oil leak update=-

[jamesmetairie]

Been fighting oil leaks for years. .Today I,m very happy to report=- The oil leak that was getting on the serp belt and flinging it on the alternator has been fixed. The crank sensor Toyota OEM "O-Ring" cured it. Bone dry is a good thing...

[andrewclaus]

I've stopped a couple of leaks over the years, the typical easy ones--timing chain tensioner, front pulley seal. I just took a long drive to visit three friends in three different cities who all have brand new concrete driveways, and I had no qualms about parking on them--not a single drip.

[Evie44]

Been fighting oil leaks for years. .Today I,m very happy to report=- The oil leak that was getting on the serp belt and flinging it on the alternator has been fixed. The crank sensor Toyota OEM "O-Ring" cured it. Bone dry is a good thing...

That’s a win worth celebrating Funny thing is, I’ve seen a worn crank sensor O-ring cause intermittent electrical gremlins too, not just leaks, so you might have dodged more than one bullet there. Out of curiosity, how long did you run with that leak before deciding it was the O-ring, and did you try anything unusual along the way that almost fixed it?

[jamesmetairie]

my trusted mobile mechanic ( got elderly already) , has tried numerous things. did valve cover twice by mistake,(my idea, lost my repair history for a short time. lol). did tensioner, did harmonic balancer (maybe). did tensioner O Ring, but we didn,t have a new OEM and things did not work out nice. then did OEM tensioner o ring and all is well. Was seriously looking for a new, used vehicle. Thought it was timing cover leak and it was difficult to get any honest price for the job around here. BTW =-I,ve owned about over 40 cars . and very seldom lose money when I get tired and sell it. But now is a very difficult time to find a good used vehicle for a price that will work for me. .

[1zsquared]

Curious if anyone has had any luck making a paper gasket for the Timing Chain Tensioner as a back up secondary seal, (in addition to) the O ring. I know the tensioner has an oil port that takes in oil pressure which assists the spring to make tension. That said, it looks like there is room for a paper seal.

Anyone have an opinion on if this will be a no.. no? I did make one that fits perfectly, and installed it with no leaks. However, I am not an engineer or Toyota Master and just because I can make the gasket, it may conflict with the part's design characteristics.

Can anyone tell me if this is NOT a good idea, and why? Thanks

[tpollauf]

Here's my take on your situation. Seeing how this is just a tensioner (not a critical machined part where close tolerances could affect performance) I don't think a few .03-.05" of gasket thickness will stop the tensioner from doing it's job. Several here simply cleaned the surface clean and applied RTV silicone to where they achieved satisfactory results also! Just my 2 cents there. Either way, good job and keep us posted here if you notice/have any issues

[1zsquared]

Drove it today for several hours.. no leaks and it seems to be doing fine.

However the original reason I replaced this was because I was trying to fix a "dieseling" like sound when I accelerate from a stopped position. I was thinking it was a chain noise but maybe I misdiagnosed it. Once the car gets moving (like when the torque load is stabilized) the noise goes away and when I down shift and give it hell (creating torque load), the noise is still gone. When I brake torque it forward the noise is there, but when I brake torque it in reverse the noise is not there. So, I suspect this noise maybe caused from engine moving under torque causing engine to rise in that direction and maybe touching something. It is not a very loud noise but one that concerns me. Anyone have any ideas what this noise may be? I am going to craw under it tomorrow and feel around and see if maybe it is some brake lines or steering lines touching the engine somewhere.. but anyone who may have had this noise and have news they solved it may be extremely helpful and appreciated. Thanks

[1zsquared]

Found the noise issues I thought was a loose timing chain. It is an exhaust leak at the connection on the exhaust manifold. When the engine torques forward the engine twists and lowers at the back of the engine. It looks like the engine will pivot at the donut gasket like an elbow joint allowing the catback to stay in a fixed position, which is why (I am guessing) the gasket at that union is a made of a lead like material. Well, on mine, it seems to be pivoting enough to create a slight exhaust leak when under a heavy load. As the weight of the car comes up to speed, the "torque" requirements diminish and the leak goes away, The donut I have is new, so maybe I installed it improperly or maybe some of my engine mounts are bad.. Anyway, if anyone else hears a sound that resembles what a timing chain may make, it maybe wise to check the union on the exhaust at the exhaust manifold, just in case it is leaking under a load like mine is.... Thanks

[SSizler]

Is your Vibe an AWD model?
If so, they have a unique exhaust pipe gasket, much different than the FWD cars.
Even my Toyota dealer failed to get me the correct gasket, but NAPA had it.