Oil leak, never would have guessed it.
 

Been having a very light mist of oil at front of motor last year and this. Never could find it! Just enough to anoy those of us that are anal about oily bilges.

Guess what.....it was coming from the keyway on the crankshaft!

Oil was running along the keyway and getting flung around by the crank pulley all over everything in line. But the pulleys seemed to always clean themselves of the oil by the spinning action. This is what made it so hard to find!
Pulled balancer off, degreased and filled the balancer pulley keyway with RTV, and reinstalled. This ain't easy doing while in the boat. Over 5 hrs to get back on. OOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhh Yeah, I was in a good mood!

But NO MORE OIL mist now. Yippy!

How did you know that was the problem?

It was a thought from a friend that was working on his sons car last month and noticed RTV in his crankshaft keyway. This started when I installed a new timing chain and gears last year. The lower gear has the 3 slots for cam degreeing.

Is the keyway cut so far into the crank that it goes past the seal in the timing chain cover? That would be odd... never heard of that. I'll ckeck mine out though. Thank US!... I'm one of those anals about the bilge!!

BT :cool:

One little trick learned a long time ago, just smear a little rtv behind the washer that goe's under the harmonic balancer bolt.

TOM you beat me to it. All you had to do was put RTV behind the bolt and washer. You have to seal the harmonic balancer to the crankshaft including the keyway.

I agree. I always seal the washer and bolt to the balancer with RTV.

Pardon me for my brain fart earlier in this thread :rolleyes:

BT :cool:

I think I am having the same problem. Is this what it looked like?

Raypanic

Exactly!!!!

My * oil sling* line was right in line with the front of the balancer were the pulley bolted on. The rear of the balancer and the timing cover were always dry as a bone. The inside, front of the pulley on mine also had a film of oil were it apparently leaked past the washer and bolt.