Noticed possible oil leak ...

[Hershey]

I think our new 2010 bought in JANUARY may have the same leak . Put the tip of my finger on the spot where oil drop builds , oil and behold it's there . Will put it on ramps to get a better look . No oil was spilled on the valve cover , dry as a bone . Read where the timing chain tensioner seal could be the culprit . Hard to tell since the head gasket seal , timing chain cover (sealant , gasket ) , and chain tensioner are in that general area of the source for the seeping oil . Wonder if we should get another TOYO service center to take a look at it . This is absurd .

[auxmike]

I'm gonna have to take a look at my '08 hatch.
26,000mi.
Build date was 1/08.
Mabye buying the extened warr. at the dealer was'nt such a bad idea after all....

[Hershey]

Since we've had warmer temps ( 75 > 90 ) the leak(s) is more fluent . Wish other YARIS owners would take a look at this and give their findings .

[Hershey]

makes me think if we should ask them to try replacing the timing chain gasket before doing the head gasket to see if the leak stops . The mechanic we dealt with was quite set in his ways and rude . The service manager wasn't much better . It's driving us to drink .

[nazier]

Originally Posted by Hershey

went back to dealer and they found it to be a leaking head gasket . Dye was used to locate it . Pointed out the oil was seeping from the upper passenger side of rear corner of block . Will likely have to take it in later in the week and get a rental . I suggest others look out for this .

we had a call back in south africa, it was the oil filter seals, drove into the dealer and they changed it right there and just top up the oil

[auxmike]

Here's some pics of my '08 hatch in that area of the engine you describe.
There's a small spot where some dust has collected in the rear pass corner , but no real "leak" at all.
I encourage others to do this who can post pics or at least look and tell us what you saw....

[Hershey]

AUXMIKE , that's not the same spot . How can we post a pic from our camera of the oil leak to this thread ? We're a couple of computer dounces .

[Hershey]

these are the pictures of the 08 sedan that I took while laying under the car looking up.

[Hershey]

the 2010 3 door has the same leak that collects in the same spot. Coincidence ?

[Hershey]

the last picture shows the large ledge that's part of the engine block and then tapers off to the square where the oil drop forms . Just below the large ledge there's a hole in the block that contains what looks like a ball bearing . The mechanic says this is what lets the oil seep . The hole with the " ballbearing " must be part of the head gasket , which we were told to have replaced . A dye was used to pinpoint it . The oil also runs down along the timing chain seal and eventually collects on the upper edge of the oil pan . We're going to buy some engine dye at a auto parts store to poor into the 2010 and then bring to the TOYO service center to find the source . Both cars have 5w-30 synthetic . Could this somehow be causing the leak ? Would a few fills of a 5w-30 conventional oil slow or stop the leak ? . So many ifs . . Last , hate to have the head gasket replaced if it may be the timing chain gasket . Should we try to get the service center to perform that to see if the leak stops ? If it doesn't , then most likely the head gasket . Drivin' us ers .

[Hershey]

here's pics of both car leaks . The top is the 2010 3 door and bottom pic is the 2008 sedan .

[Hershey]

we plan to buy a blacklight and will try to get a pic of the dye on both blocks and hopefully the source(s) . Will take some time . I need to reclean the '08 engine block and could take up to a week to get a good leak . The 2010 block was cleaned before taking it to TOYO service center to have dye poured in . That should be sooner . That's if it the pics show the dye .

[R2D2]

Hershey,

It may have been the way it was written but it doesn't sound like the mechanic is very sure its the head gasket. I think the dye is a good idea. I'd want to be VERY sure about what was going on before I let anyone pull the head.

As far as the syn oil causing the leak you were using Shell (I can't remember the other brand you were using) which is just highly refined petroleum oil. Don't let the dealer give you grief about it either because they meet the necessary specs (ILSAC GF-4). The stuff about syns causing leaks is way over blown.

[R2D2]

Just found in another thread you were using Platinum in one car. That's also Group III (highly refined petroleum) like the Shell. Like I said above, non contributory to any seal leakage IMO, especially HG if that what's even leaking.

R2

[Hershey]

thanks . I'm going to do an experiment with a few runs of conventional 5w-30 to see if the leak slows or stops before having one or both the head(s) removed . Will take a few fills to get most of the syn out , so may take a few months . Thinking of using SHELL or PENNZOIL or other well known name that's on sale . Plenty of warranty left .

[Hershey]

the mechanic was asked to show us the leak with the blacklight while the car was on the lift , but didn't . Took the flashlight from my hand and said HERE ! He had a bit of an attitude . That alone makes us doubtful . Looked at the 2007 FACTORY REPAIR MANUAL under ENGINE MECHANICAL that's listed here for the removal of the head and is a very large job . So many things that could go wrong .

[Hershey]

got the blacklight this evening and will be using it for the '08 sedan . Will try to get pics of the dye . Then will clean the block and recheck with the blacklight . Looked at an '07 hatchback with 18,000 miles at a dealer and no leak . Then went to someone we know that has an 2010 3 door with 30,000 miles and the upper back of the block where the oil gathers on ours was found to be bone dry on his . He gets his oil changes at TOYO dealer with the conventional oil . I'm starting to think that the synthetic is seeping from the seal for the timing chain cover . Will be looking at other used YARIS . Plan to go to regular oil for several runs to see if the oil leak slows or stops . Finding it hard to believe that both the '08 sedan and 2010 3 door have head gasket leaks . Seems odd that both our YARIS have 5w-30 synthetic since 1,200 miles and both have leaks while the others I've looked at aren't with conventional motor oil . Maybe the seals don't agree with syns or started the syn to soon .

[Lucas13]

I have in my yaris synthetic oil since the first week I purchased brand new and no leaks so far, what its leaking really bad right know is the input shaft seal in my gear box, also one axle seal was replaced few months ago, There is a chance that seals in some yaris came out with low quality standards, they probably use a rubber that gets hard too quick or gets cracked, This sucks in car with less than 60.000 like mine.