oil leak....someone help me before I push this car in the river!

[Tom Tom Turbo]

I'm at a complete loss here.....the engine was completely rebuilt using new components and I have all the confidence in the guys who put this short block together. I ran the car for about 50 miles before finding an oil leak in the front cover area. After finding that the high volume front cover was not flat, I had it machined flat, we test fitted it with and without the gasket installed and everything looked good. Reinstalled the front cover and the oil pan with a new Cometic gasket and fired it up...ran great and didn't leak a drop.

Fast forward 3 days, take the car out for a nice drive after replacing some brake lines and get the car into 6-8 PSI of boost, pull in to the gas station to top off the tank and I smell oil. Look underneath and its dripping from the engine cradle and around the front cover/oil pan/oil pump junction.

What am I missing???? It seems like it only leaks when it gets into boost....I'm just so frustrated with this car because its been over 6 years since I've been able to actually enjoy it. I'm damn close to just leaving it in neutral and watching it roll down the driveway into the river.

 

[PHANTASM]

add dye and look with a black light to see where it is coming from. or take a smoke machine and hook it to the crankcase. either methods are real easy to find a leak.
good luck

 

[TurboDave]

If you're running a rubber oil pan gasket, that's most likely your suspect.

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

Dave, if the oil pan gasket was the culprit, wouldn't it leak regardless of boost?

A friend of mine suggested the rings weren't seating and causing the crankcase to pressurize and push out the gasket on the front cover, but I would think it would smoke if the rings were the issue.

 

[Amelio]

best bet is to clean it off real good and use dye as suggested. I just rebuilt my engine and had the same issue. my leak was at the pump. When I put it together I did not use any sealant....never did in the past, anyway this engine did not like that. Pulled the pump back off got 2 new gaskets and this time used ultra grey on the gaskets.....no leaks.

Clean it off good go for a lil drive, no boost and check again just to make sure the boost/oil leak is not a fluke so you dont chase your tail.

Good luck.......and dont roll the car into the river....trust me I know exactly how you feel been there many times....just walk away cool off and take another stab.

Best of luck!

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

best bet is to clean it off real good and use dye as suggested. I just rebuilt my engine and had the same issue. my leak was at the pump. When I put it together I did not use any sealant....never did in the past, anyway this engine did not like that. Pulled the pump back off got 2 new gaskets and this time used ultra grey on the gaskets.....no leaks.

Clean it off good go for a lil drive, no boost and check again just to make sure the boost/oil leak is not a fluke so you dont chase your tail.

Good luck.......and dont roll the car into the river....trust me I know exactly how you feel been there many times....just walk away cool off and take another stab.

Best of luck!

I will give that a try when I have some time. Do you know, if I take it apart to the point of replacing those thin paper gaskets, do I need to re-prime the engine by removing the cam sensor?

 

[Amelio]

I will give that a try when I have some time. Do you know, if I take it apart to the point of replacing those thin paper gaskets, do I need to re-prime the engine by removing the cam sensor?

I have done it both ways.....I have had my pump apart put it back together and did not prime...no problem, then this time I just packed the gear casing with syntetic grease and no problem. I see you have a roller also, before I pulled my pump apart I ran the car for a few minutes to ensure oil on the cam. If I had a flat tappet cam I would probably be more worried and pull the cam sensor and prime it but since I got a roller some grease in the pump worked fine....as soon as I hit the key I had full pressure within 2 sec.

 

[Texas gn]

So you live on the river….any catfish in there? Just kidd’in ! Might also want to check the oil line coming out of the block to the turbo, mine was leaking there…found it after replacing the pan gasket for no reason.

 

[gnmaster2004]

you have too use sealant on the gasket between the filter adapter and cover, or it will leak. I have also forgoten t0 put the short little cover bolt on, the one on the pass. side in the tight pocket

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

thanks for the tip guys, I will try any and all of this to make this damn leak stop. I've chased this a few times needlessly changing pan gaskets, when it was actually the front cover that wasn't flat (by quite a bit) so after having it machined, resetting the cam endplay, and still having a leak, its pretty frustrating.

 

[Just a Six??]

I just went thru my 4 covers & Every Used Pump Cover was warped. I have no idea why but they were all higher in the middle. Check yours with a straight edge when you take it off. One was so bad 2 gaskets wouldn't seal it. Had them machined flat & just the paper gasket is all thats needed now. There shouldn't be any goop or silicone used on them.