[808 Xterra 4x4]

Help please. I've already taken it to the dealership to have a leak test and they diagnosed it as the valve cover which I had them replace since I have a "seal and gasket" warranty, but there's still small leaks. The leaks is what's likely causing the rusty oil pan so it'd be nice to correct it before having the pan replaced.

Rust Oil Pan.





Leaks.

Between the trans and oil pan when I press on this piece oil oozes out through the cracks. I looked up to the oil pan and it's dry up there.


Oil also drips here, but I'm not sure where it's coming from.

 

[TBass]

This might be the best advice ever. Unless your oil is pouring out, do not have a mechanic tear it apart and reassemble it, guaranteed more trouble. A mechanic is not going to work slow, odds are, in their hurry, they will screw something else up.
My X has dripped since new. The oil is not the source of corrosion. Salt and oxygen cause corrosion.
Park it on a pad if it bugs you.
I can drive 3500 miles between oil changes, oil level does not go down. Yes, ugly spots form underneath but I am not consuming oil and the level does not change on the dipstick. If you want luxury practically oil drip proof, by a lexus.
There is nothing wrong with spotting. Man I wish people would quit freaking out over this.
Pouring oil leak = mechanic
Spotting = life

 

[NEXinthesky]

It seems the oil dripping from the bottom of your harmonic balancer is actually coming from the crankshaft oil seal that sits between the oil pump and the crankshaft that runs the timing belt and harmonic balancer. It could also be the valve oil seals that sit behind the sprockets that the timing belt runs over. The only way to check is to do a tear down to get behind the timing belt covers which requires you to pull off all of your accessory pulleys with belts and the the harmonic balancer. It's basically doing a timing belt job and it's a moderately big job but if you have any mechanical inclination, it's not all that difficult. If one of the 3 seals is leaking, you just have to replace them alongside a new timing belt because oil or coolant getting on the belt will destroy that belt and will destroy the engine if it snaps or comes off or even jumps a lot of teeth. HOPEFULLY that oil dripping from the bottom of the timing cover could be splash from the oil pan, maybe the oil pump or oil filter so cross all of your T's before going into the timing belt area. But if your valve oil seals or crankshaft seal is leaking, you absolutely have to change them and change the timing belt, the tensioner and if you need a new water pump and can spring the money for it, do it all while you are that deep inside. The danger of the oil is not so much of the engine depleting oil but because the danger it puts you in from damaging your timing belt. Keep us posted on what you find out!

 

[Grease Monkey]

before you do anything else try running valvoline high mileage engine oil. It'll swell your main seals up a bit, it doest look like they are a severe drip... ive had pretty good success with it stopping small main seal leaks like that

 

[dejablue]

I think it only the front and rear seal on oil pan .You do need a new oil pan before it blows out .