it back to the mechanic who had done the timing belt replacement.

 

Well, the oil pump is in an enclosed area of the engine so why would that cause a leak from the timing belt cover?

 

Just remove the accessory belts and remove the main pulley [easier said than done] and remove the bottom timing cover. You will be able to tell if the leak is from the main seal .. which seems like the most likely place.

My conclusion is simply based on the post. Reality may be different .. but it seems removing the timing cover is needed to see the source of the leak.


Salim