Finding Oil Leak

Hello All!

I am trying to find an oil leak on my 1997 2.4L 5 Lug Tacoma. It leaks very slowly, almost to the point where I do not need to add any oil until the next oil change, but recently it's been bothering me as it still makes an oil stain on the floor. I included some videos, including one where I added a UV dye kit to see if anyone can help me find the culprit. I had the water pump, radiator, and valve cover gasket changed in the past two years. Truck currently has 170k miles. Thank you all!

https://imgur.com/a/KQ4J4p7

 

Looks like it all the way up at the AC compressor so my guess would be the valve cover.

 

Welcome To TW…start at the top

 

Surprisingly, when I shined the UV light at the top, I didn’t see anything

 

I will definitely check to see if it’s leaking from there. Would the leak persist from the valve cover even if the car is sitting for weeks?

 

Hard to say. Everything needs to be cleaned and then it will be easier to tell where the leak is. A few drops of oil can look like a lot at times.

 

Man my 2.4L(96) is/has been leaking for a long period of time….before I got her

I first degreased entire engine
Found valve cvr leaking
Replaced
Then noticed fresh oil drops under valve cover
From searching
Think it’s timing chain cover and (per O’Silver(I agree)) the oil pump gasket/seal
It’s so bad that I need to degrease/pwr wash engine from the bottom this time

I used that dye one time, took 3 oil changes to get that crap out completely of engine

there is a thread going about the same
Parts list and parts you might want to replace because ‘your in there’

from my investigation, I’m budgeting $200-$250 for parts 2 days of wrenching
(When it gets cooler)

 

One of the big bad wolf's on these is that oil pump cover gasket....

you know the weird shaped weak ass one that turns to clay after 80 or 90K.....

I'd clean that whole area up ......my guess is that or the front seals....there's two...

there's a front engine seal and a seal that harmonic balancer seals against the timing cover....

Oil Pump O-Ring 2RZ/3RZ OEM Toyota P/N: 15188-75021 (lceperformance.com)

 

O’Silver
I blew $20 on 3 cans of degreaser and took off today
Power washed bottom of engine in preparation for T chain cover job in upcoming future

Might lean on you if Q’s
Thanks
Steven

 

Which degreaser do you recommend?

 

I will definitely look into that. Thank you so much!

 

I like this for concentrated busting power....

GUNK Solder Seal/Citrus Multi-Surface Engine Cleaner and Degreaser 32 FL. Oz. Trigger Spray - Walmart.com



And then for washing or floating .....I use this.......


Purple Power Degreaser, 1 Gallon - Walmart.com

 

Do the 2.4s have distributor o-ring, timing chain tensioner gasket, oil filter housing gaskets? That's what I found leaking on my 2.7 after starting with the valve covers. Good luck with it, those solved mine.

 

Also those rubber half moons can leak....if you over fill.......or if you fill the oil too fast....
those moons can really leak.......speedy....

 

Thanks for all your recommendations! Such a wealth of knowledge you have!

 

I believe it does, I will check those as well. Seems like a lot of work but worth it to save our first gens!

 

Trying to get over the $25 bar at autozone….I bought 2 of house brand and one gunk(non gel)
IMO the gunk one worked better
$2.50 more than the cheap stuff

 

These right here I replace once a year....and never go past two....

they tend to crumble and develop a crack vacuum leak right at head surface or below you never see...

over time they dry out and turn rock hard....

I use curve needle nose and hemo's to get the old one out....

Dorman PCV Valve Grommet 42058 (autozone.com)

 

Ha!
Just RR’d when valve cover gasket done
Plus pcv valve/half moons/cleaned air box/AF/cleaned MAF and throttle body

guess most will have to come off doing TC cover job thou