oil leak help

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Mar 30, 2011 | 11:55 PM

69SSC5

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From: CA

oil leak help

i need help i have a oil leak that i thought i fixed but i guess not.... my oil pressure switch went bad and was leaking oil everywhere, i changed it and fixed my oil leak problem. a few days later i came home from work to find a big oil puddle under the car. i put the car on jackstands, cleaned off the bottom of the motor and oil pan. i let the car sit for a day came home today and checked it out... looks like the the leak is coming from the back of the motor. it looks like it could be my oil pressure switch but i just changed it and checked it for leaks and its not leaking. my upper oil pan gasket might be leaking (i think it is a little bit) but its not the cause of my oil slick. my starter is covered in oil, my oil filter gets covered in oil. i took of the plastic peice off that is next to the oil filter that once removed shows the flywheel, when i took the peice off alot of oil dipped off the plastic... please help i have spent many hours looking for this leak. im starting to think my rear main seal is leaking... what is the rear main seal? what is the gasket that is located above the upper oil pan gasket between the bellhousing and the engine block (near the starter).... thanks for reading/ helping

Mar 31, 2011 | 12:13 AM

MyEBc5Z

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Check your oil lever sensor, it is located near the starter. Try to clean off as much oil as you can and maybe remove your exhaust manifolds/headers so you can get a better look in there

Mar 31, 2011 | 12:21 AM

69SSC5

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Quote:

Originally Posted by MyEBc5Z

Check your oil lever sensor, it is located near the starter. Try to clean off as much oil as you can and maybe remove your exhaust manifolds/headers so you can get a better look in there

is the oil level sensor the sensor that is directly on top of the lower oil pan in line with the starter?

Mar 31, 2011 | 12:23 AM

MyEBc5Z

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From: Chicago Illinois

Yea that's it

Mar 31, 2011 | 12:26 AM

69SSC5

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Quote:

Originally Posted by MyEBc5Z

Yea that's it

i checked that on it wasnt leaking... my leak is coming from somewhere above the starter. it acts just like the a bad oil pressure switch that is pouring oil, but its not

Mar 31, 2011 | 07:25 AM

C54ever

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I have the same problem. After checking everything I could think of I think it may be the cam sensor o-ring. Will have to pull the intake to find out for sure.

Mar 31, 2011 | 09:54 AM

69SSC5

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Quote:

Originally Posted by C54ever

I have the same problem. After checking everything I could think of I think it may be the cam sensor o-ring. Will have to pull the intake to find out for sure.

is the cam sensor actually under the intake or do you just have to move the intake to be able to acess the cam sensor o-ring?

Mar 31, 2011 | 09:57 AM

lucky131969

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From: Dyer, IN

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heimlich2010

is the cam sensor actually under the intake or do you just have to move the intake to be able to acess the cam sensor o-ring?

yes and yes.

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Mar 31, 2011 | 05:07 PM

C54ever

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Here is a pic of the sensor and the location at back of engine.
Name: 116_0502_14_z+ls1_cam_swap+cam_sensor.jpg
Views: 11810
Size: 55.0 KB

Last edited by C54ever; Mar 31, 2011 at 05:55 PM.

Apr 1, 2011 | 01:01 AM

#10

69SSC5

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From: CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by C54ever

Here is a pic of the sensor and the location at back of engine.
Attachment 47670277

wow you know what... i think that is what is leaking,,,, your pics helped me confirm it, i say this because i just replaced fuel press. switch and it doesnt leak but yet there was fresh oil on the two lines that are directly behind the sensor and the switch, not to mention the sensor was covered in oil (i just thought it was residual oil from the past fuel press. switch leak.
ONE QUESTION... in order to change the cam sensor do i absolutly have to remove the intake? i ask because i used the cutting the windsheild wiper area method to replace my fuel pressure switch to avoid having to remove the intake, and they are right next to each other.

thanks for posting the pic

Last edited by 69SSC5; Apr 1, 2011 at 01:25 AM.

Apr 1, 2011 | 05:25 PM

#11

C54ever

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Interesting. If you find you can let me know.

Apr 1, 2011 | 05:27 PM

#12

lucky131969

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From: Dyer, IN

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heimlich2010

wow you know what... i think that is what is leaking,,,, your pics helped me confirm it, i say this because i just replaced fuel press. switch .........

There is no fuel pressure switch on a C5.......you must mean "oil pressure"......right?

Apr 1, 2011 | 09:35 PM

#13

69SSC5

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From: CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucky131969

There is no fuel pressure switch on a C5.......you must mean "oil pressure"......right?

yes sir i did mean oil pressure switch, missed that one oops... i will let yall know what i find

Jan 7, 2013 | 07:14 PM

#14

striped91

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From: Huntsville AL

Heimlich2010.
Did you end up replacing the cam sensor? If not, how did you repair your leak?

Jan 7, 2013 | 09:13 PM

#15

STRODDER

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From: Dennis from Hesperia Ca

I finally fixed my oil leak after giving up. I SOLD IT!!!

After 2 C-5's I'll never own another one. I heard C-6's are much better. I hope so.

Jan 7, 2013 | 10:39 PM

#16

69SSC5

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Quote:

Originally Posted by striped91

Heimlich2010.
Did you end up replacing the cam sensor? If not, how did you repair your leak?

Yes I replaced the camshaft sensor but it still leaked like a cut off finger. It turned out to be the rear main seal leaking, or at least that was what it looked like after the clutch came out. Changed the Rear main seal, rear cover gasket, oil pan gaskets and the welsh plug at the rear of the crank. Never leaked a drop after that. In hindsight I think it was a number of factors that lead to the heavy oil bleeding. One the rear main seal was leaking, two the welsh plug at the rear of the crank was leaking a small amount, three I think the porosity of the aluminum and the old rear cover gasket played a factor as well.
Strodder, The C5 is a great car and bang for the buck absolutely 100% cannot be beaten. "You gotta pay to play"

Last edited by 69SSC5; Jan 7, 2013 at 10:49 PM.

Jan 8, 2013 | 10:28 AM

#17

STRODDER

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From: Dennis from Hesperia Ca

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heimlich2010

Strodder, The C5 is a great car and bang for the buck absolutely 100% cannot be beaten. "You gotta pay to play"

That's probably what was leaking on mine. Lots of work on a gamble though. I agree the C-5 is a big bang for the buck. You can't beat that. What bothers me is that I have a 06 Silverado that hasn't had a bit of trouble and it's got 80,000 miles on it. The Corvette had only 60k, and too many things going wrong with it. The oil leak was the last straw, after replacing the oil pan gasket. The leak went away for a couple of weeks, then came back. Other small things that were going on also that bugged the crap out of me. My 99 C-5 did the same small things that bugged me too. It kept on breaking while I was trying to sell it. I've had 10 Corvettes 59 to 01 since I was 18, and these 2 Vettes were the worse ones for chicken $hit things going on. I've been a professional mechanic for over 50 years, but on German Cars, and have worked on and restored many Chevys. I hate it when my own cars break. We bought a 03 Lexus SC430 with 100k miles on it. I gota tell you it's much more desirable to drive than the 2 C-5's I've had. Except not near as fast, and love the looks of the Vette much more. It's the Wifes car, and she's happer with it. There will be a C-6 in the future.

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