Oil Updates further down the thread;
Please read bottom regarding checking dipstick cold after the warm up was completed the night before - it's showing to only hit the "Add" hole and it's very similar to what I remember seeing last night minus the streaks.

Hello all!

Some may have recently seen my thread involving oil consumption, I may have found a new piece of the puzzle this morning. I can not verify if this has been the case every morning as I will start the car for warm up and then drive away not looking back.

This particular morning I had started the car in the street, pulled it in the driveway for easier turn around. Nothing scrapped or grinded. I left the house drove up the street (~100 yards) had to quickly whip the car around (really quick right to left turn, trying to make a U Turn with the help of a side street). Then all the sudden "Service Traction Control Sys" "Service Active Handling" "Service ABS". Got the car back to the house, shut it off half way down the hill coasted to a stop trying to reset the Service bit. Turned the car off and on and it seems the Service issue went away but as I walked inside there was a small oil puddle maybe 2x3 or 2x4; smaller than my hand, maybe the size of my palm?

Well freaked out I took another car to work and now I'm here. I've read on puddles created by the oil sender? Not sure but my Oil Pressure has seemed impeccable, I can't imagine what is wrong. I've even heard it could be a loose filter, which could always be possible with hand tightening procedures. I just feel like I would have noticed this before, I don't have spots in the driveway that I was able to see off hand.

Really need some advice before I have a heart attack!

 

Sudden turns within a few minutes of start up will activate traction control. The active handling system goes thru a series of checks on start up and was not quite ready to play. You should be fine, I also have had the same thing happen.

Can't help you on the oil leak. Good Luck.

 

First, don't panic. You need to figure out whether the oil is from the front or the rear of the motor. Take it to a level location and shut it down. Let it drip for a few minutes then move the car and figure out where the leak is coming from. There are several things that can cause the leak but the location will be key on determining what components to check.

 

I mentioned this once before, but it might be worth repeating......


Last fall, I noticed the oil pan on my '01 was wet with oil. No drips, but an overall "wet oil film" condition. After the initial panic subsided, just for grins, I broke out the torque wrench, figuring I'd check simple things first. I checked the oil pan bolts. They should be, IIRC, 106 INCH/pounds. Every one of mine was loose!

I snugged them, and so far this year, no evidence of oil on the pan....

 

Interesting, I may just have to try that out. Do you have tips of getting access to the pan? I can probably just look up jack tips but for laziness and times sake. I've only raised the car on a lift and I don't know if I feel like driving to that currently.

UPDATE
So I need to correct the puddle size, it's about 6 inches long and 3-5 inches wide, driveway is at a slant so it can cause a run. Also from what I can tell it appears to be mid to rear engine - just basing this based off where it was in the driveway and how my car was parked.

I came home today, car was parked flat in the street. I tried to look for a spill but I just happened to park in a spot that already had oil baked in the street. There were some spots like one would see with the AC being on but no puddle, nothing I could get on my finger to even see if it was oil. For what it's worth the driveway puddle was also dried so if there was one then maybe the sun baked it away - I could not get anything to stick to my fingers so as we stand all spots are unverified lol.

I have the car in a fresh spot where I don't think any oil has ever been spilt. Will see if I see anything tomorrow.

Is it possible it's only going to puddle up if the car is on? This would also explain my slight smell of oil and consumption. I must have a small leak somewhere, just never noticed because I never have gone back to where my car was warming up until later the afternoon.

If this has been going on for a couple weeks now my pressure, temp etc. is all fine. My pressures run from 33PSI-54PSI (60PSI + if I go above 2500-3000 when cold) in normal driving conditions (54 if I'm getting on it in 2nd or first after warm up). 28PSI-70PSI when driving for fun and relatively hard. I've seen 28PSI when I stopped and the oil is at 180-200F and it's only been a handful of times, always after a 1-3rd gear pull or a quick jaunt in the twisties. I only saw 70PSI twice really, once was after multiple pulls with less than 30 miles on the oil change and it was warm the other was when I was rushing to work and it the oil was still cold.

Sorry I'm just throwing everything out there, no idea what is and isn't of use but data is data. I will get the codes for the Service lights (that no longer exist after starting up this evening) tomorrow.

Thank you guys for the help!

 

I have a set of ramps that I use when I need to get under the car, and it was while I was on these, that I snugged the oil pan bolts.

 

After you park, slide a sheet of cardboard under the front, to narrow down the search area.

Jim

 

I am astonished I did not think of this. Great tip! Getting her on a lift tomorrow to see what we can find. I do not have jacking pucks and I have heard of making them. Any substitute for the hockey pucks? They seem hard to find around here

 

Update

So I placed the cardboard under the car after moving it again. Looking underneath this evening I found that it was directly under the oil filter, I even noticed with a flashlight that there was some oil looking like it was prepared to drip from the filter.

I jacked the car up so that I could try and get a grip on the filter. When I was able to get a good grip on the filter I was also able to turn it about a 1/4 turn or so by hand. I couldn't find the right size socket to my K&N filter so I couldn't check it with a torque wrench.

The only noticeable oil was directly surrounding the filter; I have taken pictures that I will try and upload later. There was a good amount of oil that got on the exhaust pipes; essentially it looked as if it had leaked from somewhere and was flung onto the pipes (would also explain the smell).

I have pictures of the filter and how the gasket meets; it's as tight as I can get it by hand but it appears that the rubber contacts the metal better in the front than the rear. I tried to get photos but it is such a cramped space. I can't imagine it's off though.

I added a bit of oil to compensate for what had burped out. I started her up, everything was perfect - Idle was smooth. Oil Pressure was reading 46 PSI at 80F and 35 PSI at 180F.

 

You've basically asked me if I rolled my windows up whilst it's raining outside and I can't see my car! Lol.

The old filter came off without a hitch, everything looked normal about it. I can say with 99.99% certainty that the old seal came off. The new filter mounted nicely as well and perhaps it just was a tad under spec allowing it to wiggle loose. The oil leak problem has been gradual and then building up. Started with half a quart in 1000+ miles to a full qt in the same range.

Hopefully the fix was this simple. Either way I'm about to do shocks, sways, breaks and hopefully wheels and tires so I'll be sure to change the oil then. Should be within ~1000 miles.

 

I just finished installing my headers tonight. Started the car and peaked under the car to start tracking an exhaust leak. My K&N oil filter was leaking just like yours coming from the housing then making its way down the sides of the filter. Was only for a few seconds and then stopped. Oil was changed about 4K miles ago by me, double checked to make sure I didn't double gasket it. Checked the oil and it's a half quart low. Interesting to see you are having a similar issue and have the same filter.

 

That is most certainly a good practice, however, the couple of times that I've seen people forget to do that (NO, not me!!), the oil pressure itself, blew the second gasket out, and there was oil all over the place....IMMEDIATELY!

 

That certainly is odd. I can't say I ran the car to find the leak, I noticed it after I started it to move it and then placed the cardboard. I wanted to avoid running it for any period of time until I found the issue.

Once I jacked her up and tightened the filter by hand another 1/4 turn or so I watched under the car from start up to warm (~180F oil). I placed a fresh sheet of cardboard and will assess when I get home to see if anything leaked out after the fact. But nothing what so ever during start up and as I mentioned my pressures seem to be in the money.

 

The 06 Miata I traded in on my current 99 vette, would stick the old oil filter gasket, every single filter change. It fooled me the first time. Thankfully it blew the old gasket and puked oil out while still in my garage.

Jim

 

Okay so since my oil is near impossible to read after 11 minutes from full temp I decided to take advice from another member that says his oil level has been the same the next morning after checking it as per the manual and check it without moving it when I got home from work.

Now it actually is readable and it shows to fill just to the "Add" dot and then streaks in the center of the dipstick about half way - the streaks I'm going to assume are from the dipstick touching the sides.

I want to add more oil, but I want to be sure adding based on what my dipstick reading is a good or bad idea. On the 2001 it's a full quart between Add and Max is it not? Any suggestions?

 

I would go through another oil change process and use a different filter.

Ac delco, Mobil 1 wix, or even Napa gold.

One the filter gasket makes contact, you should not be able to turn another quarter turn by hand, maybe with a filter wrench, but not by hand.

Once the filter gasket makes contact, it 3/4 of a turn. I usually take a marker and draw an arrow on the bottom of the filter, that way I know I went 3/4 of a turn after gasket contact.

Your current filter might be defective and the metal might be cracked up near the top right below the gasket.

 

I will be doing an oil change soon for piece of mind. I went with the K&N after reading a ton of reviews here and people said it had the best flow.

I took photos of the filter, I do not see any cracks. I will try to get them uploaded but I took them on a phone and then switched phones so there's no service on it.

Anyway the oil change won't be for two weeks, if this has stopped leaking (which so far it has) then it should be fine until then.

I am just trying to now verify adding the oil while reading the cold dipstick.

 

FYI just retightened my oil filter. It was a bit loose and is nice and snug now. Looks like I'll be going back to an A/C Delco filter on the next oil change.

 

Wow... I'm shocked. Its wild we have the same issue with the same filter.

Which filter has the best flow?

 

The torque spec for the oil filter is 22ft lbs. I would guess it is just coincidence that the same brand is leaking. A proper fitting oil filter wrench ( 3/8" drive) and a torque wrench will remove the guess work, it is very close to 3/4 of a turn after seating the oil filter.

Glad you had a simple fix.