Got my first cruiser

[mike759]

Trying to do a bit more detective work before i start throwing parts at this thing and it may be coming from above the upper oil pan. Seems to be coming out around where the exhaust comes out of the head(?) I'm hoping and assuming its not the head gasket as I'm not getting the oil coolant milkshake symptoms and seems odd for these trucks at 166k. Anyone seen this before?
I blasted it with degreaser and will clean it up tomorrow and maybe remove the heat shield thing over the exhaust manifold to get a better look.

 

[rover67]

That could just be leaking down the back of the motor from the valve cover.. I just did a valve cover gasket on my brothers 80 and folded the gasket accidentally while getting the valve cover on and back in place…. It yielded a hefty leak but did manifest itself rather quickly. You could just torqued the valve cover bolts back down a bit and see if it calms down but either way a fel-pro valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seal kit is pretty cheap and might take an afternoon. The valve cover gasket is probably rock hard and will come off in broken chunks if its original but if its been done and fresh you could either just retorque or pull the valve cover to inspect pretty quickly. The valve cover gasket I put on my brothers truck solved like 90% of the leaked FWIW.. oil was raining down everywhere from its original gasket and loose cover. I thought I had a much bigger problem but I’ll I did that job.

 

[mike759]

That could just be leaking down the back of the motor from the valve cover.. I just did a valve cover gasket on my brothers 80 and folded the gasket accidentally while getting the valve cover on and back in place…. It yielded a hefty leak but did manifest itself rather quickly. You could just torqued the valve cover bolts back down a bit and see if it calms down but either way a fel-pro valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seal kit is pretty cheap and might take an afternoon. The valve cover gasket is probably rock hard and will come off in broken chunks if its original but if its been done and fresh you could either just retorque or pull the valve cover to inspect pretty quickly. The valve cover gasket I put on my brothers truck solved like 90% of the leaked FWIW.. oil was raining down everywhere from its original gasket and loose cover. I thought I had a much bigger problem but I’ll I did that job.

I was starting to think this could be a possibility but looking for reassurance lol. Didn't think it could leak that much from the valve cover. That said, I was told the valve cover gasket was done not too long ago but it does look to be weeping a bit so maybe a botched job.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Marco brings up a good point about the valve cover gasket. When reinstalling the valve cover, the gasket can get caught on the number 6 spark plug tube. If that happens, and you don’t notice, it can easily result in a leak.
I did mine a few weeks ago because mine was dribbling down the front for a while and had started leaking back by cylinders 5&6. My old gasket was pretty much hard plastic when I removed it. I usually put a dab of RTV in the back corners to help hold the gasket in place while doing the install.
Also, don’t forget to remove the half moon cutouts from the head and clean and reseal them with RTV. Also put a dab of RTV across the half moons before putting the valve cover back on.

 

[Mag71k5]

Trying to do a bit more detective work before i start throwing parts at this thing and it may be coming from above the upper oil pan. Seems to be coming out around where the exhaust comes out of the head(?) I'm hoping and assuming its not the head gasket as I'm not getting the oil coolant milkshake symptoms and seems odd for these trucks at 166k. Anyone seen this before?
I blasted it with degreaser and will clean it up tomorrow and maybe remove the heat shield thing over the exhaust manifold to get a better look.

My headgasket went at 160k, it blew externally and had a steady stream of droplets coming from where the block meets the head, AT CYL 6 and 3. It also had a shit ton of head gasket sealer from the PO.....

Your pictures look like oil.

 

[mike759]

My headgasket went at 160k, it blew externally and had a steady stream of droplets coming from where the block meets the head, AT CYL 6 and 3. It also had a shit ton of head gasket sealer from the PO.....

Your pictures look like oil.

Are you saying that if it was head gasket there would be sealer splatter instead of oil? The possibility of head gasket failure is scaring me.

 

[Mag71k5]

Are you saying that if it was head gasket there would be sealer splatter instead of oil? The possibility of head gasket failure is scaring me.

Im just saying when mine blew externally, it never created the coolant/oil milkshake. And I had a steady stream of pink/red coolant dripping down the block.

You're looks like its oil, if I were you I wouldnt br worried about the headgasket. Its probably just from the valve cover.

 

[mike759]

Yeah, I'm going to order a valve cover gasket. The trail seems to run all the way down.

 

[mike759]

What is this and why is it leaking? I’m assuming a diff breather? There’s oil on the front axle drivers side

 

[Lastresort576]

yup dif breather. make sure its clear including the fitting on axle tube otherwise pressure could build and blow out your seals...also, you should replace the hose and run it up into the engine bay, securing it into an upside down U.

 

[mike759]

I’m reading 1/4” ID fuel line and a fuel filter is adequate as a replacement. Does that sound right? Also should I be flushing and checking the diff fluid?

 

[SteveH]

I have used 3/8" fuel line as a breather on all my FJ40s/55s/60s, etc. Slides right over the factory nipple after you pry off the spring-loaded 'cap'. Secure with a hose clamp and run the hose up high.

 

[mike759]

Ran fuel line to replace the breather and put a fuel filter at the end for safety (the red bit). Flushed my diff fearing for the forbidden grease oil cocktail but it came out crystal clear.

 

[mike759]

Anyone got a trick for reconnecting the transmission kickdown? Valve cover gasket job went surprisingly smooth until it came to reconnecting those throttle body cables. I’ve been playing operation with needle nose pliers trying to get that cable mounted but failing miserably. I’m assuming there’s something I’m missing

 

[mike759]

Ended up removing the throttle body again to get to that transmission cable. Overall pretty straightforward although I just noticed one of my half moons is a degree or two off. There’s a dab of sealant on top do we think it will retain oil?

 

[Pz10420]

If its all installed already, then just run it and see what happens.

 

[mike759]

Odd question this morning:
While at the car wash yesterday I gave my engine bay a once over which I always used to do to my Tacoma but wasn’t thinking that the ignition system on the 80 would be a bit more sensitive. For a minute after leaving the car wash I had a misfire and rough idle that has since went away. This morning the truck ran fine but I got a check engine light, I’m assuming for the misfire?

Update: it seems to come and go

 

[DaveInDenver]

Odd question this morning:
While at the car wash yesterday I gave my engine bay a once over which I always used to do to my Tacoma but wasn’t thinking that the ignition system on the 80 would be a bit more sensitive. For a minute after leaving the car wash I had a misfire and rough idle that has since went away. This morning the truck ran fine but I got a check engine light, I’m assuming for the misfire?

Update: it seems to come and go

The engine on an 80 isn't any more or less prone to water intrusion issues than a Tacoma from a design standpoint.

What might make a difference is the 80 will have dried and cracked seals all over the place.

Also no car can tolerate a high pressure car wash spray everywhere. Much of the sealing assumes the water (or engine fluid being contained) is low pressure, splashed on, maybe being partially immersed or falling as rain. A directed spray from a garden hose is about the extent I'd want to do without being careful about where you spray and probably covering sensitive spots. The only system that will see as much pressure as a car wash is direct fuel injection. High pressure for oil is like 80 psi while a pressure washer wand might be in excess of 2000 psi at the tip.

It's not just electronics. If you spray too aggressively at things like valve covers and such you can force water into oil or force water into the air intake past simple foam seals.

Some of this I learned the hard way.

If you're lucky you may have forced water under the distributor cap or something simple like that.

 

[mike759]

Good to know. I did only use the low pressure option at the wash thinking that was safer. I doubt I forced water into the engine itself I was mainly concerned with distributor/other ignition related things. I guess one of my questions is do these obd1 systems recognize misfires and show a CEL the way the 5vz does? It popped up twice while driving around this morning and went away without my resetting.

 

[Lastresort576]

You most likely got water in the distributor cap as they are not water tight.