Oil leaks

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player1up

player1up

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Seems like every seam on my slant is leaking oil..oil pan, oil pump, drool tubes, fuel pump, timing cover, you name it, it's leaking.
It's not a whole lot (just enough to get the engine dirty/wet).

The question is how should I go about getting all of the leaks buttoned up on my daily driver. Removing the engine is not an option ( for various reasons, ideal but not viable )
Should I start at the bottom and work my way up or start with the easy ones?
I understand that I should replace some of the gaskets at the same time (like oil pan, main seals and timing cover). I also understand that when it comes time to redo the engine I'll be doing it all over again, but I just can't stand the leaks for the next.. "insert however long it will take me to get around to it here " ...not looking forward to a long drawn out battle with leaks...or a battle with the wife about spots on the driveway..:angry7:
 
player1up, this may sound silly but here goes. do you have a good working pcv.? if it don't have enough vacuum, it will leak like a seive. let us know.
 
ya, know.... I really haven't checked....doh!
I do know that it still makes noise when I shake it.....but for $2.44 I'll replace it since it's still the one that came with the car....
 
My thermostat broke on saturday so it didnt open, and only the top of the radiator was circulating. the pressure got so high that antifreeze started shooting out of five cracks and my cap backed off and my entire bay was filled with anti freeze. I got a pretty sticky garage floor too... it just layed on top of the oil... what i did was just replace my gaskets and went from there... still leakin all over the place. I figure it'll give me a reason to put my 440 in there : )
 
player1up said:
ya, know.... I really haven't checked....doh!
I do know that it still makes noise when I shake it.....but for $2.44 I'll replace it since it's still the one that came with the car....
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I think he was refering to the vacuum suppied. The rubber tube and the metal tube at caab can get clogged. That would show oil in the air cleaner can too. There are leak stopping additives on the shelf but I've never used one. Single viscosity oil like 30W won't leak as much either. Some of the gaskets are fairly easy to replace.
 
Backtobasics said:
Buy one of those large metal pans, and park over it to catch it for the driveway spots.
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So simple it's mind boggling :lol: I'd do that if the car sat in the garage....but that's a story for another day...

Sounds like my father in-law's 99 corvette...had to put a pan under the auto trans because it leaked starting at about 1000 miles.....needless to say he now has a manual 2001
 
Also check your Crankcase Breather this can get obstructed as well. You may have ring blow by which will cause "oil leaks" in weird places.
Frank
 
Don't forget to check the crankcase breather and the PVC hose from the PVC valve to the manifold. Do this by running the engine and pulling the hose off the PVC valve and see if it is puling a vacuum. Sometimes the oily vapors will bake on the inside of the hose and eventually plug it up. Also the rubber deteriorates and collapses from the vacuum. That will basically shut off ventilation in the crankcase and the air pumping from the movement of the pistons pressurizes the crankcase and pushes oil out thru the seals.
 
The crackcase breather is fine, checked that a few weeks ago when doing the valve lash. PCV valve and hose will get changed when I can make it by the autozone ( will also be ordering some gaskets ), and the compression check will happen sometime this weekend...trip to a buddies house
ugh subframe connectors will have to wait :(
 
Another leak point that often get's missed is the alternator bracket bolt that goes into the foremost hole. It goes into oil. Put some RTV on it.
When that one leaks, it pretty much goes everywhere.

Pulling the pan in the car to replace the gasket is not feasible, except for a serious contortionist. Wait to do that with the engine out.

The timing set cover can be done. Read up on doing that in the articles section on dot org. Check your timing set while your there.
Get yourself one of the rubberized valve cover gaskets. Make sure the valve cover bolt holes are flat in the cover before reinstalling, and observe torque specs.
The oil pump has an O-ring under the outer plate and a gasket under the pump body itself. The engine must be lifted up to remove the pump. Until your ready to do that, leave it alone. Don't be tempted to tighten the pump plate bolts. The crusty old O-Ring will break, and then you'll get a bad leak.
The pump bypass has a copper crush washer under the cap. It should be checked.

Hope that helps!

CJ
 
player1up said:
Should I start at the bottom and work my way up or start with the easy ones?
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Is your valve cover leaking? I just ask because a month ago, i thought my whole engine was leaking. There was oil on just about all parts, and it seemed like it was on every gasket. And the whole bottom of my car had an oil layer and splatters all over the place, you should've seen me when i changed my u-joints. It was filthy.

So, i had to fix up my valve gap anyway, so i did the valve cover gasket too. Two weeks later (its a daily driver), all the oil on the whole engine was gone. Maybe some residue or ooze here or there, but nothing that would make me change a gasket. And its all pretty much gone from the underside too.
 
speaking of oil leaks!!! my old slant that i had leaked everywjere to! the headgaskets are known to leak to if u spray them with aluminum paint that can help and also the o rings on the sparkplug tubes leak!

if u can or want clean the engine and do an oil change then put dye in it and see what happends!
 
Well, I replaced the spark plug tube seals and reluctantly tightened the valve cover a smidgen ( it already has a rubber seal that I installed while doing the valve lash a few months ago ), and after a quick engine degrease and warm up, all of the oil leaks at the top of the engine are gone. I still have a few drops at the bell housing down the front of the inspection plate but much more livable than before. I didn't expect that much oil could be leaking from the plug tubes.
I did notice that after replacing the pcv valve it appears to have less seepage at the pan gasket. The old valve seemed to work fine but time will tell
 
Just thought I'd post a follow-up to the leak problems....From my last post all of the top end leaks are dry..but still the oil pan :( This weekend I was adjusting the pusher on my clutch and had to remove the dust shield to check clearance and when I used a rag to wipe some of the oil of the back of the pan....the two pan bolts at the rear saddle were FINGER LOOSE ...DOH....I guess just a lesson on checking the simple things first..
 
Good deal that you found the problem, even better it was an easy fix.
The best part was the cost of repairs !!
 
yellowdartdave said:
Good deal that you found the problem, even better it was an easy fix.
The best part was the cost of repairs !!
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Tell me about it ( if its free it's for me ).... and visions of pulling the oil pan and rear main seal were keeping me up at night.. :-& .... I suppose I should have checked everything when I found 3 loose head bolts and 2 loose rocker shaft bolts when I did the valve adjustment..... :D
 
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