Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Topic: Awful oil leak - any ideas? (Read 1810 times) previous topic - next topic

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

July 20, 2006, 02:59:27 PM

Engine: 5.0

Ok, I'm back with another random question. I swear these will stop soon! :)

I recently changed the lower intake gaskets in the hopes of stopping an oil leak at the back of the engine, which would occasionally drip onto the exhaust and cause a pretty impressive cloud of burning oil. I thought I pinpointed the problem when I took the lower off, and noticed half of the back gasket was missing!

Unfortunately, once I got everything back together, I went for a test drive - the problem is much, much worse. To the point where the oil is somehow reaching all the way back to the lers and the whole exhaust smokes (lucky me!). I thought I must've screwed up installing the rear lower gasket, but it's still clean back there. The valve cover gaskets are also new and dry.

My next guess is the rear main seal, which is beyond my capabilities. I was hoping there might be some other ideas back there. I would appreciate any input!

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #1 – July 20, 2006, 03:25:26 PM

I have had that same oil leak since I bought the car. Ive changed the intake gaskets twice, both times it worked for about a month and then the leak started up again. My solution? I just duck taped some paper to the floor in my garage to catch the oil drips until I can afford to rebuild the engine. I cant figure out where all of my oil is coming from either. :disappoin

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #2 – July 20, 2006, 05:52:21 PM

have you both checked the oil sending unit? I had an awful leak coming from the one in my 79 cougar 302

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #3 – July 20, 2006, 06:22:18 PM

Lower intake leaks.You should notice lack of vacume ,coolant leak,
I like the idea of something exsternal .How's it run?

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #4 – July 20, 2006, 06:26:30 PM

One more thing,A valve cover gasket in the rear leaking and running down all over.Or a really bad rear seal no fun.? drain plug.

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #5 – July 20, 2006, 08:22:41 PM

Thanks for the comments!

Wyoming - I bet your leak isn't as bad as mine. I think if I drove around for another couple of minutes I would have had a fire on my hands. I'm aiming for a complete rebuild too ...

88turbo - Are you talking about the sending unit close to the oil filter? Except for the back of the engine where it mates to the transmission, everywhere else seems fine.

Kitz - The car runs great, better than it did before (except for the MAP code, which I started another thread about.) What baffles me is the oil leak got so much worse. There's no white smoke in the exhaust or loss of coolant, so I'm fairly confident I got all the gaskets lined up correctly. Valve cover gaskets and drain plug are ok.

Right now, from my limited knowledge, I can only guess that sealing the lower intake has caused the pressure to increase in other areas where the seals/gaskets are weak.

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #6 – July 20, 2006, 08:28:00 PM

You know Andrew, I had a bad pcv valve cause a similar problem in my Ranger once.

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #7 – July 20, 2006, 08:32:59 PM

Hey Claude - Yea, the PCV is new, along with the PCV filter. When I get back from Ohio though, I'll try pulling the PCV out and driving around that way. Oh yea, I also need to get a fire extinguisher before I even think about driving her again ...

(GI Joe lesson: Don't be stupid like Andrew, kids!)

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #8 – July 20, 2006, 10:06:28 PM

Is there oil all over the trans and back of the engine? If so I'm going to say rear main seal. Or if not sealing the upper intake could have caused another weak gasket, like the pan gasket to leak, maybe. I'm going to go with the rear main though.

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #9 – July 20, 2006, 11:26:42 PM

i vote rearmain and pan..

it isnt all to hard to change.

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #10 – July 21, 2006, 12:05:43 AM

My cat does the same thing. And goes all the way back to the lers. I was told rear main by the dudes at the oil change shop. Yes I can change my own oil! There is just no where to dump it on base :hick:

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #11 – July 21, 2006, 12:17:39 AM

Quote

Yes I can change my own oil! There is just no where to dump it on base

By federal law the base hobby shop has to take your used oil if you bring it to them.

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #12 – July 21, 2006, 12:20:11 AM

Quote from: Paul Flockhart

By federal law the base hobby shop has to take your used oil if you bring it to them.

I was gonna say, every base and post that I have been to has taken my oil. But it also wouldnt surprise me to learn that there is a base that doesnt.

Awful oil leak - any ideas?

Reply #13 – July 21, 2006, 04:14:19 PM

Before you couldn't get rid of it now people are buying it.