Oil leak in strange place - assistance needed
06-21-2003, 08:12 PM
#1
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Oil leak in strange place - assistance needed
Well, I thought I had an oil leak on my SC oil return plate.
So today I removed the SC (threw a smaller pulley on while I was at it) and looked around.
There are no leaks where the SC bolts to the enging..not the return plate, return hose, timing chain cover, etc...
But I did find that there is an oil leak in a strange place.
I can't physically see it from any angle, but it appears to be on the far left side of the valve cover, but not at the valve cover itself. More UNDER the valve cover area, dripping down directly on the top of the driver's side of the alternator....just to the pasenger side of the exhaust manifold. Just above where what I think are steel coolant lines going underneath the front of the engine.
Anyone know what is in that area that could leak oil? The valve cover gasket appears to have no leaks...this is physically below that. Is there another gasket down below there or anything?
Thanks!
IanS
So today I removed the SC (threw a smaller pulley on while I was at it) and looked around.
There are no leaks where the SC bolts to the enging..not the return plate, return hose, timing chain cover, etc...
But I did find that there is an oil leak in a strange place.
I can't physically see it from any angle, but it appears to be on the far left side of the valve cover, but not at the valve cover itself. More UNDER the valve cover area, dripping down directly on the top of the driver's side of the alternator....just to the pasenger side of the exhaust manifold. Just above where what I think are steel coolant lines going underneath the front of the engine.
Anyone know what is in that area that could leak oil? The valve cover gasket appears to have no leaks...this is physically below that. Is there another gasket down below there or anything?
Thanks!
IanS
06-21-2003, 10:45 PM
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Originally posted by Lonely Driver
Head gasket is below the valve cover gasket.
Head gasket is below the valve cover gasket.
And the car runs perfectly.
IanS
06-23-2003, 08:19 PM
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well, the leak is getting worse. A few days ago it was a few drops per day - now it's morel ike 100 drops a day.
Also, I had a leak back at my oil T feed line for the SC. THe oil appeared to be coming from the Oil Pressure Sending Unit - replaced it and tightened the T even more onto the oil pan - and now it's worse too!
Anyone have any suggesstions?!
Also, I had a leak back at my oil T feed line for the SC. THe oil appeared to be coming from the Oil Pressure Sending Unit - replaced it and tightened the T even more onto the oil pan - and now it's worse too!
Anyone have any suggesstions?!
06-23-2003, 09:52 PM
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I can't physically find it - but I can show pics of the general area.
In the inderside shot, you can actually see a spot where it's dripping from.
I also have an oil leak at the SC Oil T behind the oil pan....I am aware of htis, but have replaced all components and not fixed it yet...I'm working on that.
This is ONE day of leaking
Picture from the side (looking towards driver's side - sc plate in picture on the left.
Under the car as best I could without jacking it up: (notice the drip in middle of pic - yellow circle is area it appears to be coming from)
In the inderside shot, you can actually see a spot where it's dripping from.
I also have an oil leak at the SC Oil T behind the oil pan....I am aware of htis, but have replaced all components and not fixed it yet...I'm working on that.
This is ONE day of leaking
Picture from the side (looking towards driver's side - sc plate in picture on the left.
Under the car as best I could without jacking it up: (notice the drip in middle of pic - yellow circle is area it appears to be coming from)
06-23-2003, 09:56 PM
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Last pic - from the top, I arrowed the area it appears to be coming from. Because the pic is 2 dimentional, let it be known that I mean not the valve cover gasket, but about 8 inches below that and towards the back of the engine (further in)
IanS
IanS
06-23-2003, 10:00 PM
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Usually when the head gasket fails, the coolant will go into the cylinders. Sometimes it may only cause either oil or coolant to leak externally. But I think it's below the alternator so forget it. How about the timing cover?
Originally posted by iansw
No coolant in the oil that is leaking - so I don't think it's that.
And the car runs perfectly.
IanS
No coolant in the oil that is leaking - so I don't think it's that.
And the car runs perfectly.
IanS
06-23-2003, 10:03 PM
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Originally posted by Lonely Driver
Usually when the head gasket fails, the coolant will go into the cylinders. Sometimes it may only cause either oil or coolant to leak externally. But I think it's below the alternator so forget it. How about the timing cover?
Usually when the head gasket fails, the coolant will go into the cylinders. Sometimes it may only cause either oil or coolant to leak externally. But I think it's below the alternator so forget it. How about the timing cover?
Also - I cahnged the oil completely and saw no evidence of coolant internally either.
The timing cover I thought would leak on the other side. left side of engine where the SC is. Thinking it was the SC oil return line, I took the SC completely off and the timing cover appears to be as dry as a bone.
COuld the cover leak on the other side?
06-24-2003, 08:50 PM
#14
i think i had the same problem, there are 2 plates with 4 bolts on each of them. One to the left of the engine mount and one to the right of the engine mount. U know, the mount near the power steering...instead of a gasket, there is silicone sealant, unbolt, pop them off and reapply high temp silicone sealant and bolt back if the leak is coming from there..
06-24-2003, 09:25 PM
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Originally posted by Maximum96
i think i had the same problem, there are 2 plates with 4 bolts on each of them. One to the left of the engine mount and one to the right of the engine mount. U know, the mount near the power steering...instead of a gasket, there is silicone sealant, unbolt, pop them off and reapply high temp silicone sealant and bolt back if the leak is coming from there..
i think i had the same problem, there are 2 plates with 4 bolts on each of them. One to the left of the engine mount and one to the right of the engine mount. U know, the mount near the power steering...instead of a gasket, there is silicone sealant, unbolt, pop them off and reapply high temp silicone sealant and bolt back if the leak is coming from there..
That entire side of the engine is as dry as a bone.
This is under the front of the engine....a few inches up and to the left of the front header bank.
I don't think it is the rear main seal. I thought that was on the back side near the firewall. Maybe I'm wrong?
IanS
06-25-2003, 12:53 PM
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Checked the leaks again this morning.
Only a couple of drops.
I haven't driven the car whatsoever, so that tells me these leaks are only under pressure.
Ideas anyone?
Only a couple of drops.
I haven't driven the car whatsoever, so that tells me these leaks are only under pressure.
Ideas anyone?
06-25-2003, 01:05 PM
#17
Front cover timing component leak? You won't know if there's a small leak from the headgasket into the oil w/o having it analyized by Blackstone or similar. Only a massive failure will make your oil look like a milkshake.
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