cadman 26 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Well it's Tuesday and i don't think there's been an oil leak thread in the last 20 minutes, so i might as well start one! Drove home from work a couple of day ago and the oil light came on, checked dip stick and it was VERY empty. Chucked 3-4 litres of the good stuff in only to find it had nicely decorated my driveway about 2 hours later. Took it to the garage to see if they could source the leak. They took an educated guess that it was coming from the camshaft covers and said they didn't want to touch it as they have little experience with Supras. (they did top it up with oil for free for the return journey, which was good of them) Drove home following the trail of oil i had left on the way to the garage!! (the car is positively urinating oil at this stage.) Anyway, enclosed picture. Would you agree with the diagnosis? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobSheffield Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 That or front main seal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keron Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 hard to say but common things to go are front main crank seal (which chucks the oil up the cam covers a llittle) also the oil pressure sensor can go too. its located kind of behind the ac pump on the block... might be worth taking the spark plug cover off to see if there is any oil down there inside.. but i wouldnt drive it like that tbh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman 26 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 but i wouldnt drive it like that tbh... I can't afford to drive it like this at the moment. It's doing about a litre every mile! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I'm not sure I've seen a cam cover leak that bad before. Though, it's not too expensive to sort out so I'd start with that. (don't forget if you haven't already, replace the two connecting hoses between each cam covers.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman 26 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 That or front main seal. Expensive? Specialist job? Should i call Chris Wilson or a priest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee P Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 If the FMS is leaking that bad it could indicate the oil pump is fooked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman 26 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 My more pressing issue is that i don't know who to take it to to get it fixed. There are a distinct lack of (quality) specialist performance place in Blackpool/lancs. Looks like i'll have to fork out to get it on a flatbed aswell as i can't really drive it too far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I can't afford to drive it like this at the moment. It's doing about a litre every mile! If its loosing that amount of oil, then its almost certainly the front main seal, which will in turn mean changing the oil pump if you want a permanent fix, CW may want to do it but its a PITA of a job, as the front subframe needs to come off to get the sump off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman 26 Posted July 8, 2009 Author Share Posted July 8, 2009 If its loosing that amount of oil, then its almost certainly the front main seal, which will in turn mean changing the oil pump if you want a permanent fix, CW may want to do it but its a PITA of a job, as the front subframe needs to come off to get the sump off. Bugger! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Stick a new seal in it and pray. Or I can do it for you.... Oil pump replacement is an engine out job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee P Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 If you put a new seal in make sure you dont put it in too far or it will leak, it must be just flush with the pump housing. Any further and it will block the relief hole to the sump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Stick a new seal in it and pray. Or I can do it for you.... Oil pump replacement is an engine out job. I thought you could just drop the subframe to get the sump off to do the work? Someone on here threw a price figure out there of £100 for the pump and £300 to fit it? Is this way off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I thought you could just drop the subframe to get the sump off to do the work? Someone on here threw a price figure out there of £100 for the pump and £300 to fit it? Is this way off? You can, but i think Chris prefers to pull the engine, I had mine done via the sub frame, cost me £300 for labour, as its a PITA so i didn't want to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman 26 Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 Taken it to a chap i know who is very reliable, to pin down exactly where the leak is coming from. I have lots of body parts crossed at the moment and cheque book on standby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul372 Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 i had an oil leak from roughly the same place has yours and it was my crank shaft seals replaced them and all was fine, didnt cost that much to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 (edited) Unfortunately 98% of FMS failures will happen again unless the oil pump is replaced. Mine ran for a year on the first seal, but only a week on the second, then i wised up;) IMO it is far better to fix it now rather than take the risk of loosing all the oil, as once the seal has failed it is capable of dumping most of the oil in 30 seconds, once you see the oil pressure light come on its usually too late! I was lucky as i spotted the low oil light and stooped, i now have a super bright LED wired into the low oil light, belt and braces;) Edited July 9, 2009 by Tricky-Ricky (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I thought you could just drop the subframe to get the sump off to do the work? Someone on here threw a price figure out there of £100 for the pump and £300 to fit it? Is this way off? Wildly off for me, I'd only consider it as an engine out job, and you'd be well advised to do a basic engine refresh at the same time, to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolai Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Any one has the part numbers for a FMS? (New better than oem seal) And a new timing belt.. Cheers, Nicolai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman 26 Posted July 13, 2009 Author Share Posted July 13, 2009 Ok ladies and gents. A little bit of an update for you. My mechanic has had a butchers and he doesn't think it's the crank seal. He is about 60% it's the oil pump! but can't be sure as he can't run the car without the casing behind pulleys being on. And he can't see where the leak is coming from because it's coming from behind the same casing and it only leaks when the engine is turning over. Catch 22 The oil is spraying (not dripping) out from the back of the oil pressure sensor as shown on the picture. Anyone any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Looks like the classic case of someone over tightening the oil pressure relief valve spring top nut and cracking the oil pump casing. Did anyone "have a go" at curing a leak previously? A certain firm used to claim Toyota made a bad batch of oil pumps with cracks in the casting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman 26 Posted July 13, 2009 Author Share Posted July 13, 2009 Looks like the classic case of someone over tightening the oil pressure relief valve spring top nut and cracking the oil pump casing. Did anyone "have a go" at curing a leak previously? A certain firm used to claim Toyota made a bad batch of oil pumps with cracks in the casting... Not as far as i'm aware. I have only had the car for about a year and not had any issues until now. I take it this means that a new oil pump would be required? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Yes, but my diagnosis is very arbitrary, get it looked at properly by a specialist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terminator Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 A certain firm used to claim Toyota made a bad batch of oil pumps with cracks in the casting... Some people just have such bad luck, imagine getting all the bad ones in a batch delivered to the same address;). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Ok ladies and gents. A little bit of an update for you. My mechanic has had a butchers and he doesn't think it's the crank seal. He is about 60% it's the oil pump! but can't be sure as he can't run the car without the casing behind pulleys being on. And he can't see where the leak is coming from because it's coming from behind the same casing and it only leaks when the engine is turning over. Catch 22 The oil is spraying (not dripping) out from the back of the oil pressure sensor as shown on the picture. Anyone any ideas? Don't see why he cant run it for long enough to establish where the leak is coming from without the plastic case? Either way its a case of replacing the oil pump. Looks like the classic case of someone over tightening the oil pressure relief valve spring top nut and cracking the oil pump casing. Did anyone "have a go" at curing a leak previously? A certain firm used to claim Toyota made a bad batch of oil pumps with cracks in the casting... LOL! he almost had me convinced once:eyebrows: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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