Oil leaks....WTF

[Robert Walton]

Let's first start this off by saying I am an ASE Master certified technician. Have been ffor the last 20 years.I used to work on these cars when they were new!!

When I bought my car it had some oil leaks. I put some dye in it and the intake end seals showed up. Did that job and it slowed down considerably.

Well, I finally got some free time and did a rear main and oil pan gasket. I used Felpro rubber oil pan and rear main. I clocked the rear main about a 1/8 inch off center,used silicone in the cap sides.

I get home and the POS is leaking worse than it was before. Bad enough to where it's not really drivable. I put more dye in and it looks like the back of the intake is leaking again. WTF...

It also might be leaking from the oil pan as well!! It's hard to tell if it's the pan or just oil running down the side of the block.

Any thoughts/tips here. I'm really thinking of getting rid of this pile!!!!

 

[Reaper]

i am by no means a master Mechanic, but 2 things.......

1. valve covers, have you replaced them?

2. Rubber pan gaskets suck! get a nice set of cork and glue them up nice.

that should help.

just my $.02 on the matter

 

[acoen]

Just replaced my rear main seal with a neoprene seal and a Kirban's cork gasket with no problems. I glued the gasket to the pan with 3M weather strip adhesive and placed a dab of sealant at the location where the pan gasket meets the main cap. I had a rubber gasket and it leaked at the location where the rear main bearing cap meets the block. Check those valve covers, they have a tendancy to come loose.

HTH,

Aaron

 

[nailheadpowered]

leaks

when you get ready to dump the pile let me know ill send my carrier over to get her out of your hair LOL. good luck and use cork rubber like condoms suck.

 

[Robert Walton]

when you get ready to dump the pile let me know ill send my carrier over to get her out of your hair

Make me an offer I can't refuse,serious.

The valve covers are tight.

The big problem is I don't have the time to fix all these piddly things that pop up. I know the car is 20 years old,I can handle that. It's just after working on cars for 10+ hours a day I want to go home.

 

[nailheadpowered]

oil leaks

sent you an email mike.

 

[strikeeagle]

I can't offer any specific advice - there are plenty of "experts" here who have their own voodoo and swear their car doesn't leak a drop. What I do know is that the sealing technology in our cars and particularly our motors is prehistoric. I have owned 4 TRs and all of them have keep my garage floors and driveways well lubricated. Also:

This very topic has been the topic of tech sessions at the Nats, and "papers" by "experts".

When you have skinny little flanges, too few bolts, etc. what do you expect?

My 1998 Ford F-150 with 130,000 miles has never leaked one drop from anywhere. Neither has my 2004 GTO.

Much attention is paid to the sealing design of today's powerplants.

strike

 

[84GNwith87eng]

Not to hijack the thread, but how hard is the rear main seal to replace?

My buddy, also ase tech, quoted me 300, and he's very reasonable, just wanted to make sure this was good

 

[salvageV6]

Assuming new oil, filter, gaskets, rear main seal kit, cleaning oil pickup tube, and some Right Stuff RTV and the labor.... $300 is a bit high.

I'd like to pay no more than $200-210 for that job complete and it's best done when the pan is off the car for the timing chain replacement, labor costs go way down.

One would think it could be done in 3 shop hours plus parts, and then let sit overnight for the goop to dry so it doesn't leak.

A "friend" could probably crank it out in 2 hours labor.

PS: My dad's '95 Ferd product leaks more fluids than it holds, a 3.8 too.

 

[acoen]

Not to hijack the thread, but how hard is the rear main seal to replace?

My buddy, also ase tech, quoted me 300, and he's very reasonable, just wanted to make sure this was good

Try it your self, its not tough at all, just time consuming. Go to Kirban's website and order the neoprene seal and cork gasket. Purchase some Permatex Gray RTV gasket sealer, 6 quarts oil of choice a new oil filter and some spray solvent (I like brake cleaner, drys fast) and your set. www.gnttype.org has a good write up on replacement so does the TTA webite (not sure of the web address) (I used the one on the TTA site and used the side seals and pins). Removing the old seal can be difficult if it doesn't come all the way out. Toughest part of the job will be to remove the crossover pipe if the bolts are seized. The only thing different I did was to remove my starter to ease the removal of the crossover pipe, but it isn't necessary. You will be in it around $60-$70 into it plus around 4 hours if you haven't done one before. It took me 3-4 hours but I take my time and clean and inspect my parts like a like a fanatic. Save the $240 and do some PM or add a nice upgrade. A couple of things to note. The seal lip goes towards the front of the engine and use a dab of RTV where the oil pan gasket meets the main bearing cap. I also glued the gasket to the oil pan with 3M black weather strip adhesive prior to installation. Follow the instructions on either site listed above and you will be set. Take your time and pay attention to what you are doing and you will be leak free.

HTH

Aaron

 

[Robert Walton]

Assuming new oil, filter, gaskets, rear main seal kit, cleaning oil pickup tube, and some Right Stuff RTV and the labor.... $300 is a bit high.

I don't know what the labor rate is wher you live but... at my shop it's 85.00 times 3 hours as per Alldata equals $255.00 just in labor. Throw in $22.00 for oil pan gasket and rear main, that's shop cost not retail. Another $30 something for Mobil 1, $15 for conventional oil. $300 sounds reasonable to me.
A "friend" should do it cheaper though.

 

[salvageV6]

$85 is local Buick dealer labor.

I'd never take my car to a Buick dealer.

Got a local mechanic that actually knows G bodies, and most other cars for that matter, and can read Kenne Bell and Kirbans rear main seal instructions for $55/hr.

When he works on the GN or the WE4 he's sometimes cheaper.

I think he could knock it off in 2 hours on the lift, and he would definately let it sit overnight in the bay for the right stuff to dry properly.

But if you can afford that Mobil 1 you can probably afford the labor.