I have a 2008 Tundra with the 5.7L engine. Owned it for 12years & have 182k trouble free miles on it. I noticed an oil leak on the passenger side valve cover/cam tower area. I never have to add oil between changes & have no performance issues (it’s always got bad gas mileage 😃).
If it is a cam tower leak ($3500 fix) vs a valve cover gasket leak how will I know?? Will there be any red flags that surface indicating cam tower & not just a valve cover leak?
Just watched a youtue video on the cam tower leak re-sealing it. Very labor intensive no wonder you were quoted what you were quoted. This is just one video, as I'm sure there are others, but you can see what's involved resealing the cam towers on 5.7 engine. After seeing this I'd hope yours is the valve covers.
Wow! Great video, my back hurt just watching. BTW, I was not quoted $3500, just been reading other posts on it. I’m taking it to Toyota for inspection soon & will have them assess. At this point, I will let it ride wither way because in the Northeast you are on borrowed time after 10-12 years with rust anyhow.
Yeah...I hear ya, used to live up north so yeah I know the borrowed time from rust. So glad moved south.
According to the Tundra forums on this subject, the techs will inject some dye, and ask you to come back in several hundred miles. Apparently, the dye test is determinative:
248 posts on the subject: https://www.tundratalk.net/threads/valve-cover-cam-tower-oil-leak.119228/
Another thread on the same topic:
https://www.tundratalk.net/threads/official-cam-tower-leak-thread.735050/
fwiw,
F.S.
What are the performance related issues with a Cam Tower leak? Loss of mpg, power etc.. Can’t find this information anywhere.
I know what happens when the valve covers leak.
What are performance related issues? None. You just have a leak to contend with. Most folks ignore it. Those on Tundra forum just bitch about it. Under warranty they insist on fixing it, beyond, … just grumble.
Anyway, your leak developed probably a quite a while ago, so I say, just keep an eye on it, mop it up from time to time.
F.S.
Well, that is exactly what i plan on doing with it. I’ll monitor it & keep on trucking. Plan on pulling a 7k camper over 5k miles this summer! That should be a good test!
Love the truck & has been a tank for the 12 years I’ve owned it.
Thanks for all the feedback!