Clutchless

No, it is not that kind of leak. It is a very small seep that just makes the outside of the engine dirty. You do not want those additives as they can damage the engine.

allendsup2

Thank you. Does this mean we don’t need to get this fixed ASAP and can continue using the car without any major issues?

lili43

Yes, as long as you can see that it is only a small amount of seepage. On my vehicle, of the 4 bolts (if I recall), 1 of them was actually a 1/4 turn lose. After tightening it, spray some Simple Green to clean it all up. For now, my seepage has stopped.

AlgoTrader

Here is a short blurb on the oil leak source:
http://carspecmn.com/toyota-and-lexu...nd-highlander/

(not endorsing carspec - I have no affiliation. I just did a google search)

They also have an article on removing the 2GR-FE from a 2007 ES350, and at first glance it appears to be similar to the procedure for 3RX.
This article also goes so far as to do a partial tear down (removal of the heads) of the 2GR, but before it gets to that point, it shows removal of the water pump and timing chain cover.
http://carspecmn.com/teardown-and-bu...picture-guide/

IMHO, fixing the timing cover leak is a big job, but might be worth doing on your original motor. Beyond that (like head gasket replacement), I'd say it would be cheaper/faster/better to buy a used motor. If buying a used motor, re-seal the timing cover leak before installing the motor.

123go

Thanks, spray leaks thats a great plan...


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caramoe

Has the RTV and spray sealant work stopping or reducing your oil leak caused by the timing chain cover in your 2013?

I have the same issue with 2006 Lexus 2006 GS300.

The car is in beautiful shape except for the leak.

Namm

Hi there,

i have an RX 350 2013 that I bought in 2016 from CA(~6k miles at the time because the owner didnt drive much) It’s been a great car with 67k miles on it, but just yesterday after doing the 60k recommended maintenance at an official Lexus dealership in WA. They told me that trade in might be a good option because it has a timing cover seal leak and if they were gonna fixed it, it will be in the range of $7000. I’ve seen posts on here that talk about $2-3000 and how some people say that’s already expensive. I asked the service guy is it normal for a 60k miles car to have this sort of problems and he said that it depends and you’re just unlucky even if I had done all the recommended service through the years. I dont’t think they are trying to get me to trade in my car for cheap but again, trading in at value - 7000 is crazy. Has anyone got a quote this expensive where its almost worth half of my car costs already and have some advice on what to do? Is this something urgent? Im planning to get another quote from Firestone or some other places around my house because 7k is outrageous. Honestly I really like my Lexus and didn’t expect something this bad to happen at 67k miles

Thanks

RX in NC

If your timing cover leak is just a tiny one, it may not be worth spending big money to fix it. Some owners here on the forum live with a small leak for years. Just be sure you are checking the oil level on a regular basis (I have checked the fluids and tire pressures on all of our vehicles on a weekly basis since the mid-1970s).

Clutchless

Welcome to CL. You need to actually read much of this thread and learn what the leak actually involves and how it is repaired and why you probably should not repair it.
This type of repair is WAY BEYOND THE SKILLS OF A FIRESTONE REPAIR SHOP! DO NOT GO THERE!
If after reading what I am writing here you actually want to repair it (I wouldn't) Find an independent that specializes in Toyota as this motor is used in half the Toyota and Lexus models.

In my opinion, this leak is a case where the repair is worse than the disease. They have to remove the motor to get at and remove and replace the timing chain cover gasket! That is a huge expense.
However, the leak is rarely more than a seep that makes a small mess of the lower passenger side of the motor. It rarely even causes you to add more oil!
You can see it by removing the front passenger side tire and looking in through the wheel well at the engine. There are photos farther up in this thread.

If you want to trade it in, take it someplace where you are a stranger and do not tell them about the leak, such as CarMax. They will give you a lot more money.
If you get some spray brake cleaner and clean off the leak area before taking it in you will pass any inspection, although many places will never notice it. The leak is so slow it can take months to show up again. Some have had luck tightening the timing cover bolts by just reaching through the wheel well. Some were actually loose!

I have this leak on my 2016 Toyota Sienna with 36,000 miles and will not pull the motor to fix it. It is barely dirty. So you need to look at your engine. Dealers are notorious for blowing the need for repairs way out of proportion as they work on quotas and commissions. Plus they want your car to resell at a huge profit and you are left overpaying for a replacement in this insane car market.
On my Sienna this Summer I will clean it up and check for loose bolts and maybe apply some RTV gasket maker around the leak area as explained in some threads.

Good Luck!

caramoe

Replaced all that? Sounds like a lemon. Discouraging to buy another.
Did you have purchase a warranty?

salimshah

Everyone is correct in expecting a flawless product, but as pointed out repeatedly, at times the cure is worse than the ailment.

If there is seepage/wetness, I would not opt for a full repair [even under warranty]. If there is a gushing leak that is another matter.

Salim

allendsup2

I have 2013 Lexus RX too and was told at 75k that timing cover has a leak. Dealer told me this after certified warranty expired. But he did not force me to get it repaired. He said I can just keep monitoring oil level. It has now 110k and no issues so far. I would say you don't need to get it repaired unless you notice oil level is decreasing fast.

carguy75

Today I did an oil change on my 2015 Lexus Rx350 and I noticed that the front timing cover is leaking or weeping to the point that the oil lightly covers the engine and runs down to the top of the oil pan. The oil does not drip to floor, but it seem that is does seep out the engine over the 5k miles I run the oil before changing it. I actually first noticed the seepage during my first oil change when I first bought the RX350 last year with 172k miles. It had an oil coated engine then, but was much worst. Still with no dripping on my garage floor. I only wiped the top of oil pan at the time and decided to see how long it took for the oil residue to return. Well, it actually did not appear on the top of my oil pan the last oil change so I hoped the high mileage oil I used with seal conditioner sealed it. It did not.

Today, I actually noticed that the seeping oil made it back to the top of the oil pan again at about 183k miles. Therefore, i will try to use Permatex spray sealant to help slow the seeping even more until I can have a shop reseal the front timing cover since the repair requires the engine to be removed from the RX to properly reseal the timing cover. I clean the area with brake cleaner and spray three coats of the spray sealant. I will give some feedback if the Permatex spray sealant works on to seal a seeping front timing cover.

The Permatex sealant(wet looking areas) on the timing cover covering the gray oem RTV gasket leaky section around the VVT banjo bolt. The sealant is like a wet Vaseline like product that is suppose to wick into cracks and seal leaks. I do not expect it to completely seal the oem gasket, but I hope it does slow the leak down until i can get it properly repaired.

intermec

If I remembered correctly, this is one of the "common" issue on this 3.5 V6 (used on different models). The fix seems to be challenging as it might require dropping the engine (again, this is based on what I have read). It will be good to see what others have to say.

carguy75

Yes, a leaky front timing cover is a pretty common issue with the 3.5 engine even up to the 2017 models. The good news is that the leak is low pressure and usually just weeps out oil over a long time; so very little low oil loss between oil changes. The fix requires the engine to be removed from the car to have enough room to reseal the front cover properly. However, it may be possible to remove the timing cover while it is still in the car with enough ingenuity I suppose.

I am just trying to plug it to make the oil leak even slower until I repair it or sell the RX. I may try to repair the front cover myself in the future by pulling the engine and transmission out of the engine bay.