Oil Leak Help
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 837
Likes: 260
From: Omaha NE
Oil Leak Help
So I noticed that my vette was leaking some oil so today I finally got underneath to take a look. What I noticed was that the bolt indicated by the red arrow is loose. Unfortunately, I cannot get it tight it is almost like it has a nut on the other end but there is no way I can get to the top of it. When I start to tighten it it gets a little tight then goes loose when I go too far. Does this bolt have a nut at the top and that is why I cannot get it tight or do you think it is stripped.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,793
Likes: 7
From: Santa Maria Ca.
That's the oil pan to rear cover bolt,and it's supposed to be tightened to 18 ft lb.(goes into the cover that houses the rear mainseal)
You're going to have to rethread the hole and install a larger bolt.(there is no nut on it,it's threaded into the aluminum cover)
You need to fix it even if thet's not the source of your leak,or it soon will be...
OR do it the hard way,and replace the rear cover,which is a huge job compared to rethreading.
What have you got to lose?-the worse thing that can happen is the rethreading/larger bolt doesn't work,but it doesn't work now,so you haven't lost anything.
Otherwise,it's like installing a flywheel,only harder-do a search on the forum for that procedure...
You're going to have to rethread the hole and install a larger bolt.(there is no nut on it,it's threaded into the aluminum cover)
You need to fix it even if thet's not the source of your leak,or it soon will be...
OR do it the hard way,and replace the rear cover,which is a huge job compared to rethreading.
What have you got to lose?-the worse thing that can happen is the rethreading/larger bolt doesn't work,but it doesn't work now,so you haven't lost anything.
Otherwise,it's like installing a flywheel,only harder-do a search on the forum for that procedure...
Last edited by Carcass; Feb 20, 2010 at 09:28 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: North Las Vegas NV
That's the oil pan to rear cover bolt,and it's supposed to be tightened to 18 ft lb.(goes into the cover that houses the rear mainseal)
You're going to have to rethread the hole and install a larger bolt.(there is no nut on it,it's threaded into the aluminum cover)
You need to fix it even if thet's not the source of your leak,or it soon will be...
OR do it the hard way,and replace the rear cover,which is a huge job compared to rethreading.
What have you got to lose?-the worse thing that can happen is the rethreading/larger bolt doesn't work,but it doesn't work now,so you haven't lost anything.
Otherwise,it's like installing a flywheel,only harder-do a search on the forum for that procedure...
You're going to have to rethread the hole and install a larger bolt.(there is no nut on it,it's threaded into the aluminum cover)
You need to fix it even if thet's not the source of your leak,or it soon will be...
OR do it the hard way,and replace the rear cover,which is a huge job compared to rethreading.
What have you got to lose?-the worse thing that can happen is the rethreading/larger bolt doesn't work,but it doesn't work now,so you haven't lost anything.
Otherwise,it's like installing a flywheel,only harder-do a search on the forum for that procedure...
It's going to have to be a real long tap though! I would do a heli coil if it was out of the car (to both sides) but I have never seen a heli coil tap long enough to do the job in the car.
Good Luck!
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: North Las Vegas NV
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: North Las Vegas NV
Longer bolt ??
After looking at the oil pan, I would try a longer bolt to see if there is some good threads left in the rear cover. That bolt may be a hard one to find too but if it worked it would save a whole lot of time. Just watch the torque on it. I pretty sure it's not 18 foot lbs. I think it's more like 110 inch pounds. Check for the correct spec.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,793
Likes: 7
From: Santa Maria Ca.
You're right,LVZO6-I was reading the oilpan to engine block specs-it's 106 in.lb for the oilpan to rear cover bolts:
http://www.davidfarmerstuff.com/C5torque.pdf
Thank you for the correction
http://www.davidfarmerstuff.com/C5torque.pdf
Thank you for the correction
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 837
Likes: 260
From: Omaha NE
Stupid question how important is it that this bolt is a little loose. For the time being I put a little silicone at the bottom to hold the bolt a little better and to slow any leaking.
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Instructor
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: North Las Vegas NV
If I had a stock bolt in my hand I could tell you if there is some unused threads in the rear cover (I have the rest of the parts here). You should remove the bolt and put something like a ice pick up in the hole and compare it to the length of the factory bolt. You might have a 1/4 or so of unused threads where you could put a longer bolt in and torque it to specs. That bolt has a 10.9 on it(cast on head) so if you replace it you will need a bolt of the same value or high numerical value (to get the correct hardness). If that is the case you would be done with that issue until a rebuild is needed.
