GN's Leakin like a sieve!

[yarbeau]

Parked the car last night woke up this morning backing out of the garage and i see two huge oil spots! on the south end of the oil pan and one near the tranny??

i dont know where it is coming from? Head gasket maybe?

shut it down and tried investigating but got no where.
WHAT DID I DO!
:frown: nothing seems to go right with this car

 

[notacarlo]

Rear main seal blew out. If the PCV system is not functioning correctly it will pressurize the block.

Easy fix.

Plus in a 20+ year old car, especially if this has not been replaced.

You can get the neoprene or rope seal (oem). There are two different camps on which one is better. I prefer the rope, but like the longevity of the neoprene.

 

[yarbeau]

is it safe to drive until i have the time to fix it as long as i keep the oil topped up?
how big of a job is it?

I'm thinking that in about 2 months time the car is going to go to sleep for the winter, maybe pull the engine and replace all seals and figure out exactly what I have internally on this engine.

good idea or going to far?

 

[notacarlo]

If the engine runs well, there is no reason to go digging.

The oil can and will leak onto the corssover pipe which is a fire hazard (and it will smoke alot when it really gets going)

Check/Test PCV valving and hoses, Keep an eye on the oil levels.

 

[notacarlo]

Whoops, forgot to answer.

Pull the oil pan
remove rear main cap
pull/push old seal out from cap
push/pull old seal from block
reverse for install
retorque main
reinstall pan.

More or less.

 

[HI85WH1]

Whoops, forgot to answer.

Pull the oil pan
remove rear main cap
pull/push old seal out from cap
push/pull old seal from block
reverse for install
retorque main
reinstall pan.

More or less.

Doesnt the motor need to be up off the mounts to do this, or is the V6 pan short enough to get by without that?

sorry... I'm used to working on SBC-powered G-bodies.

 

[Sweetwater GN]

Rear Main Seal Replacement

If the engine isn't broke, don't pull it :biggrin:

 

[yarbeau]

thanks a lot for the responses guys. It's truly appreciated. being 20 and new to the TR world I need all the guidance I can get!

I'm just thinking for the long run. pull the engine and change all seals. hone if needed see what else is going on. I'm getting a puff of blue smoke upon startup and thinkin its valve guides? just some things on my mind I wouldnt mind fixing/checking.

since its going to be sitting for half a year while winter hits hard, might as well be ready for the spring and not have a doubt in my mind.

Money wise if I start diggin I'm going to run into the dreaded empty wallet curse. Just like i did with the floor and t-top. UGHHH

Why do I love these cars!!

 

[yarbeau]

what exactly should my oil and temp readings be during a drive?

someone around 180 for temp correct?

 

[notacarlo]

If you have a 180 degree stat - 180-185
If you have a 160 than 160-165 ish

Oil pressure on a stock motor can be as low as 12-13 psi at idle and up to 45-60 psi at WOT. Every one of these cars is different.

 

[yarbeau]

that is what i'm getting for readings. thanks for the responses notacarlo.

I know the questions are dumb, but I do appreciate the aid. I'm learnin!

 

[yarbeau]

today took it to the mechanic to get a quote on the seal replacement to see if im overhauling my engine or just getting him to replace it

It was pouring rain and I guess my new t-top seal on the passenger side leaks.

car was parked outside tried starting it, black smoke pours out sputtering and not running at all.

shut it off checked out wtf? computer was wet! roof leaked down the pillar and right to the computer.

got it inside and on the lift where it will sit until monday.

CAN ANYTHING ELSE GO WRONG? I cant afford this car. I've had 4 good cruises in her yet countless hours and dollars spent on it.

 

[novaderrik]

yeah, these cars are fun. they are definitely not for people that don't like working on their car or paying someone to work on it for them.
for the we ecm- see if the drain vent in the heater box is clogged. if the water that drains down the cowl between the windshield and hood can't get out thru the drain, it overflows rightin top of the ecm. good engineering there..
the vent is on the engine side of the firewall, under the heater box. it's a slot about 1/2" high and a few inches wide with a rubber flapper on it. you can get to it from under the car. just jam a screwdriver in there and see what comes out. mine had about 3" of crud in there. 2 minutes with a screwdriver and running the garden hose down the cowl took care of that problem.
as for the oil leaks- i feel your pain. my engine sometimes leaks from somewhere on top of the engine, but it doesnt' always do it, so it's hard to track down.
the front seal in my trans leaks sometimes, too. so does the rear seal.
the hydroboost leaks really bad- i've got a rebuild coming for that, so by this time next week that should be fixed. i hope.

 

[27Skulls]

Oil seals

thanks a lot for the responses guys. It's truly appreciated. being 20 and new to the TR world I need all the guidance I can get!

I'm just thinking for the long run. pull the engine and change all seals. hone if needed see what else is going on. I'm getting a puff of blue smoke upon startup and thinkin its valve guides? just some things on my mind I wouldnt mind fixing/checking.

since its going to be sitting for half a year while winter hits hard, might as well be ready for the spring and not have a doubt in my mind.

Money wise if I start diggin I'm going to run into the dreaded empty wallet curse. Just like i did with the floor and t-top. UGHHH

Why do I love these cars!!

LOL Seems he never goes away, King Midas once again:biggrin:

 

[yarbeau]

BAAAAH midas well do it

I want this car to run like it supposed to. midas well do it now.

 

[Bruce Urie]

Parked the car last night woke up this morning backing out of the garage and i see two huge oil spots! on the south end of the oil pan and one near the tranny??

i dont know where it is coming from? Head gasket maybe?

shut it down and tried investigating but got no where.
WHAT DID I DO!
:frown: nothing seems to go right with this car

HEY!!!! You've must have stolen my car!!!

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[27Skulls]

Not to be rude or anything like that, but, when it comes to these cars, "get used to it"!

 

[Dabigguy]

Be VERY careful when taking your car to any mechanic. These cars are not like a SB Chevy and there are very specific procedures that must be followed when working on them, plus mechanics LOVE a spirited test drive.

If you are somewhat mechanically inclined, then you can replace the rear seal. The hardest part is waiting for the silicone to fully cure before reassembly. It will cost around $50 for seals, gaskets, oil and filter. It will only take a few hours to actually do the job, but you must wait for the silicone to properly cure before you can button everything up.

 

[Bruce Urie]

Be VERY careful when taking your car to any mechanic. These cars are not like a SB Chevy and there are very specific procedures that must be followed when working on them, plus mechanics LOVE a spirited test drive.

If you are somewhat mechanically inclined, then you can replace the rear seal. The hardest part is waiting for the silicone to fully cure before reassembly. It will cost around $50 for seals, gaskets, oil and filter. It will only take a few hours to actually do the job, but you must wait for the silicone to properly cure before you can button everything up.

Absolutely what Dabigguy says. He couldn't be more right about this.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[Rich Gio]

What would you rate this job on the PITA (Pain in the A$$) scale for someone semi mechanically inclined? (I rate DS motor mount replacement as a 3 out of 10, BTW)