1997 Camry Le auto 4cyl Oil Leak
 

Hi everyone, my Camry has a small oil leak since the beginning of winter. I thought that was valve cover gasket, so I changed it (without sealant), but no help. Then I changed oil pan gasket, still leak. The leak seems appear every time the temp low ( 32 degrees and below), it starts leaking when I start the engine 5' min under cold temp. The leak spot is on the oil pan side, and from the above portion of the engine. The amount after 5min is about the cap size of water bottle. Some friends told me that it because of oil pump, some said it was the gasket between the engine and other part. help me! The car runs good, nothing wrong except for this problem.

The 4-cylinder has many known areas of oil leakage the result of aging seals, the oil pump is one.

Can you clarity the area of the engine where you think the leak is: passengers side (timing cover), drivers side, side facing radiator, rear.

Oil pump leakage can occur from the O-ring between the pump body and the housing it bolts to. More common is leakage from the oil pump drive shaft seal located in the pump body behind pump drive pulley.

The front of the engine has the crank and camshaft seals that can leak.

In order to determine what seal is leaking raise the passengers side of the car and remove the tire, make sure to secure the cars body with jacks stand, etc. With engine running look up under the fender at the timing cover area and watch for oil running out from under the timing cover.

The pump is located above the crank and toward the firewall side of the front of the engine. If leaking oil it may not come out directly under the crank but toward the fire wall side of the lower cover area.

If it is the oil pump drive shaft seal, the leakage can increase quickly. Suggest if this is your problem to check the oil every day until fixed.

leaking from the passenger side. Thanks for the info

If passengers side check the areas listed in above post.