Since I've had my 99 max, its always had a small oil leak. I've read and read all I can on the matter, but its hard to tell exactly where its coming from. I've changed the lower pan gasket, and oil pressure sensor. I still have the leak, and its all over the side of the motor, and the front. Control arm is also soaked in it. My suspicion was always the upper pan gasket, but now I'm not so sure based on what I've been reading lately.

Now, I had a coolant leak last year too. Took a while to actually find out where it was coming from. Turns out, It needed a water pump, so I did it. Its been perfect till now. Last night I did an oil change on the car, only to find small amounts of coolant hanging around under the car. I cant tell if its coming from the same place as before (my AC compressor was removed). I only see some small amounts of neon green on random spots on the motor, and splash shield. Its neon green because I had dye in the system when i was trying to locate the source of the leak the first time. I changed the coolant, but it evidently didnt do much in the way of making it a "normal" green again. When I park the car over night, I come out in the morning, and there is a small amount of coolant on the cardboard I put underneath the car, along with a couple drops of oil.

Any thoughts?

The car runs absolutely amazing.....but it bothers me when things leak from it.

 

Have you checked to see if the oil leak is coming from further up? Could be a bad rear VC gasket.

 

It could appear that its coming from far up....the whole side of the motor has oil on it. Its sort of everywhere right now....It seems to only leak when driving. It'll only leak a couple drops on the driveway if it sits for a few days.

 

you can check the valve covers and the crank seal for the oil leaks. Check your cooling lines in the front and the rear of the engine. Not just the rubber ones the ones that are steel that bolt up to the engine. If you have to make your own gaskets.

 

take your head of and check your cylinders. u may have a crack in one of them. is there a small amount of white smoking coming out of your exaust? if theres a crack in one of your cylinders. that cylinder will b extremely clean unlike the others.

 

Yes, because taking the head off is one of the first ways to find an oil leak

Are you aware of just how much labor there is involved in removing the head from a VQ?

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'd rather not go down the path of removing the head from the engine. I know for sure that there is NO white smoke.

Its strange that when its really cold....it only leaks a small amount of coolant, but no oil.

When it warms up outside...it leaks no coolant, but it does leak small amounts of oil.

 

Could be water pump and timing chain tensioner access plates or the lip seals on the upper oil pan. Did you RTV the access plates well when you did the WP?

 

Oh yes! Great idea! It will only take you all of 12 hours to do one if its your first time!

put dye in the engine oil also. Just a thought. Mine is leaking from the front timing cover. it leaks onto the alt. and slings it up towards the top slightly.