Timing cover leak, easy fix

just clean it up with brake clean, scrape off any loose crap or old silicone, lay a bead of permatex "the right stuff" and it wont leak afterwards

 

That’s a really good idea that seems obvious but honestly I had never thought about doing it. I was waiting for better weather probably another couple months before I was going to reseal my timing cover but I think I will probably try this out first. Thanks for the tip. Mopar makes a really good rtv that I usually use. A lot of guys tell me hondabond is also high quality rtv but I’ve never tried that one.

 

I'll give this a shot. Thanks! Looks like valve cover gaskets are due as well. Gonna be a big day

 

Nah turd genners can find this on their own.

 

I use Yamabond 4 on most things or Polaris crank case sealant. It's also Hondabond and (for you pasta burners) Ducatibond. It's threebond tb1104, but it's apparently discontinued.

 

So far so good!

 

My 3rd gen has a slow timing cover leak I'm going to seal with permatex. When moving the power steering pump out of the way what all do I need to unbolt? Can I just remove the belt, unbolt the 3 screws behind the pulley and then I can move it out of the way?

 

Hi, ( i am new to tacomaworld)I have a 3rd gen too, and just got back from dealer to find out that i have a timing chain cover leak too.....i am freaking out. I dont want to spend $4000 on repair right now...Saw your post, did u put the permatex?...I wanted to maybe try a bottle of stop leak in the motor first!!

 

I vote don't stop leak it. The timing cover can leak for years before it'll ever be a problem, if it'll ever be a problem. Are you getting drips? Did you clean the area and watch how fast it comes back? Are you adding oil?

i vote just leave it but that's what I'm doing with mine. I have a few drips but only on the under rock guards. I cleaned mine good and after 50 miles I could see a drop forming under the power steering. I plan to fix it someday but until then I think it'll be fine. I don't add oil. Hope that takes you off the cliff. I'd love to hear what other's think. Good Luck.

 

I haven’t yet, all I’ve done is replace the pcv valve, which is a good place to start because they can get gunked up and cause excess pressure which can then help lead to the timing chain cover to leak.

I also talked to the guys over at San Diego Trux (a well known Toyota/ Lexus shop). They told me this is pretty common on our tacomas and he’s never seen it be an issue. Almost always a slow leak that he never really sees get worse. Not worth fixing bc of the cost, and always the chance it happens again. The leak is generally so minor that the oil level stays the exact same during the 10k intervals.

This gave me a lot of reassurance and I still plan on doing the permatex method, but it’s such a slow leak I’m not too worried. Just keep an eye on the leak and your oil level between intervals.

 

Thnx for the input.....will replace valve, and if it still leaks, will try permatex......will keep u posted....thnx again

 

thnx for the post...Yes getting some spots in driveway....had motor all cleaned and the leak came back after 1 week(200km)...oil level remains the same(weird)....I have never encountered an issue like this, so first thing that came to mind was stopleak oil.....i will try another option...thnx.....*****there should be a recall on this issue*** just joined this page, and was surprised by so many people with this problem!!!!

 

Go ask in the turd gen forums.

 

I dunno, my dealership did it

 

did it work?

 

Seems to have. But I meant they fixed the issue, not that they applied the sealer like this.

 

My 2009 Tacoma 4.0 (1GR-FE Z) just rolled 130,000 miles. From what I have read it looks like the notorious timing chain cover leak. My symptoms are as follows:
I first noticed oil around my power steering pump. When park, I leak a small amount of oil (drips off of the jack point). Today I took off my skid plate to clean up the residue and get a better idea/confirmation of the leak. I observed that there was also lots of residue on the driver side of the engine bay as well, under the alternator, building up gunk on the AC compressor (on top of the bolts and hoses).

I plan to clean it up and use the "Permatex fix" I found on this thread.

This thread only showed using sealant on the passenger (PS pump) side, however I have read plenty of "timing chain cover leak diagnoses" with residue on the driver side.

I am looking to get clarification on if I need to seal both sides. Has anyone done both and could talk me through the process? My only other explanation for oil on both sides would be my serpentine belt and other moving parts flinging the oil to the rest of my engine bay.

 

My '06 just rolled over 130K miles and I finally got around to fixing my leaks. The primary culprit on my engine was the access cover for the timing chain tensioner. I also replaced both valve cover gaskets b/c I had weeping at multiple spots on both (no drips, just oily residue that dirt would stick to). Maybe the oil you're getting on the driver side is from a leaking valve cover gasket - ?

 

Given your prep-work to clean that area thoroughly, I doubt you'll ever see that leak again. Meticulous prep work to clean the surfaces is the key. There are lots of examples in here of people with this common leak who took this approach and did the external bead or smear of sealant, and the leak went away and either never came back or it took a long time.

 

Those dang things should have their own maintenance tell-tale lamp on the instrument panel: even if it's only every 50,000 miles. They can lead to a lot of expensive problems when they don't get changed out.