I was under my runner yesterday and noticed some oil, it's a slow leak, very slow, nothing has dripped onto my driveway yet. But none the less, I need to know what is wrong before I take it into toyota to get it fixed.

I have the Toyota Platinum extra care extended warranty so it should be covered, but I want to know before hand what it is, so I can research it and see if possibly they could say my lift could have caused it.

Here are the pics...

 

second pic

 

and one last pic of my new smittybuilt brush guard...

 

Check the oil filter and drain plug first. One time my oil filter wasn't on tight enough and I had a huge oil leak. Could be that it needs some tightening.

 

It doesn't take much oil to blow back along the undercarriage. If you change your own oil (or the place that does it for that matter) and get some spilled (which is difficult not to...) on the chassis or skid plate, it'll blow back and look like you have a nasty, hard-to-find leak. I'd check tightness on the filter and drain plugs and wipe up whatever I can reach, then keep an eye on it.

 

Are you sure it's not transmission oil or powersteering.

Yeah, havic said it all...check the plugs and filter first. Did you accidentially pour some oil out of the engine back then?

BTW, are you attending UNR or teaching there?

Nam

 

looks like it may be a transfer case leak, Judging from the location. maybe an output seal or even drain plug seal. what color is the fluid??

 

Thanks I'll check those things, I'm a sophomore at UNR.

 

Ok, just went out to inspect it alittle more and theres no way its from a loose drain plug/filter. I think my transfer case is leaking, the bottom of it is saturated a bit. I touched the oil and it was clean, not dirty.

But upon further inspection, it is leaking; there were a few drips worth on the driveway from when I moved it from the dirt onto pavement about an hour and a half ago. Does this need to be checked out immediately?

I'll go take another pic, this time of the transfer case, and be right back.

 

Ok, found the leak. The picture is bad so I circled where the oil is coming from, you can even see a drip forming, this is looking at it from the front of the car. What is wrong?

 

Here's one to show the saturation of the T-Case

 

Another, but closer. from the rear of the car

 

I would suggest going to the car wash and blasting all this area with the high pressure wash (..."engine clean", if they have it there...). Let the leak show again, and get to the dealer for their examination, since you have the warranty. Looks like a bad seal.

 

I'm going in today, can anyone tell me exactly what the problem is? A leaky transfer case seal?

Also, is there anyway they can claim that because I lifted the car they can claim the lift caused it?

 

 

Another vote for the output shaft seal of the transfer case. Don't screw with it too much, it will be covered under your extended warranty.

 

I'm not even go to mess with it, I'm taking it in today as it is.

Is there anyway they can claim the lift caused it?

 

Sure, they can claim anything they want. However, I don't think the transfer case shaft angle changes with a lift (someone correct me if I am wrong). Usually a leak past the seal is either: a. a deteriorated seal or b. a clogged breather.

Let us know how it goes. You should be fine.

 

There are some stealers out there that will do whatever they can to get out of doing warranty work.... Hopefully you are going to a "good" stealer.

 

My friend's dad owns the dealership so I think I'm fine, but we'll see.

Why would a dealership not want warranty work? Seems like guarenteed money; they could charge up the bill and send it to toyota.