Topic: Exorcising an engine gremlin.

[Lewis Hein]

and unusual yes. people do weird things

For instance: removing a tail light baffle, replacing an oil pressure switch with a sheet metal screw, using a grease zerk for a brake bleeder, not tightening oil pan bolts, adjusting valve clearance to zero, advancing timing to 17*btdc, cutting wires to the trailer brake hitch, and destroying (but not fixing) the rear brakes by towing with the E-brake on.

All of those things have been done to my truck, and it would not surprise me in the least to find random parts missing. See why I'm a little nervous about what might be inside my engine?

[Lewis Hein [OP]]

OK, got some pics.

Here is the tube that comes out of the valve cover and enters the air cleaner. This oil here is a quite recent development, definitely since the PCV valve and hose replacement.


Here is the front end of the engine below valve cover. I've wiped it twice since PCV replacement.


Further down on the front of the engine, oil accumulated starting since before I got this truck.


Top of the oil pan, showing leaky gasket:


Underside of the oil pan, where it mixes with road dirt.


Based on the oil coming out the hose from the valve cover to the air cleaner, it seems likely that I have blow-by forcing it out. But if the rings are good and I adjusted the valve clearance five months ago, where could blow-by come from??

[Gnarly4X]

OMG Lewis!!!  You need to get about 3 cans of engine degreaser and drive that thing to a car wash booth and CLEAN IT!!   

If you do that, wrap a plastic shopping bag around the alternator and the distributor.  After you clean all the oil off, you should be able to see where the oil is leaking from.

If your engine is NOT blowing smoke, you’ve got leaks from a bad hose connections, a bad or incorrect PCV valve or rubber grommet, or you have over filled your crankcase.  If you have not replaced the rocker cover gasket and the two plugs…. You need to do that.  Make sure you do not over tighten the 4 acorn nuts that hold the cover on.
The gasket kit comes with molded cover gasket, 2 head plugs, and the 4 grommets for the cover studs.

How fresh is your air filter?  Is the filter canister factory?  If the air  filter gets REALLY plugged up, the engine vacuum will increase slightly as it tries to suck air from least resistance.... through the PCV valve if the hoses are tight and the air canister is tight and sealed well.

Gnarls.

[OVRAROK]

The gunk may be keeping the oil in

[Gnarly4X]

The gunk may be keeping the oil in

Haahhahahahahahahhahahh@@ LOL!!!

Gnarls.

[Toybrota]

Those hoses look pretty bad, old and cracked... Like mine! I'd replace the hoses for the breather to aircleaner. Might make a difference.

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[Lewis Hein [OP]]

Replacing that hose wouldn't be a bad idea. I've already replaced more hoses on this truck than I care to think about, and one more or less won't make a difference. I'm not complaining about replacing hoses, though. It's just part of owning a vehicle at this mileage.

Will fuel line resist oil better than ordinary vacuum hose? I have some scraps of fuel line sitting around that might fit.

[H8PVMNT]

That looks just like the 20r my 1980 .  It's been the most dependable vehicle I have ever owned.

[Lewis Hein [OP]]

So a coat of old dirty oil makes engines more dependable?

[H8PVMNT]

So a coat of old dirty oil makes engines more dependable?

Might be good luck?

[redneckcustoms13]

I own some pretty crappy pieces of vehicles. My parts trucks aren't even that dirty. Clean that thing and show it some love. It will love you back.

[THK Matt]

OMG Lewis!!!  You need to get about 3 cans of engine degreaser and drive that thing to a car wash booth and CLEAN IT!!   

If you do that, wrap a plastic shopping bag around the alternator and the distributor.  After you clean all the oil off, you should be able to see where the oil is leaking from.

If your engine is NOT blowing smoke, you’ve got leaks from a bad hose connections, a bad or incorrect PCV valve or rubber grommet, or you have over filled your crankcase.  If you have not replaced the rocker cover gasket and the two plugs…. You need to do that.  Make sure you do not over tighten the 4 acorn nuts that hold the cover on.
The gasket kit comes with molded cover gasket, 2 head plugs, and the 4 grommets for the cover studs.

How fresh is your air filter?  Is the filter canister factory?  If the air  filter gets REALLY plugged up, the engine vacuum will increase slightly as it tries to suck air from least resistance.... through the PCV valve if the hoses are tight and the air canister is tight and sealed well.

Gnarls.

I 2nd this.

[Toybrota]

How's the oil pump O-ring? Or the front seal? Mine leaks a bit, which slings oil up. Might wanna check.

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[Lewis Hein [OP]]

Thanks for the tip, Toybrota. On my truck, I've learned to assume that any part is bad unless I explicitly know otherwise, so I'll have a look sometime.

Re the comments about cleaning. It's something I really need to get to... dirty engines hide trouble. I've just either had other obligations or more pressing things to fix. But I can only put the cleanup off so long, I suppose

[emsvitil]

The front oil seal may be the culprit.

Incoming airflow then blows the oil all over the engine.


Only use a Toyota front seal..........

[Toybrota]

The front oil seal may be the culprit.

Incoming airflow then blows the oil all over the engine.


Only use a Toyota front seal..........

Couple that up with a speedy sleeve to make sure she doesn't leak! Also, might as well do a new oil pump if it's worn...

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[Toybrota]

Luis, if I was in your boat, I'd go ahead and thoroughly clean the engine, like Gnarly said, degreaser!!! That and a pressure washer should do the trick just nicely.

With the topic of oil pump, I personally think it's the problem. That, or, check your mechanical fuel pump for leaks, since it goes into the head above the timing cover there is a lot of oil that can leak from there.  At least in my experience. I had a real bad leak that turned out to he the fuel pump gaskets (there's two)

Might as well do the front seal too, doesn't hurt! Try and get an official Toyota one. And a speedy sleeve. Just what I'd do!!

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[79coyotefrg]

I want to see a picture of your engine from above and not 3 inches from it.  I want to see the entire engine in one shot with breather in place

[79coyotefrg]

then a video of the engine running at idle

[79coyotefrg]

thanks for the pics. did someone paint the block blue? if so, I would assume the motor was out at one time. I would pull it again and redo all the seals and gaskets with toyota parts or stop right there, count your losses and buy a longblock from the links Matt posted, then sell your old block to 300k for his collection and the cam to Gnarly so he can have a stock cam.

any engine with 170psi compression doesnt need a damn thing done to it.  you don't have blow by and that much compression at the same time.
How many miles on the truck/engine?
if its got thousands of miles after a redo then its no big deal just wash it off

[Lewis Hein [OP]]

I took a squiz under the valve cover today. The oil separating baffle is there, and the valve lash is still good. Meanwhile, there is a constant supply of fresh oil on both the PCV valve and the crankcase breather.  I'll try to get a pic of the engine from further away this week and the video as Glen requested. I'll also redo the compression check and verify the numbers. I looked at the area around the front main seal; this area is clean, so oil probably isn't leaking there (yet).

One thing I noticed while turning the crankshaft with a wrench to check valve lash: When I turn the crankshaft, a hissing sound emerges from somewhere in the bottom end of the engine, audible through the open area around the timing chain. Is this normal?

[300k]

One thing I noticed while turning the crankshaft with a wrench to check valve lash: When I turn the crankshaft, a hissing sound emerges from somewhere in the bottom end of the engine, audible through the open area around the timing chain. Is this normal?

that's the little bit of compression made by turning the engine over by hand.

[Lewis Hein [OP]]

that's the little bit of compression made by turning the engine over by hand.

Can't be; all the spark plugs were out. And if it were, that would be some serious blow-by happening.

[Toybrota]

Can't be; all the spark plugs were out. And if it were, that would be some serious blow-by happening.

It's normal, mine does it too. And kine doesn't leak a bunch.

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