RMS and valve cover leaks (1 Viewer)

[usedname]

Bought a 2006 LX 1 month ago. Bought it knowing it has valve cover and RMS leaks, but thought they were relatively stable. This week I found a few drips, and after taking the splash shield off, it's hard to tell if that's ALL that's leaking.


PASSENGER SIDE (just water on the splash shield)

DRIVER SIDE

What is this called? Crankcase? Transmission interface? Seems to be seeping enough that the front sway bar is also oily.

Getting on the exhaust..

I assume I need to degrease/clean the engine bay to get a better idea of what's leaking and what's not.

I don't know my way around the engine bay much, but I'm lurnin.

I reviewed the 'engine bay cleaning' threads and I'm still kinda iffy on where I can point a hose or a pressure washer (and which is less risky).


So far I have, on the do not spray list:
alternator
serpentine belt
fuseboxes
ignition coils?

Do I disconnect the battery? Cover anything with foil?

I was going to use Gunk foaming engine degreaser, or simple green, then hose or wash it down and perhaps use a brush where I can get to it.


Oh and how bad is this boot?:

 

[jerryb]

Cleaning the engine bay?

How do you guys clean your engine bay? Or is that the magic Landcruiser dust that holds the engine together? I'm deathly worried about using any high pressure hoses. Is it as simple as just going to town with degresaser, and then using a low pressure rinse (at the car wash of course so that I...

forum.ih8mud.com

I'm not in the pressure wash engine camp. If you must, just do this.

 

[Mike NXP]

I'll throw my vote in for not being too concerned about washing everything down. If I could add any advice it would be to keep the engine cover in place and try not to get water down in the V. Call me crazy but I've sprayed foaming degreaser on just about every part under the hood at one point or another and washed it all down. It's fine.... I'd rather find a potential problem in my driveway then when I splash through a puddle..

In your case I would spray it all down with foaming degreaser and just wash it down. Disconnecting battery isn't a bad idea. If you use high pressure just stand back a bit and don't blast directly into seals and delicate parts....Avoid the fuse box when possible. That will get all the road grime / oily residue off and you can see what's going on.

After the bath, fire it up and go for a drive or do whatever to let all the water disperse.


That white grease is factory toyota stuff and doesn't look to bad. The boot still looks pretty good I think. Wipe that with a rag since degreaser and water may not do anything