C4 General Discussion General C4 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech

Oil Drip problem

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 19, 2008 | 10:12 PM
  #1  
Ga_blueeyes's Avatar
Ga_blueeyes
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
From: Alpharetta Georgia
Default Oil Drip problem

I own a 1990 L98 Corvette and notice it recently started to leave drips that can cover a area the size of a note book paper. There use to be no drips of oil or any other kind of fluid at all under the car. The car has 80K miles on it. The oil is leaking right behind the oil pan. Its not coming from the oil pan screw but whatever is behind there. It does a slow drip but messes up the floor now. Anyone have any idea of where this may be coming from and what would have caused this?
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2008 | 10:33 PM
  #2  
aminnich's Avatar
aminnich
Le Mans Master
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,564
Likes: 6
From: Woodstock Georgia
Default

About the only thing to do is get it up in the air where you can get a good look at it. It could be as simple as a loose oil filter. You describe a major leak, keep your driving to the minimium and one eye on your gauges until you get it fixed or you could lose an engine.
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2008 | 10:41 PM
  #3  
RedVette84's Avatar
RedVette84
Safety Car
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4,284
Likes: 1
From: Whitehall Pa.
Default

If the valve cover gaskets were never replaced it might tend to run down the back of the engine. I have a smaller leak on one of my covers that I haven't got to.
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2008 | 11:55 PM
  #4  
WW7's Avatar
WW7
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 414
From: WV
Default

If its at the back top of the oil pan that would be the rear main gasket. If it is the rear main the transmission has to come out to replace it. WW
Reply
Old Sep 20, 2008 | 12:30 AM
  #5  
CorvetteMike2024's Avatar
CorvetteMike2024
Corvette Enthusiast
Supporting Lifetime Gold
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,800
Likes: 2,724
From: So. Cal.
2025 C7 of the Year Finalist- Unmodified
2024 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Default oil leak

Its very comman for L98's to devolop a leak at the rear of the intake manifold. That was my first oil leak on my L98. About 80,000 miles. As mentioned check valve covers.
Reply
Old Sep 20, 2008 | 10:22 AM
  #6  
enventr's Avatar
enventr
Safety Car
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,147
Likes: 452
From: Port St. Lucie West Florida
Default

Originally Posted by CorvetteMike2004
Its very comman for L98's to devolop a leak at the rear of the intake manifold. That was my first oil leak on my L98. About 80,000 miles. As mentioned check valve covers.
also common with LT1
Reply
Old Sep 20, 2008 | 10:27 AM
  #7  
Demonic85's Avatar
Demonic85
Team Owner
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
Likes: 7
From: sw Ohio
Default

I've got the same problem with mine leaking out the back. I think mine is the timing cover seal where it meets the oil pan cause its all over the bottom of the oil pan. Its also all over the oil filter too. I just keep putting oil in mine until I figure it out...
Reply
Old Sep 20, 2008 | 04:43 PM
  #8  
xCCTer's Avatar
xCCTer
CF JASOC Member
Supporting Lifetime
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,040
Likes: 34
From: Downtown Annapolis, MD. The Future is where we all have to live. Let's not screw it up.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Default

Originally Posted by CorvetteMike2004
Its very comman for L98's to devolop a leak at the rear of the intake manifold. That was my first oil leak on my L98. About 80,000 miles. As mentioned check valve covers.


Drips right down the back of the block.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 First Look: Everything You NEED to Know!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-1

5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-8

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-9

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
Old Sep 20, 2008 | 06:25 PM
  #9  
Ga_blueeyes's Avatar
Ga_blueeyes
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
From: Alpharetta Georgia
Default Oil Leaking and burning

I just came back in from driving my vette for about 30 minutes and it was smoking off the left side of the engine. I could not tell where the smoke was coming from. Its oil buring somewhere. I jacked the car up and could see oil that had leak just above the oil filter but cannot tell where its coming from. In runs down to the bottom of the car and drips off the bottom of the an inch behind the oil pan screw. I made sure the oil filter was tight and the screw for the oil pan is also tight. There is so much in the way to see if the valve cover gaskets are leaking or not. It does appear it a leak higher up on the engine on the left side ( drivers side ) but cannot tell where it is.................
Reply
Old Sep 20, 2008 | 06:53 PM
  #10  
srumfield's Avatar
srumfield
Intermediate
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Default Sounds like your intake manifold

Very common....time to replace gaskets...intake manifold, valve covers, throttle body, etc. Same problem....been there....done that...
Reply
Old Sep 20, 2008 | 06:55 PM
  #11  
Iroc57's Avatar
Iroc57
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 1
From: Warwick RI
Default

Originally Posted by Ga_blueeyes
I just came back in from driving my vette for about 30 minutes and it was smoking off the left side of the engine. I could not tell where the smoke was coming from. Its oil buring somewhere. I jacked the car up and could see oil that had leak just above the oil filter but cannot tell where its coming from. In runs down to the bottom of the car and drips off the bottom of the an inch behind the oil pan screw. I made sure the oil filter was tight and the screw for the oil pan is also tight. There is so much in the way to see if the valve cover gaskets are leaking or not. It does appear it a leak higher up on the engine on the left side ( drivers side ) but cannot tell where it is.................

This aint rocket science here
none of us can tell you where your leak is...you will have to get dirty and find it. We can help you plug it up once you identify exactly where it is coming from
Reply
Old Sep 20, 2008 | 07:05 PM
  #12  
CorvetteMike2024's Avatar
CorvetteMike2024
Corvette Enthusiast
Supporting Lifetime Gold
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,800
Likes: 2,724
From: So. Cal.
2025 C7 of the Year Finalist- Unmodified
2024 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Default Smokin

Smoking on your car after running is a comman symptom of the rear intake leak. The oil drips on your exhaust pipes.
Reply
Old Sep 21, 2008 | 10:22 AM
  #13  
Iroc57's Avatar
Iroc57
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 1
From: Warwick RI
Default

Originally Posted by CorvetteMike2004
Smoking on your car after running is a comman symptom of the rear intake leak. The oil drips on your exhaust pipes.
It could also be the valve cover.
Reply
Old Sep 21, 2008 | 09:05 PM
  #14  
Chris44m's Avatar
Chris44m
Drifting
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,295
Likes: 326
From: Central Pennsylvannia
2021 C4 of the Year - Modified Finalist
Default

Also you might want to look at you oil pressure sending unit, i have the same problem, i'm not 100% sure, but you might have to take the drivers side intake runners off to get to it.
C
Reply
Old Sep 21, 2008 | 11:30 PM
  #15  
RandyJ75's Avatar
RandyJ75
Safety Car
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,566
Likes: 4
From: Mt Laurel NJ
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
Default

Hi John, how are you?
My car had the same problem, just not as bad as yours seems. It was the gasket around the distributer that was bad. I found it when I replaced the intake gaskets because of a coolant leak. It could also be the sending unit for the oil pressure sender, it is located back by the dizzy as well.
Be cafeful taking to a shop, as they will want to replace all of the gaskets, which it may not need. I am sure you have a trusted place you take your cars, good luck.

Randy
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Oil Drip problem





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:02 PM.

story-0
2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 First Look: Everything You NEED to Know!

Slideshow: Is the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 the best Silverado yet?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-16 08:01:12


VIEW MORE
story-1
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers

Slideshow: 5 best and 5 worst Corvette daily drivers

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-15 10:32:13


VIEW MORE
story-2
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained

Slideshow: The headlights of every Corvette generation explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-15 10:17:14


VIEW MORE
story-3
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

Slideshow: The 5 best and 5 most overrated Corvette track packages ever.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:46:45


VIEW MORE
story-4
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

Slideshow: Every 2027 Corvette engine explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:16:31


VIEW MORE
story-5
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-08 19:53:43


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE