90LS400Lexus Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 I took this photo of the underside of my engine a little while ago. Is this "dampness" of oil on the oil pan normal for one of these with 230K miles? It looks like it is seeping around the oil pan. I did take it to the dealer today for a oil change and they did not mention anything about it, so I am guessing it is OK? There are NEVER any drip spots under the car and there are obviously no drips from the pan here, because the lower part of the pan is dry. Perhaps this would clean off and it would stay off for a while? I guess after 14 years and 230K miles, some oil would come out after a while. I guess there is no cause for concern? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 Here are other photos of my undercarriage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 Another Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 And another Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 And another Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99lsguy Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Did you change the diffy oil too? (I thought it was you doing this????????) If its not dripping on the garage floor, and you don't need to add a quart between oil changes.......I'd let it slide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obergc Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 That does not look like a fresh leak to me or at least it is not a huge leak. You might just have a little seepage that is caking up with road grime and it has probably been building for some time. You could try cleaning it off and watching it but it doesn't look like something that I would be too worried about. If you're not adding oil between changes I wouldn't sweat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 Did you change the diffy oil too? (I thought it was you doing this????????)If its not dripping on the garage floor, and you don't need to add a quart between oil changes.......I'd let it slide. No, I was running short on time, so I passed on getting the differential fluid changed. No, there are no drips at all under the car and from the looks of the photo, it looks like there is no oil even close to the bottom of the pan to drip down. It would have been nice if they had of wiped some of that away however. :P I do not have to add any oil between changes. I checked the oil the other day (was nearly at the 3000 mile mark since last change) and the oil level was just shade below the "full" mark- not even 1/4 quart low. I have been told that it is normal for a high mile car (230K) to have this seepage there- but I was just a little suprised to see it. I did not know it was even there. I was outside this evening taking photos of the sunset and thought I would take a few of the underside of the car, since I have never looked under it before. I also noticed the new drain plug that they installed, because they said the old one had been overtightened and it was stripped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my ls430 Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 u could have a bad gasket that goes between the oil pan and the motor. cheap fix but requires an oil change and labor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 Well that is good news to know - that it is a cheap repair. I guess I will not worry about it unless it starts to drip on the driveway. So far so good. :whistles: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my ls430 Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 you can not also rule out a head gasket. that is an labor intensive fix not so cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93LSOwner Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 I had that done. Service cost was: $132 Gasket seal was: $5.94 Also, like MyLS430 said oil change is required with the job. Mine was leaking oil on the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VMF Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 yeah its no biggie, you can drive like this till its starts to leak more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 you can not also rule out a head gasket. that is an labor intensive fix not so cheap. Oh? That would be expensive. However, wouldn't it be overheating, burning oil or something if it were the head gaskets? It runs cool and does not burn any oil at this time. Now I am very concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my ls430 Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 i head gasket could be much worse. you could leak coolent into the engine causing it to mix with the oil causing it to create this white paste type stuff. only one way to tell get is to get on your knees and get a flash light and have a look to see if it is leaking from the head. take a pic of the head if u want more opinions too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 i head gasket could be much worse. you could leak coolent into the engine causing it to mix with the oil causing it to create this white paste type stuff. only one way to tell get is to get on your knees and get a flash light and have a look to see if it is leaking from the head. take a pic of the head if u want more opinions too My grandfathers 1990 Mazda 929 sedan had a bad head gasket a couple of years ago. I have heard of coolant getting into the oil, but in this case, his car had oil in the radiator. New head gasket installed (car has not run properly since) and the oil entering the coolant has stopped. I know on my car, that there is no oil in the coolant and no anti-freeze in the engine oil. If it was the head gasket wouldn't I be able to tell just by looking at the oil or coolant? All looks fine in both and the dealer mentioned nothing of it, unless they are hoping it goes out and they can replace.... I think I will sell the car before it is too late if it is a head gasket. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blake918 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 90LS, after I changed my oil this weekend, I noticed the same thing on my car. I don't quite have the seepage that you do, but it is there nonetheless. I got depressed for a second, but then, I remembered that I don't burn or leak(as in drops in the driveway) any oil, so why sweat it?? Plus, I think we have oil iddiot lights if it gets too low. BTW, I'm at 230.5k as of today! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted June 25, 2004 Author Share Posted June 25, 2004 90LS, after I changed my oil this weekend, I noticed the same thing on my car. I don't quite have the seepage that you do, but it is there nonetheless. I got depressed for a second, but then, I remembered that I don't burn or leak(as in drops in the driveway) any oil, so why sweat it?? Plus, I think we have oil iddiot lights if it gets too low. BTW, I'm at 230.5k as of today! :D Interesting. My car also has 230,100 miles on it. I do not have to add any oil either, nor are there any drips under the car, but it still bothers me that it is there. It seems as if it is a very small leak and this has been "gathering" there for a long time now. Also, as mentioned- I checked the oil the other day at the 3000 mile mark (due mileage) and it was just a very little bit below the "full" mark. It was not even 1/4 of a quart low- which I think is impressive for a 14 year old car, with 230K. I have always assumed it was dry under there. I would just hate it if it was indeed the head gasket leaking like LS430 mentioned. If it does not cause it to leak worse, I may take it to the car wash and spray it with the high pressure hose and see if I can get it off of there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99lsguy Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 90LS, I suppose it's possible the sludge is from the infamous PS rack leaking - you know, spitting onto the oil pan under highway speed.........that is, if you've ever had the PS leak before??????? But really, your LS is 14 years old!!! That gasket has got to be cracked in a few pinhole places - all those years of heat/cold, etc.... It's never the miles that get the LS down.........its the age Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted June 25, 2004 Author Share Posted June 25, 2004 90LS,I suppose it's possible the sludge is from the infamous PS rack leaking - you know, spitting onto the oil pan under highway speed.........that is, if you've ever had the PS leak before??????? But really, your LS is 14 years old!!! That gasket has got to be cracked in a few pinhole places - all those years of heat/cold, etc.... It's never the miles that get the LS down.........its the age 99- as far as I know, my PS is not leaking. The level is always full. There is a minor seepage from one of the hoses, but it is not dripping at all. You may be able to notice that my alternator is still dry in that photo. I e-mailed my father the photo and he said it was not the head gasket leaking causing that. He said what you said- it is just the oil pan gasket leaking some and not to worry at this time, since it is not dripping on the driveway. It looks as it is has been seeping for a while. I may get it changed, but my main concern now is the vibration and front suspension clunk. I am going to take it on my next day off and get the tire balance checked and have the tires rotated. Hopefully that will stop the vibrations. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1UZ-FE Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 90LS400Lexus: 99 was asking if u knew if your PS pump has ever leaked. it is very possible that the sludge you are seeing is a result of a leaking PS pump even if it was fixed years ago. in other words, that sludge could be from years ago and still remaining b/c nobody ever cleaned it. the best and easiest way to see if this is an ancient problem is to clean the existing sludge off with a cloth or something. using a pressure washer might cause you to bust seals and get things wet that shouldn't be. if you do end up pressure washing, use care and make sure you know what you are doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossyoak Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 IF your discarded oil is not cloudy white, you are not leaking coolant into the crankcase. It is pretty evident if that is the case. Also, leaking coolant into the crankcase may raise the oil level on the dipstick. Simply, look at the oil on your dipstick. If it looks normal, ie no milky white color, your are probably not leaking coolant ( also check coolant level from radiator cap). If coolant leaking into exhaust manifold, you would see thick white smoke out your tailpipe. If you see no leak on garage floor, you should count yourself lucky and spend your money on other things. Hope this helps Ferd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermate Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 leakage in that area has nothing to do with a head gasket. even if the you had a cracked head, or the gasket was leaking it wouldn't be in that location anyway.... my car had the same kind of buildup "old oil sludge" as you do, mine was around the oil filter. i change my own oil, so when i removed the filter it just got oil on and around the area, and then built up with road grime and look really sludgy... i just took some degreaser and cleaned the area up...no more sludge... like other members posted b/f its just buildup over a period of time...no biggie if you clean it and the oil seep returns, in that area, then you would just need to replace the oil pan gasket.....really cheap, and easy to do. i did it on a honda prelude for a friend it only took an hour or 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99lsguy Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 90LS400Lexus: 99 was asking if u knew if your PS pump has ever leaked. it is very possible that the sludge you are seeing is a result of a leaking PS pump even if it was fixed years ago. in other words, that sludge could be from years ago and still remaining b/c nobody ever cleaned it. the best and easiest way to see if this is an ancient problem is to clean the existing sludge off with a cloth or something. using a pressure washer might cause you to bust seals and get things wet that shouldn't be. if you do end up pressure washing, use care and make sure you know what you are doing. Correct 1UZ-FE!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted June 26, 2004 Author Share Posted June 26, 2004 Thanks guys for the last four replies. My father also said that the head gasket leaking would not be causing that oil there. Possible too what you said it may be where the PS was leaking before and it was not cleaned. In reply to the oil condition- my oil does not have any white color to it. In fct, even at 3000 miles, it is really not even that dirty looking and there is no steaming from the exhaust and the car runs cool (always *below the 1/2 mark), so I am 100% sure it is not a head gasket. About getting the old grime off, instead of going to the wash and using the high pressure wash- I think I will just do like you said- spray it with degreaser and spray it with the garden hose at home. This should not be much for it should it? I would not want to destroy the gasket any further- if that is what it is. Thanks again folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.jpg.00b008f265e99d7d6120b5e549b3fd10.thumb.jpg.19472090d3f0c8af2c0ed917c349221d.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.