Has anyone either done this themselves or had it serviced recently? Dealer is charging me 3 hours of labor. Charging me a bit over 300

 

Can you please fill in details or add photos.

Banjo bolts are used to tie in a pipe carrying fuel at 90 degrees. The bolt has a hole in the center and connecting hole on the side. There are two crush washer on the side of the pipe.

The crush washers should be replaced every time. The bolt should not need replacement unless it is mutilated.

Typical time to remove, replace washers and retighten should be 10 min max. That would round up to 1/2hr labor.

Stop at a diesel repair shop and they can replace it in their sleep.

Now if the banjo bolt is located deep in the engine bay and many things need to be moved out and then put back the labor time can quickly rise.

Salim

 

all i got from them was banjo in the rear is leaking and it needing a washer

 

I would want to know the significant details (exactly which banjo bolt, exactly what location, etc.) before deciding what to do.

 

Gravity and fill level are your friend.

Look for drips on the ground or loss of level.

Other clues that might help ... what was the shop looking for? or what was the reason for the shop visit.

Salim

 

It seem likely the dealer is referring to VVT line banjo bolt which is located in the rear. I have not changed or replaced the washer in my RX350, but it seems like 2 to 3 hr repair job at a shop I suppose.

Here the banjo bolt in question most likely. The bolt in the center with the metal line.

 

Awesome detective work!

That definitely is a banjo bolt, but is it the banjo bolt.

Access seems easy enough, at the most a splash shield needs to be removed [unlikely].

Torque wrench and 2 washer and armed with the spec, I would say 1/2 hr max of labor as the camera is showing straight access. If the pipe has to be replaced then it would take more time.

Some one may be tempted to just wrench the bolt harder, but I would highly recommend to use the torque wrench and use dealer supplied crush washers [you need a pair .. one on each side of the pipe].

To confirm that is the location, OP needs to look at it and also determine the level of leak. If it is seepage, one can wait it out and combine it with some other repair down the road. I as a DIY would fix it.

Salim

 

Thank you.

I believe that it could be a "shop book" 2 hr job maybe if the mechanic actually remove the VVT line to replace the washer without bending the line. From what I read the VVT line has to be removed(or slightly bent) to perform work on them as the metal line sit very snug on the cylinder heads or timing cover; which may make it difficulty to swap washers without removing the line from both locations without damaging it.

To be honest due to location, the leak is probably from a weeping timing cover as the timing cover tend leak just behind the VVT banjo bolt.

 

yup that's how mine looked when they sent me a video. It their notes they didn't explain full detail but ok so it seems to be a 2-3 hour job then.

 

Hopefully, the dealer service tech is changing both sides of the VVT line bolt washers and is actually removing the line to do it. However, if the tech is just replacing the washer on one side of the line and just bend it to replace the washer then it will not be an actual 2-3hr repair.

Either way, you will never know I suppose. The important thing is if the repair will stop the oil leak.

 

ahah, right. we'll see i guess.

 

If you are not DIY type, just drive up to a diesel mechanic. Less than $100 solution. Dealership will be about 500.

If you are DIY or even willing to crawl under, buy a can of brake cleaner and hose the area down. Check next day if the Bajo union is leaking. I am 95% sure the crush washer can be replaced by gentle prying [1 mm is all you need to remove one, and once one is removed, you gain the thickness of washer dimension]. As carguy pointed out, the leak maybe somewhere else.

For a 10yr old vehicle a little seepage can be lived with.

Salim

 

no i'm not really a diy for this type of stuff but i am going to a local mechanic to get a 2nd opinion.

 

Here is the same seepage on my 2010 RX450h that the garage took a photo of when I was getting it looked at for water pump replacement. While up on the lift , very easy to see and get access to. Never found a oil spot ever on my driveway, so I’m leaving well enough alone

 

Just a guess, but it looks like you may have a couple weeping gaskets or seals. It seem like the cam cover seal(just over the water pump under the plastic cover) is leaking as well as the banjo bolt or timing cover. The timing cover seal tend to leak behind(and above) the banjo bolt and look like an banjo bolt leak, but it seems that your banjo bolt is actually leaking due to excessive amount of oil on the line itself. Usually an timing cover leak will have more oil on the timing cover under the banjo bolt.

To be honest your RX350 can have a weeping leak on the timing cover, the banjo bolt, and the cam cover all at the same time. They are all common leak points on this engine.

I would clean it up and see how long it takes for the oil residue to return while keeping an eye on your oil level.