Oil Leaks...Help !!!!!
 

Trying to locate oil leak somewhere in new motor.
I have tried the obvious.. pan, harmonic balancer, remote oil filter.
Can somebody give me a few hints where else to look???
This is driving me crazy...

Thanks
Sheikman

were is it in the bilge? Front back?? Did you run your hands over the engine to try and find it that way? What engines are they?

Jon

Oil leak
 

Engine is a chev 540
I have been looking all over.

I think it leaks around 3000rpm and up
Checked around the filter boss and remote set up. Trying to get to the drain plug..
THanks
Sheikman

Hey Sheikman ,
Try the dipstick tube...I know two people who had that problem...and yes, it was over 3000 rpm. Excess blow by caused pressure in the crankcase and forced oil up the dipstick tube:(
This also showed up with dampness on the same side of the engine as the tube.

Is the dipstick tube sealed up with silicone where it goes into the pan? Do you have a remote oil drain hose? If so it might be the cause if it is leaking. Do you see or smell oil burning. Maybe a valve cover leak. Hard to see them with the exhaust on. Rear main seal? Oil filter adapter? Oil line fittings? Lots of possibilities. Good luck.

I had bad oil leaks on both motors. Turned out to be I had cast aluminum pans that didn't have two holes in the back that the block had. Normally with the stamped pan bolts filled the block to fasten the pan. Not with the aluminum pan. Had to pull each motor to plug the bolt holes. I'm suprised more people with this pan don't speak up about this problem.

BT :cool:

I had the same problem as BT. Couldnt believe I didnt see it when I was putting the pans on. Learn something new all the time. Mine behaved just like a bad rear main seal and blew the oil out around the starter hole in the flywheel cover.

Yea Formula31, but the dumb ass I am, I replaced the rear main and pan gaskets oon the port eng and still didn't figure this out. It wasn't until Marc at bam suggested I pressurize the crankcase with air it became obvious! Then I still had the other motor to do. :mad:

Oh well, all is good now... even the drive which you helped me with.... I (and the wife) still thank you for your help my friend!

BT :cool:

Blue Thunder -
What's the procedure for pressurizing the crankcase. I'd like to try that to find a leak that's driving me crazy.

Sheikman,
Take a mag light and a mirror and look over the entire block the connection for the remote oil filter often does not leak until the motor is warm.
If you fail here they do make a special die to put into the oil that does respond to a black light this may help you.
I have not used one but have heard it is nice to have especially when you are looking for a leak on a black motor with gloss paint.
Post your findings.
Good Luck

NAPA carries the die
 

;)

Jon242... I simply made a connection to my compressor to one of the breather hoses to the valve cover, put a bolt in the other breather hose (other valve cover), and blocked off the dipstick tube with a small piece of tubing and a bolt. Make sure you don't over pressure the crankcase!!! I used as little as I could while still getting a reading on the guage. I was shooting for 10-15psi. My motor was sitting on the shop floor with no flywheel, not in the boat, so I am unsure how successful it will be for you. If it is the holes I said you won't be able to see it with the flywheel on, but you'll damn sure hear it. Otherwise, maybe the mirror idea with a spray bottle of soapy water with work.

Good Luck,

BT :cool:

Your problem might me with the valve covers. The newer valve covers have the rubber oil ring in lieu of a traditional gasket. The valve cover has small flanges to prevent the o ring from being crushed. On some after market heads the landing isn't thick enough to catch the rubber o ring but does catch the flange, leaving a gap.

I just experienced this using 500 EFI valve covers on World product cast iron heads. After grinding the flanges down the problem went away.

Good luck!

I had the oil passage plug behind flywheel botton out & leak around plug. When I picked my motor up from engine builder they were chasing what they thought was bad main seals in 2 of the engines they build. They were putting motor on dyno & oil was leaking out at back of pan. After I got my motor in boat had same leak they were chasing. I pulled the motor, pulled flywheel, pulled distributer & installed oil primer. As soon as I pressurized oil saw small leak from there. Bought a new plug & fixed leak.

This last year had motor redone after detonating by another engine shop. When I pickked up I asked if they had check plug in back. I did not check & now I have a small oill leak coming from the back of engine again. I am just going to wait until season is over before pulling motor to check & see if leaking from same spot again.