The infamous timing chain cover leak...

Get a couple of cans of engine degreeaser. Spray it good and hit it with a power watch. Then monitor.

 

My Toyota dealer service said my 2016 TRD Off-road has this timing cover gasket leak (on right) as well as power steering rack leak (on left). I had another shop verify the steering rack problem and they replace the rack. Then a couple of weeks later replaced power steering pump. So this shop were working in the area twice and did not report a timing cover gasket leak. I wondering if the dealer misdiagnosed the timing cover leak...

 

So is this other way to fix less expensive? Toyota is quoting $4475.

 

no same cost, it still sucks to do. Less risk with the engine in

 

This is the only other “fix” I’ve seen on here that seems to work…mostly.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/timing-cover-leak-easy-fix.714515/

 

Just got mine looked at and they confirmed that it's a timing cover leak. When I spoke to the tech he said they have to pull the engine out to work on it

 

We used to, now we remove diff and rack, much easier.

 

@Bishop84 What's the cost to remove the diff and rack? At around 120K, I noticed that my timing cover was leaking. I had my inspection done last week (126K) and the dealer told me the timing cover is leaking and would be about 19 hrs. of labor to fix. It was never mentioned in any of my previous services. Will look into replacing the stupid PCV valve.

 

I have a ‘17 sport. Mine looks like this. I get some degreaser and spray it off. I didn’t do my due diligence in checking before the 60k mark. My dealer didn’t say anything in the notes or didn’t mark down anything. It sure as hell looked like an oil zone been there for awhile. I drive my truck and keep an eye on it. I’m at 102k miles now and still drives fine.

 

I have an oil seepage as well. At first glance I thought it was my power steering pump because I was a bit low. When I looked around some more with the light it looks like what others are finding, the timing cover leak. I have 145k, and bought the truck at 80k. I have never been low on oil, and I've been doing the maintenance on my own. I really noticed it while I was changing my oil and had the skid plate off this past week. I'm out of warranty for sure, and uncertain what to think of this. It's been pretty reliable for me, and my family has had Toyotas all my life with some reaching 400k. Also, I drive the crap out of it.

 

I think if it's not affecting the level in between oil changes, I'd just leave it and keep an eye on it. Periodically clean it.

 

Just had my 2022 in for its 30k service yesterday, and I have it scheduled in two weeks to get the repair taken care of. I know the master tech doing the repair, and have much faith in him! The good news is that if there are any issues in the future, the dealer I purchased from includes a lifetime power train warranty.

 

Pretty common issue, but I wonder why some never see the issue? I guess just better luck with assembly during manufacture.

My 3 previous 4x4s all had oil leaks after 100K miles. I never fixed any of them. Never any major oil loss, or damage. To me, a truck that leaks oil has been par for the course.

My 2016 TRD OR has 75K miles on it now with hundreds of very hard off road trips, heavy loads, brutal hills, etc. Running 4,000rpm uphill for 20 miles with 1,000 pounds in the back is common. Truck has been beat on.

No leaks yet, but like my other trucks when it inevitably comes as long as it is not severe I will just let it leak.

 

Hello!

Did any ice fishing this year?

 

Is there no way to remove the grill/radiator to do the repair? On the Sprinter van I had, most repairs usually involved removing the grill/radiator to gain access to the entire front of the engine.

I’d imagine removing the cab is easier than removing the engine too, which is what they do for pretty much all Ford trucks. Is that not an option for this?

 

The issue is the lower pan prevents the cover from being removed. So front access isn’t the issue, it’s the bottom that is the issue.

Even cab off doesn’t help.

 

None. We had the warm December, then the short lived -20 to -30c cold snap, but back to warm again. None of the local lakes have safe ice.

 

For anyone with this issue who is outside of warranty, you might try running a 5w-30 high mileage oil.

It won’t hurt anything and might slow the leak to a point where you can live with it.

 

Yeah same here. Was like a a week of -20-30, then to +13 and now it’s -7.

 

No ice fishing, but the odd weather and lower snowfall has let me get out for several mountain trips since December. Past winters could not do that as there was too much snow and all trails under 3 foot or more of snow.

Last trip I was driving on 6 inches of fresh snow on top, with the snow below that about 16 inches of solid ice from the melt and then deep freeze. Driving on top of the snow mobile tracks for 30km up the mountainside. Really nice. This week do the same again.

That lack of snow will be very bad come fire season. Hope we get a shitload of rain March to June but not likely. For 2023 we had only 40mm more rain than Phoenix AZ.