Topic: 22re oil leak???

[Fisch_Taco]

I have a very bad oil leak coming from the back of the engine somewhere around where the head and block meet. I just replaced my dash pot and when I had the throttle body off I stuck my finger inside the intake manifold and swiped at all the carbon build-up.

I think a loose piece of that carbon build-up fell into one of the intake ports and got sucked into the engine and either bent a valve or my head gasket got messed up. The truck starts and runs fine, oil pressure guage is normal. I plan on opening it up this weekend, just looking for a little advice on what it could be before I tear into it.

Has anyone ever done or had a leak like this?  Do I have a blown H.G. or bent valve?

[emsvitil]

First check the half-moon plug on the valve cover.

Know source of leaks on the 22R engines.......................

[Fisch_Taco [OP]]

yeah the half moon plug is there.

[Royota]

The point isn't check if it exists, check if it seals. The simplest check is valve cover seal and that half moon rubber bit. Don't just look at it, look around it. See if there is fresh oil coming from it or under it. If not that, wipe it down and just let it idle and stare for about 10 minutes and assess any new oil buildup. In my experience, the 22r/e motors run better than most engines for longer, but they leak like a bandaid in a public pool. Clean it and trace it. That's all you can do. Alllllll of my parts are leaking and it doesn't matter I just fill them.haha if your head gasket is blown you'd know it.
oil inside sounds like an EGR problem, or blow-by in the piston rings. It'll run, just not as well as it should. Good luck

[Rocksurfer]

First check the half-moon plug on the valve cover.

Know source of leaks on the 22R engines.......................

Yeah I agree, that plug is known to leak as it ages.

[Fisch_Taco [OP]]

Well I can confirm the leak is not coming from the plug. I wiped it all down and ran it for 10 mins. Oil was spitting out between head and block.  So now I'm not sure what to do. Not sure if  want to do a head gasket again or replace the engine...

[Fisch_Taco [OP]]

I just got the head off and there's about a half inch of oil sitting on top of my number 2 piston. Does this mean I have bad piston rings/seals on this piston? I would assume so. Any help would be appreciated.

[TRACKER]

i dont think that much oil can leak pass thru the rings .. oil could be from lifting the head off . where  about is the oil leaking from before the head was pulled .. intake side ?exhaust side? back toward fire wall? front of the motor ?

[emsvitil]

Where are the oil passages from the block to the head?
(It's been awhile since I've had a head off, so I don't remember)

[Fisch_Taco [OP]]

i dont think that much oil can leak pass thru the rings .. oil could be from lifting the head off . where  about is the oil leaking from before the head was pulled .. intake side ?exhaust side? back toward fire wall? front of the motor ?

Oil was leaking from the back of the engine

Where are the oil passages from the block to the head?
(It's been awhile since I've had a head off, so I don't remember)

Oil passages were clear.

[BoG-ToY]

the oil on the piston probably came from the oil passage or drainback. as far as the oil from back of headgasket, weird

[BoG-ToY]

was it on the back of the engine, or like near the oil drainback?

[emsvitil]

The head gasket has to seal any oil passage ways from the block to the head.

If there's a pressurized passage near #2, it could have been the leak.

[Fisch_Taco [OP]]

The head gasket was all in one piece, no holes where they shouldn't be. The leak was coming from the back of the engine only with the engine on and running. Once it was off the leak stopped.

I tried to adjust my valves a few months ago and I'm starting to think I did something wrong in doing that.

Also about 2 years ago the H.G. blew on my truck and that time there was about a 1" gap between the #1 and #2 holes in the gasket for the pistons. Is it worth having the piston cylinders honed?

If it comes down to me needing a valve job and my block machined vs. putting in a "new" engine, which would you do? I think I can get a rebuilt 22re for round 800.

[TRACKER]

check the bolts to the egr valve at the cylinder head . one of the bolt go thru head .. that bolt would need silicone to seal oil

[Fisch_Taco [OP]]

I talked to a machine shop yesterday. Told me to check and see if there was any play in the piston. So I went to check and noticed the oil had drained from the top of the piston and sure enough the piston had movement from front to back. Also the top of the piston didn't have the carbon build up like the others. So most likely broken rings and a honing is in order unless I decide to replace the whole thing.