1st Gen Tacoma Automatic V6 4x4 bolt location?

Guys,

I was changing my oil today, and noticed something odd while under the truck...

I think I'm missing a bolt where the engine is matted to the transmission.

See the empty hole at the bottom...



I wiped the gunk away form to see inside the hole and I don't see any threads, so maybe I'm wrong.

I know it's alot to ask, but can verify if there is suppose to be a bolt there?

I'd really appreciate it.

I know the transmission mount bot come lose very often on our trucks, so I'm wondering if this was the same.

Thanks in advance...

 

Anyone have a 1st Gen automatic v6, that could look under the tranny for me?

 

It is the bolt that holds your flywheel cover on .

 

So yours does have a bolt there where I am missing one?

 

yes mine dos have a bolt. but I dont think it will hurt anything if it is missing . If it makes you feel better, pull one out and take it to ace hardware and size it up and replace it. Thats what I would do! I would go a grade 5 bolt. Hope that helps.

 

Here's a dumb question.

Does that compartment for the flywheel have oil in it?

I'm getting a tiny oil leak right at the hump where the bolt is missing.

I'm wondering if its coming from the flywheel compartment since it's missing the bolt?

Any ideas would greatly help.

 

The bolt has nothing to do with the leak. You may have a seal leaking on the the tranny or the flywheel itself may be leaking. If you take the rest of the bolts off the cover will slide rite out and you will be able to see part of the flywheel. You may be able to see where the leak is coming from. If you cannt tell because of all the oil, spray it out with brake cleaner and drive it around and then inspect it again. Let me know what you find..

 

So just to be sure...

When I take the cover off, and that flywheel housing should be empty?

And it's safe to drive it around with the cover off?

The oil is brown, and I thought the atf is red.

 

Well most likely your rear main seal is gone. you are leaking engine oil through that.

 

X2 If the fluid is brown it is most likely moter oil. Yes it is save to drive it without the cover for a short time, just stay away from mud.

 

OK. I just removed the cover. The there was no oil in the housing.

The under side of the housing was dirty, but not oily. The oil only seemed to be against where the cover was matted to the housing. The flywheel is clean. Maybe the leak is from the oil pan.

I'm goin to clean it with brake cleaner and take it for a drive.

The leak is so small. I wonder if I'll find it.

 

So...

I took the cover off, and cleaned everything around the flywheel and the bell housing. I also clean all the old oil from around the oil pan.

Drove to ACE (to get the new flywheel cover bolts) and back, and there was no oil on the flywheel or on the flywheel housing or on the bottom side of the housing.

ACE is about 5 miles round trip, maybe I have to drive further.

I'm about 82% positive that it may be the oil pan. I mean...if it was the rear main seal, wouldn't of there been oil in and/or on the flywheel/housing?

If it is the oil pan, then the leak would take the path of least resistance, which in this case is the flywheel cover.

 

I have to agree with you. I dont beleave its the rear seal!! I would replace the cover clean off the oil pan with brake cleaner and drive it for a couple of days and inspect it again. Iam thinking it may be an oil pan gasket.

 

I though that I am not supposed to get brake cleaner on anything rubber, which is why didn't clean the oil pan while I was down there.

All the belts are right there against the front of the oil pan. Is is ok to get brake cleaner on those, or do I wrap them up in something?

The oil pan gasket is going to be a major PITA. I think I have to either lift the engine, or drop the front diff to get it out.

 

yah, I would try to not get the cleaner on your belts. Sheild them with a rag and be careful spraying arould them and any wiring. As far as replacing the oil pan gasket, yah if yours is a 4x4 it will be a PITA!! You may wont to have a shop do the work. Some things just isn't worth doing your self.

 

I was thinking, is the whole oil pan wet? Are you the only one how has done the oil changes on your truck? I ask because if some one else did thay may have gotten messy when changing the oil. This gen taco is not the easiest to change oil on. If you do not remove the bottem skid plate when changing the oil, when you remove the drain plug and when you remove the filter the old oil gets everywhere. Then when you drive it the wind will blow it on your oil pan.. Just a thought. Also if the front of the oil pan is dry dont worry about spraying the front and you wont have to worry about your belts.

 

The previous owner did make a mess the changes. I've cleaned it up alot since buying it. Now when I do my changes, I take an old funnel that I sealed off the bottom to and place it under the filter so it catches the oil when I remove the filter.

I just thought it was odd that the oil stains were all around the oil pan. So I starting paying attention and thats when I noticed the missing bolt, and then I noticed the drops at the rear and front of the pan.

I am losing about 2 drops every 50 to 100 miles. There's really no significant change in the my oil level between changes. I'm about 5k miles until my timing belt needs replacement, I might wait until then since I'll have the entire front end apart.

I figure if the loss is so minor, I can live with it for a while.

 

Hello,

I have a 2003 Toyota Tacoma truck that is also missing the bolt where the engine is attached to the transmission and having a small leak. Did you ever figure out the cause of this leak?

 

I've seen many other tacos that did't have that bolt. Actually, if it's like mine that hole shouldn't even have threads.

The leak on mine is still there, but's progressed from the rear of the oil pan to all around the lip.

I'm 90% sure that the oil pan gasket needs to be replaced. But I can talk my self into tearing up the entire front end for the oil pan gasket when I'm losing a couple millimeters in between oil changes.