Possilble oil leaks in front of engine?
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 159
From: Washington
Possilble oil leaks in front of engine?
Hello everyone i have an oil leak coming from the front of my engine. its not the waterpump seal and I dont think its the opti seal. I dont think its the optiseal because my optispark was dry except where it mounts at the bottom it had a small line of oil? is that normal? Im leaking way more oil than that. So the next possible places it could be leaking are from the crank seal and the timing cover seal? I also read that the front of the oil pan gasket can leak also? Are these the only front seals left that leak oil? Does anyone have any write ups on how to remove the crank hub and i have to drop the oil pan anyways to take off the timing chain cover right?? Any help is appreciated! thanks..
Heres a picture of that small line of oil at the bottom where the opti mounts.
Heres a picture of that small line of oil at the bottom where the opti mounts.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 809
From: Houston, TX
Most likely your crank seal (if you are sure it's nothing else) as the crank can sling oil everywhere down there when it leaks. If you are going to replace it might as well take the whole timing cover off and replace everything (WP seal, opti seal, crank and TC seal) while you are down there. Did all mine just a few months ago.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 159
From: Washington
Alright well im going to replace the timing chain cover seal. and the crank seal for now. And if i still have the leak im going to have to replace the oil pan gasket. and if i decide to this after i put the timing seal and crank seal on. DO i have to remove the TC cover when im removing my oil pan? thanks
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 809
From: Houston, TX
Alright well im going to replace the timing chain cover seal. and the crank seal for now. And if i still have the leak im going to have to replace the oil pan gasket. and if i decide to this after i put the timing seal and crank seal on. DO i have to remove the TC cover when im removing my oil pan? thanks
Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 159
From: Washington
Alright i will replace all seals. I decided to do the oil pan gasket too. But i stripped a nut trying to take the exhaust pipe on the drivers side to remove the cat converter. Thats the only one left and then i can take off the converter. But its now stripped really bad. If i break the whole bolt with the nut and leave it like that would it cause an exhaust leak thru the triangle thing where the nuts bolt on? If so whats a way to get that nut off? i tried locking pliers but its not working.. Thanks!
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 809
From: Houston, TX
Are you talking about the header/manifold bolts that hold them to the head? If so then you are pretty screwed as you need to get that sucker out of there or you are going to be plaiged with header leaks down the road. If not and you are talking about the bolts that hold the cat or ypipe to the header/manifold (triangle three bolts) then just cut em' off and get some new ones from Ace (grade 8) or your autoparts store.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 159
From: Washington
Are you talking about the header/manifold bolts that hold them to the head? If so then you are pretty screwed as you need to get that sucker out of there or you are going to be plaiged with header leaks down the road. If not and you are talking about the bolts that hold the cat or ypipe to the header/manifold (triangle three bolts) then just cut em' off and get some new ones from Ace (grade 8) or your autoparts store.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 159
From: Washington
Hey is the front piece of the gasket for the oil pan supposed to be loose? Everytime I try to put in the timing cover the gasket slips inside the oil pan a little. the pan bolts are tight? Its the blue felpro 1peice gasket. thanks
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 325
From: Back in the US of F'in A
The pan gasket fits inside the bottom of the timing cover so you need to drop the pan a little iot install the timing cover.
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 132
You definitely need to drop the pan because the front seal on the pan goes into the timing cover. If you do not drop the front of the pan, then the gasket will get crushed causing bigger leaks. I bought my car with a cam swap, and the guy didnt drop the pan causing the front to leak like crazy. I put a one piece pan gasket on and no more leaks.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 159
From: Washington
Alright i got the gasket in right and now i got the timing cover back on and the crank seal. What happeneds if i didnt mark the location of my hub before i took it off? Do i move cylinder 1 to TDC andput the hub on where the little hole is on top? ? or does it matter how it goes on? thanks
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 795
From: Oak Ridge, TN USA
No, you don't have to remove the TC to drop the oil pan, but you do have to drop the oil pan a bit to remove the TC as it fits in a grooved gasket at the base of the oil pan. Just my suggestion, but if you are going to replace the TC seal and the crank seal, it is good insurance to go ahead and replace the water pump (to block and timing cover), Opti and Opti orings as they all come in the $10 felpro kit you have to buy to get that dang crank seal. For the time your spending just do them all now.
Thanks!
Mike