Ian928

I have been chasing a oil lea from my GF's 89 Turbo. I may have started at the wrong end though. I have changed the oil pressure sender and tightened both Connections from the console to the oil cooler. I did also change the oil filter first.

There is oil running Down the console, dripping onto the PS pump. There is also oil on front of the oil pan seeming to come from the crankshaft seal (this may be another unrelated leak?).

Today I sprayed everything With brake cleaner and ran the car for 20min but could not see any oil. I then removed the oil filter and saw that there was oil in the female hex of the oil thermostat. That oil MAY have gotten there when I changed the filter, I am not sure about that. There were also lots of oil in the rectangular "pool" right beside the oil thermostat. I believe something is leaking into this area and then down the console. I have bought a New console seal kit, but I can see no oil between the console and the Block. Could the oil come from the front of the engine? Or may it be from the filter or maybe the oil thermostat? There certainly were oil around the oil filter.

Any hints appreciated, I have searched but am still unsure.

The Picture is taken after I cleaned the oil from the oil thermostat and the "pool" by the way...

V2Rocket

how are the seals on the camshaft housing, at the front and between the camshaft and the cylinder head ?

Ian928

We did change HG a couple of years ago, we put in a new gasket between the head and camshaft housing then. I do not believe the seal on the camshaft was renewed at the time though.

Is it plausible that the leak may be from the camshaft housing? I used a Mirror to check down there but I find it hard to tell.

Humboldtgrin

Yes.

951and944S

Unless you physically see oil after it's cleaned and begun to run and you can trace it to a source, there are two legit ways to find the leak that have been used for many years,

1) tracing powder, just like it sounds, it's a spray can that leaves a coat of white powder, theory being that after you run the car for some time and kill the engine, there will be a visible "trace" of oil that will easily show against the contrast of the dry white powder.
2) UV dye test. Clean engine suspect area, preferably with brake cleaner. Add .50-1.00 oz. engine oil dye to engine. With vehicle raised at least on a jack and stands, start engine and creep under car aiming UV spot light at suspect area. Leak will show as fluorescent.

1 bottle of dye is around $5.
You can buy an entire detector kit for around $150.
(comes in handy, works with all future fluid leaks as well as a/c freon)
Or you can buy just the hand held UV spot light for $60.

Amazon has a whole kit for $60, including dye but personally, I wouldn't buy water from Amazon if I was on fire...

T

Good luck

Ian928

Thank you! I looked at Clark's garage and I realize that oil can leak between the camshaft housing and the camshaft cover bolted to it. But is it also possible for the oil to run down onto the oil console it the leak is between the seal and the camshaft?

gruhsy

Get a spray bottle and fill it with Naptha then spray it down and wash all the mess away. You will then expose where it's leaking if it is very hard to find.

951and944S

If oil were leaking at the cam seal (as much as you are saying), there would be centrifugal throw inside the cam sprocket housing in a 360 degree slinging pattern.

Brake clean, dye, UV light. No guessing.

I have 2 complete dye method kits. If you weren't outside US, I'd loan you one.


T

Humboldtgrin

Or just reseal the block minus the head gasket since it was replaced. Then you'll know it's good to go. Plus the seals that haven't been replaced are probably rock hard if they're leaking. And if the sleeves for the cam/crank and balance shafts are grooves then replace them as well.

Ian928

Finally had time to fiddle With the car today. What I could see was that there was indeed oil in that recession in the oil console, also there were oil around the oil thermostat plug. I cleaned everything again, put the filter back in and started the car. Again I could see that there was a little wet around the oil thermostat plug, and also I could see that oil was slowly filling that recession. I used a Mirror to make sure the oil was not coming from the engine side.

I did not have a New crush ring so I chose to try and reseal With Liquid gasket stuff. I read up on experiences With removing the 17mm hex plug and I think mine was not torqued Down enough, I removed it easy With just a standard socket kit.

Going to wait till tomorrow before I start up, hopefully the leak has been cured.

Ian928

Success! Started up today and went for a spirited drive, and for the first time in years the car does not leave marks where I park!

gruhsy

The 17mm hex head, how hard was it to turn?

I was using a 2 foot extension on the housing from the RAGE2 car I am working on and can't loosen it.

I have been trying for about 3 months now every day. Spraying with different penetrating lubes.

Have not used heat yet. The housing is not good anymore. Too much damage from previous owners with nicks and gouges. I am sure without some serious metal work the thing would leak.

Basically I am just determined to get the thing apart no matter how long it takes.

Ian928

It was suprisingly easy to undo With a 1ft bar. That was probably why it leaked in the first Place...

I Guess Yours may have been installed With threadlock to stop a leak? I know the solution to that is heat. Not the easiest Place to get to though.

gruhsy

Luckily mine is not attached to an engine

I had it bolted to a giant block that does not move.

michaelmount123

Just hit it with an impact gun; no more aggravation.