notsobigkahuna Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 My 89 v6 with 111k km on it has a slight head gasket oil leak. Started last winter on my way back from Florida. Options include:-1) oil is cheap2) fix the side with the leak.3) fix both sides, with timing belt and water pump. $2500 + -Ideas?Kahuna in Kanada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted November 15, 2015 Author Share Posted November 15, 2015 I'm 30k away from the scheduled belt/ pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Sure its the head gasket and not something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted November 15, 2015 Author Share Posted November 15, 2015 Yes, I had it checked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Keep an eye on it, and go with #1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanAatTheCape Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 If it is truly a head gasket that engine would not be running very well. Assuming it is running good - I vote for option #1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I'm with WME #1. I have seen several people that keep a piece of drywall/plaster board under the motor area to soak up dripping oil. Jester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 So it's one of those more rare external leaks, rather than an internal leak? I don't know if one is necessarily better than the other, but maybe external is better. I had an external coolant leak from my headgasket a while back. It's a scary place to have a leak. And one of those things...could be fine for thousands and thousands of miles. But if it fails...you're stranded. My engine performance didn't suffer at all with my leak. I know that typically a headgasket leak gets detected by poor engine performance before you actually notice any fluid loss. But some of the external leaks don't seem to cause this. You aren't loosing compression and you aren't mixing oil and coolant, or burning coolant etc. For me it would depend on how I use the camper. If I'm all over the country in it, I don't mess around. I fix things before they strand me. If it's just a weekend warrior vehicle...I'd probably let it slide and just watch it really close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 It runs like a top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 I've been reading about oil leaks on these 3.0 engines. I haven't seen one reference to a head gasket oil leak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 You won't see many references to external head gasket leaks of any kind with any Toyota engine. They don't seem to be very common. It's almost always an internal leak, and probably a lot of people have them...and only notice them when they get bad enough that performance issues start to pop up. I got some confused responses when I asked about my external coolant leak. But a couple people had exeperienced them. If we can assume your mechanic didn't make a mistake, then I guess you're just lucky enough to have a rare problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 I'm not sure I like being the trailblazer with these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Clean the engine very good, pour some black-light engine oil dye. Drive it a bit and check it at night with a black light. You would be surprised at how far oil will flow from the point of the leak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanAatTheCape Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 The VZ3E has heads that are bi-directional. Since the camshaft goes out one end a plug is used on the other end. The plugs are sealed with RTV and are prone to leak. Oil travels....I would clean the engine then start looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 He's in Canada. Could it be a leaking freeze plug? Get's cold in Canada Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted November 19, 2015 Author Share Posted November 19, 2015 Hey Linda, would that not be a coolant leak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Hey Linda, would that not be a coolant leak? Yeah. Too many groups and too many topics. Sometimes I get mixed up Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted May 16, 2016 Author Share Posted May 16, 2016 I emailed one of those online toyota parts places. the short of it is that the valve grind kit is NLA. The engine rebuild kit is and is $192 which i assume is the valve grind kit +. Toyota no longer has new water pumps and they don't sell a timing belt kit per se. Is there a company that sells a known to be good timing belt kit with pump for my 89 V6? Thanks, Kahuna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 Like this? http://www.ebay.com/itm/GATES-89-92-Toyota-Pickup-3-0L-V6-Timing-Belt-Water-Pump-Kit-TCKWP-OE-Engine-tz-/301226053773?hash=item462278d08d:g:cE8AAOSwnDZT14JI&vxp=mtr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 Rock Auto sells and OEM timing belt and component kit for $196. Â Belt, tensioners, idlers, water pump, etc. Â Aisin is the company that made them OEM for Toyota. Â Part # TKT032 with oil cooler and TKT014 without oil cooler. http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/toyota,1993,pickup,3.0l+v6,1277995,engine,timing+belt+&+component+kit,5759 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted May 16, 2016 Author Share Posted May 16, 2016 i see a lot of the kits state 'hydraulic belt tensioner'  Is this what an 89 has?  by the way, there is one of those online toyota parts places that has OE engine rebuild kits for $200C, they don't have any more valve grind kits left so they are substituting engine rebuild kits.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaunt Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 i'd be willing to bet it's leaking down from the valve covers or somewhere else. if you do indeed have a headgasket problem there really is no cheap solution to fix it, please never pour any 'head gasket sealer' or any other crap like that in your engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 3 hours ago, notsobigkahuna said: ... there is one of those online toyota parts places that has OE engine rebuild kits for $200C, they don't have any more valve grind kits left so they are substituting engine rebuild kits.  I assume you're talking about gasket sets? http://www.toyotaoempartswarehouse.com/oe-toyota/0411265018 http://www.toyotaoempartswarehouse.com/oe-toyota/0411165018 Are you talking about $200 Canadian? Seems a bargain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanAatTheCape Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 I think I read "head gasket" leak,  and engine runs good.....  hmmm  MY guess is we are really talking about a small oil leak - since VZ3E's are notorious for valve cover leaks,,,,  that would be my first guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted May 17, 2016 Author Share Posted May 17, 2016 I had the valve cover gaskets replaced. Took it to Florida and back. Oil leak started, took it in. They cleaned the engine and said it's coming from the head. Yes, I meant engine rebuild gasket set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanAatTheCape Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 14 hours ago, notsobigkahuna said: I had the valve cover gaskets replaced. Took it to Florida and back. Oil leak started, took it in. They cleaned the engine and said it's coming from the head. Yes, I meant engine rebuild gasket set. if your engine is running good, I suspect they are full of crap.  valve cover gaskets are notorious on the VZ3E engines.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Give the engine a good steam clean or pressure wash then with a can of brake cleaner in the area where it's leaking. Powder it down with baby powder from Dollarama and then run the engine for a while. The baby powder should make it pretty easy to spot where the leak originates. If not, at least your engine will smell nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
payaso del mar Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Kahuna, I think Dan is right. the things that can leak at your head gasket junction are compression (140+ psi compression pressure and more than that on power stroke); coolant (up to 15 psi) and oil....there are only a couple of the oil passages that are pressurized....most are just oil drains, to let it return to oil pan from head componentry. the odds of non-pressurized oil making it past the head gasket if it's not leaking compression or coolant are not high. putting it another way, if you don't know when your valve cover gaskets (and associated bolt grommets etc) have been replaced, you should do those before trying to do much more on diagnosing an oil leak. I haven't ever bothered with the baby powder....not least, the smell of the stuff makes me sneeze! but yeah, degreaser and a trip to the quartersucker car wash will make it pretty easy to spot where the leak is coming from. small mirrors from the dollastore are often helpful in spotting up underneath stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted May 18, 2016 Author Share Posted May 18, 2016 Ok , I like the sounds of this. When I had the valve cover gaskets done (felpro) I was days away from leaving for FLA from Canada. One of the valve covers had some minor damage to the underside flange, the mechanic thought some sealant could do the trick. I should have written down what side that was. i'm reading that sometimes the valve covers can warp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanAatTheCape Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 On 2016-05-17 at 9:28 PM, notsobigkahuna said: I had the valve cover gaskets replaced. Took it to Florida and back. Oil leak started, took it in. They cleaned the engine and said it's coming from the head. Yes, I meant engine rebuild gasket set. I would also consider how much oil we are talking about.   Putting cardboard under neath to measure, looking to see where oil is accumulating (wet areas), smelling oil burning on exhaust etc.  Also checking  oil quantity on a cold engine parked level, day after day - looking to see how much the oil quantity is dropping.   How often oil has to be added. Carb cleaner is what I use to clean engines - wallie world has it for $1.99 and each can has  a spray straw so you can somewhat direct in to tight spaces. One issue with the VZ3E is that the plenum makes the passenger side of the engine hard to access.  If you are having to add a lot of oil I would probably consider it a nuisance and hold off any repairs.  Sometimes oil leaks "fix" themselves  - a small leak can gum itself up,  not that I would count on it. Someone mentioned the plug on the end of the valve covers - they are notorious for leaking too.  Usually valve cover leaks are at the ends too.  Worth mentioning, that "just fixed" valve gaskets do sometimes leak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
payaso del mar Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 be SURE to wear eye protection when spraying carb cleaner, esp from below. that crap loves to spray back (due to pressure it's canned at, I suspect) and it burns bad in eyes and don't help skin. carcinogenic too. but yeah, it does the job. brake cleaner spray is similar but a little easier on paint etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted May 18, 2016 Author Share Posted May 18, 2016 I've never had to add oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanAatTheCape Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 On 5/17/2016 at 9:28 PM, notsobigkahuna said: I had the valve cover gaskets replaced. Took it to Florida and back. Oil leak started, took it in. They cleaned the engine and said it's coming from the head. Yes, I meant engine rebuild gasket set. if you are not having to add oil,  you must not have much of an oil leak.  to get a good idea of consumption/ loss, you do need to check it with the vehicle level & engine cold - repeatedly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted July 12, 2016 Author Share Posted July 12, 2016 Just got back from a 3700 km trip to Tybee island / savannah and back. I still have the oil leak, but after 5500 km or so I still don't have to add oil, it's down 1/16" or so on the dipstick. Need to change oil now. Oil isn't really even dirty. Hot oil spots look worse than they are... I'd still like to get the oil leak fixed. I'm at 115 k km now, book says to do timing belt and water pump at 144k. I think I'll get it done sooner rather than later. I'm sure that belt is 27 years old. kahuna in Kanada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 2 minutes ago, notsobigkahuna said: ... book says to do timing belt and water pump at 144k. What book is that? The only thing I've seen is the Toyota FSM and Owners Manual and the say 60k miles (96k km) for a (V6) timing belt. But you've an '86, don't you? No timing belt on the 22R-E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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