Mike C.

I found evidence of a significant oil leak today (around 8" diameter spot on cardboard). Put the car on ramps and took a good look. It is most definitely a rear main or oil pan gasket. I did remove the sheet metal shield that covers the bottom flywheel, wiped the area clean. I then looked at it with the engine running for several minutes and no obvious leak. Upon shut down though, only a few seconds after, a drip of oil starts coming down the oil pan right at BDC. There is so little space between the flywheel and back of the engine I just can't be sure where it is coming from. Does the fact that it prefers to leak after shut down point to one of the possibilities more than the other?

Dropping the front cross member or removing the flywheel (i.e. unscheduled clutch removal)? I'd prefer to only do one of these....

mynus2

hey sorry to here this i have a 91 s2 and we are currently replacing the oil pan gasket (this is truly crappy to do ) but so far easy as long as you have some mechanic skills.We too could not tell if it was rear main or oil pan butif it is rear main the same steps have to be taken to a point to replace the rear main or the oil pan gasket. mine also only leaked when off and still but if you look back underneath you should see evidence of oil being slung under the car while moving. the gasket is cheap at $73 from zims in texas it will also give you a chance to check possible problem areas in the oil pan,pickup tube etc. one helpful hint the engine mounts are attached to the crossbeam but removing the bolt will not release them from the beam they have lip about a hlf to three quarter inches inside the crossbeam it faster and better to just remove the two bolts from the top of the mounts and leave them attached to the beam.

Mike C.

Yea I'll probably do the gasket 1st and cross my fingers....

KuHL 951

I had a leak at one of the corners of the oil pan gasket where it met the crank it never got behind of that sheet metal piece and ran down the oil pan. The Curil hadn't stuck right probably due to poor cleaqning. Usually a rear main will really gob up the inside of the bellhousing but not get on the clutch unless it's a real gusher. Hopefully your pan gasket takes care of it.

Mike C.

Thanks Steve.

jstand22

This is what my oil leak looked like as well. It was the upper rear balance shaft seal.

Mike C.

Checked that already. I'm afraid I have to face the dreaded oil pan removal....

Yummybud924

oil pan gasket is pretty easy to do. I did it myself a year ago. Actually my oil pump seal was leaking so I had to drop the pan anyways.

it's pretty time consuming though.

to find leaks what I do is clean the engine first then use one of those flourescent oil dyes and a black light then you can find the exact spot of the leak.

I first thougth it was a balance shaft seal leak but the found out it was the oil pump gushing oil and had to be resealed.