fastfred

99 TL with 103K has developed an oil leak where I find about 1/4 ounce of oil on the garage floor after sitting over night. It appears to be coming from the trans/enginer interface areaa. Took of the inspection plate that covers the drive plate area off, hard to see but looks like the tranny end of the drive shaft or the oil pan are suspect cannot determine without disassembly. Any history that can shed some light on this. Had the drive belts, water pump and timing belt changed about 2K miles ago, this work was on the other end to the engine and crankshaft. Any comments?

nickw84

I have a 97 2.2CL and I do all my own oil changes. I did not realize until last summer that when I did oil changes, I also needed to change the aluminum crush gasket ( AKA aluminum washer) on the oil plug. I probably used the same gasket for about a year. I also noticed an oil leak from my oil pan last summer. I was cranking the plug down into the pan and ended up cracking the oil pan, just a hairline, right near the oil plug hole. This would've been avoided had I changed the crush gasket. So, grab a towel and check exactly where on the pan it is leaking from, hopefully it is not the oil pan itself, it was a hassle to change, redoing the gasket and all.

Lawrence Coppar

I always get several uses from aluminum crush gaskets by annealing them. Copper, however, is easier to do. Just get copper red hot and let cool in air. With aluminum, I apply some soot to the aluminum then just heat with a propane torch until the soot burns off. Let it cool in air and touch up with emery cloth. I've never had one leak yet.