Head gasket and timing belt cover leaks

[Ken_OY]

Days before, I changed the engine oil in firestone, but soon after that I found some fluid leaking. ( I am so sure there was no leak before that, because my garage floor was always clean ). The leak was not serious, but it did made the floor wet over night.

Then I came back to firestone, and they checked my car and said valve cover gasket leaking. They asked for $300, and changed 1.VS50059 valve cover gasket set; 2. replace valve cover gasket; 3. replace spark plug tube seal; 4.pcv276 pcv valve. After all these work, my camry stop leaking.

But leak happened 3 days later. I was so frustrated, and I came back. But they told me they could do nothing this time, because new leak start. 1. rear head gasket leak, 2.the timing belt cover leak. They told me the some other shops can do that for me but not firestone.

Now, the leaks start when the engine starts, stop when the engine stops, and about one minute one drop. Is this situation very serious? I just don't want to spend too much money for an old car and I don't want to know they take my money and tell me "they can't". The car, my 95' camry is in great condition, I trusted firestone before, but after that leaks...

Could somebody help me ?

[Brian R.]

Get a recommendation from a co-worker or neighbor for a mechanic they have used before and has done a good job. Take it to him and get his opinion.

or try here:
http://www.cartalk.com/content/mechx/find.html

IMO, this leak may be serious and should be looked at by a professional if you don't feel qualified to do it yourself. It is possible that Firestone made a mess of the valve cover gasket, either by installing it badly or by cracking the valve cover by overtightening the hold-down nuts on the tube seals. Head gaskets don't leak oil, as a general rule.

[Ken_OY]

What will happen if it keep leaking? Is it easy to repair, I want to do it by myself.
Again, thanks for your reply.

[Brian R.]

You have to keep an eye on the oil level, keep the level at the top line on the dipstick, and make sure the leak doesn't leak faster. Since you don't know the source of the leak, I can't predict what will happen tomorrow or the next day.

You will have to find out the point at which the oil is leaking from the engine. Let the engine idle and see where the oil is dripping from at the highest point in the engine. Use a light, mirror, rag, solvent, whatever to find out where the oil is coming from. Only then can you tell if it is easy to repair or not or if it requires someone with good tools and a lift or other special equipment. The obvious place to look is the valve cover or valve cover gasket. The valve cover has "16 Valve" written on it on the top of the engine.

[Ken_OY]

Thanks for your reply! Appreciate that!
I will keep checking the oil level, and when I come home I will go underhood and find what is going there.

[rprough]

Sometimes the area where the leak is at, tends to be the cleaner spot because of the fresh oil washing away any dirt-etc. The fan and the wind flow while driving tend to do this action. An old mechanic told me this years ago.