hey everyone, im hoping i can get some help figuring out where the source of my oil leak is on the front of the engine and how to fix it.

I just installed a new water pump and I don't know if while scraping the old water pump gaskets off my razor blade damaged my timeing chain cover gasket. Does that sound possible? What else could be a souce of a oil leak on the front of the motor? I got oil on the bottom portion of my opti and wires along with alot on my tensioner pully bracket. If it is my timing chain cover gasket, is there a write up on how to remove the cover so i can replace the gasket? Thanks

 

Could I have some how damaged the water pump drive seal? Would that make a decent oil leak if its damaged?

 

I doubt you caused the timing cover leak by scraping the water pump gasket off.
The timing cover seal is not hard to do but verrry time consuming.

The good news, oil on the bottom of the opti is most likely your water pump drive seal instead. A common failure. Need a special tool to install the new one. (easy to make one using a highlighter). lots on info on the forum on how to replace.

 

Wp drive seal leaks like a sib when it leaks usually. Be very careful installing it as it is finiky. Use a Sharpie cut in half as a install tool for it. Lots of posts about how to do it. To be certain you should be able to see the wet oil on the top portion of block and opti after pulling off the tb ducting looking behind wp. For whatever reason I've had them start leaking after a wp change, guess it moved the shaft around just enough to disturb a hardened seal. Be patient getting old seal out it can sometime be a biotch to get out. A tiny screw driver is handy tapped lightly with a hammer to poke a hole in the tin part of seal ring and pull it off. A sharp punch works well too.

 

Also make sure you reinstall the water pump coupler with the "notch" side facing the motor and use 2 new o-rings. A stripped water pump coupler is a NIGHTMARE, not to mention that is will also leave you stranded with an overheated car if it fails. dont ask how i know.

 

last month we installed a new waterpump and only got one O-ring in the kit, and worse we neglected to use it, so the old one is still there.
already had some front engine leakage, but cannot tell if it is increased.
should I do that install over again just to get the O-rings in? pump works fine...
or wait until i need an Opti someday, and just keep adding oil? soon we hope to do the intake gasket as we also have an oil film down the back of the tranny...
tks

 

Thanks everyone for the advice. I went out yesterday and got two new o-rings, water pump gaskets and two water pump drive seals. I also plan on doing this mod to the timming cover https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/sho...ump+drive+seal to maybe prevent any major leaks in the future if the seal goes out again.

 

Got done yesterday changing out my water pump drive seal. I did buy two O-rings for the water pump drive as suggested and two water pump drive seals and im happy I did!! First the o-ring on the drive gear coming from the timming cover was completly flat and hard as a rock. Secondly I messed up the first drive seal but I was sucsessful with the second one.

Since putting everything back together and running it through a couple heat cycles everything is checking out fine with no leaks. Thanks for everyones advice and help.