Oil pump leak?

[Araco]

Yo guys id appreciate any info to help fix this leak issue 1998 lx470

I Have an oil leak above the oil pump. (The first pic is a sample engine i circled where i can see the oil , cant get a pic of it on my actual engine) the leak appears to coat the metal near the indention in the block under the water pump above the oil pump as welI as leaking over the front of oil pump. I was able to see behind the left side timing cover and there was no oil coming from that sides cam seal . The right side I still have not checked . As you can see the belt is dry . also the bottom timing cover has a slow amount of oil leaking I assumed this is from the crankshaft seal in addition to wherever the leak from above the oil pump is coming from . The second pic is my engine -how’s that belt look? Thanks for any insight been obsessing over this thing. Realize I may need to take out the engine. Thanks

 

[excessive]

there's a lot of things that can leak on the front of the engine ( valve covers, cam seals, oil pump o-ring, and lower front main seal)
start with the easiest / cheapest thing first

 

[Araco]

there's a lot of things that can leak on the front of the engine ( valve covers, cam seals, oil pump o-ring, and lower front main seal)
start with the easiest / cheapest thing first

Thanks appreciate the info sounds like a good idea .

 

[Araco]

Thanks appreciate the info sounds like a good idea .

I ruled out valve cover and cam seals , crank seal most likely leaking and maybe oil pump o ring so that will be fun.

 

[Araco]

Thanks appreciate the info sounds like a good idea .

there's a lot of things that can leak on the front of the engine ( valve covers, cam seals, oil pump o-ring, and lower front main seal)
start with the easiest / cheapest thing first

I ruled out valve cover and cam seals , crank seal most likely leaking and maybe oil pump o ring so that will be fun.

 

[Mike NXP]

I would guess that if your crank seal is leaking enough oil to be visible, then your timing belt wouldn't look that dry

Can you remove your skid plate down below? There's just a handful of bolts holding it in place. With that removed, maybe you could shine a light up from the bottom looking up and get some pics....Everything needs to get cleaned up , oil topped off, and then monitor to see where the leak starts...

Where are you seeing the oil leak, is it leaving puddles under the car or just a tiny drip on the engine ?


Are you convinced its under your timing cover / crank seal? The thing that holds you oil filter in place also has a seal behind it. I've seen a few posts on MUD where folks have leaks from that area . Like this here , any chance that's what you've got going on? I know in the pic you circled a different area but just thinking of other suspects

You also have power steering lines in that area which have been known to be a bit leaky with the age of these trucks. Follow the lines from the reservoir down to the pump and make sure they are dry

 

[OEMGUY0720]

From experience, if it was really the oil pump causing the leak, those two bolts encircled in your photo would’ve been full of grease dirt caused by weeping oil acting like a dirt magnet.

 

[Araco]

I would guess that if your crank seal is leaking enough oil to be visible, then your timing belt wouldn't look that dry

Can you remove your skid plate down below? There's just a handful of bolts holding it in place. With that removed, maybe you could shine a light up from the bottom looking up and get some pics....Everything needs to get cleaned up , oil topped off, and then monitor to see where the leak starts...

Where are you seeing the oil leak, is it leaving puddles under the car or just a tiny drip on the engine ?


Are you convinced its under your timing cover / crank seal? The thing that holds you oil filter in place also has a seal behind it. I've seen a few posts on MUD where folks have leaks from that area . Like this here , any chance that's what you've got going on? I know in the pic you circled a different area but just thinking of other suspects

You also have power steering lines in that area which have been known to be a bit leaky with the age of these trucks. Follow the lines from the reservoir down to the pump and make sure they are dry

From experience, if it was really the oil pump causing the leak, those two bolts encircled in your photo would’ve been full of grease dirt caused by weeping oil acting like a dirt magnet.

Yeah man that engine is just an example because mine is still in the truck i can’t really get a good pic but I can see oil on my engine above the bolts I circled in that example engine pic. The pics of the timing belt are my actual engine I’m gonna post some more pics soon. thanks for your feedback I don’t care what it takes I will get this think back to it’s glory

 

[Araco]

Yeah man that engine is just an example because mine is still in the truck i can’t really get a good pic but I can see oil on my engine above the bolts I circled in that example engine pic. The pics of the timing belt are my actual engine I’m gonna post some more pics soon. thanks for your feedback I don’t care what it takes I will get this think back to it’s glory

I would guess that if your crank seal is leaking enough oil to be visible, then your timing belt wouldn't look that dry

Can you remove your skid plate down below? There's just a handful of bolts holding it in place. With that removed, maybe you could shine a light up from the bottom looking up and get some pics....Everything needs to get cleaned up , oil topped off, and then monitor to see where the leak starts...

Where are you seeing the oil leak, is it leaving puddles under the car or just a tiny drip on the engine ?


Are you convinced its under your timing cover / crank seal? The thing that holds you oil filter in place also has a seal behind it. I've seen a few posts on MUD where folks have leaks from that area . Like this here , any chance that's what you've got going on? I know in the pic you circled a different area but just thinking of other suspects

You also have power steering lines in that area which have been known to be a bit leaky with the age of these trucks. Follow the lines from the reservoir down to the pump and make sure they are dry

Thanks man I did do an oil clean up. I do am have some power steering lines sweating and minor valve cover leak starting . Both minor compared to the few quarter sized drips every time I park. Is coming from the weep hole at the very bottom of timing cover center of upper oil pan. I will shoot more pics on here asap big thanks for the advice