Oil Leak...when to worry?
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From: Wilmington NC
Oil Leak...when to worry?
Ok, I know the LT1's love to leak Mobil 1. I'll prefix this with the fact that when I bought my car in '98 it had dino oil in it. On my first oil change, which was roughly 500 miles after I bought it (if I hadn't been in school, it would have been sooner) I put Mobil-1 in. Since that time it's leaked and dripped and oozed oil. There's never any more than a quarter sized drip spot underneath the car and I never have to add oil. However, the underside of the engine stays thinly coated. I think it's leaking around the intake because I can see some oil under the TB and the front of the engine is coated pretty good with really old oil. You can just see some oil at the back of the intake, but this isn't really that much. At what point should I begin to worry? I had the car in under warranty about a year ago and they said they couldn't find it (big surprise there). Should I consider going back to dino oil, live with the leak, or actually spend the $$ to try to find out where it's leaking. I can post pics if that would assist anyone in visualizing what I'm talking about. Thanks in advance!
DW
DW
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From: Wilmington NC
Re: Oil Leak...when to worry? (Dave95C4)
here are the possible places its leaking from...
- oil pan
- timing chain cover where the oil pan and TCC meet
- front seal
- opti seal
- waterpump drive gear seal
- intake manifold where the front meets the block
- valve cover gaskets
- rear of the intake where the back meets the block
- real main seal
- oil filter adapter
- cross threaded oil pan bolt
my suggestion.. if its down the front of the motor.. tear it apart and replace allt he gaskets and seals. clean the mating surfaces well.. or live with it until your opti dies and the switch cams and replace all you seals :D that way a mishap can be a fun project.. just have the parts on standby for the occassion
best regards!
Chris :cheers:
[Modified by lcvette, 7:48 AM 4/16/2002]
- oil pan
- timing chain cover where the oil pan and TCC meet
- front seal
- opti seal
- waterpump drive gear seal
- intake manifold where the front meets the block
- valve cover gaskets
- rear of the intake where the back meets the block
- real main seal
- oil filter adapter
- cross threaded oil pan bolt
my suggestion.. if its down the front of the motor.. tear it apart and replace allt he gaskets and seals. clean the mating surfaces well.. or live with it until your opti dies and the switch cams and replace all you seals :D that way a mishap can be a fun project.. just have the parts on standby for the occassion
best regards!
Chris :cheers:
[Modified by lcvette, 7:48 AM 4/16/2002]
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Re: Oil Leak...when to worry? (lcvette)
Thanks for the info Chris. Hopefully the Opti will last until I get outta school. I think it is the intake manifold at the front and the rear. I guess I won't worry about it until I start having to add oil. I'll let ya take a look at it. I think Brian and I are planning a road trip down to W-ton sometime, as I'll be in the vicinity this summer. Man, I wish I had the $$ for a cam change, especially after I saw your 95 run at Fayetteville last year!
DW
DW
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From: Northern CA
Re: Oil Leak...when to worry? (Dave95C4)
Dave, for goodness sake please don't switch to dino oil just to plug up the leaks :D
My intake manifold is a bit leaky, and likes to coat the bottom half of the engine with oily residue. Also I think one of my valve covers is starting to leak. It only leaks maybe 1/2 qt every 3000 miles, so I have not really worried about it. Keep a very close eye on the oil level.
My intake manifold is a bit leaky, and likes to coat the bottom half of the engine with oily residue. Also I think one of my valve covers is starting to leak. It only leaks maybe 1/2 qt every 3000 miles, so I have not really worried about it. Keep a very close eye on the oil level.
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Re: Oil Leak...when to worry? (JasonL)
no dont switch to dino oil, maybe go a thicker oil but not dino
curiously, mine had a little puddle of oil on the right side of the intake manifold and when i put Mobil 1 in it, it seems to have stopped.
but i think it still leaks it somewhere, i can see a drop every now and then on my garage floor at home, and it does burn a little but i havent had to add
curiously, mine had a little puddle of oil on the right side of the intake manifold and when i put Mobil 1 in it, it seems to have stopped.
but i think it still leaks it somewhere, i can see a drop every now and then on my garage floor at home, and it does burn a little but i havent had to add
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Re: Oil Leak...when to worry? (JasonL)
Dave, for goodness sake please don't switch to dino oil just to plug up the leaks :D
DW
