Don Nguyen

I recently changed my oil, using Castrol Syntex GTX - High Milage. The car only had small drops here and there before the oil change. However, after the oil change, it was leaking so much oil, it'd cause a nice sized puddle within a couple of hours.

I checked the area for leaks. The leak was not coming from either of the drain bolts/holes or the oil filter. It was coming from the driver side, around the heat exchanger piece, but on the engine itself.

I don't have any pictures of it right, so I'll take them tomorrow. I just wanted to post it up now, just to see if there were any thoughts on it.

thanks.

-Don

newsboy

Changing the oil can be messy. Is it possible that in the process of changing, you let oil from the filter, spill on to the metalwork? If you did, it could work it's way down, and create your puddle.

springer3

+1. Drive for a while to drop any oil perched on the engine, clean up the spill, and see if the drip rate returns to normal.

Don Nguyen

If anything, I figure the oil would accumulate closer to the oil filter/cap area, and not on the opposite corner of the engine bay.

Either way, I just tried to take some pictures of the oil leaking. All of the oil drops forming on there have been by themselves. I haven't driven the car since I noticed it leaking. (I also cleaned it up a bit a couple of days ago, so the drops of oil are fresh).

Sorry, the pictures are kind of bad, and hard to see what I am talking about in some pictures.

demonfish

exactly what mine did when i chucked the old oil out and put in 10w40....

i'm now topping up with 15w50. but dont have the spare £££ to change it all out.

Don Nguyen

I don't mind if I have to throw out the fresh oil that I just put in, as long as if it stops the leaking.

The car leaks a large amount of oil. It is not worth driving at the moment, and I am just lucky that I have my spare car running.

Anyone have suggestions? Should I try going to non-synthetic?

ilko

What viscosity is your oil? Non-synthetic (dyno) oil isn't bad. I've been using Brad Penn 20W-50 with great results so far.

Don Nguyen

I have to double check, but I am pretty sure it is 20w50.

Wachuko

That is what I will be using for my next oil change once I am done replacing the oil lines. I have read a lot of great feedback on it, even for a dino oil.

Wachuko

Back to the topic... I would clean the engine well and then track the source of the leak.

As I change the oil lines I am finding that the source of a lot of the small oil leaks the engine had were corroded crush aluminum seals ( a f#@# US$0.50 part)

Get a good flashlight and try to look at the top of the engine to see if the oil sender is not the culprit.

Don Nguyen

Looks like one of the main oil drip spots is coming from this hose.

http://www.wannaberacer.com/oil3.jpg

Can anyone ID what kind of hose it is?

I might just end up draining all of the oil again and trying a different type. It seems like it has to be the cause of all of this oil dripping.

PorscheZen

I usually clean the underside of the engine thouroughly w/brake cleaner for this reason alone. Really to keep myself from freaking out about spillage drops later...

Also, is the oil thats leaking onto the floor dirty or clean? - I will often smell the oil . Used oil is more rubust...

Don Nguyen

The oil is clean.

Rocket Rob

That oil line looks to me to be the oil line that runs from the engine case to the oil filter housing. See #54 on this diagram. Part # 964-207-252-14

I have replaced this myself. Its not too hard. You have to drop the left-side heat exchanger and will need a set of oil line wrenches (30 & 36mm).



Good luck on the repair

Wachuko

I am replacing that in my car... just got it a couple of days ago. I will take photos along the way and upload them to my thread. That is, for the most part, a hard line. So I really would consider, in your case, getting it loose, removing the adapter that goes in the engine block, and inspecting the aluminum washer before buying a new oil line (199.75 from Pelican btw...)