but is really a series of leaks moving in formation.

There are really four levels of leaks:

Severe - There is no doubt what the fluid is and where it’s coming from. When I broke the brass connector from the oil gallery on the China wall to the oil pressure sender, it fired a stream of oil that looked like a garden hose. Very convenient to diagnose.

Moderate - You pour a fluid in and it immediately begins to leak out. Easiest way to distinguish this level from a minor leak is that it comes out fast enough to not mix with the other leaks. Pretty easy to trace back to the source.

Minor - The toughest to trace. It’s constant, pervasive and hard to diagnose. The fluid mixes with the fluids from all of the minor leaks nearby. This is the baseline condition for our cars.

Empty - As they say in medicine, “all bleeding stops eventually.” The only way to keep parts and driveways clean is to leave the fluids empty. Many of the systems work surprisingly well in this condition, probably because they were engineered to leak. You know you’re empty when there isn’t a leak.

I’m getting REALLY tired of chasing leaks. Oh and two exhaust pipe nuts fell off again after about 500 miles of driving. Next time, those ******* are going on with a big gob of red Loctite and I might even MIG weld it for good measure.

Thanks for listening.

 

A freind sent an excellent (and pretty funny) question by PM, “ how do you differentiate between a severe and moderate leak.” Great question and let me illustrate.

Years ago, my best friend had a pos TR6. The gas tank leaked so badly that when he filled it up at the gas station, he would listen for the sound of the fuel hitting the ground. Then he knew he was full. That would qualify as severe. Think seive. At times, my power steering pump reminded me of this.

He convinced me to fix it without spending any money. Welded a bung to the bottom of a metal gas can and bungee corded it in his trunk. Unfortunately, the bungee cord kept breaking and turns out the can leaked pretty badly on its side. He’d be driving along and would suddenly feel light headed because of the fumes. That would be moderate because if he opened his windows, he could make it to work.

 

When you have had the car so long you are renewing renewed seals for the. One rear yoke seal is weeping on a 24K rebuild. I try to keep her from leaking, pow steer hoses can be a regular 8 year chore.

 

What got me on this particular line of thinking is that my fuel pump was wet. I honestly don’t know if it was gas, oil, atf or coolant. May have been all of the above. Pretty sure it isn’t brake fluid as there is still paint on the motor nearby. Probably not power steering fluid as it would have to spray over the engine. Same for the diff fluid, though the pinion seal is leaking again. Only fluid I’m sure it isn’t is windshield washer as that system hasn’t held fluid since I’ve had the car.

 

Replaced main seal, new oil pan, tightened everything in and around the engine, replace rear diff seals.....finally no leaks. Will see how long this lasts.

Redvette2

 

Agreed, my garage floor looks like a splash painting, the green from the leaking radiator, brown from who knows where oil is coming out and pink from the poor power steering ram.

 

taste it and see! and you left out the fluids leaking IN if you get caught in the rain...

 

I have a modereate to severe leak from my power steering power valve I beleive, a minor leak from the rear of my engine and a minor leak from my tranny. All on the winter list of "have to do's" along with the new big block radiator/ radiator support and "want to do's " of power window conversion, fuel door conversion and air dam upgrade. Speaking of which I have to go by paint tomorrow.....

 

right now my only one is the power steering control valve

 

You could drill the nuts and safety wire them. Simple to remove and no question about staying put.

 

Dont get much rain here but that’s still an excellent point. Given my rating system above, that would probably be in the moderate range. When someone posts about a new car that they just bought/inherited, I’ve thought about suggesting that they take it through an automated car wash just for my personal amusement.

 

That isn’t crazy talk. With brass nuts and an angle drill for the stud, wouldn’t be all that hard to do

 

And I thought only old Fords and Harleys marked their territory.

 

Thanks for the laugh, I read this and people around me here at work are wondering what is so funny...

 

I was going to 'poke' you and say "you obviously never had either a Norton motorcycle nor any British cars!

British cars DON'T LEAK... we say daintily...they are merely 'SELF OILING'.

Drop me an IM...we gotta get together! HA!

 

Only if you have a gravel driveway.

PM sent

 

What's a bit of oil between friends.... It's okay...my house is probably a SUPERFUND site anyway!

Unka

 

Just took care of the last leak on the Vette. Power Steering. Seems to be a common problem. After way too much time spent under the car, decided to remove the system. Took about an hour, and it was history. Garage floor is now cleaner than skeeters peter. The C-10 is another story. She has a 350 4 bolt with a high volume oil pump. Oil leaks are like playing whack a mole. Once I stop a leak, another appears. Couldn't win. Now, I just keep a quart of 10-40 close by and park over cardboard.

 

Better to leak it than BURN IT!

When I lived in VT I owned K-5 Blazers for Decades....it would 'rustproof' itself! If I could've figured out how to get oil injection into the rocker panels, Id've been set-for-life!

I'd have to pay some mouth-breather $100 a year to spray Chain-saw bar and chain oil under and into the cavities....

So this is a little ironic to me!

The driveway looked like the Exxon Valdez was parked there!

Unkahal

 

Man, am I glad to see this thread! By your definition I have something between a minor and moderate oil leak that I think is coming from the rear main seal. After some internet searching, I’m scared to death that it’s going to cut loose and release all of the oil at once. Maybe what I have is fairly normal? She definitely marks her territory, 2 or 3 drops at a time!

I flew Piper Chieftains years ago. They all leak oil to some extent. I know that a teaspoon of oil makes a cowling look like a crime scene!