VVTI Selenoid

Local shop told me I had a leaking PS pump. Got her home and my PS reservoir was completely full. Did a little research and the 2016 is pretty notorious for a timing cover leak that often enough get mistaken for PS leak.

I got a 2nd opinion because after cleaning everything up I could not locate the leak myself. They told me it was my camshaft timing oil control solenoid or VVTI Selenoid above the PS that is leaking. Which is a huge relief.

I couldn't find any threads outside of a red bullet VVTI group buy. Curious if anyone has had this issue, and what you swapped with? None of the local shops have the selenoid so I'll have to order one either way.

 

Which side of the engine has signs of the leak?

 

Left side around the power steering pump...

 

Hard to get a good pic of the leak, especially after cleaning it.

 

I'd clean everything super well, just so you can pinpoint the leak. If its leaking from the vvti solenoid, its just an oring around it that acts as the seal. Easy enough to just get that oring from Toyota, or a general Oring store.

 

Glad I reached out. Sometimes your just too close to a project. Makes sense that the selenoid isn't bad, not having any issues outside of the slow leak. Gonna pull it today and replace the o ring and get everything squeaky clean while I'm in there. Then just keep a close eye on it. Thanks for the tip!

 

Check the timing chain tensioner cover. It is on the right of the steering pump and below the solenoid.
Toyota uses a metal gasket and the cover is hand tight. I saw it on mine, cleaned it, torqued 4 bolts and so far no visible leaks

 

Any tips on degreasing without accidentally spraying it on my belts?

 

I used cheap decreaser, tooth brushes and rags. Perhaps use foamy decreasers, less overspray and dripping

 

I would be way more worried about any VVTI-related solenoid leak than any power steering stuff. That is a way more vital and expensive to repair system...

 

Ended up using dawn soap in the pressure washer. Just zip tied bags over the sensor connections. Made it easy to get into all the tight spots I otherwise wouldn't have been able to.

Wrapped my belts with foil and used a plastic straw extension with the degreaser to get all the spots I missed. Worked pretty well.

Saw this thread:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-fix-the-timing-chain-cover-oil-leak.525227/

Just gonna keep an eye on it for now. When I have another free weekend to work on it I'm gonna replace the o ring on the selenoid, and use gasket maker on the timing chain cover since those are easy places to start.

If it's the actual timing chain cover like I've seen videos for. I think I'm in the business of doing routine cleanings and oil level checks. There's no way I'm going through that amount of work, or paying someone upwards of $5k unless it starts leaking more. My skids catch everything so there's never any ground drip. Not sure when it started but it was pretty apparent it's been leaking for some time, and very slow.

 

I'm pretty confident it's not the power steering, or it would have been made apparent by the reservoir losing fluid. Got everything cleaned up, gonna keep a close eye on it.

 

Your talking about the little plate behind the serpentine belt?

 

Yes, with 4 bolts

 

Ok, yes. This and the o ring are my next steps. Thank you.

 

The timing chain tensioner gasket is not good. I have 2zr-fe engine that developed the leak around timing chain tensioner over time. Same gasket type -thin metal and low torque specs.

 

You suggest gasket maker, or just cleaning it and torqing it down?

 

I just torqued those bolts and cleaned around. 2 were a bit loose.
I would get a new one from Toyota if planning to open. I had my experience with rockauto supplied kits and it was not good. However, FEL Pro products are very good. Not sure if they make this cover gasket, could be available in the kit.