Oil coming from my EGR Cooler...?

[CajunKenny]

Hi guys! As some may remember, I just got done with a BHG repair. Now there is a pretty substantial oil leak and it's coming from the EGR cooler.

Questions:

Will a BHG (happened at WOT) blow out the EGR cooler gasket and it's simply that? Or am I looking at a bigger problem?

Does oil go through the EGR cooler? (I thought only gases passed through the EGR system)

Thanks!

 

[Rennat]

sure its not the back of the head?

i thought i had a seal in the back of my engine leaking, and it turned out to be the exhaust cam seal was leaking, and it would run down the sides of the my head and puddle like the rear main was leaking... crazy huh?

 

[CajunKenny]

Yeah, that's kinda what mine is doing. The spots on the garage floor are right where you would think the rear main is leaking. I just replaced the clutch and flywheel. When I had the tranny out, I saw drops of oil coming off the EGR Cooler Plate.

I suppose it could be one of the cam seals; but, what doesn't make sense is that the head only has 4k on it. Along with the rest of the motor too. Hmm...

It is a pretty significant leak, meaning that most of the EGR Cooler plate had oil on it. It wasn't leaking before I pulled the head to repair the BHG.

 

[Who]

Holy Smokes what a coincidence. This weekend I found puddles of oil under my car as well. Same issue as it looks like it is coming from the rear of the head, rear main seal, egr cooler. I've been trying to find the leak but everything is a mess. Next weekend I will degrease the engine and get a clean start.
I had the same question about the egr cooler as well. I did find that my valve cover bolts were loose "again"! I'm not thread jacking I'm watching the thread for answers as well. Make that two members with similar issues.

 

[j3pz]

i believe the nearest oil location to the egr cooler is the valve covers. i would take the valve covers off and check the seals/gaskets. if they are in ok condition, reuse them. clean the surface of oil and dirt where the covers meet the head with a rag, and i like to apply a light coat of RTV to make the gasket/seal a bit tacky and seal a little better. let us know what you find out about your leak.

 

[Frank Rizzo]

No oil associated with the EGR cooler.

If you've ever taken the EGR cooler off of the head, you would have seen an oversized 17mm allen head plug that is threaded into the cylinder head. There is coolant on the other side of the plug, thus utilizing 200 degree engine coolant to cool 1000 degree exhaust gases.

 

[92nsx]

Im on board with the others here, and it is eather cam covers leaking or the head gasket is leaking back there. There is NO oil that goes throu the EGR cooler. The only thing that goes throu it is just exhaust gas, unless you already have burnt rings or leaking valve seals that would allow oil into the CC. but you car would smoke pretty bad if that were the case.

Just spend the $20 on new cam cover gaskets since that is the most logical place it can come from. Unless the cam cover it self it cracked

 

[Poodles]

Don't forget the oil galley plugs...

 

[hvyman]

the stock valve cover bolts always loosen up. upgrade them

 

[Who]

the stock valve cover bolts always loosen up. upgrade them

That's for sure. "Tighten the valve cover bolts" should be listed as part of the regular maintenance on the toyota owners manual.

 

[jdub]

the stock valve cover philips head bolts always loosen up. upgrade them

Fixed it for you
A star washer between the grommet and bolt head will make that problem go away. Stainless hex cap bolts do look nice though.

Just make sure you do not over torque these...that's why the philips head bolts were used in the 1st place. The torque spec is in/lbs...twisting one of these off will ruin your whole day.

 

[CajunKenny]

I upgraded to Hex Bolts with lock washers loooooong ago.

So far everyone agrees on the following:

Valve Cover Gaskets
Cam Seals
Head Gasket

Now the last one is a concern to me. I just upgraded to an MHG so there might be something to that one; but, could a leaking HG leak enough oil to coat the EGR Cooling Plate?

I appreciate everyone's input. Thanks!

I'll go investigate the leak a bit here in about a half hour and post what I find.

 

[CajunKenny]

Ok. I rubbed my hand on top of the EGR Cooler where the valve cover and head come together and got very little oil on my hand. As soon as I rubbed the EGR Cooler plate and the bottom of the plate, my had got covered with oil. There are no visible leaks at the back of the valve cover; but, as you know...it's difficult to see back there.

I'll replace the valve cover gaskets again for good measure.

Could a Leaky HG cause this?

 

[grimreaper]

wouldnt that mean the oil is moving upwards?

What about poodles advice on the hex bolts in the spark plug valley?

 

[CajunKenny]

Holy Anti-Gravital-Oil Batman!!

Yeah, it could be that! Maybe some gaskets for the Hex Bolts are in order. I'll start with a set of valve cover gaskets and go from there.

I'm just glad to find out that it can't possibly be the EGR Cooler gasket. That would NOT be fun to replace!

Thanks guys!

 

[Rennat]

if your going to pull the cam covers, check both of your cam seals while your at it.

 

[Poodles]

Actually, it could be the EGR cooler gasket... Mine has nasty black "oil" around it from it leaking...and it's not oil...

 

[Rennat]

couldnt that just be "soot" from the exhaust and moisture mixing and then making it look like oil? but when it dries it will leave the black soot behind...

 

[grimreaper]

bust out the chemistry set...

 

[black89t]

I upgraded to Hex Bolts with lock washers loooooong ago.

So far everyone agrees on the following:

Valve Cover Gaskets
Cam Seals
Head Gasket

Now the last one is a concern to me. I just upgraded to an MHG so there might be something to that one; but, could a leaking HG leak enough oil to coat the EGR Cooling Plate?

I appreciate everyone's input. Thanks!

I'll go investigate the leak a bit here in about a half hour and post what I find.

how are cam seals going to leak to the back of the head? :ugh:


i would wipe it down bone dry back there then drive around for a day then trace the leak. the egr is so hot i don't see how oil would make it through there without burning up. i say valve cover gasket. and i think its impossible for oil to get up there from the hg area because the head hangs over the back of the block about a inch or two.