Oil Leak Advise...1983 S
 

For about the last 12 weeks, I’ve noticed a developing pattern of what appears to be oil drops below the engine. They're limited to roughly a 2’ x 2’ area underneath the engine block and are single randomly dispersed drops that add up to maybe 6-8 drops per week. There's been no increase in frequency over that time. I’ve religiously checked the oil level every time I drive the car…and it continues to read full (top mark on the stick). From research, it has all the signs of being the oil pan gasket…but, out of an abundance of caution, I thought I would ask the Group. I’ve uploaded 3 images…one of the engine compartment and 1 from each side of the underside. The drops in the images are at the 24 hour mark. Is this something that can wait until the next scheduled maintenance visit in June? Thanks in advance for any help/guidance.


Eric

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so you need to snug the oil pan bolts

So far my leaks have mostly only made the pan wet, minimal drops. Some time ago I pulled all the accessible bolts one at a time, cleaned bolt and hole, applied threadlock and a star washer (internal teeth), and tightened at 7 lbs/ft with a 1/4 drive lbs/inch wrench. 1/2 drive wrenches are not reliable at low settings IMHO. Too much torque will squash the gasket out of place. Loosening of bolts like this into alloy is common .
jp 83 Euro S AT 57k

Advice...not advise.

Thank god someone is checking the internet for spelling mistakes

;)

Boy has that man got some work ahead of him! I mean the original pedant. I made myself refrain from commenting on spelling and grammar on the web, as long as the meaning is clear.

To be clear, however the OP asked, I advised him with some advice.

Mr McCabe, ex FBI man interviewed recently was reported as saying 'the president lied and disassembled ...' . I hope he does know the difference between dismantling something, and dissembling, and it was just a slip of the tongue.

The Finnish word for a pedant literally translates as 'comma-f@cker'.
jp 83 Euro S AT 57k

I always did like those Finns. :)

Back to the original topic - check that the leaks you are seeing are not coming from higher up, and just obeying gravity and finding the easiest way to the ground. Check the caps at the rear of the cam carriers, and inspect the outsides of the head joints and cam carriers.
Has anybody ever looked at adhesive coated bolts for the pan? Not sure if the tightening torque would be reduced or increased, and if they could be removed and reused. I know a man who coats bolts for Ford (or used to before they closed up shop here in Oz), might ask what he knows.
jp 83 Euro S AT 57k

Thanks for all the advise/advice...will continue to monitor and add it to the discrepancy list for my upcoming annual.

Rumack : Can you fly this plane, and land it?

Striker : Surely you can't be serious.

Rumack : I am serious... and don't call me Shirley.

Take a good look at the valley under the intake manifold. Crankcase vent hoses and sometimes cam tower gaskets will leak oil into the valley. From there it migrates towards the rear, where it goes down through the inspection clutch arm hole, and gravity causes it to continue out the bottom of the bellhousing.

----

I have literally thousands of real simulator hours on some now very obsolete aircraft. (DC-10, DC-9 MD-80) I'm not sure I could even taxi a real one safely now. Yes, I'm Serius. Not Shirley.

Glad he said it before I did.

It's ADVICE to those spelling challenged neanderthals!

:p

Glad there is some advising in this thread about the actual question. On mine, I have fouind it to be partially:

1. Oil Pan bolts loose
2. Cam tower rear caps (I bought new cork gaskets but some recommend just Hondabond instead)
3. Cam tower gasket (for 16v cars, Mine leaks in the front pass side a little onto the exhaust manifold. Not sure if tightening helps but there are threads on how to pull it with the motor in the car)
4. Oil separator gasket (or something in that vicinity) as the oil has some build up under the water bridge and in my case appears to run down the timing cover. I tighened those bolts for now and will monitor

Mine is about 2-3 drops per parking. I tried UV dye, but the way the oil spreads across the oil pan, I was not able to really trace it well.

Considering I'm right in the middle of resealing the front of my 84 engine - I found oil leaks in all the following places starting from the top of the engine and working down:

- Cam Tower Shaft seals & Orings - 4 per side - Either hard, compressed or broken
- Cam tower rear gasket seals
- Oil filler neck Gasket
- Waterbridge Oring(s)
- Tensioner gasket shot
- Oil Pump Seals and Orings (Main oil pump o-ring was shot)
- Front main seal (leaking like a siv)
- Oil Cooler lines leaking

Previously replaced with was the OPG.

That all ended in the result of several drops of oil landing on the floor. But the more frustrating part was all the oil strewn down the entire underneath of the body from wind etc. Once I exposed everthing, lots of cleaning required too...