'72 Leaking oil issue, suggestions?
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Beloit WI
'72 Leaking oil issue, suggestions?
My '72 Stingray is leaking oil from the engine on the passenger side. I can't seam to figure out where from. I've replaced the valve covers, the valve cover seals, the fuel pump gasket, the intake manifold gasket and the oil pan gasket. I don't know where else it could be leaking from. Everytime I run the engine after I replace a seal it does not leak, but when I run the Vette down the highway it leaks oil onto the headers and burn off. It also has oil residue on the top passenger a-frame. Am almost to the point of pulling the engine and redoing the whole thing.
As it stand what it has now is a 1968 327 c.i., holley 600 cfm carb, holley street dominator intake, HEI distributor with side tach, long tube headers, double hump 2.02 heads, holley fuel pump, original 4 speed M21 muncie with new clutch pressure plate, new front end kit, new radiator and fan clutch, and a new tach.
If anyone can offer insight on where I may have the oil leak I would appreciate it, I have been trying to fix the leak most of the winter. It's been highly irritating besides having an excuse to put new parts on her.
As it stand what it has now is a 1968 327 c.i., holley 600 cfm carb, holley street dominator intake, HEI distributor with side tach, long tube headers, double hump 2.02 heads, holley fuel pump, original 4 speed M21 muncie with new clutch pressure plate, new front end kit, new radiator and fan clutch, and a new tach.
If anyone can offer insight on where I may have the oil leak I would appreciate it, I have been trying to fix the leak most of the winter. It's been highly irritating besides having an excuse to put new parts on her.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 23,419
Likes: 22
From: In limbo
St. Jude Donor '13-'15, '17 thru '22
Time for some sluething, and my favorite tool = paper towels. If the symptom is oil leaking onto the headers and causing smoke, you can skip a whole bunch of stuff for lower on the engine. I would clean the engine when cold to remove all oil residue on the passenger side, then drive for a short while, stop and open the hood. See if you can see fresh drips, I wouldn't be surprised if you couldn't. Let the engine cool a little (enough to not worry about igniting some paper towels), and stuff paper towels along the top of the header on the passenger side. Walk away for a few hours and come back. Hopefully, you will see where oil has soaked into the paper towels, which should give you a clue. Go from there, moving upwards since oil almost always drips down.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Beloit WI
I've wiped the engine clean a few times and then given it a test drive, it leaked atleast half a quart of oil out. I re-sealed the vlave covers seeing how it seemed like that was where the leak was coming from. Filled it back to the full line and it still leaked, all the oil was on the passenger side on the front of the heads and the headers. Wiped it clean and bought a new set of rubber seals and new steel chrome valve covers, it's still leaking when I drive it enough to when I get back its all oily again. Don't know where else to turn next.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,838
Likes: 10
From: Austin TX
Some thoughts:
1) SB blocks of this era have a tapped 3/8" hole that penetrates the crankcase in the front of the block toward the passenger's side. Make sure you have a 3/8" course thread bolt (1/2" or 3/4" long) with some thread sealer plugging this hole.
2) Crankcase pressure. Are you running an adequate PCV system?
3) What valve covers? Stamped steel? If so, throw down for some better aluminum covers.
4) Toyota Seal Packing, FIPG ('Forms in Place Gasket', I think). This is by far the best gasket sealer on the market and it's found at your local Toyota counter. I believe the part number is: 00295-00103 It makes the RTV products look stupid.
5) As suggested above. Dye don't lie. Get the little dye kit, pour into the crankcase, and with a black light and a dark garage, you'll learn in minutes from where your leak is originating.
Good luck!
1) SB blocks of this era have a tapped 3/8" hole that penetrates the crankcase in the front of the block toward the passenger's side. Make sure you have a 3/8" course thread bolt (1/2" or 3/4" long) with some thread sealer plugging this hole.
2) Crankcase pressure. Are you running an adequate PCV system?
3) What valve covers? Stamped steel? If so, throw down for some better aluminum covers.
4) Toyota Seal Packing, FIPG ('Forms in Place Gasket', I think). This is by far the best gasket sealer on the market and it's found at your local Toyota counter. I believe the part number is: 00295-00103 It makes the RTV products look stupid.
5) As suggested above. Dye don't lie. Get the little dye kit, pour into the crankcase, and with a black light and a dark garage, you'll learn in minutes from where your leak is originating.
Good luck!
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Beloit WI
Thanks for all the advice, I went to Auto Zone and bought the die. I am waiting on the UV Light and Glasses to come in from thier site as they did not have any in the store. I'm sure with the die I will be able to find the leak. Thanks again.
Tom
Tom
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 474
Likes: 0
From: Bishop CA
The die will most likely send you to the problem. I had a new motor put in and had a leak, we put die in it and ran it for 10 minutes and located the problem to rear main seal. Good Luck
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