Rokas

Just when you think finally! All is good! Not so fast.

I saved up the money after months and months to get my timing belt and water pump done. I have the parts and all.

The belt may last another 10k miles although it's showing small cracking at the top. I had a car with 20k miles more that also needed belt changed except it was a LOT more cracked.

Still, not wanting to risk it, I want to do this job now.

But out of nowhere appeared a pretty big oil leak. And it's random, too. First the car was leaking maybe a quart every 2 days and even though I drive alot, that's still too much. ONE day, I topped it off in the morning, got in to go pick up my wife, and the oil pressure light came on. That happened once but it's like it all leaked out in a day...

NOW, since that happened, it has been 3 days and the oil is at about the same level. Just a little less. So this leak seems to be random, how weird that is?

My question is basically, what do you guys think it could be?

It seems to be coming from front left under the hood if you're sitting in the car. Driver side, closer to front of car.

I'm asking for a few reasons. What is the worst it could be? Someone mentioned crankshaft seal?

I get confused with this; the water pump is not for oil or is it? Could it be that?

I'm at 212k miles in a '96. She runs very good. Just leaks like a sieve SOMETIMES and needs maintenance. Where do I start with $500? I'll just say it. When I looked before, I found a couple mechanics who said $350 for belt and pump so that's what I'm assuming.

What should I be expecting? I should do the big belt and pump job, right? I plan on keeping this car for a very long time and if I need to top off oil all day long for a little while, well, okay I guess. ;/

Rokas

Also, I should probably at the least have them do the valve cover gaskets because that will be off anyway, yes? One seems like it's starting to leak.

As far as valve cover gaskets, it can't be leaking that much, can it? Thanks guys.

Legender

You'll need to get underneath the see where the oil is coming from... but that much I'd look at 2 places... crank seal/cam seals and you'll be there anyways when you do the timing belt, but you can't see it until you get the cover off. Other location would be oil pan seal itself. But I think you'll find the crank/cam seal to be the culprit on the driver side.

Might want to check out some youtube videos on timing belt replacement and see the other items that should be done at the same time while you're there.

deanshark

I doubt that much would ever come out the valve covers. And no, they wont be off when you do the T-belt.
I think I've only read about 1 oil pan leaking on here since I joined. So that's unlikely, but always possible.
The cam and crank seals can leak that much and definitely should be changed while you're in there. They're cheap enough and should only take another 15 minutes to do them while everything is off. I didn't change mine and a month after I did the T-belt job, I did it again to change the seals when one started leaking. The place you describe where it's coming from sounds like the cam seal but you cant see it unless you take off the timing covers.

mikaelse

Really strange to get a bad oil leak quickly. Can not reasonably be any shaft seals. They start very slow over time. Over pressure due to clogged hose?.
I did the cambelt / waterpump DIY. Not difficult but a lot of work.
Dont do my misstake when taking the serpentine tensioner apart (to change the bearing) and missing that the screw holding the bearing is a leftie.
I stripped the threads and my pride a bit......

aptoslexus

The first thing I would check is the oil filter, considering the amount of leakage, which is so much I wouldn't drive the car without addressing the issue. The filter might be damaged or loose. In any case, you should get under the car and find out. Your estimate for timing belt and water pump is very low. There's a lot of labor involved with that job and $350 seems to good to be true, imo.

Rokas

Geez, can't get a break. Life eh?

The oil filter is the first thing I thought too. It even looks like it's leaking because a big drip comes off of it aswell as a couple other places. I replaced it, no help.

billydpowe

iTrader: (1)

I to think your estimate is too low, replace both cam seals and crank seal, they come in the kit and are super easy, 500$ is a fair piice (hope your mechanic knows what he is doing)
on your oil leak, take the filter off and make sure it dosent have TWO o-ring seals on it.. I have seen that happen... sometimes the oring sticks and dosent come off.

Bylan

Not sure why the leak would be intermittent, but I recently did a whole tbelt/waterpump/front camshaft and crank seal on my 1997 LS. My car developed a massive oil leak that took it off the road for last winter. A shop I took it to told me I had an oil pump leak and thatd itd be an engine out job to the tune of $1300, I noped outta that and ended up doing the belt and seals myself, knowing they HAD to be the source of the leak on an otherwise healthy motor. 12,000 miles later and 1/4 of the cost (w/additional tune up parts while I was in there) and all is well. Without getting down to the timing belt, it'll be impossible to tell where the leak is coming from. Behind my timing cover was a MESS and I couldn't tell which seal was leaking, so I did em all.

spuds

[QUOTE=Rokas;10309199]Geez, can't get a break. Life eh?/[QUOTE]
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You did get one break,you have the easy cam seals.

Losiracer2

My leak turned out to be the crank seal. Good luck getting the 350 for the job. I was only able to get mine done for $400 after looking and calling 10 different shops. Most wanted about 550 for the Tbelt water pump and cam/crank seals. Lexus dealer, forget about it, at least double that. This is with me bringing in parts also.

dicer

And likely you won't see where the leak comes from till its all torn apart. A cam seal or crank seal should make the belt a bit oily. Let us know what you find.

Rokas

You know what guys, there MIGHT be two O-rings there. That was my first guess too and it did look like the oil filter was leaking. I need to check that because I'm pretty sure now that the O-ring is still there. I DID change the filter. Heck, I'm praying it's an extra O-ring. And it surely could have happened - the old filter was OLD, mean at least 40k miles I'm guessing.

Thank you.

I should get the car back soon.

The leak is from that area and someone said they've heard of an oil pan leaking. Well, if it's not the oil filter, then possibly that's what it is because when I was looking, one thought I had was that it actually could be that because it was wet everywhere...

Update when I get the car. Thank you.

Rokas

Oh and I'm paying $550 for pump and belt. I had the parts, including the timing belt kit. That should have every seal I need while they're down there, yes?

oldskewel

iTrader: (1)

Billy's got a good point here. A "random" leak as you describe is just very weird. Something totally not normal must have happened. And a doubled filter gasket might be that. Or if not, something else must be causing the randomness.

Totally different place to look - have you checked your PCV valve? That is supposed to let vapor pressure out of the engine (combustion blow by, etc.). If it clogs (very simple thing, but it does happen) it would allow pressure to build up and that would force oil past a weakened seal. Perhaps "randomly" as the PCV valve sticks and un-sticks. Pretty easy to check. The PCV valve should rattle once you remove it. And you'll need a new rubber grommet for it since it will be hard and cracking. Don't worry total price for PCV + grommet should be under $10, maybe under $5. Don't let broken grommet chunks fall in through the valve cover.