So I just got an oil leak in the front of my engine really bad out of nowhere. I haven't done any work to it for weeks. I changed the opti back in the summer but that was the last work that was done on it. No oil leaking when it finished. Then all of a sudden I can smell the oil whenever I go uphill last weekend and I can pretty much smell it all the time now.

So here's a description of the area where it's leaking oil cause I can't figure out where it is.

The bottom half of the water pump down is covered.
The back of the opti has no oil on it, so I'm assuming that I got the opti seal in right.
The front of the opti is mostly clean as well, mostly the sides of it are covered in oil.
The top of the engine is clean.

Pics to come, need to charge the camera.


Anyone have any idea cause I need to fix this before it leaks out too much and burns out my engine if it just decides to spew.

 

One more note to add, is there any way one of the bolts going through the water pump could be leaking? It seems like there was one that had silicone on it when I took it out.

 

Is the leaking fluid definitely oil or could it be coolant? If it's unquestionably oil, it would seem probable that the water pump drive seal in the front cover has failed.

The only fluid that could come from the water pump bolts would be coolant. It can also feel oily to the touch. The bolts could certainly have had a sealant on them and should have been coated when you put it back together. Coolant could also leak from the "weep" hole at the bottom of water pump bearing. If that's the case, you'll need a new pump.

The good news is that the seal will not "blow out" and drain all the oil in a sudden rush. It will continue to seep and make a mess until it's fixed. The bad news is that if either substance gets inside the Opti, you'll probably lose that fairly quickly and you could be stranded.

Good luck

 

It's definitely oil, you can smell it when you stop at a light after a long drive. I wasn't sure which came out of the water pump bolts. The water pump is still good, it's not very old and it's not weeping.

That's great news that it won't blow out, so I can work on it this week coming instead of this weekend. The opti is sealed. I sealed it with silicone when I put it in.

So it definitely sounds like the water pump drive seal if it's not coolant?

 

Can I just pick up the seal at Autozone or Advance?

Oh and thank you for the quick response earlier.

 

It "sounds" as if the pump seal is the most likely culprit. It could also be a leak around the front of the manifold but you'd probably have seen that right away.

The pump drive bearing is lubricated by the oil that accumulates in the valley during engine operation. It is not pressurized so that should relieve some of the urgency. You have a little time but I wouldn't want to bank my life on keeping it out of the Opti, silicone notwithstanding. The sooner this is addressed, the better.

You might be able to pick up the seal at an outlet like Autozone but you have a better chance of getting a quality part at NAPA or a dealership.

Good luck.

 

Am I looking for part number 156 on this picture?
http://shbox.com/ci/water_pump.jpg

I'm thinking I need this part (156 from picture). That's GM part number
12553792 1993-1997 water pump drive shaft o-ring

and hopefully not this - 1993-1997 front cover water pump seal GM part number 10217886 because I'm not sure what that is or how to change it.

 

In order to be absolutely sure about that you should get Shoebox's input on the part. I've never worked on an LT1 motor that has a mechanical water pump. I always throw the pump drive mechanism away, punch out the seal, plug the cover, and put on an electric. Sorry.

Good luck,

c

 

I did some reading and I'll have to buy the regular seal, not the o-rings as I was hoping for. I guess I'll just make the tool from a sharpie and trade out the water pump seal and the opti seal at the same time.

Thanks for the help.

 

The "O rings" do NOT affect oil control, they only keep the collar centered. You need to change the seal in the timing cover, Its straight up, however you will need to remove your Opti to get full access. One thing about changing the seal, you MUST use the installation tool or a Dry erase marker to get the inner seal lip over the drive, else you will break the seal. (Been there ~ done that Search the Impalla SS page ~ they show how to do it. If you cannot find it, PM me & I took some photos last time I did one & will send to you. Use a GM seal or other good quality (FeelPro ~ I've had cheap ones leak)

As for water pump bolts ~ in the future, I've had leaks through the gasket after 50,XXX miles & quit using Permatex 2 ~ I think Dexcool hates it ~ use silicone for the gaskets. For the bolts, clean the threads good & use Permatex High Temperature Teflon sealer on the threads.

Its a fun easy job ~ Good Luck.