I replaced my opti to fix a stumble problem and at the same time did a preemptive WP replacement.

I let the car idle for 20 minutes while getting the cooling system bled and in order before driving. No leaks, everything appears good. I fixed the stumble but now there is an oil leak coming down the front of the timing cover.

So I clean stuff up real good to help pinpoint the leak. Let it idle for at least 30 minutes, looing for the origin of the leak, rev it multiple times with absolutely no leakage. Then I drive it around (maybe a mile) and again have oil coming down the front of my timing cover and dripping on the floor (approximately 4" dia puddle with lots still dripping)

So I take everything apart to pinpoint the leak without much luck. The excess coolant leaking from removing the WP kind of washed alot of my oil trail away. Kinda seems like the oil is running down the timing cover on either side of the opti and pooling at the bottom where the timing gasket meets the oil pan.

*At this point I have changed the PITA WP drive seal although it did not look damaged.

*There was no oil in the recessesed area of the timing cover where the opti goes. Back of Opti was dry too. So I can pretty much conclude that seal is ok.

*I did notice that I failed to change the o-ring on the WP drive shaft closest to the motor. It feels hard and smashed. But I don't see this causing an oil leak. Or can it?

*Best I can tell its not the timing cover gasket because oil is draining down the front of the timing cover.

*Not the oil pan either because it is higher up.

*The block is dry below the intake so it is not there either.

*The leak is also higher than the crank seal.


So does driving it under load only leading to the oil leak help any of you to diagnose it? Could that old flattened, hard O-Ring actually cause an oil leak? Are any of my above assumptions off? Any other possibilities??

The WP seal may have been it, but b4 putting this thing back together I want people to check my sanity and point out any other possibilities. If this goes back together still not fixed my wife is going to be calling me everything from incompetent to stupid, etc. Please help me avoid this THANK YOU!

 

http://www.impalasuperstore.com/nais...84&whichpage=1

 

Thanks I already used that link to install the seal and as a WP guide.

 

Well I'm about to try to button this thing up so if anyone has any suggestions of other things to check, or something I may be overlooking I would much appreciate it.

 

Well, it seems that you have been pretty thorough in your analysis. And you have concluded that it "might" be the O ring. Well, there is a reason for the O ring and if it is boogered, I'd certainly change it out if for nothing else to eliminate it as the cause. You might discover something else in the process as well. Just do it. JMHO