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1.rear crankshaft seals leaking (Rear main seal, biggest job on the list)
2.power steering pump and return hose is leaking (2nd biggest job)
3.Rear valve cover gaskets (Just a little leak, not dripping to the ground) Replaced it about a year and a half ago (not a bad job. 3rd biggest on list)
4.Passenger/driver cv axle boots are torn and leaking grease (4th biggest job)
5.A/c compressor is leaking oil (told to not to worry about it unless only warm air comes out from the a/c.. which I have never experienced yet.)
Ok I can confirm it is still leaking quite a bit. Right by the passenger side wheel. It does need serious attention. Since I haven't had any repairs for a good 8 months.. it has come to give me a list of repairs to be done at once. I need to take care majority of the stuff that needs replacing. I am probably gonna postpone the rear main seal because of how big a job that is. I need answers from y'all.
What can it be? The rear valve covers? I know i said a little leak not dropping to ground but I'm probably wrong on that.
or is it the power steering hoses and pump?/boot grease?
Since the a/c compressor is located on the passenger side I can assume that it's leaking oil there too...
Need help. Also the rear mail seal leaks oil onto the ground in what location? The middle of the engine? Driver side?
From what I can see in the pictures, you are loosing some CV axle grease. How much hits the ground, I can't determine.
Possibly some PS fluid is leaking. There is an o-ring for the return line on the PS pump that is known to leak. I need to replace that o-ring on the 98 model when I install a y-pipe and change the rack bushings. Possibly the return line where it connects to the elbow that has the o-ring.
Who did your VC job? The rear valve cover is a possibility. I only got 3 years out of rear VC gasket on the I30 before it started leaking. I blame my self on that one for not using the right Permatex RTV.
If oil is dripping from the corner of the timing cover, it can look like it may be coming from the compressor area. Then it could be from the valve cover corner where RTV should be applied.
The RMS leaks more to the center and toward the driver side. It leaks in the area where the transmission bolts up to the block and upper oil pan. There is a little access door where the oil will drip if the RMS is leaking.
From what I'm seeing, I have a thinking that PS fluid and Oil by the a/c compressor is leaking around the same area cause I'm always seeing fluid on the passenger side ground and its driving me nuts. The timing chain cover is still good as its been replaced the same time I did both valve cover gaskets.
CV Grease I'm not quite sure, I don't see any black grease on the ground though there is grease splats above the boots. You can refer to the pictures.
Also the Rear valve cover gaskets were replaced about 22 months ago, so I guess it's already time for it to leak again. Though the other things I need to repair are stuff I have never replaced before. So I'm sure those need more attention.
From RMS, I can see a tinnnyyy bit of oil coming from the middle, though it doesn't leak everyday. The other leaks on the other hand are leaking daily.
Also how can the A/C Compressor leak oil? is there a O-ring on it or what?
Power steering pump/return hose to stop the leak
Both front CV boots to stop the grease leak
and fix A/C compressor Oil leak
I'm sure these 3 are the main things that are causing the daily leak onto driveway... and those 3 are all located on the passenger side, which is what I hope to think is leaking the most.
Then I only have the rear valve cover gaskets and Rear main seal to do. If it continues to leak again still in the same spot.. then valve covers need replacing..
If the A/C compressor is in fact really leaking oil, there is a big problem there. It is a sealed unit, as CS noted, and if the oil is coming out of it, it will not be long before it is destroyed. They are very touchy as to the oil level it holds and will seize up without servicing.
Check the hose connections to the compressor. They will blow oil out of them if not tightened down properly, but, this usually only happens when the A/C is running.
A good sign is if the cold air coming out of your vents are not quite as cold as it should be. Not necessarily warm.... just not the icy blast that you would expect.
Warm air will tell you that the gas is gone from it... it has leaked out.
I know it sounds weird, but, this has happened to me before.
The seals are good enough to hold in whatever needs holding while not running but not good enough to hold in when the compressor is pushing high pressure.
Yes The A/C works. Even when I put it on 65 degrees, its ice cold and never had a problem with it. Nor ever touched the Compressor since I owned the car. From what I saw/heard that oil is leaking from the compressor somehow. How can that be?
Like sneakybastard stated that maybe its the hoses that connects to the compressor? I have been noticing that there are aloooot of oil stains on the passenger side/oil dirt buildup.
And the fact the current leaks I have are located on the passenger side... so it gets me questioning. It may look like the A/C compressor is leaking but may be something else around that area. ??? What else could leak from near the compressor?
All the power-steering hoses/pump are located on the passenger side...
The Broken CV axle is on the passenger side...
Compressor is on the Passenger side...
Rear valve covers? not so close but near that area.
Rear main seal I do see oil on the ground towards the center of the engine. In between the Transmission and engine.. No-where near the passenger side.
i didn't read that you had already replaced the rear valve cover gasket a year and a half ago. You did it yourself? Did you use rtv on the sharp corners on the passenger side because that's where they leak, which would trickle down because it is at the top of the car. Also did you do your front valve cover gasket at the same time? Did you torque it down enough?
I question the valve cover gaskets because i just had to do mine and they were both leaking pretty badly on the passenger side from those sharp corners. The leak was bad enough to kill my alternator, while replacing it i noticed it was soaked in oil and that was the cause of failure along with my compressor dripping oil from the same leak. Like i said the valve covers are at the top and would leak down to everything below. You could try doing a good oil cleaning job and constantly checking back to see where the leak is coming from before it has covered the entire passenger side
I have also read a post where someone had worked on dozens of maximas and said he's never seen a rear main seal leak the only people who run into that problem are the one's who have messed with it.
Buy two cans of brake cleaner and spray down all the greased spots. Make sure you hit all the spots with grease. Drive car for about 5 minutes and check again.
One pic showed axle grease and you can't confirm until the boot is clean.
Also suspect rear valve cover. .......
The small drive will show a lot of where the grease is coming from.
lol I checked my exhaust.. and I see this. I think i need a new one. Like cattman exhaust or something.. cause I'm sure this is effecting my performance a bit. Hah. Never seen anything cracked this much on my car. It sure is the original exhaust with a chrome tip on the end of the exhaust.
Ok I haven't gone around to fixing it cause of life gets busy.. and I am checking how the leak is acting, it only seems to get worse over time. Especially the passenger side. It's making a huge mess on the driveway and it's driving me nuts!! Can anyone tell me what this is?? It's defianlity leaking from this part.
Also I have another leak in the middle of the engine.. anyone know what it is? Rear main seal I believe? Just want to make sure. By the way there are 3 different spots but two of those spots are dry and the one close to the camera is the newest one which You can see it's brighter.. that's due to the car being parked not in the exact same spot all the time but close. Gah this thing needs serious cleaning.
The part you asked for identification on is the passenger side LCA.
Motor oil is not leaking from the LCA. The source of the leak is above and/or forward somewhere.
I did not read through this entire thread again and this Q may have been answered but are we certain that this passenger side leak is motor oil?
I've just recently resolved a drip of my own that I was sure was motor oil (drips on concrete floor then on cardboard) but it turned out to be steering fluid weeping from old hose connections right at my steering fluid reservoir. Upon removing, cleaning and reinstalling the steering fluid hoses and re-establishing the seal via clamps, my drip appears to be gone.
My drips where finding their way to the floor via the same path as those you show in your photos.
Your center leak looks to be a valve cover gasket or RMS.
Well the drip on the passenger side looks like oil. But cannot tell if it's steering fluid. Since power steering components are located around that area. Isn't it possible for steering fluid to look almost like oil ? At least to my research.
And for the center leak, if it's the valve covers. Would it be the front ones since the front valve covers are closer to that spot than the front. Cause I think if the rear valve covers were leaking it would leak to the passenger side right?
It's been 22 months since both valve cover gaskets replacement. Is that enough time for the gaskets to finally leak again?
But if that isn't the case... then the rear main seal is leaking.. I had replaced the front main seal about a month and a half ago. So. That's going to be a big job, should the RMS replacement be done as soon as possible? Like urgent?
This looks to me like the classic Upper Oil Pan leak. The oil drips by the oil filter and CPS. It also gets blown onto the Lower Control Arm when the car is being driven. If the pan leaks on the drivers side it mimics a RMS leak. I have the same problem, however it's not as bad as yours. The oil collects around the RMS, but there isn't enough there to drop onto the ground.... but I can see it under the car.
That one leak dripping on the LCA bushing is going to trash it if left too long!
Middle of the car between the two wheels is most likely your rear seal. Mine is just starting too, despite having it done 5 years ago when the Transmission was rebuilt. There's a small weep hole. If it's mostly around that., it's your rear seal. Unless it's your front Transmission seal? But oil and Transmission fluid are different. You'll know.
My front seal is leaking a bit more. I have the new seal and one belt and I'm waiting for the other (Thursday) to do the seal and new belts in one shot.
The leak dripping on your LCA could be the Timing cover. Or maybe even the front seal. Or maybe even somewhere else? I'm not sure about all the usual places. Front seal is easy to see when you remove the plastic skirt blocking the view. Three 10mm bolts.
Well, I know it wouldn't be the timing chain cover cause its been replaced roughly 22 months ago, the same time i did both valve covers.. It would leak directly underneath the timing chain from my experience and from my views nothing is leaking from there currently. The front crankshaft seal (front seal) was replaced a month and a half ago so.
Guess I'm going to have to really tear-up this car on the passenger side and clean up all the mess, replace what it needs and potentially replacing anything else at the same time... also being that I have a Rear main seal leak.. makes the job just much bigger.. Removing the transmission is no fun thats for sure. There is just sooo much oil buildup everywhere I can't even tell where its coming from.
^^ To feeling your pain. It turns out the 99 model needs a new RMS. I paid someone to swap in a low miles motor from a 95 model a little over 3 years ago. They changed the RMS at that time. Then shortly after that I reworked the upper oil pan and installed new half moons and a FMS.
It looks like the work I did on the upper oil pan and half moons is holding up. I don't know what happened to the the RMS though. Also, the manual transmission shift linkage seal is starting to leak. The transmission needs to be removed to fix that leak.
^^ To feeling your pain. It turns out the 99 model needs a new RMS. I paid someone to swap in a low miles motor from a 95 model a little over 3 years ago. They changed the RMS at that time. Then shortly after that I reworked the upper oil pan and installed new half moons and a FMS.
Lol just wow, turbolink. Yours is just clean all around. I bet when mine comes apart there is gonna be a bunch of damn oil buldup underneath lol. Yours looks flawless. And at the last picture that's the RMS right? Did you replace anything else while you have almost half the engine compartment pulled apart? Since the RMS is more on the drivers side and half of the drivers side is gonna come apart to get the RMS. While I fix whatever is leaking on the passenger side. I'm practically having almost the whole car apart.. so is there anything I should replace while I almost have everything pulled apart on both sides?
My son's 98 Infiniti (Maxima with a nicer seat) is also bedeviled by an oil leak on the passenger side, rear bank of cylinders, and just north of the oil pressure switch. If you look north (upwards), oil seems to drip straight down onto the pressure switch. So originally I concluded the valve cover gasket, as suggested by others. Replaced that gasket, and the leak persisted. So, next logical culprit was the upper oil pan. I just got the car back together again (and that's a job and a half for this 68 year old Medicare card holder). Result? Still leaks. So, could it be the rear valve cover gasket replacement didn't do the job because of me, or maybe I bolo'ed the upper oil pan gasket. Dunno, but usually I go pretty slow, do a lot of research, but I'm starting to think the culprit lies elsewhere. Questions...? Is it possible that the timing chain cover has some components that contribute to a leak that drips in the corner of the upper oil pan directly in line above the oil pressure sensor? I doubting front main seal, as I think that's seal is positioned dead center and...wait. Maybe oil is pooling and leaking out that corner. I don't know. I've never pulled the timing chain cover. Does anyone have a good link to how to do it? Surprisingly, it's not shown on the FAQ section. Also, there are also posts that mention the power steering pump, but the fluid is oil, not power steering fluid, so I don't know if it's possible for the PS pump to exert any influence on an oil leak. Headgasket is usually never mentioned, but I don't know if that's a remote possibility.
As always, any suggestions or experiences would be appreciated.
02-09-2017, 07:52 PM
