Oil leak on BBC
 

Just got back from the lake. Been working the bugs out of the new Whipple BBC motor. I have a oil leak from the back of the engine. It drips down the bellhousing and into the bilge, Thought it was the rear intake manifold gasket, but I don't think so. I cleaned it all up and ran it , (ran it hard) and looks like I might have a leak around distributor and manifold. Anyone have any comments, or are there oil plugs up there that could be leaking??

Any toughts??? Thanks, Dave

Was there a gasket installed on the distributor shaft when it was assembled ? Could also be the rear middle of the intake (between the heads..below the distributor). I'd start with the dist gasket first.

oil leak on BBC
 

Timan,

Thanks for the reply. I don't think it is from the intake between the heads. I can see part of a gasket on one side of the distributor but not much on the other side. If part of the gasket got rolled under that could leak a good amount of oil, right?? Do they make an o-ring for that or would it have to have a grove to except the o-ring?



Thanks, dave

There are 3 plugs above the crank and covered by the bell housing. There is oil pressure behind each plug. I have seen on some rebuilds where the shop replaced the plugs with new ones and they didn't seal up and you have a nice oil leak.

Bad news is the motor has to come out sine they are shrouded by the bell housing and flywheel.

Let us know what you find.

Is the oil on the outside of the bellhousing...if it is...I'd say its coming from somewhere above. Keep wiping it down, looking, use a mirror if that helps...just keep searching. No o-ring for the dist that I know of...just a gasket. Wrap or stuff some paper towel tightly around the dist base....then run the motor. That should tell you if its coming from there or lower.