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CAM SHAFT TOWER SEAL LEAKING ** PLEASE READ***

Discussion in '2.5 Gen Tundras (2014-2021)' started by jacob.jons.jj, Jan 5, 2018.

  1. Sep 28, 2021 at 6:39 PM
    #2671
    Ruggybuggy

    Ruggybuggy Seasoned Veteran

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    It’s believed the contaminated from the combustions process damages seals and gasket material.
     
    Green Thunder[QUOTED] likes this.
  2. Sep 28, 2021 at 6:48 PM
    #2672
    sportbikenut

    sportbikenut New Member

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    That makes sense. Contaminates in the oil eating away at the seal. What is your definition of extended oil change intervals? I believe that the Toyota recommended changes are extended! Cheap insurance I always said. Usually do around 5k - 6k miles.

    They could have started using the better RTV sealant too. Do you know if they changed out the RTV sealant used? Thanks.
     
  3. Sep 28, 2021 at 6:59 PM
    #2673
    Ruggybuggy

    Ruggybuggy Seasoned Veteran

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    Toyota uses a sealant called FIPG and has used it for years and still does. It’s a good product and better than RTV. The problem with the cam seal leaks really isn’t that common. Change your oil every 5K and it’s unlikely you will ever see the issue.
     
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  4. Sep 28, 2021 at 7:43 PM
    #2674
    sbxx312

    sbxx312 New Member

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    I change my oil every 3k and started leaking at 5500 miles.
     
  5. Sep 28, 2021 at 7:47 PM
    #2675
    Ruggybuggy

    Ruggybuggy Seasoned Veteran

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    Unfortunate for you but it’s still not a common problem.

    ….and your saying you changed your oil once then it started leaking at 5500. You had the problem from new and most likely an assembly issue.
     
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  6. Sep 28, 2021 at 7:52 PM
    #2676
    TILLY

    TILLY Gently Used Member

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    I thought I heard it was a robot problem not applying the sealant correctly in some spots. :notsure: Or maybe not. :)
     
  7. Sep 28, 2021 at 7:54 PM
    #2677
    Ruggybuggy

    Ruggybuggy Seasoned Veteran

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    There was a leak from the timing cover that was robot related. Not sure on the cam tower.
     
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  8. Sep 28, 2021 at 7:55 PM
    #2678
    BuckWallace

    BuckWallace Ball don't lie.

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    Define "common". Both Tundras I've owned have or have had the leak, and the only other person I know who owns one also has it. Pretty bad luck for 3/3 to have it if it isn't common....
     
  9. Sep 28, 2021 at 8:01 PM
    #2679
    sbxx312

    sbxx312 New Member

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    I'm at 23k and it leaks the worst during camping season when I'm towing the trailer.

    I think it is a relatively common issue that rarely gets that bad and the vast majority of Tundra owners have no clue.
     
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  10. Sep 28, 2021 at 8:17 PM
    #2680
    sbxx312

    sbxx312 New Member

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    My kid's best friend's dad has a construction company and 100k on his Tundra. We're always parked close to each other for sports. I looked last spring after a baseball game and he's leaking from his passenger side. I didn't tell him.

    I looked at the used Tundras at the dealership when my truck was in for one of those early service bulletins. I was that weird guy with the flashlight. A couple were leaking and some really bad.
     
    BuckWallace[QUOTED] likes this.
  11. Sep 28, 2021 at 8:44 PM
    #2681
    Ruggybuggy

    Ruggybuggy Seasoned Veteran

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    At our small dealership we saw one or two a year. Just because you have seen three doesn’t make it common.

    I’ve changed far more rear axle bearings on Tundras than cam tower leaks but no one thinks axle bearing failures are common.
     
    Green Thunder likes this.
  12. Sep 29, 2021 at 3:16 AM
    #2682
    endagon

    endagon New Member

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    You can add mine to the list. It's only visible if the rubber flap behind the driver's side shock tower is disconnected and pulled down. Just the back corner of the head is wet. Someday I'll take care of it. This truck gets oil changes ever 2-3k miles but it eats a lot of E85 so it's not overkill.

    I only found it when doing my last oil change and the rubber seal inside the oil filler cap fell. That SOB took over an hour to find where it landed behind the motor mount. I never did see where it was hiding. Got lucky and dislodged it with a wire during a hail mary blind poke.

    edit: truck has 34k miles

    camtowerleak.jpg
     
  13. Sep 29, 2021 at 7:18 AM
    #2683
    BuckWallace

    BuckWallace Ball don't lie.

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    The master tech (larger dealership) that did my repair on my 2018 said they get 1-2 per month. I haven't just seen 3, I've experienced 2 and know someone with one. Again, define "common". If you mean more than half then maybe you're right, but this definitely isn't an uncommon issue. As others have pointed out, people just don't know about it. My buddy who had it didn't know until I showed him.
     
  14. Sep 29, 2021 at 6:23 PM
    #2684
    Ruggybuggy

    Ruggybuggy Seasoned Veteran

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    Common….more than 5%. I’ve done far more rear axle bearings, usually a couple a month but it was still not a common problem. 95% of owners will never experience a camshaft tower leak.
     
  15. Sep 29, 2021 at 6:26 PM
    #2685
    BuckWallace

    BuckWallace Ball don't lie.

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    So for some quick math, if it's truly 5% then the odds of me having 2 with a leak are 0.25%, or 1 in 400. The odds of my 2 and my buddy's all having it are 0.0125%, or 1 in 8000. If that's really true, then I need to go to Vegas right now.
     
  16. Sep 29, 2021 at 6:35 PM
    #2686
    Ruggybuggy

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    Your right, it’s an extremely common problem. I’m just BSing and protecting Toyota’s reputation for reliability and my 32 years of experience as a tech means nothing.

    Believe what you want, I’m done with this thread
     
  17. Sep 29, 2021 at 6:45 PM
    #2687
    BuckWallace

    BuckWallace Ball don't lie.

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    I'm just challenging your assertion that my anecdotal experience doesn't reflect the issue as a whole whole basing it on your own anecdotal experience. You said you only get 1-2 per year, which is fine, but I'm just saying I've personally had two with the issue, and my dealer claimed they get 1-2 per month. So maybe it's a little more widespread than you think. Not trying to be a d**k here.
     
  18. Oct 5, 2021 at 12:57 PM
    #2688
    kittyhawk

    kittyhawk New Member

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    Houston/Buffalo Texas!!!!
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    Good afternoon everyone, I was out today adding washer fluid and was given the truck a good look over and found this unusual residue and wondering if I could have a possible Cam Tower leak, of course It's on the driver's side. The passenger is spotless.
    Trucks a 2015 SR5 5.7 Flex fuel with right at 140xxx miles. What's the concessions that Toyota will step up and fix or not?
    I took a few pictures for your viewing pleasure.
    Thanks
    David

    20211005_140700.jpg
    20211005_135931.jpg
     
    Malinois38 likes this.
  19. Oct 5, 2021 at 1:01 PM
    #2689
    Rw429

    Rw429 New Member

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    Looks like just some carbon buildup which is typically on the valve cover and engine.
     
  20. Oct 5, 2021 at 1:04 PM
    #2690
    kittyhawk

    kittyhawk New Member

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    I was wondering that but the passenger side is spot less. I was wondering if it's blowby coming from this hose. See picture.

    20211005_150342.jpg
     
  21. Oct 5, 2021 at 2:53 PM
    #2691
    Rw429

    Rw429 New Member

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    Yeah I hear ya, I have the same residue and it’s been there for 3 years and I am OCD with checking my truck and oil level at least once a month. Never had to add oil so assume it’s just blow by and heat residue from the engine. Your good.
     
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  22. Oct 5, 2021 at 10:53 PM
    #2692
    WAtundra4x4

    WAtundra4x4 Retired from active retirement.

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    Forward looking camera, Stub Antenna, 3M clearshield. A few other non lifted items.
    Hose looks like it is bulging. Time to replace imo.
     
  23. Oct 6, 2021 at 4:58 AM
    #2693
    Wynnded

    Wynnded What MPG...

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    That's a flare in the pipe fitting that the hose fits over to help keep it in place....
     
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  24. Oct 21, 2021 at 11:47 AM
    #2694
    pmack

    pmack New Member

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    Hand calculated and truck and showing about 2 mpg drop. I will give it a try and see if that helps. Only thing else I can think of is a vacuum hose. If anything was really off with the engine would it throw a code? Thanks for the input.
     
  25. Nov 3, 2021 at 12:04 PM
    #2695
    Callmedave

    Callmedave New Member

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    I guess this is the thread to post this in. Took my 21 Tundra into the dealer because I seen smoke and an oil leaks. 700 miles on this truck…
    I was told today it was just a valve cover gasket but I have my doubts now.
    Currently 10 pages deep into this 90 page thread. Ugh

    986E0AD3-7AC2-4BB4-93CD-88998DE6EC05.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

  26. Nov 3, 2021 at 12:22 PM
    #2696
    Wynnded

    Wynnded What MPG...

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    Request that they do the dye to pinpoint the origin versus them doing the valve cover gaskets off the cuff (if that's their first suggestion). When I had mine looked at, they did the dye and told me to put 1k miles on it; I made an appointment for the following week (1k miles my butt...). To my eye, that does look like it could be the cam tower, but the dye method should be able to pinpoint it.
     
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  27. Nov 5, 2021 at 4:57 PM
    #2697
    Alloutdrs1

    Alloutdrs1 New Member

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    Looks like a cam tower and a valve cover leak from that picture. You can see towards the back where the cam tower is leaking and then looks like a drip coming off the fipg itself. Just ahead of that you have a spot just above the manifold that looks like the valve cover leaking.
     
  28. Nov 7, 2021 at 1:13 PM
    #2698
    Dalandshark

    Dalandshark Infected with 5G

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    @Callmedave You could let them do the valve cover gaskets, and while you’re there go ahead and have them schedule a time to do the Tower . Then ask them why they want to do the valve cover gaskets twice.
     
  29. Dec 10, 2021 at 4:40 PM
    #2699
    Kentuckytundra

    Kentuckytundra I love spam calls, we talk for hours

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    Is this something the 2021 still have an issue with, do I need to keep an eye? I'm a religious oil changer with good synthetic and oem filter. Did they ever switch gasket color/materiel to a better one that we can tell if we have or don't?

    I could attempt to read through 90 pages but someone please save me the eye strain lol
     
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  30. Dec 10, 2021 at 5:03 PM
    #2700
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder Smooth in the Cruise

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    No change for the 2021. So yes it is something that might affect your engine.
     

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