mildawg

Hello dear Lexus fans/users/Gods . I recently spotted troubling on my car while checking the fluids this week.
There seems to be an oil leak right under the plastic top of the car and it goes down the front side of the engine. I have no idea what this might be caused by or when but my car behaves normally and nothing is out of order with it.
The oil level was also fine when i checked it.

Pic with the plastic cover top on:


and when i took it off showing where the leak had come from. This craves all along the front side of it.

I need your opinion on what this could be caused by and how much is a potential fix for your theoretical problem.

A friend who i live with is a truck driver and his theory is that it could be caused because i had an 500 mile trip in negative degree weather (-4F) if i remember correctly. He thinks that its fine and this was just caused because the top of the engine was cooler during the trip.

ANYWAY, give me theories and appx. prices if its something really that troublesome.

Thanks

frohboy33

Front Valve Cover leak. Common Problem from what I read with this car. Can be changed pretty easily. Cost for the valve cover gasket is under $50, not sure how much it would cost to take it in though. The rear valve cover could be leaking as well, might want to check that.

mmlex1987

^Yep, I agree, valve cover gasket. Not expensive and a very easy fix. What year ES do you have?

mildawg

its a 2000 ES, thanks for the replies, so its an easy fix although the engine is aluminum? because i remember my father had to junk his 98 aurora because the engine was all aluminum and they didnt want to change the gasket.

frohboy33

I'm guessing it wasn't a valve cover leak he had, but possibly a head gasket. Not nearly as big of problem with what you have going on, compared to head gasket.