95 Oil leak help

Trying to fix a 2 drop/day oil leak, I've been refusing to acknowledge that a portion of the head gasket area is slightly wet. Also lot of accumulation near the junction where the upper radiator hose enters the block, near the distributor. So far, I have no coolant in my antifreeze or vice versa, so is there any harm, besides compression loss, letting the head gasket leak a little? What is the best way to really find where it's leaking from?

Reply to
camry-keeper
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Clean all the oil you can see with a cleaner then start up the engine and see where you first see oil

Reply to
Dave

Assuming 4 cylinder since you didn't say otherwise, most common source of oil leaks is the valve cover gasket and distributor O-ring. Both are relatively inexpensive and simple to repair. Try those first.

What is the best way to really find where it's leaking from?

Spray Berryman B-12 Chemtool, then examine with a shop light as leaks reappear. Can almost guarantee it's the valve cover gasket and dist. O-ring though. Both are very common. The valve cover nuts (30mm) loosen over time as the gasket compresses and hardens. Correct torque is 17 ft. lbs. Another small repair you might want to include at the same time while the valve cover is off is the PCV valve and grommet. Usually the grommet hardens from heat and breaks when removed. If the valve cover is off, you can do this with it inverted so broken pieces fall out instead of in. ========================== With a '95 at the mileage where valve cover gasket leaks, you'll probably also want to start saving for items related to the timing belt, ignition, and cooling: timing belt and all oil seals (they harden and begin to seep slightly like the valve cover gasket), there's the crankshaft oil seal, oil pump oil seals and camshaft oil seal. Also a good idea to replace the idler and tensioner bearings, accessory drive belts, spark plug wires and platinum plugs, water pump, thermostat, radiator cap and fuel filter. With a few specialized tools and tricks, if you're inclined to do your own work, you can save enough on labor to make the job quite reasonable in cost, even doing all the items. Plus, obviously, you can do it again the next time, and you've already got the tools and knowledge. If you take your time, and know what you're doing, none of it is particularly difficult. (begin soap box) - Personally, I never completely trust the car until I've gone over it thoroughly myself. Seems like so many mechanics make little errors here and there. On mine (with many dealer service records from the prior owner) I found chipped crankshaft pulley, thermostat jiggle valve in the wrong position, unnecessary extra sealant on the water pump passages, and two stripped automatic transmission pan bolts, plus a missing air temperature sensor allowing unfiltered air to enter the engine through the hole in the air filter enclosure where it should have been inserted, not to mention one of the cheapest paper air filters I've seen - looked like a piece of notebook paper - vastly inferior to the stock filter media. Also found a torn boot on the front sway bar link. As you become familiar with your own vehicle, cleaning parts as you go, you insure everything is installed correctly and works as intended. The Camry is astonishingly well designed and assembled, but someone can always mess it up with carelessness or ignorance. (end soapbox) One more item that can show seepage is the oil pan gasket. Good news is, - do all these items and the car runs like new for many miles more.

Reply to
Daniel M. Dreifus

I just replaced the oil pressure sending unit on my 95 4 cyl because it was leaking oil. It was leaking about 1 drop per minute. Wiped it off with a rag and in a minute or so there was a new drop there ready to fall.

Mark

Reply to
Mark

I had the same problem last year with my 4cyl '95 Camry....lost almost all my oil in a 400km trip. Now it seems ok.

Reply to
70's

HAHAHA! I have had a headgasket area leak on my Toyota Corolla...since

1990! That was about 180,000 miles ago.
Reply to
HachiRoku

that

accumulation

the

so

leak a

Use some teflon thread tape (plumber's supplies will have it in any h/ware shop).Make sure you wrap it the right direction around the threaded part of the sensor(clockwise looking at the bottom of the sensor) so it doesnt bunch-up when screwing the sensor in. About 2" or so of tape should be enough.

Jason

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

NEVER EVER use teflon tape on a sensor that is a SOURCE OF GROUND. A sensor of this kind can be identified simply by the fac that it has a single pin connetor on top. On sensors of this type, a liquid thread sealer is appropriate.

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  -Philip
> Jason
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Reply to
Philip

sensor

You are right in that teflon will act as an insulator for those threads which remain completely covered after installation,....but I haven't found all the threads to be rendered insulated from the block especially when the threaded section has loaded aginst the hole's threads and where there is a slight taper on the sensor (which is in itself a sealing technique).

But in the pursuit of absolute correctness you are correct :-)

BTW,..I haven't used any liquid sealers on cars except Ford hardening and non-hardening Goo on troublesome gasket surfaces,...which one do you recommend for the sensor mentioned Phil?

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

There are anaerobics and then there's wick n' sealer for threads (Locktite product). :-)

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  -Philip
Reply to
Philip

It was not leaking at the threads. I checked that carefully. The sensor itself was leaking. I assume there was a hole in the internal diaphram. I just screwed in a new one (no tape or sealer) , connected the wire and all was good.

Mark

Reply to
Mark

I am aware. Jason and I were remarking about additional thread sealer when replacing with a new part. Often a new sender's threads are already coated with a red thread sealer so all you have to do is screw it into a clean dry hole.

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  -Philip
Reply to
Philip

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