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96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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rabbitrun
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Oct 5, 2014, 2:45 PM
Post #1 of 12
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96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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On Friday mechanic installed new spark plug tube seals & valve cover gasket set on 96 Toyota Corolla DX 1.8 L engine with 161,000 miles to fix problem of oil getting past the tube seals. I got home & found the semi-circular plug sitting on top of the battery. Based on price of parts ($59), number (JVS-10344), & name of part (Valve Cover Gasket), I would guess mechanic bought a valve cover gasket set without a new semi-circular plug.
Can I see if a semi-circular plug is installed on the vehicle without removing the valve cover? Or does shop have to remove valve cover gasket to check if the semi-circular plug is installed?
Do any of the following new parts need to be replaced if the valve cover is opened back up? Valve cover gasket, spark plug tube seals, grommets?
What happens if the semi-circular plug is not replaced? Is it ok to drive the vehicle back to the shop or will I end up with oil all over the belts, etc?
Thanks!
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Discretesignals
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Oct 5, 2014, 3:51 PM
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Re: 96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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You won't be able to tell if the plug is missing unless you remove the valve cover. I don't think that you shouldn't drive it until you know that plug has been installed. If it hasn't and you got oil all over the timing belt, your mechanic owes you a timing belt. You really need to call your mechanic in the morning and explain to him/her what is going on.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Oct 6, 2014, 4:31 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
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Oct 6, 2014, 4:03 AM
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Re: 96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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?? What do you mean by "semi-circular?" Is that possibly an old one cut to remove and replace with new? You may never know without doing this all over again.
Just FYI gasket set shows like this for this car........
I don't see any sem-circular gasketing if that pic is correct,
T
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Discretesignals
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Oct 6, 2014, 4:38 AM
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Re: 96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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Tom it looks something like this:
It goes in the head before you install the valve cover. It covers the hole where the intake camshaft is. If you don't install it, oil can leak into the area of the timing belt. Most of the time they don't come with the valve cover gasket kit. You remove it, clean it up, and then put a bead of gasket sealant on the bottom side and put it back in.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Oct 6, 2014, 4:43 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
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Oct 6, 2014, 6:08 AM
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Re: 96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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Excellent as usual DS. If one found as mentioned I guess this has to come apart to verify it is all proper. Eeek, if oil already in all the wrong places add that to this fix too. This is a gotta know for sure thing IMO,
T
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rabbitrun
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Oct 6, 2014, 11:00 AM
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Re: 96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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Where else could that oil go if the semi-circular plug is not installed? just want to find out what else could be messed up. i dont see oil on the timing belt (yet).
how can i paste the image here of the plug that was sitting on top of the battery?
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rabbitrun
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Oct 6, 2014, 11:09 AM
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Re: 96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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Hi Tom & Discretesignals: the semi-circular plug they left on top of my battery looks different than your image. It is metal, has threads or ridges on the rounded side, smooth on the half moon side, & a metal protrusion on the top. Trying to attach a picture but can't. Are we talking about the same part? The local mechanic said it's just under the valve cover gasket in a half moon area on top of the cylinder head. Is it on the same side as the timing belt on a 96 Toyota Corolla DX 1.8 L?
Would the plug have come out while he was changing the valve cover gasket? I thought those plugs were really anchored in there.
(This post was edited by rabbitrun on Oct 6, 2014, 12:21 PM)
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Discretesignals
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Oct 6, 2014, 5:39 PM
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Re: 96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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The one I posted above isn't an exact one that you have. The one you described is definitely supposed to be on the head. Did you call the shop?
They won't come out when installed properly.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Oct 6, 2014, 5:42 PM)
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rabbitrun
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Oct 7, 2014, 8:51 PM
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Re: 96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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Thank you all for your responses! I really appreciate your help. I think this problem is resolved---let me know if you see it differently (like if oil could leak over timing belt later on rather than immediately if semi-circular plug was not put back in the engine just under the valve cover gasket):
Manager looked at the semi-circular plug mechanic left on the battery, & told me it was the old plug & the mechanic installed a new plug [which was included in the valve cover gasket set: Worldpac Ishino Stone part #JVS-10344]. I asked the shop manager how they knew if a semi-circular plug was put back in the engine without opening up the valve cover or without asking the mechanic if he put the plug back in? Manager told me there would be oil spewing all over if the plug had not been put back in.
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Tom Greenleaf
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Oct 8, 2014, 1:26 AM
Post #10 of 12
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Re: 96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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A bit lost but all is credible that it is the OLD plug and that you would know something is wrong quickly if it was missing. Keep that plug and your paperwork anyway. Watch for any oil lights or drips - anything not right.
What you don't want and DS mentioned this would/could put oil over timing belt (rubber) and that would be a real problem even if somehow oil could leak back into engine without obvious evidence it would fail and that would be trouble.
You've done your part asking and checking. Does the one you have seem used at all by your call? Might be hard to know for sure.
Stuff happens and this probably is harmless but keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary,
Couldn't find a picture of the parts included by the # you listed as to what it contained. If you do find it didn't come with a new one then I'd really pursue finding out more,
T
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rabbitrun
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Oct 8, 2014, 10:17 AM
Post #11 of 12
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Re: 96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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Tom Greenleaf & Discretesignals: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR RESPONSES. I really appreciate it!
I called Worldpac & asked what was in their valve cover gasket set (part #JVS-10344) cause I can't view the parts online at worldpac.com since they are a wholesaler. The Worldpac rep pulled out Ishino Stone valve cover set JVS-10344 & told me it contained the valve cover gasket, 4 grommets, spark plug tube seals & a half moon shaped metal piece with an appendage in the middle.----what he described sounded similar to the part the mechanic left on top of my battery (plug on battery was oily with older engine oil on it---it could have been like that because the mechanic handled it with oily hands while he was working on vehicle or because he removed it from the vehicle).----I thought those plugs were usually in solid & tight when installed by factory & hard to remove---is that not the case? In any case, according to Worldpac rep the valve cover set comes with a plug.
When I showed the plug to the shop manager yesterday he told me it was the older plug that was removed from the vehicle. He said it was the older plug based on the way the coating looked on the round side of plug [it had some kind of black colored rubber or silicone like product on round side of plug].-----does that sound about right to you?
If the plug was not put back in the vehicle, could it have a delayed response in spewing oil on the timing belt or leaking oil back into the engine & fail the engine?
The OEM Toyota part number for the semicircular plug or "half moon" plug is: #11183-15020.
THANKS!
96 Corolla DX, 1.8 L, approx. 161,000 miles
(This post was edited by rabbitrun on Oct 8, 2014, 10:59 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
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Oct 8, 2014, 2:15 PM
Post #12 of 12
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Re: 96 Toyota Corolla Semi-Circular Plug Missing?
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Let DS say his thing as he knew this exact set up better than I did. I'd say that since the manager looked at the plug you found and declared it a used one you are covered and it was just set where you found it and missed when cleaning up/ finishing up the job. Hey done with this stuff long time now but used to scan where I put anything so can relate to it - a part like that and all tools used accounted for.
IDK how to be any surer than you are now and manager would have freaked if he really thought it was likely missing would have it done all over or I would if that manager and there was doubt.
Cross fingers and call it all done but still keep an eye out for anything as you should anyway. Sorry it was this much of a hassle for you,
Tom
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