Oil pan gasket leak

I have 328K on my truck and have an oil leak that I'd like to fix. I'm pretty sure it's coming from the passenger side oil pan. Being a 4wd, it doesn't sound like a simple job. I'm not excited about dropping the diff and am leaning toward pulling the motor mount bolts and hopefully tipping the engine/trans enough to get it done. I have the NWOR header installed. Any advise is welcome.

 

Have you tried tightening the bolts and see if that helps slow it any?

 

Here's the best advice you're going to get. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT! The amount of leaking you showed is not bad. I don't even see where a drip is forming. What's the worst that can happen? You need to add an ounce of oil every so often? Unless your engine is burning oil, I bet you can't even detect a loss of oil between your oil change intervals. I've got an 85 4runner that burns a quart of oil every 500 miles. What am I doing about it? Nothing. I drive it and carry motor oil with me on long drives. You are right that dropping the pan would require you to remove the front differential. Good luck getting it out by tipping the engine. I've pulled front differentials on these rigs multiple times and it's not that hard once you know the secret to making it easier. But, like I said, I wouldn't do anything about the leak you have. Drive it and forget about it.

If you're really stuck on this and can't let it go, here's a video that will help you get the job done. Be sure to read the video description and comment I pinned for helpful information. In the comment I pinned, I discuss some tips on having a much easier time getting the differential out and back in.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/w_gPiDvh9v4

 

Leak looks like it's coming from above like valve cover gasket at left rear.

 

Thanks for advice and info. I just checked the oil pan bolts and was able to tighten them some; I suspect this will help. Truck has never leaked onto the driveway until the last 6 months or so. There has been oil in the skid plates but it never leaked on the driveway. Now there is a small drip where I park. I don't mind it leaking as long as it doesn't drip where I park.

The valve cover gasket is bone dry. I replaced it when I checked valve lash a few years ago. I believe the leak appears to be above the pan edge because wind from driving blows it upward.

 

I copied the URL for your video (which I had already downloaded years ago - thanks!) and plugged it into my browser. Another excellent video!!

Unfortunately for me, all I could see below your video was your list of tools. After that, no tips, nothing. Oh well...

 

You must have missed that I said the tips are in a "Pinned Comment". Any comment I pin will be the first comment you see. I regularly make pinned comments in our videos to give updates on things we learned after we filmed the job. Check it out.

 

damm sucks about the leak but looks like your ride is super clean.

 

May be an oil pan leak, but I think not. Most of the oily evidence is above the pan, which leads me to believe it's something else dripping from above. Spray brake cleaner and wipe it down and then check it in a day or two and see if you can trace it. Pic #2 looks like maybe a power steering leak/spillage and Pic#3 looks like it could be from a leaky crack shaft seal.

 

Thanks, the truck was well taken care of by original owner and trying to do my part too. It's currently dirty and needs a good detail.

Thanks for the input. I can be a bit stubborn but now that two of you have tried to say it's coming from elsewhere, I'll give it a look. It will be a bit more difficult now that I treated the frame with Fluid Film this morning(I got carried away and sprayed the oil pan too).

 

I mean crank shaft seal.

 

Were those pictures after pressure washing that side of the engine ??

It never fails one or two drips of oil looks like a quart.

How many quarts of oil per 100 miles ?

 

funny, I read it as "crank".

I degreased and pressure washed about a week ago. I don't have to add oil between changes.... and I go 7K miles.

 

X2...

 

When y'all say "crank shaft seal", are you talking about front if motor or rear?

 

I understand it as front when someone says "crank shaft seal" otherwise it's referred to as "rear main".

 

Gotcha. That doesn't sound too bad of a job. If thats the little cover down low on the front of the motor, it does look suspicious.

 

Your worried about a leak that does not cause enough loss to need oil after 7000 miles ??

Maybe pull the engine and change front and rear crank seals oil pan and valve covers pretty sure one of those is leaking


I leaked two quarts in less then 500 miles at least I never changed oil just the filter every 3000

Drove that engine like that for 3 years had one fresh on the stand just never did install it gave the truck away

 

What can I say, I don't like leaks.

 

Check the oil filter mount. Mine was leaking because the gaskets were starting to rot.


If that's not it, I also found a leak coming from where the distributor would be mounted on an older truck. Right where your coil packs are mounted, there is a hidden plug.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tiffany-the-taco.374490/page-13#post-22033433


I also had a pan gasket leak, crank seal leak, and now a rear main seal leak. It's good to look at all those places.