jumpinjimmy

I have an issue with an oil leak that seems to appear after the car has been sitting for a number of days. No leaks apparent while running. After a couple of weeks, there's an impressive puddle there. It seems to me that oil is slowly draining from the oil tank to the engine and then finding it's way out of the engine to the floor. I've seen this product being sold on Pelican and wonder if any one has ever used it? Here's a link to the Rothsport oil inlet check valve which is designed to stop oil flowing back to the engine and causing white smoke at start up. Here's a link: http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/...NGOIL_pg12.htm

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Thats a wonderful device!!!

jumpinjimmy

Coming from you, that's a pretty good recommendation. Thanks.

jumpinjimmy

Is there a check valve within the oiling system that could be failing and allowing too much oil to drain into the engine?? 1983 SC 3.0

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Nossir.

Remember,....fluids always seek their own level.

This is normal for these engines, depending on how long they sit and how much wear there is in the oil pump.

Starbuckslova1

Thats a very good over looked point about fluid levels

jumpinjimmy

I am hoping this might help my problem, which is a pretty big oil leak that only manifests itself over a period of several weeks. I drove the car two days ago and only one drop of oil under it this morning, but in a couple of weeks, there will be a 12 inch puddle there. Anyway, I ordered the part of will report results here.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

It won't fix oil leaks, but it will help prevent the big oil smoke cloud upon start up after sitting for awhile.

If you have an oil leak that produces a 12" puddle, you really need to address that.

jumpinjimmy

I agree, but no one seems to have a clue as to why a leak would be so incredibly slow, with little to no drips showing for as much as a week. I just went out and looked at the car again and nothing after having been driven 3 days ago.

Starbuckslova1

oil leaks can be tricky

on this car i find them to be pretty straight foward.

id suggest cleaning the underside of the car, then parking on paper or cardboard and tracking it down

the location will determine the leak

id go through all the oil cooler lines to tank and engine they tend to leak around where the rubber meets the metal ends then drip and roll down the tube.

if its an engine leak it could be valve cover's

you really gotta clean it and get under there

its hard to seee with a dirty motor or underside.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

VERY good advice for the original poster.

Sometimes, when I get a tough one, I use a special dye added to the oil and a special lamp to see the oil trail and where its originating from.

Works very well.

jumpinjimmy

already done all of that. new valve gaskets holding really well. I can see that some of the oil is from a return tube but another leak is proving hard to trace.

Amber Gramps

Look up "Triangle of Death"

The biggest leak I had was coming from my internal thermostat. Started with my on-engine oil cooler and that didn't fix the leak. Then did the thermostat and the switch on top of the engine. Wasn't that hard on a 3,2. Leak gone.

jumpinjimmy

Thanks, I just completely serviced the triangle of death when I had the injection out a few months ago. It was indeed a little leaky but nothing too bad but is now tight. It seems my leak woes started after I did an oil change and it's coming from the driver's side front of engine. Definitely not the valve covers and the seepage from the return tubes is only a minor part of the problem. Someone suggested the cam cover which is pressed into the head, but I'm not sure. The one thing I am sure of is that it takes a week to start seeing the first few drops and then after a couple of weeks there's a pretty good puddle. Guess I need to drive it more.

jumpinjimmy

Ok, here's the update since I installed the Rothsport check valve. When I emptied my oil tank, only 5 litres of oil drained out, so already, I can see that amount again is sitting in the engine, which is too much (I think there should only be around 3 litres in the engine?). Installed check valve along with new S pipe, refilled with oil and went for a good, long drive. Car sitting now for 3 days and I see one drop of oil on the ground which looks like seepage from the drain plug. For me, the valve appears to have done the job of addressing oil migration to the engine, which then was causing leaks... and the installation couldn't have been easier.