When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Just the other day I noticed a massive oil puddle under my 22re 5spd truck. So the next night as I turned the truck off, I got underneath and observed the leak.
It only leaks once the engine turns off, it comes from somewhere above the bellhousing, I couldn't really see where, but it is a very fast stream that drips down. It slows down and stops after about 10 minutes.
Yesterday I removed the valve cover, there was some oil underneath the seal, but when I reach my hand behind the head and feel, I don't get any wet oil on my fingers. I checked the head bolts and they are above 75 ft/lbs, I didn't test above that. I don't want to jump straight to headgasket as there's no mixing and it doesn't overheat.
I have a new engine I'm rebuilding so I don't want to spend too much money on this one.
I would 2nd the half moon seal at the back of the valve cover. Mine did the same thing, easy simple fix if so. Get a small mirror (I have one on a tube with a swivel) and look back there, that is how I saw mine. I got a set at autozone for like 5 bucks.
So I just took it to a friends to do a compression test. All were 170ish except #4, it was 157. We think it's the headgasket. Somehow only the oil is leaking out.
I dunno about the headgasket being the culprit. My first thought was 1/2 moon. I dislodged the rear one once putting the valve cover back on and it made a similar mess.
Anything is possible, but seeping coolant was the most common fluid to leak externally from a failing headgasket. oil?, not so much. If the headgasket had failed to the point of compromising compression in a cylinder AND cause a external oil leak I'd think coolant should be leaking a fair amount.
But what would explain the 17psi drop on just that one? When I stick my hand and feel around the half moon and valve cover, its literally dry. No oil whatsoever. Its not the half moon.
I wouldn't sweat that 157PSI vs. 170. That's not where an oil leak is going to come from. You need either a mirror or one of those low-cost borescopes to poke around to find the source.
One of those dental mirrors, the small round ones, on an extendable shaft will do the trick nicely, and they're cheap. Pick one up at Harbor Freight for a dollar or two.
Flashlight in one hand, mirror in the other, and you'll find where it's coming from quick.
My bet is something to do with the EGR system, but I am frequently wrong...
A mirror is fine, but all you need is a piece of paper towel twisted around a piece of wire. The plan is to determine that a) there is no oil just below the valve cover (including the half-moon), but about 2" further (below the level of the bottom of the head) it's oily. You'll need to move the "swab" around a bit; the oil leak is probably not all along the mating line, but in just "a" spot. If it's oil right below the mating line (and not above), I don't know any other cause than a head gasket.
In theory, you could reach there with your fingers, but my hands are too chunky (that's on a 3VZE; I assume there's roughly the same space behind a 22re.)
i could see that being the headgasket, especially with #4 being lower compression. the oil return channel from the valvetrain is located right next to #4, on the passenger side, towards the outside edge. if the gasket failed at that spot, you’d expect both the oil leak and the compression drop.
12-17-2020, 10:11 AM
