View Full Version : Oil leak, how bad is this?
broku518
05-01-2018, 08:25 PM
Hello,
After ~140miles go carting I noticed a small oil leak in bell housing area. I am not sure where is it coming from yet. (It isn't water. It feels greasy like an engine oil)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/864/26969471757_4615357f27_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H6cAmn)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/911/27969259598_7347fd4e21_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/JBxLrL)
Feel free to suggest any hints or tips to identify the source of this leak.
For now I am going to check everything and wipe everything clean. Perhaps I can spot the source easier...
Thanks,
Broku518
Itchief
05-01-2018, 08:57 PM
Can you remove the inspection plate from the bell housing to verify it isn’t the rear main or check to see if it’s coming from the valve cover
As long as it’s not the rear main it’s not that bad I have to snug up the valve cover and oil pan bolts from time to time
Like I read on another forum my FE seems to sweat oil every time I stop one leak and clean up the engine 500 miles later I find another one
Good luck
Rick
broku518
05-01-2018, 08:59 PM
I looked at it from the top and noticed the DR valve cover appears to be leaking. Where the screwdriver points, that area is soaked.
So the cover is the highest, that is where I should start first.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/910/41796283602_cb5b94379f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/26FoSXm)
M. Forte build this engine, will reach out for more guidance.
Itchief
05-01-2018, 09:04 PM
That should be an easy fix
broku518
05-01-2018, 09:06 PM
That should be an easy fix
I sure hope so. Will start at the top. Like plumbers say....water flows from top to down
boat737
05-01-2018, 09:23 PM
I had the exact same problem, in fact your picture looks just like my pictures. A drip or two on the bottom of the bell housing. Thought it was the pan or rear main seal, but after a week of looking, followed it up the block, to the head, to the valve cover. I snugged the valve cover down a bit but didn't fix it. I still haven't taken the valve cover off to look at the gasket. I just keep running a rag along the bottom of the cover until I get around to it.
I had a similar leak, spotted at the bottom but I believe it was coming from valve covers. Note it may keep dripping down there for a while after you stop the actual leak. Takes a while to make its way down
CraigS
05-02-2018, 06:18 AM
The VCs are the most common. Probably the intake valley would be next. Oil pan maybe next. It's funny in a way that almost all SBF oil leaks end up dripping just like yours off the back of the pan/engine plate.
broku518
05-02-2018, 08:57 AM
OK, I re-torqued the valve cover screws, per Mike's recommendation. I noticed some oil seeped out while doing this.
Mike mentioned that this is somewhat normal after couple heat cycles...
Will clean the area and watch it.
Thanks for your feedbacks, I am glad it isn't any worse :)
Just did mine again today as I had a drip again in the same spot. Checked under the VCs and sure enough there was oil. Snugged them down some more.
I have plastic blocks For my spark plug wires that 3 of the bolts on each side go through, those bolts seemed very light on torque compared to the ones right on the VCs, and don’t get as tight, I’m wondering if the plastic is too soft and preventing the bolts from tightening the VCs down enough. Anyone have any experience or thoughts on this?
FYI I have the nice silicone reusable gaskets.
CraigS
05-03-2018, 06:24 AM
Switch to these gaskets. Blue silicone w/ a steel liner. They last nearly for ever.
Felpro #VS 13264 T
broku518
05-03-2018, 09:13 AM
Switch to these gaskets. Blue silicone w/ a steel liner. They last nearly for ever.
Felpro #VS 13264 T
Thanks for the tip. I will have to go this route, if they keep seeping.
Craig
Those are the gaskets I have
Gromit
05-03-2018, 09:54 PM
2 or 3 X on the Felpro gaskets spend the money they will last forever. we ran a circle track car and thought the Cheap gaskets where the way to go... not so. every time we pulled the covers to run the valve lash (solid lifters) the cheap ones ripped or expanded and could not be put back. we finally smartened up and got the fel pros. for our use we put gasket sealer on them in between the cover and the gasket and every time we opened it up the gasket was fine. and it went back as well. as I recall we ran one set for more than 2 seasons. with multiple tare downs and no issues at all.
Gromit. AKA Chris