Imperial Green TT

Just want to join the millions of satisfied Toyota Tacoma owners. I bought this new 1999 and loved
every part of it..never had a problem until I hit 283,000 miles...oil leak on front passenger under the tire well...and later on the driver side too! I have the Engine cleaned, top and bottom and took it to a Auto shop and the mechanic cannot find any leak. I noticed that I drive 30 miles
no leak..but when I parked or stop the engine a few minutes the leak will show up at times!
Not all the time..sometimes days no leak at all. I am ready to have Transmission check..but I do not have any transmission problem at all...if any body had problems like this I would really
appreciate your help.














t

 

Can you post pictures of your leak?

 

I will post a picture tomorrow when I clean up the cardboard ..right now it's raining out. After the Mechanic changed my Engine oil..I got home and
I saw a big (looks like part of the engine oil he put in there) paddle of oil..maybe a teaspoon of oil on the garage floor (driver side front fresh oil close to the tire well)..I called the mechanic and asked me to bring it back in the morning which I did..but he cannot see/find any oils of oil leak.

 

Have you ever had the valve cover gaskets done?

 

Never..

 

I would start there. It is common for the 3.4l to leak there after many many miles.

 

I am not a full mechanic and I have never went down to check the bottom of my truck..but will that cost me a lot of money to have it check and repaired? If I spend a couple of thousands..I probably will just buy another Electric/Hybrid Toyota..I will keep my Tacoma and use it for around my
are and not drive more than 50 miles away. Any suggestions are welcome! Thanks

 

No the valve covers should be a minor job. I have a kit for my Tacoma (214k miles) and i think if cost me $75. a couple hours of labor is probably all you are in for. I am just too lazy to do mine since i have the added chore of removing the supercharger and it isnt dripping! heck, if you have a small torque wrench you may be able to go snug all the bolts and stop the leak as a lot of the time they get loose over time. a 10mm socket would dop the trick. if you dont have a torque wrench, you could at the minimum go and SNUG the bolts down. They are small fasteners so dont TIGHTEN them, you could strip/break the bolt. The spec is only 53 INCH POUNDS, or a little over 4 ft-lbs.

 

Thank you m3bassman..glad to be a member of this Forum! I will try that tomorrow so maybe I don’t have to take it to AAMCO and get charged
$125-250 for a check the Tech told me!
Where can I order a kit for it?
Thanks again

 

I don't recall where I picked mine up from but there are several options. Get a kit that includes the small bolt gaskets and you'll be set.

After further thought, before you load the parts cannon and shoot parts art he thing, snug up the bolts and see if that fixes your leak or at least minimizes it. No sense spending money if that's not your root cause of the leak! Welcome to tw!