Guys, I have a steady drip and I am in need of your expertise so I can avoid yet another proctology exam at my local Lexus dealer. See attached photos (below). This is a viewpoint from underneath the car on the drivers side looking toward the oil pan. BTW, ever tried to get digital photos with oil dripping on you?

You will see the oil pools up near the oil pan gasket and flows over/down/toward the back. But, I do not think it's a bad oil pan gasket. The oil seems to be coming from directly above the oil plan lip and flowing over/down/toward the back.

I did my best to take the shots, but they came out a bit blury. Blue arrow is what I believe to be the origination of the oil leak. Red arrows, and # 1, # 2 describe the flow of the oil, along the lip of the oil pan, and toward the back of the motor, where the oil sprays across most of the underside of the car. I estimate I am losing about a quart a week, so this is significant.

The oil only starts leaking once the car is warm.

Please guys, any help? It's situations like this that are often resolved at the Lexus dealership with a "Mr. Guild, we recommend you replace the entire longblock" and I just can't see that as being a prudent plan for my 14 year old baby.

Thanks for any help guys - this is a great community.

 

I think you need to look higher up, at the distributor O ring. this is passenger side right?

 

I dont think it's the distributor oring - this is drivers side. Anyone know what else is close to the bottom front of the block right above the drivers side front quarter of the oil pan (see pic above)?

I know particularly you first gen guys at least know what the underside of the car looks like :-)

 

Oil filter or leaking from a cam seal?

 

cam seal is a possibility - two questions... would that be near the area(s) that I marked in the photos above? And, is that a common problem on this block? 138k miles on this 1993 gs300. Oil filter, nope... checked it.

 

Oh yeah, and if IT IS a cam seal leaking... what am I in for $$ wise?

Should I place a bid on ebay for a new Aristo block? teehee!

 

About $15 for the seal if you do the labor. Those seals always end up leaking sometime. Just be careful not to overtorque the bolts on re install or you will crack the cover.

 

Cam seals or Upper Oil Pan Gasket. Easy way to find out is to do a oil dye test.

 

Kaiser and MDSC - you seem to know a lot about the cam seals. What sort of labor charge (in HRS) am I talking to have the dealership do it? Or, how long does it take you to do it in your car? I'd imagine the job is much more complex with the motor in the car...

Any tips or write ups for this sort of job? I'm fairly comfortable with doing my own stuff on the GS300. I did the radiator, and it wasn't hard... not that it should have been.

Thanks again.

Brian

 

Well if it was the passenger side it would have been easier. You are going to have to remove the upper intake manifold and throttle body to get to it. For a first timer with no manual, I'd say probably the better part of a day. If you know what you are doing, about 2 hours for the whole job I'd say. See what MDSC thinks.

 

you dont have to remove TB or Intake. You have to remove...
1.Fan and fan shroud(you dont have to remove fan shroud but it makes it easier to access)
2. the upper timing cover with the Lexus emblem
3.Serpentine belt
4.Harmonic Ballancer pulley, let me give you tip on doing this one. YOu going to need a big socket i think its like 32 or 36mm dont remember, and a Braker bar position the braker bar right below the pass side frame rail whith the sucket on the bolt. Go inside the car and crank it over just beraly to brake the bolt loose.Its the only way i was able to do it without removin the radiator. Cuz a 1/2 air gun wont fit in between. THe balancer should slide off its pressed on very lightly. So you can use a pry bar and hammer and tap it a few times cerfully it should go. Then youre free to remove the Timing cover.
5. Timing belt tensioner, i think its 2 10mm or 12mm bolts just take it out(to put it back in you have to use a wise to squize the tensioner toghether very very slowly(or you will damge it) then you will seee the 2 little holes line up, put a hair clip in there. When you reinstall it, set your timing you just have to pull the hair clip out and it will tighten itself.
6. Now youre free to remove the timing gears 14 mm i belive, once you remove them you will see a dust shild which is also bolted down with 10mm bolts i think. After you take that off you will see both of your cam seals, pry them out with a small screwdriver. the new seals could be pressed in with your hands, they arent that tight of fitting so just use some bearing grease on outside and inside of the seal.

I strongly suggest replacing the front crank seal since youre already there(which is probably leaking too) and timing belt and water pump if you havent had this done yet. You wont spend a lot of money on this project but it will take you a full day to do everything mentioned inluding water pump and TB.
Pick up a Haynes manual to help you set the timing and understand things a little better but you should be able to tackle it dont be scared

 

I was talking cam COVER seals.

 

youre speaking of valve cover gaskets, yes you have to take manifold off for those, even easier.

 

It made sense in my head.

 

Guys, thanks. The dealership actually tells me it is an OIL PRESSURE SWITCH that is leaking?