Hey, I have an 1992 Ls400 Lexus that I just bought from the owner and I found out it has an oil leak it has 240,000 miles on it and if I drive it for a while it starts having a bad smell in idle and I can see smoke coming from the engine I I really need some advise on it. The man I bought it from didn’t tell me but I called him and he said he haves to put a pint of oil in it every month but i go under the car and it oil everywhere then it leaking especially When I crank it up. He said it’s the valve cover gasket and he bought the part and put it in the trunk but could it be anything else and if so will I have to replace anything other than the gasket because it smokes really bad in idle after driving about 20 - 30 miles I’m 21 and drive atleast 45 miles a day to work and back and sometime to get my daughter from another close by city
Valve cover gasket leaks are very common in these cars as they age. Sometimes you can reduce the leaks by just tightening the covers but BE CAREFUL and do not over-tighten. Unfortunately, it's an expensive repair which is why the previous owner didn't do it. Could you DIY? Sure. It will take a while and you'll learn a little about your car. If the leak is elsewhere, such as the front main seal or the cam shaft seals, a container of AT205 Reseal might work for you. Has the timing belt service been done? VERY important.
Unfortunately, you’ll have to take this car to an honest mechanic & get the real story.
Scotty doesn’t recommend buying V8 Lexus vehicles because they can get very costly to repair.
If you can fix this with the least amount of $$$ and sell it, and buy yourself a used Camry, that will be your best bet for low maintenance transportation.
Just a tip for all your future car purchases, get an honest to check the vehicles thoroughly before you buy them. You’d rather pay $100 before purchase and save thousands later.
I totally agree with
Unfortunately, it seems it needs lots of money to repair. It does not make any sense to put any serious money into that.
