1990 Toyota Corolla engine oil leak

Tiny
VERHAAFF
  • MEMBER
  • 1990 TOYOTA COROLLA
I've got a 1990 Toyota Corolla DLX with a 1.6L 4 cylinder 4A-FE engine.
About a month ago I noticed knocking sounds out of the engine and I decided I'd have all my oils changed at a oil change station.
It turned out there wasn't any oil in my engine!
The oil got filled and ever since I have to throw in a quart of oil about every 400 miles. (I drive 100 miles a day)

As for symptoms.
I've noticed a white "smoke" coming from my engine sometimes after a long drive and I found that this is caused by oil dripping on my exhaust pipe during the drive.
Also the oil pan seems to be very wet with oil and every now and then (not always) my car leaves a small puddle of oil near the front right tire.
By now the entire engine is wet with oil so it's difficult to point at the specific point where the engine leaks, I think it might be the oil pan gasket, but like I said, the entire engine is wet in that area so I can't be sure that that's it.
Also when my car idles and I look from underneath the engine I notice some sort of "discharge" from right underneath the exhaust manifold which looks like a little bit of fumes and a little bit of spray.
It's not coming out of the exhaust manifold, but somewhere from the engine block underneath the manifold.

Does anybody have any idea what this could be before I start taking things apart to "shotgun" parts at it?
Wednesday, May 3rd, 2006 AT 1:21 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
LOSONE
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,616 POSTS
I don't know how many miles you have on your car but it sounds like you have more than a few oil leaks. I would wash the engine and remove all the oil and see where the oil is leaking. Overhead cam engines have full oil pressure on the valve cover. Perhaps you have a leaking valve cover gasket.

You won't know where the oil is leaking unless you start with a clean engine. Good luck
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Wednesday, May 3rd, 2006 AT 5:06 PM
Tiny
CHEVY55
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  • 9 POSTS
If you live in a cold climate where they salt the roads
heavily in the winter, you may have a rotten oilpan.
I did, but found a good one at the scrapyard for
replacement
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Wednesday, June 14th, 2006 AT 1:59 PM

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