Plastic rectangular cap loose and leaking oil. Help pls!!

Hi gang. Have problem help please!!
2013 toyota venza Le
4cyl 2.7L 2eheel drive
47k miles

I have a plastic cap on the bottom of the engine that looks like it's leaking. When I tried moving it around, it's quite loose. There is some sort of disk inside when I removed it.

Here is video. It appears to be on the area where engine meets transmission.


https://youtu.be/d8ABnrfr5fA

Thank you!!

 

Pop that cap off, is there oil behind it? Oil build up to be precise?

if so, then I believe you have a rear main seal leaking, to fix it you’ll have to separate the transmission from the engine.

I’d recommend throwing Valvoline Max Life oil in, it’s a high mileage oil that helps to stop leaks, we use it at the shop all the time

 

That black cap is a dust cover to keep dust away from the wheel (your fly wheel)- that hole is there to allow you to unbolt the torque converter so you can drop the trans

 

Oh okay. So I need a new cap is all? I was freaking out when I saw droplet of oil hanging down.

Here's better angle where it's located

https://youtu.be/vn1PusMvBuQ

@joseph_womack , there is not supposed to be oil? It looks a little wet and there was oil stains outside as seen on video.

 

No unfortunately it’s not that simple, it’s fine for the cap to be loose…

the rear main seal is a big O-ring that seals the engine and transmission together to keep oil from leaking out, to replace it (if that is for sure your issue) would be removing the transmission from the car to swap seals, then reinstalling the transmission.

correct, there shouldn’t be oil around that location where the engine/trans meet, viable drops of oil mean that it’s a pretty significant leak; I’d run the max life oil but not sure how much it’s really going to help

 

I see, so a trip to the shop is in order? It's not something I'd be able to tackle myself. Is this an expensive repair? Just a ballpark would be sufficient, as I have no clue, never met a problem of that nature before.

Thank you!

 

Yes if you don’t have experience then I’d say to take it to a mechanic you trust, can’t speak on how hard a venza trans is to pull or how many labor hours it calls for, but I would assume it’s probably about 10? Now ballpark for price depends on how much he charges for labor.

I would of course ask them to check it out, a little hard to diagnose things over the internet, so I wouldn’t just walk in and ask them to do it (because they’d for sure be happy to take your money)- also make sure to get a second opinion if you can

 

Since that's one of the lower points the oil leak could be most anywhere above or in front of that inspection cover. Cardboard is cheap. Rear main seal job is not. At least a comma in the price.

 

That’s a good point, you could have something leaking like a valve cover and it’s dripping down causing it to look like a rear main, pop that cover off and check and make sure no oil is inside

 

Oil loves to follow seams. Capillary action. Do you do your own oil changes?

In your first video there is a rectangular hole at the lowest point behind that cover. Is oil dripping from there?

 

Are you certain it is engine oil? Are you adding oil between oil changes?

 

I just checked and it seems dry inside and oil stain in that rectangle cover area seems to 3xtend past the corner, so if it was leaking from inside, it probably wouldn't be able to make it around the corner.

https://youtu.be/KME377QLDOk

I do have a leak at the top and I'm starting to believe it might be the culprit. Here is video of it:

https://youtu.be/qKWT8OI8QXI

I am not adding oil between changes and level seems good. I do once a year oil changes. This year, I made about 4500miles.

 

Could you take a picture or video of the back side of the valve cover? (The metal top of the engine)

 

I have concerning news. After returning home, I peaked underneath the car and I already see a hanging droplet of oil. I put plastic pan underneath to see how much oil collects overnight.

I also took a video. It's a little awkward orientation. I took my phone vertically and arched behind the motor, so everything is sort of upside down, but if you see the video, gasket seems to be in good order behind the motor(unless I was looking in the wrong place.

https://youtube.com/shorts/JueH0uCHeEc?feature=share

Maybe there's more oil coming out that I anticipated and the only reason I haven't lost much of it because it started happening recently?

I am worried what I see tomorrow. Either way, I appreciate all your replies, gang!

 

Hopefully it's not coming out of the rectangular hole at the bottom of the engine/transmission junction. I believe the purpose of that hole is to allow oil to escape if the rear main seal on the crankshaft, torque converter seal or front transmission seals are leaking.

 

yup, doesn't look like the valve cover is leaking, next I would check the front of the motor (where the serpentine belt is) and look for any oil on the face of it (all along the whole front)...

 

also, in both the videos, on the valve cover that looks just like grime, doesn't look like its damp (meaning oil soaked grime and dirt); also really looks like its just grime on the bottom as well, its hard to tell from the video.

I'd say go get you a can of brake clean from auto zone or O'reily and spray all the dirty spots till its nice and clean, then drive the car around and see if you can see oil buildup anywhere

 

This is from overnight..
Definitely fresh then. I'm going to work, rotated the plastic, will see how much in the evening.



Edit: I'll try to look around where belt is. Thanks!

 

That is enough oil to indicate that there is definitely a leak somewhere, but not enough to be overly concerned, yet. Keep an eye on the oil level to make sure it does not get too low and you have plenty of time to find the leak. Are you certain that it is motor oil that is dripping? If the oil level never drops, then that is not motor oil.

 

It definitely looks like motor oil. Dipstick was good level, but I do remember having more oil there. I usually fill it up to max level and here it was a little higher than 50% on dipstick. I figured yesterday it was because I didn't wait enough time for it to settle after turning off engine, but now that I see how much dripped overnight, I have different thoughts.

I'll look after work to see if I can find where it might be leaking. It probably started happening recently, because I dont remember last time seeing any droplets under the car. Thank you!

 

If you can't pinpoint the leak, get some brake clean and clean everything off real good, then check again after driving the car

 

It will take more than a few drops in a pan before you're going to see it on the dipstick.


Slap a Harley Davidson sticker in the back window and call it good.

 

Good evening, Gang! I am sorry for no news, but I'm working hard work at the moment and literally no power to crawl around under the hood.

I do have good news though, it's been about 24 hours ever since I wiped my underpant tester plastic and no new droplets fell. It appears the leak is only happening while engine is running maybe..

Come weekend, I will check more and try to find more and will update. Thank you much everyone for helpful advice and pointers! Maximum apperciated!

 

Thats good news at least! But most leaks wont continue to leak unless you are driving around

 

Gang, little update. I'm still licking. Shortly after I don't remember when exactly, car got smashed and I didn't have opportunity or time to look into fixing the leak. Smash got fixed.

Many months later, I still have full oil level on dipstick, so it's either dripping very slowly or perhaps I o

 

Did you ever confirm that was oil and not trans fluid?

 

I haven't. Doesn't look like transmission fluid. It's definitely brown.

 

Maybe I found the leak.
Btw, gang I just changed oil and 4qts drained and 5 went in. 1 quart lost?

Here's the area where I think it might be leaking. See that rusty axle, to the right, where block is sandwiched together, bottom area under the seam is darker.



https://youtu.be/nvO-E9wVxzA

 

That’s an upper oil pan on those 2.7 engine, where 1/2 the rear main seal is on. Maybe it’s the rear main seal is leaking and let the oil seep out between the upper oil pan or the upper oil pan seal is leaking

 

Thank you. I'll keep it on my bucket list to get repaired. I don't like giving car for repairs unless extra necessary. Last time I had air intake pipe left untightened, some missing plugs to hold 0lastic in place and one screw that was left 'extra' in my door handle cavity.and that was at the place where I had fantastic previous experience.