Damn oil leak

carl

carl

True Classic
The X leaves a puddle of motor oil after every drive, under the right end of the motor.. This tends to be whatever oil was flowing on the pan when it was running as the car does not appear to leak oil just from sitting.

It's not running down the front side of the motor so it's not from a leaking sensor or oil filter. The oil pan bolt heads on the right end of the block are very wet with oil as is the pan rim. I am trying to eliminate the crank seal as the source. It is a new seal, the timing belt is not wet nor is there a spray of oil on the underside of the engine cover or firewall which you usually see with the crank timing belt sprocket slinging oil from a bad seal. I think this can only mean a leaking oil pan seal, also replaced when I rebuilt the motor. But would like to see what you guys think.
 
There is an old saying, Sometimes it is better not to talk and have everyone think you are stupid, instead of opening your mouth and proving them right.

Time to prove everyone right.

On my spider I had the same problem and I chased it for a long time, until I put a can to collect oil from the breather tube. The oil had to much pressure and was coming out the breather tube. Sounds stupid, but might be worth a try.
 
Carl, how about the joints between the front seal cover (holder) and the block and oil pan? That is a fiddly setup that can leak even with a new gasket. The alloy seal cover can be warped or have a bad edge. Or the corners where everything meets can be the source.

I think it was @bpimm that suggested cleaning the area and then spraying a white power over it (foot spray I think he used?). Take it for a drive and then look to see if the source of the leak is more evident.
 
Todd, I gave up years ago trying to pretend I am not an idiot.
Doc, I swear I cannot find any oil other than a fine mist around the seal carrier plate. I may pull off the crank nut and pulley just to get a closer look at that area without removing the sprocket and timing belt. Rather easy to get to with the rear wheel off.
If I have a spare pan gasket I may just replace it and see what happens.
 
Carl, I've seen a similar leak at the rear main seal cover joints. It was really a "seep" rather than a "leak", if that makes any sense. But that one is difficult to see due to the trans, cover, etc. The front cover may be accessible in the way you described - worth a look. And gives you another project to occupy yourself with. ;)

As for the pan gasket. As you know there are two styles; the thin paper one for alloy pans, and the thick (cork?) one for steels pans. I use the thick one, seems too many old alloy parts just aren't as true as they should be. But others may have a better option. Does anyone make a really good synthetic one like they do for valve covers? And another idea might be to add a small dot of silicone gasket material only at the very corners where those three surfaces meet. Much like I believe guys do on American V8 intake manifolds - or something like that (I've never worked on a American engine).
 
Dr.Jeff said:
Carl, I've seen a similar leak at the rear main seal cover joints. It was really a "seep" rather than a "leak", if that makes any sense. But that one is difficult to see due to the trans, cover, etc. The front cover may be accessible in the way you described - worth a look. And gives you another project to occupy yourself with. ;)

As for the pan gasket. As you know there are two styles; the thin paper one for alloy pans, and the thick (cork?) one for steels pans. I use the thick one, seems too many old alloy parts just aren't as true as they should be. But others may have a better option. Does anyone make a really good synthetic one like they do for valve covers? And another idea might be to add a small dot of silicone gasket material only at the very corners where those three surfaces meet. Much like I believe guys do on American V8 intake manifolds - or something like that (I've never worked on a American engine).
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Some of those alloy pans are probably not true because someone used a cork gasket on them and over torqued them. That is why the thin gaskets are preferred. My 74 came from the factory with a thin pan gasket that appeared to be made out of some synthetic. The one I put on the 1500 is a thin paper one that I got from MWB. I used Hylomar Blue on it per Matt's advice and so far no leaks. Unfortunately, it looks like my oil port banjo doubler looks like it is starting to leak again. I may try some Hylomar on the banjo seals and see if that helps.
 
I'll pull the nut and pulley and see what I can see.
I have a feeling that if I had an idiots only tech day to help me I would need crowd control.
 
I'd not use the cork either. The other issue is one that Jeff pointed to - where the pan seats over the front seal cover. Those seams usually need sealer to make sure any unevenness is accounted for, same w/the rear cover. I only added sealant to those specific areas, not to the rest of the gasket.
 
Isn't there a procedure where you install the seal covers loosely, then install the pan completely, then go back and position the seal covers and torque them down? To help get all of the surfaces aligned correctly. Or am I recalling this for another make of vehicle with similar covers on the engine?

There is also something like that when you install the crank mains. To align the main seals over the crank. So maybe I'm getting all my signals mixed up.
 
I pulled the nut and puller (not the cam belt sprocket) and saw only very fine oil mist on the seal carrier, certainly nothing to indicate the seal is leaking. Probably the pan, by process of elimination. I'll check my gasket spares and see if I have one.
 
Dr.Jeff said:
Isn't there a procedure where you install the seal covers loosely, then install the pan completely, then go back and position the seal covers and torque them down? To help get all of the surfaces aligned correctly. Or am I recalling this for another make of vehicle with similar covers on the engine?

There is also something like that when you install the crank mains. To align the main seals over the crank. So maybe I'm getting all my signals mixed up.
Click to expand...

I think that depends on the sequence of events - if you are servicing just an end cover/seal, then you have to deal with it differently than if the ends are already 'fixed' relative to the block, and it's just the pan in question. The end covers do have alignment dowels, so any offset should be minimal. Still should have small amount of sealant along the block/cover seams to prevent oil seeping along the 'groove'. I only have experience from many years back with MG & Volvos in terms of similar design. Volvo pan gaskets used to have 'jigsaw' end sections so you could replace just that if need be when servicing an end cover.
 
lookforjoe said:
I think that depends on the sequence of events - if you are servicing just an end cover/seal, then you have to deal with it differently than if the ends are already 'fixed' relative to the block, and it's just the pan in question. The end covers do have alignment dowels, so any offset should be minimal. Still should have small amount of sealant along the block/cover seams to prevent oil seeping along the 'groove'. I only have experience from many years back with MG & Volvos in terms of similar design. Volvo pan gaskets used to have 'jigsaw' end sections so you could replace just that if need be when servicing an end cover.
Click to expand...
"The end covers do have alignment dowels" ? On a Fiat SOHC?
 
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