'89 Toyota Camry oil leak - it's a gusher...

Question

It's an '89 Camry with the 2 litre four cylinder engine & it is losing oil, while running, in a steady drip at the rate of maybe a cup or so in 20 minutes. It's enough to start to flow on a mild grade after 10 minutes or so.

I replaced the valve cover gasket yesterday and that did not lessen the flow by a noticeable amount.

What is there on the back side of the motor under the intake manifold and on the opposite side from the transmission (passenger side of the car) that can fail and leak so much oil?

My fear is that it's the front main seal of the crankshaft, but there's not as much oil being slung from the crank pulley as I would expect if that were the case.

Oh, I've kept my time under the car, while it is running, to a min due to an exhaust leak in the flexible portion of the pipe.

If you think the car might be a POS, you're right, but it's what I've got right now.

Any help is appreciated.

Answer 1

Sounds like you can't see the leak site because there is just too much oil covering the engine. You need to get the engine cleaned up a bit and then look for the leak before you drive the car. The air flow of driving the car will spread the oil down, aft, and everywhere. Normally leaks that are high on the engine are cam/valve cover related, but the rate that you are speaking of it could be the oil pressure transducer. I don't know where it is on the engine, but it is screwed directly into the block with a single electrical connector on it. Good Luck.

Answer 2

One thing that can do that all of a sudden is the oil pressure sending unit, the top plug is plasic and known to blow out, and will pump the oil out quick while running.