Before I did my heads/cam, car never leaked a drop. Not a single drop.

After my heads/cam, the car started to gradually leak and get worse and worse. At one point, it would leak at barely above idle, but that was some bent valve covers. Replaced them with new stockers, and it didn't leak as bad anymore.

Well, the leak since then has always been it won't leak unless there is a good load on the motor, then it will leak out. The problem is that when there is a good load on the motor, there is also plenty of wind blowing the oil everywhere under the car. I can't tell where it is freaking coming from. So what have I done so far?

- Replaced dipstick. Stocker never fit right after I pulled it to do the headers, so I installed an o-ringed Lokar dipstick. Never really noticed any significant amount of oil around there anyway, but I needed a new dipstick.

- Recently replaced my LT1 valve covers with some new LT4 valve covers. Now I KNOW those f'ers aren't warping and leaking, so that can't be it.

- Intake manifold gasket (twice), Felpro gaskets. Once when I pulled it during the heads/cam project, again when I broke fuel rail bolt into it and had to take it to a machine shop to be repaired. I was liberal w/ the black RTV front and rear both times.

- Couple days ago, I replaced my rear main seal (it sorta looked like it was leaking at the bottom, but I guess not). I also replaced my oil pan gasket (both with Felpro parts). I tore my oil pan gasket when I originally pulled my timing cover to swap my cam and other stuff, so I figured I might as well replace it. I also used black RTV on all 4 corners of the oil pan gasket, to ensure no leaks.

Well, she isn't leaking as bad, but STILL LEAKS. That's really pissing me off. When I did the heads/cam, I used a Felpro timing cover gasket w/ my new 95 timing cover (w/ GM gaskets for the Opti/crank). There is oil around this area, along with EVERYWHERE else. Now, I know it couldn't be leaking from the bottom, because I had it RTV'ed REALLY well before, but have very little on it now. I have the hole for my waterpump drive sealed off really well, so I know it isn't coming from that, but it could be coming from the Opti drive hole or the crank hole, or the gasket.

Other than that, well...ummmm.... When I had the tranny out, it didn't feel overly oily up top, so that kinda ruled out the intake manifold. Really, all that's left that I can think of would be the timing cover gasket. Anyone else have any other ideas? I'm kinda running out of places for oil to come from! As you can imagine, I'm sick of working on the same damn problem w/ no success!! I want no leaking oil, not a drop!

 

Oil pressure sending unit.Just a guess.Where is the oil?Drivers side? Pass. side? Front? back?

 

Well, oil is in ALL of the places you mentioned.

The place it really isn't is at the top of the motor, which would lead me to believe it isn't the oil pressure sending unit. Oh yeah, that item was also replaced when I did the heads/cam (broke the original pulling my heads...opps). But I just replaced the unit, I didn't remove the fitting that goes into the block.

 

That is what I was going to suggest too Joe. You've replaced all of the things that came to mind, while I was reading your post. Except the sending unit.

 

My 95 Z28 has had its share of oil leaks, and everytime i use felpro seals to fix them, 1st intake gasket, just leaked a drop or 2 at times, resealed it, fixed. 2nd opti oil seal, leaked out like crazy, replaced opti seal. 3rd front of oil pan leaked several drops a day, replaced gasket, 4th water pump drive seal, leaked like crazy, this time replaced water pump drive seal, crank seal, and opti seal again since i was there, now I have a leak free Z for now, knock on wood.

 

Wrong. You should sell those ugly, cheap *** leaky things to me.

Did you fix the hole from the water pump shaft when you went electric or when you swapped in the cam? I'm sure you did... but I didn't, that's what I'd suspect if I had an oil leak. I just left it like it was, supposedly shouldn't leak...

 

That is where everyone seems to tear the seal-water pump drive. If you put the timing cover on with that seal in it, it is prone to ripping. The seal should be installed with special care after the cover is installed. Disregard if you have that plugged and an electric pump.

 

It's the water pump drive shaft seal. Your first mistake was taking the cover off and not replacing the seal (or at least I didn't read it in your thread). The second mistake was not watching the inner lip when you put the cover back on.

As this leaks, the oil travels all over both sides of the engine and you really have to push it to pump oil up to it so it usually shows up when under high load.


good luck

 

I've got an odd leak coming from my oil level sensor in the driver's side of the oil pan. You'd think it was the seal between the sensor and the pan - but it's not. The oil is actually coming through the plastic weatherpak connector I've got a replacement sensor here but I can't get the leaky one out to save my life...its like there's a tennis ball attached to it inside the pan and it wont pull through the hole

 

I would put some dye in the oil and use a blacklight to find the sorce.....Even if it is blown around alot youll be suprised at how easy you can track the leak down.

 

My 95 timing cover was brand new, with brand new GM seals it came with.

Also, I have an electric waterpump, and sealed off the hold for the waterpump drive. I KNOW nothing is leaking through there!

I think I'll try replacing the timing cover gasket, Opti drive gasket, and crank gasket and see if that fixes the problem. If not, where can I get this blacklight dye so I can try to track down this problem??? Damn it, this WILL be fixed!

 

My buddy did pretty much what you did... replace tons of stuff and tons of gasket. He finally figured out what it was coming from... the oil pan gasket area!!! Yep, even though the oil was all over the front of the engine it was coming from the oil pan gasket. The wind would I guess force the oil UP the engine. He dimpled the pan flange area and put in a new gasket and no more oil all over the front of his engine. Just something to think about.

 

i saw that dye kit at autozone i believe, comes with the light, dye and goggles. i didn't look for the price though. although they didn't have it at another autozone i went to....so they might not all carry it yet.

andy