likely oil leaks on 3FE (1 Viewer)

[landtank]

Hello everyone. My son has a 91 80 with the 3FE.

I crawled under the truck to finish the suspension install and there is oil everywhere.

I'm debating pulling the engine and replacing everything or just go at it one gasket at a time.

The tappet cover looks like a major player in this and am wonder if that might be all there is or just the tip of the iceberg?

The truck has 193k on it and came from the south side of PA. other than the leak(s) it's in great physical shape with little rust anywhere.

 

[RockDoc]

I'd give the side cover and the oil pan gaskets some consideration too. When I changed the pan gasket, it stopped 95% of the drips from mine. Oil pan gasket leaks often mimmick a rear main seal leak.

 

[miker]

Don't forget about that little oil gally plug right above #5 spark plug.

x2 on the oil pan gasket though, they do leak quite a bit once they start.

I saw a cool product on TV the other day. Its a dye you put into the oil and then use a black light to locate the oil leak. Don't recall the name of it but I was thinking of trying some in one of our 3fe engines where I've replaced every gasket that could be leaking oil as well as had the rear main replaced when the tranny was rebuild and it still leaks oil.

 

[Cabrito]

When I changed the pan gasket, it stopped 95% of the drips from mine. Oil pan gasket leaks often mimmick a rear main seal leak.

Stopped all my leaks 100% - Mine was pretty darn leaky. The Toyota dealer told me it was my rear main but it was not.

 

[landtank]

thanks guys. I'm a 1FZ-FE guy and will have to read up on the oil pan and side cover on these. I had a 60 with the 2f and had the galley plug on that head leak. Probably the same on this head, correct?

 

[RockDoc]

Not the same head, but same layout as far as oiling, and same issue with the galley plug. Give it a look and explain it to your son, just to be safe.

 

[PabloCruise]

Check the fuel pump block off plate!

 

[SHERMAN FJ62]

Stopped all my leaks 100% - Mine was pretty darn leaky. The Toyota dealer told me it was my rear main but it was not.

You have the cleanest under engine area I have ever seen on a 3fe

 

[wagon4wd]

thanks guys. I'm a 1FZ-FE guy and will have to read up on the oil pan and side cover on these. I had a 60 with the 2f and had the galley plug on that head leak. Probably the same on this head, correct?

Any chance of sympathetic leaks from parking it next to a jeep?

Seriously, last 3FE I was around had all of the oil pan bolts loose. Tightening those slowed the leak down to barely a drop, but as others have said, the cheapo factory gasket that lasted only 300k miles is likely the culprit

 

[Mark W]

leaks from the side cover gasket... the oil pan gasket, the front timing cover seal, the siming cover gsasket,,, and the valce cover gasket ... in that order of likelyhood

Very often caused by not re-torquing after re-installation of gaskets during service. Or in the case of the timing cover, over torquing.


Rear main seal leak is a very very uncommon flaw, unless it damaged on install.


Mark...

 

[landtank]

thanks again guys. The truck isn't registered yet so I'll throw some gaskets at it and when it is registered I'll have the engine cleaned and go from there. The truck is new to us so no history of service.

 

[Clack]

If a new gasket doesn't fix it there's a 90% chance the pan is leaking between the plate part on the bottom and the pan itself. Over time moisture develops and rusts through. Not enough to notice except for the oil on your driveway.

Welding costs about as much as a new pan. Get a new pan and worry about it again in 20 years if the gasket doesn't fix it.

 

[cruiser88]

I would pull it rather than fighting it. really buy the time you fight every gasket mentioned you could have a whole lot more done with the motor pulled. ....along with that peskey rear seal. Get the sleave and seal for the tranny to transfer also. You should be able to pull that motor fairly quick...besides there is soo much more PM you could do with the motor pulled

 

[WNC2OBX]

nice underbody photo

what is the small, 6" plate with two bolts located at about 11 oclock of the oil pan drain bolt?

it appears i have leaks coming from that tho, it could just be spraying from the oil pan gasket onto that.

any ideas?

_______

1988 FJ62 250k
rookie

 

[knewjax]

nice underbody photo

what is the small, 6" plate with two bolts located at about 11 oclock of the oil pan drain bolt?

it appears i have leaks coming from that tho, it could just be spraying from the oil pan gasket onto that.

any ideas?

_______

1988 FJ62 250k
rookie

@WNC2OBX you ever figure out the source of your leak? Mine looks like that plate as well.

 

[pengfinn]

@WNC2OBX you ever figure out the source of your leak? Mine looks like that plate as well.

I just did this, with the oil pan gasket being the issue. The longer you wait the nastier of a mess it gets under there. Nice and clean now!