Oil leaks - need a mechanic!

[thedonva]

Took the car in after finding oil on the floor and I have 4 small leaks around various parts of the engine. I'm looking for someone local that can look at it. I called Brian Dobbins (?), based an a recommendation but he is swamped with the truck repair biz. He recommended calling Coho in Manassas which I will do.

I'm just looking for a couple other recommendations.

Thanks,

Don Marrow
Stafford, VA

[Blue MK3]

If you have a Ford engine (and I suspect you do), any Ford dealer or independent shop should be able to diagnose and repair what's wrong.

[Bren]

For something like an oil leak, almost any mechanic that works on domestic (or foreign, probably) cars should be able to take care of it.

[Gumball]

Just a couple thoughts before you take it to a mechanic. There are a few places that could leak and are easy for just about anyone with a basic home tool kit to fix.

Oil drain plug - tighten slightly (and make sure to replace the crush washer at the next oil change)
Oil filter - give it a little extra twist (and check at the next oil change to make sure that there is only one "o" ring on it and that the "o" ring gets a little oil on it before installation)
Valve covers - these tend to loosen over time, so check periodically (should be around 5 - 7 ft. lbs... not much force)
Oil pan - can also be a little loose over time, but as with the valve covers, be careful not to torque too much (should be around 7 - 12 ft. lbs - 15 max).

[thedonva]

Thanks Chris - I will check those areas out. I know the main area that is leaking although I don't know what it is called, the mechanic pointed it out to me. There is a round gasket about 4 - 5 inches across, that part of the engine faces the front of the car (as you can tell I am not mechanically inclined). Anyway, I put some cardboard down on the floor and oil seems to seep out of there like a bad wound.

The school that built the car said the leaks are probably from the valve gaskets or oil pan gasket and suggested tightening the bolts to stop the leaks. I need to find a place where I can lift up the car and take a crack at that.

Good news is I do have a torque wrench...

[jrcuz]

Hi Don
I live in Stafford off of Garrisonville Rd. I would be more than happy to help you or loan you a floor jack and jack stands and possibly any other tools I have. I'm about a year away from ordering a mk4 complete kit. Feel free to call me 659-4645
jrcuz

[skullandbones]

Don,

I think I remember from another thread you bought your roadster. There is one thing about these projects that is so different from an OEM type vehicle. It will require a lot of under the car inspection whether it results in any "corrective action" or not. These are hand built and untested race cars. If you don't have a friend with a lift that you can use on a regular basis, you should consider installing one of your own. I did this shortly after I got my roadster running and it has been the best investment I ever made. I got a great deal on a 2 post lift that was $1750 delivered to my garage. I broke it down and installed it myself. It would be better if you had some help from friends though. Anyway, you would not believe how much difference it makes in changing your attitude about the roadster (working on it). Once you get used to putting it on the lift, it becomes a routine. You would never regret it, I promise. Good luck, WEK.

[thedonva]

Thanks - I was looking at a lift last night. My friend who lives a couple miles away has a cobra as well. I might see if he wants to go in on one but then again, I can see the benefit of having my own. I've seen one on Costco for $2K. I'm post a new thread and see if people have suggestions.

[Gumball]

I couldn't agree more on the suggestion of a lift. It's certainly not a required tool for building these cars, but it sure makes it easy to do things from underneath. Mine is the Bendpak HD-9

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20140823_182325939_HDR_zps3a6417f3.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20140823_182325939_HDR_zps3a6417f3.jpg.html)

[thedonva]

Very nice. A friend recommended the auto hobby skills center on base, which I did not even think about. You can rent a stall with a lift for $10 an hour. Plus they have tools on hand they can loan you. That will give me time to tighten up some of the bolts and see if that stops the leaks.

[Gumball]

Very nice. A friend recommended the auto hobby skills center on base, which I did not even think about. You can rent a stall with a lift for $10 an hour. Plus they have tools on hand they can loan you. That will give me time to tighten up some of the bolts and see if that stops the leaks.

... and you'll probably be around others who can give you some tips.

P.S. Thanks for your service.

[Engine Factory]

The biggest thing with diagnosing oil leaks is to clean everything off and start fresh.
Check the obvious places - drain plugs or areas that would drip onto something else
to cause a problem. Case in point, we had a customer who purchased one of our engines
from a few years ago swear it was an oil pan leak but turned out to be a leaking oil pressure
switch that that was leaking into the pan, just needed to be turned a little. He
pulled the entire pan and gaskets only to notice this afterwards.
Also check if leak happens more when oil is hot.

[Jester]

By your description the one of your leaks it may be the timing chain gasket.

In addition the following is what I do when I have a difficult leak to track down,

Clean off the suspected areas and wrap a clean shop towel (small) around each of the areas and secure in place with a long zip tie. Make sure the small towel or rag is well secured around the suspected leak with no loose ends. Start the car and drive for a short distance and inspect the towels afterwards. You will quickly eliminate none leaking areas and find the source.

good luck