Timing chain cover leak.

Is it just me 2023 toyota 4runner sr5 2700 miles.timing chain cover leak warranty is covering it but I'm still just beside myself.10hr job the whole front of the engine has to come apart.is this a common thing with this 4.0L engine or am I just unlucky.

 

There was another member recently who discovered what appeared to be a coolant leak on their late model 4Runner; after an epic story of the "fix" at the dealer, which included, I believe, replacing the timing cover, due to a leak caused by fixing the other issue, it got resolved. I think.

https://www.4runners.com/threads/reddish-stuff-in-the-engine-bay.33158/

You and he appear to just be lucky.

 

Unlucky.

It may be my imagination, but it seems that there have been more threads like this with 5th gens manufacturered during and after the Covid pandemic. Maybe there’s a moral problem in Japan.

 

where is the leak ? from my experience vehicle will never be the same after dealership repairs.

 

How bad was the leak?

 

It was a common thing with the single-VVTi 4.0L - pretty much every 4th gen V6 you find in the used market has a timing cover leak. It is a bit less common with the dual-VVTi 4.0L on the 5th gen.

On the Tacoma 3.5L, timing cover reseal is more expediently done as an engine-out job, due to some interlocking seams with the oil pan.

 

Meh. There are Lexus cars with the 2GR made in Japan leaking left, right, and center before and after Covid. The 4.6L V8 on the GX likes to leak there too. Luck of the draw. At least @honda904 doesn't have to pay to get it fixed.

 

Do they develop leaks with time as well, or do they stay well sealed if it starts well sealed? Just wondering, because my 4runner is racking on the miles lol. And if it it’s just a seepage, does it “require” repair, or leave it be?

 

^It's more time-based than mileage-based. The seam where the three parts head, block, and timing cover meet up isn't always perfectly flat and even, so with time the sealant degrades and doesn't fill the gap as well.

There are millions of 2nd gen Tacomas and 4th gen 4Runners on the road today with timing cover leaks. Most of them don't leak bad enough to drop the oil level below the dipstick low mark between oil changes. The leaks just make a mess around the power steering pump area.

 

Nonsense. The dealer's master technician will bring the engine to factory condition i.e. the resealed timing cover may leak again in a few years.

 

When I dropped the skid plate it was covered with oil.

 

^Yeah that's no bueno.

When the dealer has done the repair, you can as a preventative measure, apply some Permatex The Right Stuff sealant on the outside of the timing cover seam where the leak was before. The 2nd gen Tacoma folks report great success with this sealant. You don't want the leak to reoccur when you're outside powertrain warranty.

 

Welcome to the club. Took dealer 4 weeks to get it fixed on my 4 Runner. Thankfully they approved a rental for the 4 weeks. Not sure why but on top of taking apart the front and lifting engine out, they even took apart the glove box area and centre stack where the radio is.

 

Wow that's bad.

 

This right here. Every single time you get the oil changed, tell them to check it & put it in writing on your print out that, “it was inspected & not leaking” GL OP!

 

Hey actually crank front seal can leak and sling oil looking like cover. I looked at friends Tacoma and it looked like it was coming upwards from crank.