2010 Tacoma 4.0 Oil leak help

tgreening

Expedition Leader
I've got my eye on a clean 2010 where everything checks out, except there is a bit of oil on the passenger side of the engine. I know Jack and Squat about Toyota engines so please excuse my highly technical terms like "Thingy" and "Do-dad".

It seems like "old" oil if that makes any sense, as in a film of oil on what I believe is a valve cover and on top of what are either coil-on-plugs or injector connectors, or some such other do-dad. Pic below. I've outlined the general area in red, and the parts I believe to be cops or injectors. As I mentioned the oil seems old and it's dirty in the sense its absorbed a fair amount of dust and dirt. My question is where is this oil likely to have come from given it's location? I've told the dealer no deal till they track it down and rectify, but I'd like to have a clue when they come back at me with what they find.


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This is just the best internet pic I could find where you could actually see the area in question. Any help is greatly appreciated because I'm a total newb in the Toy department.
 

plainjaneFJC

Deplorable
Possible to post the actual picture? Those little bolts on the ignition coils are supposed to be torqued to 80 in. lbs. Could have a small leak I personally would not make it a deal breaker.
 
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tgreening

Expedition Leader
Not possible to get a picture tonight. Long since left it at the lot and banished myself to my easy chair. Actually the picture I posted is better because that big plastic cover is removed from the area in question. Things aren't near so visible on the actual truck. Just imagine that valve cover (?) and all the coils on that side covered in a fairly thin, but dirty black smear of oil. How far it extends back up in there is anyones guess. I can mention that there doesn't appear to be any oil "running" anywhere, like down the side of the engine etc. Stuff you'd normally find in a "real" leak. This is more like the kind of thing you find when a valve cover isn't quite sealed good enough and just enough seeps out here and there to make things dirty.
 

plainjaneFJC

Deplorable
That's probably exactly what it is. I have had a valve cover bolt leaking from day one, which is 9 years ago, on my Cat excavator. Just enough to keep dirt on it, no visible oil.
Not possible to get a picture tonight. Long since left it at the lot and banished myself to my easy chair. Actually the picture I posted is better because that big plastic cover is removed from the area in question. Things aren't near so visible on the actual truck. Just imagine that valve cover (?) and all the coils on that side covered in a fairly thin, but dirty black smear of oil. How far it extends back up in there is anyones guess. I can mention that there doesn't appear to be any oil "running" anywhere, like down the side of the engine etc. Stuff you'd normally find in a "real" leak. This is more like the kind of thing you find when a valve cover isn't quite sealed good enough and just enough seeps out here and there to make things dirty.
 

tgreening

Expedition Leader
Turns out the PO installed himself a K&N air filter and didn't know how to properly oil it. Too much. So that's where the thin film of oil came from. Probably the first thing to get yanked
 

Elk

Observer
Keep an eye out on your MAF (mass airflow sensor), as an improperly oiled K&N filter can foul it up. I had a factory oiled drop in cartridge (K&N) and it fouled mine after a few months of use. I am back to stock.
 

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