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It's been a long time, it feels good to be back. Hello friends!
I've still got the same 1994 Z28 M6 convertible I've had since 2002. It's still in just as good of condition as it ever was as well. I've been keeping it in really nice shape.
Most recently I installed a fresh stock-build LT1. It's a 10k mile 4 bolt bottom end that I cleaned up, put new rings and bearing in. It's got a set of rebuilt heads, and a stock cam. It's got a 95 timing cover and new pin-drive vented opti. Also new are: water pump, A/C Compressor, PS Pump, Alternator, drive belt and tensioner. Also, all the hoses are new, including the PS and AC. The car should be good for another 30 years. Before changing the engine out I took it on the 2022 HotRod PowerTour. To prep for that I installed a new set of Firestone Firehawk Indy500 tires and had an upholstery shop install a new convertible top. This car looks new. It's even got a brand new dash top and a hidden bluetooth module that bypasses the stock radio when you connect the bluetooth to it. Oh, and I also rebuilt the steering column and installed oversized pivot pins to fix the dreaded play.
OK, so long story short - The old engine leaked oil from everywhere. This new engine was doing well initially, but now at 600 miles (I'm just getting ready for the first oil change) I see it has left a drip on my garage floor.
I'm quite familiar with the LT1, but value the wisdom on this forum. The drip is accumulating on the secondary AIR injection crossover tube, bottom center, just below the edge of the timing cover.
I do not believe a oil pan seal failure would create a oil droplet there. I think it has to be one of the 3 seals on the timing cover. Then that got me thinking, I did NOT use the installation tool to install the water pump drive seal (I was ignorant of such a tool when I installed the timing cover) There is an oily residue on the timing cover that can be felt with a finger, but nothing visible to the eye. The only thing visible is the droplet on the AIR tube, and some oil in the grooves in the plastic cover on the PS hose. There is also slight evidence of oil on the front of the oil pan, I suspect wind blew a droplet or two back onto it while at speed.
What are your thoughts? Am I going to need to pull the water pump and replace that seal? Has anyone had oil form in this exact spot that can validate the theory? Did I for sure screw up the seal by just shoving the cover over the shaft?
The new engine was laying around as parts for over 10 years. The intent was to build a 383 with Elliot heads and cam for some extra power. Life changes your plans and I'm happy with this car making the power it has. I decided to assemble the new engine with all stock components for fun as a family project. My dad, brother and I with my kids and a nephew, 3 generations of the family, had an engine assembly party and had a shortblock together in an evening.
Welcome back. Unfortunately, there’s hardly anyone left here. Some days there aren’t any posts. As far as I know I’m the only person that checks in every day. On the other hand, the few people that drop in to help out once in a while are fellow LT1 owners. And most of the “new” people are newbie LT1 owners who have a specific problem, get some help and never come back. Neither Shoebox or I even own an F-Body any more.
As far as the oil drip, it’s possible that the drop forms in that location because it’s the low point of the AIR tube. Leak might be offset to the side, but it’s so slow it just oozes along the tube until it collects on the lowest point. I'm sure you’re aware of the presence of the Opti seal and crankshaft seal, in addition to the water pump seal. I would agree, an improperly installed water pump seal is at the top of the list. But then there’s the timing cover gasket.
Best thing to do would be to add some UV dye to the next oil change and try and track the source down using a UV light/glasses. Wipe the timing cover down to remove oil best as possible. Start the engine and let it run without moving the vehicle until the drop forms. Driving the car will spread oil and make the source harder to find. But if the leak is slow, might take more than an extended idle to make the source show up.
Hi Fred, Nice to see a familiar face. I hope you are well.
No f-body? That sounds like a fun problem to solve! Lots of nice cars and parts out there for not a lot of money these days.
With the knowledge you have you could assemble one from scratch!
I'll add some dye to my oil when I change it. Winter is here, it will just be playing inside the next few months.
I’m still here, but I think I came around after you weren’t really posting anymore.
I don’t post much; my expertise is on the LS1 side, and not too many people come here with LS1 questions. When I do check in, Fred has usually beaten me to the punch on every question I might have been able to answer!
Looks good mate. Is the timing cover wet around the crank seal or higher? You should be able to feel the oily residue if everything was clean. If you shoved the timing cover over the w/p shaft you could have messed up either the cam seal or the w/p seal. That seal in particular is VERY sensitive. There's a tool for it, but I used to have a socket very closely matched to it and you slide the seal over it. It was not made at rubber, and if you used oil to lubricate it, it won't seal, like some of the old rear main seals on certain vehicles. They're installed clean and dry. If you "over stretch" it, it will also never seal. That being said, I think you're going back in there unfortunately. This is why ppl hate the lt1. W/p and opti location design SUCKS! Good luck
From: Born on the Florida West Coast, now where can I retire?
Re: One oil drip after major overhaul
Originally Posted by blown94
Looks good mate. Is the timing cover wet around the crank seal or higher? You should be able to feel the oily residue if everything was clean. If you shoved the timing cover over the w/p shaft you could have messed up either the cam seal or the w/p seal. That seal in particular is VERY sensitive. There's a tool for it, but I used to have a socket very closely matched to it and you slide the seal over it. It was not made at rubber, and if you used oil to lubricate it, it won't seal, like some of the old rear main seals on certain vehicles. They're installed clean and dry. If you "over stretch" it, it will also never seal. That being said, I think you're going back in there unfortunately. This is why ppl hate the lt1. W/p and opti location design SUCKS! Good luck
The location of those parts is not the issue. The old flathead Ford V8 engines in the 1930's had the same configuration and were extremely reliable.
Until recently, I was chasing a mysterious oil leak on my 1996 SS since it was brand new.
In the first year of ownership, the car went to the dealer 3 times to have the intake manifold gaskets replaced - all to no avail.
In 2005 (at around 130K miles), I had to replace a dented oil pan with an aftermarket part, along with a Fel-Pro gasket.
Almost immediately afterwards, the oil leak was still evident.
Fast forward to 2021 (at 158K miles)..
I decided that I was going to resolve this mysterious oil leak before I was to drive the car from San Diego, CA to Bowling Green, KY for Camaro Fest X.
I bought a new OEM oil pan, a new pan gasket and a complete upper engine and timing cover gasket set.
The whole underside of the oil pan and transmission had oil film residue that had built up since 2005.
Never once did my oil level really get significantly low.
Because I was running out of time before my road trip, I elected not to dive into the replacing the engine and oil pan gaskets as I was getting way behind on completely replacing the AC system (something that is vital when visiting Kentucky in July).
Because I was experiencing a DTC code P0335 issue, I had to change the crankshaft position sensor the day before I left on my trip.
When I got to Bowling Green, I saw a small drip on the pavement the next morning.
Looked at the dip stick and did not see any significant oil loss.
When I got home and looked under the car, I saw the same leak residue as before on the AIR tube and a little bit on the front-bottom side of the oil pan.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the the rear facing side of the crankshaft position sensor and the electrical connector were coated in oil.
The rest of the car underside was suprisingly clean after the 4500 mile trip.
It turns out that the crankshaft position sensor O-ring seal got twisted when I installed the new sensor - a common issue if the seal is not lubricated properly.
So, I went to the dealer to get a replacement O-ring (but was required to buy a bag of 10).
I then installed a new O-ring seal onto the crank sensor, making sure that it did not twist, and then lubricated the seal and also the timing belt cover sensor receptacle.
Before fully seating the crank sensor into the sensor receptacle on the timing belt cover, I elected to add a thin bead of high temperature RTV sealant between the sensor flange and the receptacle.
I added the RTV sealant because I had no way of knowing for sure that the O-ring was not twisting during the sensor insertion process as the fit was quite tight.
To this day, the oil leak has not returned.
So, you might want to look at the crankshaft position sensor...
1993-1995 F-Body LT1’s do not have a crankshaft position sensor. The CKP was added in 1996 to meet the OBD-2 requirement for misfire detection. He has a 1994 engine with a 95 timing cover.
1993-1995 F-Body LT1’s do not have a crankshaft position sensor. The CKP was added in 1996 to meet the OBD-2 requirement for misfire detection. He has a 1994 engine with a 95 timing cover.
Although I knew this as well, it's still impressive, and the only other person I "know" that still knows/ remembers that much about the Lt1 platform.
Had a buddy text me the other day a pic of a spline drive opti (customer supplied) for a 94 impala SS. Apparently somebody swapped a later model engine with pin drive opti, and he was stumped. Had to put it back together because the correct part wasn't available quick enough.
I had changed the oil last month and dropped in a dye pack.
Today I got under the car with a blacklight and saw the dye coming down from above the crank hub seal. So it is for sure either the water pump drive seal or the opti seal.
Next I removed the balancer, water pump and opti.
The blacklight showed dye up near the water pump drive.
I next removed the water pump drive seal by drilling a small hole in it and then threading a screw into it. As I tightened the screw the seal came out.
Here is what I found:
We see here the old seal, next to the new one. You can see the black seal lip on the old seal is rolled outward so it is laying over the yellow seal. No Bueno! It's supposed to be standing inward like the one on the new seal.
I clearly installed it incorrectly. And I got a leak for my ignorance.
From: Born on the Florida West Coast, now where can I retire?
Re: One oil drip after major overhaul
Originally Posted by TraceZ
I clearly installed it incorrectly. And I got a leak for my ignorance.
Looking forward to no more leak! aaaarrrggghhh!
Welcome to the club of amateur enthusiasts ;-) I did something like that many many times... usually did not advertise it though. Good for you and thanks for the feedback!
Looks great, glad you found it! I'm working on getting the engine for my car rebuilt very soon and will be much more active for the duration! The crowd of Fbody owners has dwindled, but that is really the natural course of any aging car community over time
