Foreign Service Owners are hanging onto their vehicles longer than ever. For many, it’s a decision dictated by simple economics. Keeping these geriatric vehicles leak-free requires patience and some detective work. inding and fixing some oil leaks replace the valve cover gasket. (Don’t be sur- can be frustrating. Crowded en- prised if the “leaker” rolling into your bay al- gine compartments make it ready has a fairly new valve cover gasket on it.) tougher than ever to pinpoint However, Schilder urged readers to check the leaks quickly. Then, after you fi- following areas of the 2.2L powerplant when Dan nally find the source of the leak, tracing upper-engine leaks. Marinucci fixing it may mean pulling half the car apart just First, don’t overlook a distributor O-ring if the Fto replace a 10-buck seal or gasket. It’s no sur- engine is equipped with a distributor. Although
[email protected] prise, then, that some technicians would rather checking the distributor O-ring may sound obvi- crawl over hot coals than pursue elusive oil leaks. ous to some technicians, it’s a simple item that These emotions came to mind recently when still gets overlooked. several MOTOR readers asked about persistent Second, an engine without a distributor may valve cover leaks on Toyota’s super-popular 2.2L leak oil from a black plug in the driver’s side of the (5SFE) engine. This powerplant is best known as cylinder head. This plug, which resembles a rub- the sturdy four-banger in the equally sturdy Cam- ber-coated core plug, literally fills the hole where ry.