2014 Plugin Prius: While changing the oil today, I noticed that the area was covered in oil. There were no oil drips on the floor so it is not "yet" a major problem. The oil leak was from above the pan and filter area, BUT below the belt. I think it is the oil pressure switch, but I have an almost 100% track record of my first guess being wrong . Here are a few questions: 1. How can I clean that area? What is the easiest way to clean it? I was thinking of spraying a simple degreaser in that area and then washing it off. Anything particularly wrong with that approach? Apart from the engine needing to be cold!!! 2. How do I diagnose the problem? I was thinking of using an engine UV dye + black light. Do I also need a borescope? 3. Assuming it is the oil pressure switch, how do I get to it? The manual says I can get to it by removing the front right wheel. 4. Could it be timing chain cover seepage? Thank you!!!
"...but I have an almost 100% track record of my first guess being wrong" Even a broken clock is correct twice a day! There are no oil drips because there is a pan under the engine. Gunk the engine, then hose it off. Drive the car making sure the engine runs for 10 minutes or so to dry it off. Then check from the top down. Valve cover gasket, oil pressure switch, timing chain cover or common areas for oil leaks. What belt are you talking about? It is possible the oil filter housing wasn't tightened enough, or the "O" ring was installed in the wrong slot on the filter housing, and air is blowing the oil everywhere. Cleaning the area completely, then checking often is the only way to find the leak.
> It is possible the oil filter housing wasn't tightened enough, or the "O" ring was installed in the wrong... Noooo, I am obviously perfect and never made any mistakes... Frankly speaking, that seems much more likely than Toyota making a defective part. I'll start with gunk. For any specific areas that didn't get cleaned, I can use brake cleaner while working on them.
Any advice on timimg chain tensioner oil leak? After cleaning the car engine area as well as could, I found oil around the timing chain tensioner. There was no oil around the oil pressure switch. I cleaned the tensioner area again with Simple Green, just to make sure that it is not left-over oil from before. I know I cleaned it earlier and passed my hand around that area as there was no oil earlier. I'll be more sure after this round of cleaning. I did run my hand over the upper part of the engine in that area to make sure oil didn't drip down from above; nothing coming from above. I am definitely batting at 100% on swinging and missing with my first guess: I had guessed it was the oil pressure switch and I even have it in my Amazon checkout, ready to go I am probably going to work on it this weekend. Any advice will help.
So it is NOT the tensioner leaking? Perhaps the valve cover? If everything is clean, you'll soon find it. It may be a slow leak and take a while to seep out.
I have oil around the tensioner with the two bolts and the two 10 mm nuts. I am now going through the process of verifying my findings a third time. For the life of me I can’t seem to be able to put the 2014 plugin into maintenance mode. Yeah, I know I should have posted this in the plugin forum but I made a mistake.
Why would you want to run it on maintenance mode? Just drive it around the block and make sure the engine runs to operating temp. Then check it.