Mike1982

For the last couple of months I have a SMALL oil leak onto the exhuast on my car. I clean up all under the car engine cleaner then ran the car and stopped back home and looked the next day (for everything to cool). At first I thought it might have been oil pan gasket but after looking at everything it is coming from in the center of the engine just behind (towards the rear of the car) from the oil pan gasket. I can't see exactly where it is coming from though, so is there anything else I should be looking at?? I would post up a picture but really isn't that much to see plus my camera isn't the best. If you guys could post up some ideas, that would great.

My thoughts were first oil pan gasket, then I saw where it is coming from now I am *thinking* it might be a rear engine seal but I have NO idea what that looks like or where it comes from. If anyone could give me points to see if it is a rear engine seal or not. About 8 months ago it would lose a drop a day, but now is to about 5 drops a day. Not bad, but since it drops RIGHT on the crossover pipe it smokes everytime I start it.

I tighten all the oil pan bolts to spec, all are good (damn I was hoping something easy!). If anyone has any pictures even of just under a 951, I could circle where it is coming from and also you can use as reference to places to check. Thanks for you guys help, I really need to get this done because I am putting off driving my car as much as I would like too . Oh yea, I am running 15-50 Mobil one just as FYI.

silverbullet

Mine does the same thing and when I took it to a Porsche mechanic he said that it was the rear main seal. Apparently it's common, I would just deal with it until you change your clutch. But if your willing......

tyro

My '86 also has a rear main leak. Worse than your couple of drops.

On jackstands, I was able to look upwards on the very rear of the oil pan and see where it was coming from.

There's a bit of discussion about the seal color, I think the orange/red/brown seal is the one you want versus the black one??

I might dive into it this winter with a new clutch kit in hand.

Mike1982

I REALLY hope it isn't a rear engine seal because my clutch is fine with no signs of going out, but if I do it I will change the clutch at the same time. The only thing I am worried about is that fact that if I plan to do that I will take it in somewhere to do the clutch because of the amount of work that is needed to do it, otherwise I wouldn't care. If I (or someone else) is going to have it all the way apart already I will go ahead and do the clutch as well. I heard it takes like 16 hours to replace the clutch in a '86 one piece cross over pipe plus parts, does that sound about right? In the next week I am going to clean everything off and see if I find where the oil is coming from. I still haven't ruled out the AOS either and there is a layer of dirt on it, so I will clean that off and see if anything forms to it quickly. That isn't going to be a fun job either but I was thinking of redoing my turbo this winter anyways, so that is one of those (while I in there) jobs anyways.

tyro

Stupid isn't it? One little $12 seal.

I think I'll be pulling the motor instead, I have another leak that might be easier to fix with the motor out.

Wait until you have time/money and jump in with both feet.

Mike1982

Yea, I am thinking if I still can't find it I will take it in and see what they say. Either way, the labor is going to be pretty high so I will fix everything in there such as gaskets and what not.

silverbullet

It's perfectly normal for it to leak a little oil, that's how Porsches mark they're territory.