Oil leak at front of engine at timing cover gasket

[yoyosuper8]

My Car:
Year: 2005
Model: Mazda 6S
Miles: 99K
Engine: V6

So I just got my car back from the dealer because my shift control cable snapped again
Anyways, I new I was loosing oil, but I didn't know how. The dealer tells me that the reason for the loss of oil is because I have a leak at the front of the engine at the timing cover gasket. They want to charge me $1850 to change it.
My understanding is that the engine would have to be taken apart, is that correct? How hard is it to replace the timing cover gasket? Has someone done this before and if so, how much work is there involved?
I don't have $1850 as I'm just a poor college student trying to make it thru the day with ramen noodles!
Also, I'm using Mobile one synthetic oil 5w20 with mobil one filter.
Any help or advise would be appreciated. I've browsed and search the forum and didn't found a thread with a better understanding of whether this should be done by professionals or if it is a DIY type of job. If someone has a link to a tutorial on how to do this, please let me know.


Thank you
David

[CanyonRider]

Welcome, David!

I have done it on an engine stand - I would hate to do it with the engine in the car.

Here's a pic of the engine:



And here it is with the timing cover removed:



Unfortunately, to replace the timing cover gasket you have to remove the intake, valve covers and oilpan. So it's a pretty big job. Unless it is leaking ALOT, I wouldn't mess with it.

Good luck,
CR

[Final Impact]

Before you take someone else word for it; pull the inner fender apron and look. Grab a couple cans of Brake Clean and some safety glass and spray it down to clean it up. Find the leak and if its just the seal or loose bolt those could be done in the car. You really need see for yourself where the leak is to know for certain.

Be safe and let us know what you find.

CR - your own lift in the shop? I'm jealous!

[CanyonRider]

Originally Posted by Final Impact

CR - your own lift in the shop? I'm jealous! <_<

Yeah, I'm spoiled. I got it out of an old Mineke shop many years ago. It ain't pretty, but it beats laying on my back.

[Final Impact]

CR, so what's up with these shots; It looks like the sub frame is out, engine is out, but trans is in? Perhaps thats a boneyard gem for rebuild on the stand? And where's the v8 those headers belong too? lol I was curious if you have a thread on the tear down and rebuild or whats going on with the engine in the photo! tks

Ya, so you must have more than one 6 V6! And from 2008 till Late 2011 have a new lift as those are not the same stories! You be a busy guy!

[yoyosuper8]

Thank you all for the replies. I will do as Final Impact suggested first. I will take some pictures and go from there. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have some time available to check it out and see where the leak is coming from. All I know is that I'm loosing a lot of oil, half a quart per week!

Thanks
David

[CanyonRider]

Originally Posted by Final Impact

CR, so what's up with these shots; It looks like the sub frame is out, engine is out, but trans is in? Perhaps thats a boneyard gem for rebuild on the stand? And where's the v8 those headers belong too? lol I was curious if you have a thread on the tear down and rebuild or whats going on with the engine in the photo! tks

Ya, so you must have more than one 6 V6! And from 2008 till Late 2011 have a new lift as those are not the same stories! You be a busy guy!

Yeah, the engine on the stand is out of an 2009 Fusion. This was the third engine in the Mazda6 track car. It is covered in my Track Car Prep thread starting at:

Prepping as dedicated track car

The engine in the car is blown. The sub-frame is out in preparation of dropping the motor/tranny out the bottom.

I had the lift back when I did the first engine swap in 2007 (DIY Engine Replacement Thread), but I didn't use it because it was occupied with another project. I've had the lift since 1995-ish.

If you look closely, there is a V8 under the bench with the headers - it is a 400 out of a 1969 GTO for yet another project. Yeah, I tend to stay busy. Currently the wife's Subaru is on the lift as I replace CV axles, timing belt, valve cover gaskets, oilpan gasket, etc. This is the reason (along with the holidays) there have been no updates in my Track Car Prep thread for a while.