Leaking at ALL seals!
11-26-2010, 07:26 AM
#1
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Leaking at ALL seals!
So about 2.5 years ago I had my engine rebuilt, which cost me a good $7000 for everything, including labor, and some really nice parts (heads, cam, forged pistons, tons of sensors, etc.). Well, my overpriced engine is leaking at every seal on the block, and I mean..EVERY.
Now, before people tell me to bring it back to these crooks, I had already called them and they refused to take ANY responsibility for it because the warranty was up. My engine has maybe 30,000 miles on it, and they aren't hard miles.
I've had numerous shops look at this engine since that warranty period, trying to track down leaks. One shop found there was a "Home Depot" bolt holding the timing chain on, and said the entire timing cover was filled with oil. Another shop told me they pulled the valve covers and it appeared oil was seeping really badly through one of the heads and claimed the bolt was cross-threaded through the head into the block. Apparently, they "band-aided" this by wrapping teflon around the threads of the bolt, but to fix it the "right" way, the head would need to be pulled.
So, here I am, 2.5 years later, with a block dripping oil all over my garage.
I'm at a crossroads here. Is it going to be cheaper to have the motor pulled and reseal everything, or leave the engine in the car and fix all the issues?
Also, anyone know of any place near Martinsburg, WV who's actually competent with working on these engines? Nobody seems to know how to work on LT1s for some reason. I didn't realize these engines were much different from a basic smallblock.
BTW, stay far away from Gunther Machine in Walkersville, MD. That [EDIT] an absolute crook. He will not back his work. He had my car for over 2 months, and I told him NOT to rush the job and take his time. It's clear he doesn't care about having repeat customers, but he'll have no problem with taking your money.
Now, before people tell me to bring it back to these crooks, I had already called them and they refused to take ANY responsibility for it because the warranty was up. My engine has maybe 30,000 miles on it, and they aren't hard miles.
I've had numerous shops look at this engine since that warranty period, trying to track down leaks. One shop found there was a "Home Depot" bolt holding the timing chain on, and said the entire timing cover was filled with oil. Another shop told me they pulled the valve covers and it appeared oil was seeping really badly through one of the heads and claimed the bolt was cross-threaded through the head into the block. Apparently, they "band-aided" this by wrapping teflon around the threads of the bolt, but to fix it the "right" way, the head would need to be pulled.
So, here I am, 2.5 years later, with a block dripping oil all over my garage.
I'm at a crossroads here. Is it going to be cheaper to have the motor pulled and reseal everything, or leave the engine in the car and fix all the issues?
Also, anyone know of any place near Martinsburg, WV who's actually competent with working on these engines? Nobody seems to know how to work on LT1s for some reason. I didn't realize these engines were much different from a basic smallblock.
BTW, stay far away from Gunther Machine in Walkersville, MD. That [EDIT] an absolute crook. He will not back his work. He had my car for over 2 months, and I told him NOT to rush the job and take his time. It's clear he doesn't care about having repeat customers, but he'll have no problem with taking your money.
Last edited by Injuneer; 11-26-2010 at 08:56 AM. Reason: Do not override the language filter.
11-26-2010, 08:27 AM
#2
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Join Date: Sep 2004
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Re: Leaking at ALL seals!
Did I miss something in your story? Why you bitchin about it 2 years later? I must have missed SOMEthing??????
Have you bothered to check crankcase vacuum level?
Have you bothered to check crankcase vacuum level?
Last edited by Guest47904; 11-26-2010 at 08:31 AM.
11-26-2010, 08:55 AM
#3
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Re: Leaking at ALL seals!
I have not checked the crankcase vacuum level.
11-26-2010, 08:55 AM
#4
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 16
Re: Leaking at ALL seals!
Im not the most experianced by no means, but if your pcv system is not working properly this can cause issues. Possibly building up unwanted pressure, so it has to go somewhere. This will cause the pressure to push oil out wherever it can, even if that means EVERY seal. If I am off on this someone please correct me so I also will better understand.
11-26-2010, 08:59 AM
#5
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Re: Leaking at ALL seals!
Im not the most experianced by no means, but if your pcv system is not working properly this can cause issues. Possibly building up unwanted pressure, so it has to go somewhere. This will cause the pressure to push oil out wherever it can, even if that means EVERY seal. If I am off on this someone please correct me so I also will better understand.
11-26-2010, 09:01 AM
#6
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Location: Hell was full so they sent me to NJ
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Re: Leaking at ALL seals!
The analysis so far - Home Depot bolt "holding the timing chain on" (do you mean holding the timing set sprocket on the cam?) and the part about "oil seeping badly through one of the heads" don't make a lot of sense.
Have you ever done a leakdown test? Sounds like you may have massive piston ring blowby.
Have you ever done a leakdown test? Sounds like you may have massive piston ring blowby.
11-26-2010, 09:12 AM
#7
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Re: Leaking at ALL seals!
The analysis so far - Home Depot bolt "holding the timing chain on" (do you mean holding the timing set sprocket on the cam?) and the part about "oil seeping badly through one of the heads" don't make a lot of sense.
Have you ever done a leakdown test? Sounds like you may have massive piston ring blowby.
Have you ever done a leakdown test? Sounds like you may have massive piston ring blowby.
About the oil seeping through one of the heads, I'm just saying what the mechanic stated. This sounds strange to me, considering oil gets up into the valve covers anyway.
11-26-2010, 10:53 AM
#9
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Where I was headed....
It is done with a manometer. If you use the old fashion water type, understand that you don't unclamp it until after the engine is running. Before you ask HOW, do a google search.
Most vehicles oil leaks are from a malfunctioning PCV system. Since yours is the case that ALL the seals are leaking. Then this is more than likely your problem.
11-26-2010, 12:12 PM
#10
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Re: Where I was headed....
This is what I was referring to when I asked about checking the crankcase vacuum level.
It is done with a manometer. If you use the old fashion water type, understand that you don't unclamp it until after the engine is running. Before you ask HOW, do a google search.
Most vehicles oil leaks are from a malfunctioning PCV system. Since yours is the case that ALL the seals are leaking. Then this is more than likely your problem.
It is done with a manometer. If you use the old fashion water type, understand that you don't unclamp it until after the engine is running. Before you ask HOW, do a google search.
Most vehicles oil leaks are from a malfunctioning PCV system. Since yours is the case that ALL the seals are leaking. Then this is more than likely your problem.
11-27-2010, 07:25 AM
#12
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11-27-2010, 09:49 AM
#14
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So what took you so long to start investigating this?
The "leaking oil" issue has been ongoing for more than a year. I'm bitching about it because the engine has 30,000 miles on it and it's leaking all over Hell and creation. Wouldn't you be upset if you spent $1000s and had an engine leaking from all its seals 30,000 miles later?
I have not checked the crankcase vacuum level.
I have not checked the crankcase vacuum level.
Did you understand what the warranty period was when you bought it? How about before you bought it?
Do you understand that all engines operate with a crankcase vacuum and if it is leaking, that is a source for dirt to be ingested into the crankcase??????
How many miles have you put on it in "over a year" with it leaking?
Did you contact the engine builders "over a year ago" when it started leaking?
Did you do a search on the internet for sources of leaks?
11-27-2010, 10:18 AM
#15
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Re: So what took you so long to start investigating this?
So if it's been leaking for "more than a year", why have you still not even checked the PCV valve?
Did you understand what the warranty period was when you bought it? How about before you bought it?
Do you understand that all engines operate with a crankcase vacuum and if it is leaking, that is a source for dirt to be ingested into the crankcase??????
How many miles have you put on it in "over a year" with it leaking?
Did you contact the engine builders "over a year ago" when it started leaking?
Did you do a search on the internet for sources of leaks?
Did you understand what the warranty period was when you bought it? How about before you bought it?
Do you understand that all engines operate with a crankcase vacuum and if it is leaking, that is a source for dirt to be ingested into the crankcase??????
How many miles have you put on it in "over a year" with it leaking?
Did you contact the engine builders "over a year ago" when it started leaking?
Did you do a search on the internet for sources of leaks?
I did understand when the warranty period was and what it covered. As I mentioned above, by the time the issues started, it was already out of warranty.
I did contact the engine builder after discovering the leak, but again, it was out of warranty.
Since discovering the leak, I've probably driven it 5000 miles, if that...
Never occurred to me about getting dirt into the engine through the leak.