Jax951

I have an oil leak - I have no idea where it is coming from. It is in the rear of the engine, seemingly close to the oil filter (yes the filter is perfectly tight).

As you know, it's kind of hard to see back there, and I'm really having a hard time isolating it.

The end result is a leak that drips onto my exhaust (NOT GOOD I KNOW!!) along with 3-4 places on my garage floor. I would guess that the leaks origin is quite high up since it spreads to these 3 or 4 locations before dripping.

Any ideas where it might be coming from?

Thanks.

Thaddeus

I'm having trouble picturing the area, since my 951 has the filter at the front of the engine.

Thaddeus

BRB_85.5_NA

I know this is total blasphemy, that orthodoxy says you should pull apart your engine and replace the seals yada yada, but Golden Eagle stopleak, $5 at Walmart, with conditioners and most importantly seal swelling agents, has stopped all the leaks I have ever had, including massive steering gear, rear main and oil pan on my 15 yr old, 234k mile Landcruiser, and minor front seal and power steering leaks on my 130k mile 944 (different product for power steering and engine oil, of course). As far as I know it won't hurt anything, though I know there will be some on the board who will shoot me down <img src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" border="0" alt="[blabla]" /> . Oh well. <img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" /> $5 and a minute of your time compared to? And if it doesn't do it then you can yank yer engine and enjoy. <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

B

Jax951

Sorry - my visualisation of the engine was way off. I'm not used to having a big engine bay, oriented sideways (I came from a honda). I went and took a look at it just now. The leak seems to drip from under the filter (on the front-left of the engine), moving back a foot or so. If I were to crawl under the engine, and place my head to look up at the filter, the sway bar would be oily, the bottom of the exhaust would be oily, and all around there. I'm sorry if the description is not informative, but I think I did better than the first time

Any ideas?

Manning

Your oil pan gasket could be shot. Your head gasket could be going. Your cam tower gasket could be shot. (working my way up the engine)

I had the following happen and it scared the **** out of me: you could have mangled your oil filter gasket when you replace your filter last and even though it feels tight it could be seeping oil (mine didn't seep, it spewed).

OR, you might have left the old fitler gasket behind, and now you have two and it is seeping oil between the two.

Or maybe the pressure sender is leaking from where it threads in?

Dano_944

My votes are for:
Cam Tower gasket (notorious for leaks)
Possible (not too probable) head gasket.... look for coolant/oil mixing in the coolant resevoir.
Oil Cooler seal. The seal from the block to the oil cooler (the cooler is what the oil filter attaches to, .....sort of). again. look for possible oil/coolant mixing in the coolant resevoir.
Oil Pan Seal....... total bummer and bitch to fix.

Bri Bro

My leak in this area was coming from the Oil cooler seal, at the bottom were the preasure relief valve screws in. Also I have had tons of oil sends leak on other cars, the crimp seal just gives out.