oil leak suggestions?

**0rion** · 07-27-2007, 11:26 PM

Ok, now I need some suggestions.

I ran the car from a dig up to the top of 3rd last weekend ( pulls like a train after the h/c

). It sat in the garage for a couple of days and I pulled it out to put the wifes Durango in there to change her oil. When I pulled the firebird out I noticed an oil puddle under it. The puddle was about 8" round so it wasn't a tiny amount. After changing the wifes oil I pulled the car back in and it sat there all this week while I was out of town and not a drop of oil under it. I put in on stands last night before bed to find out where the oil was coming from and looked again tonight. I can't find it. I've looked up and down that car for signs of a drip or oil in general and can't find any. I had already pulled the car out but my best guess makes it look like it's back around where the filter would be. I've looked over all that stuff with a fine tooth comb and can't find any sign of a leak. Any ideas?
It was clean oil which is what's in the firebird since it only has a couple hundred miles on it since my last change so I know it came from the 'bird. I did notice the bottom of the filter looked a little wet but no sign of a leak there or beaded up oil like it had been dripping.

**Rhinohuey** · 07-28-2007, 12:04 AM

I got a friend who's dad had pretty much the exact same problem your describing. He did a head and cam swap on a Chevelle, and under a load (on the dyno was when he noticed it) oil would seep out (fairly quickly) around the edge of the filter. It would just bead up and run down to the bottom of the filter and drip off, so after it had sat for for than a couple of hours you couldn't even see where the oil had come from. It ended up being a problem with too high of oil pressure or compression or something due to the head and cam swap. He was able to half fix it with an expensive filter, but he just lives with it becuase it only seems to do it when he is really running the car hard.

**Sarge** · 07-28-2007, 03:15 AM

Orion...2 things come to mind quickly......I would firstly suspect a defective filter...and replace it....yes every once in awhile a fella will get a bad ADBV or seal on a new filter...at higher OP they leak....or worse the can burst....replace the filter and make damn sure you have a clean sel between the oiled filter gasket and the machined gasket seat on the engine block.....2ndly...check the OP pressure at the very back and top of your motor....it doesnt take but a "nudge" to make those damn things leak...and that is easy to do when working on your motor...you get everything back together and a mystery leak pops up.....

**0rion** · 07-28-2007, 07:08 AM

thanks guys. I'm gonna keep looking for it. If I don't find it tonight I'm going to go out and run the car hard and try to recreate the leak so I can see where it's coming from. I pulled my intake and replaced my knock sensors right before this happened so maybe I messed with that sender.

**Sarge** · 07-28-2007, 12:36 PM

I think your just looking for an excuse to go out and kill a ricer myself...but can't say I blame you

**0rion** · 07-28-2007, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by Sarge

I think your just looking for an excuse to go out and kill a ricer myself...but can't say I blame you

I've been known to use lesser reasons than this.

**juiced99ws6** · 07-30-2007, 04:02 PM

are you sure that it is coming from the back half of the engine near the filter? mine was leaking not only from the crack in my timing chain cover but also around the end of the crankshaft where that bolt is. it may me leaking from there and running down your oil pan. that also wont leak until you put pressure to it. If you reused that seal then I would check around there.

**Blownone94** · 07-30-2007, 04:10 PM

Drive that thing around for about 15 minutes and bring it back to look sometimes the rear seal leaks and has to be driven for a while to find it.

**0rion** · 07-30-2007, 08:34 PM

I beat the piss out of it Sunday afternoon and it didn't leak a drop. Not sure exactly what's going on there. I'm gonna keep a close eye on it. I pulled the inspection cover and checked for the rear seal and I ran my fingers down the edge of the oil pan. Didn't find oil in either place.