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i have been tracking an oil leak for months. replaced top end components, oil sender, cam position, intake seals. oil is all over filter and bottom of car to the rear end. clutch looks dry, same with pilot bearing/plug. if the rear main seal is leaking i dont see how it gets high up on the filter and starter.
Could be from the oil pan and or the bracket that the oil filter mounts too. It is a separate piece that bolts to the block and has a gasket.
On the passenger side check the oil dipstick o ring.
how hard to change oil pan gasket with tranny out?
That's not the real PITA you gotta worry about.
The real issue is the K member clearance if you are still using the OEM k Member. You will need to raise the motor up about 2" min in order to drop the pan enough to get the old gasket out and the new one in.
As long as you don't remove the rear and front cover you should not need to worry about oil pan alignment.
In other words make sure it's leaking from the pan gasket, otherwise you're in for a fun few hours.
I dont see how it could be leaking from the pan since the oil filter is soaked, ie its higher. I need to look behind the clutch.
I will second Scott's motion on the oil pan gasket. Our car was leaking oil and I was convinced it was the rear main. Swapping the seal isn't awful, but you do have to drill out two (2) rivets that retain the stock gasket to the pan. Let me see if I can find the thread with pics of where I changed mine out. Also, remember that the air moving under the car is blowing the oil all over the place, so do not get too hung up on where you are actually seeing it.
Start at Post #59 in this thread: http://www.ls1.com/forums/f66/k-memb...grades-163761/
I dropped my K-member to swap in a tubular UMI piece so I had lots of room to work. Not sure of the clearances with the K-member in place.
I forgotten about those rivets.
There is a bunch of oil of the starter bolt close to the block. Also on the oil bypass. Rear cover and seal look dry. So maybe the cover is leaking and ending up on the starter bolt. Thats there it would go. Take a look at the clutch parts. about 10K miles on them. So now that its all apart, should I replace the rear main seal, cover seal and pilot bearing?
Do you still have the OEM PCV?
Rear main and cover seal appear to be fine. No need to mess with those imo.
yes original style pcv. new. how is that a problem
Reach back and feel is it's leaking at the y joint that is behind the intake. They tend to split with age and if the hose cracks off the back of the valve cover it can let oil leak out and it will drop all down the sides and bell housing.
The PVC system I'm betting is the culprit too. I still had some of mine in and when installing my new catch can I took out all the old. Found my mystery leak when I did that. It had popped out just enough to leak but not throw a code and was leaking oil all down the back of the engine onto the trans in a similar way your describing.
if you look at the pic, its dry up there. stuck my hand up there.
20180619_190044-min_zps0y8kuvyf.jpg Photo by johnfin1 | Photobucket
Did you make sure that an old gasket wasn't stuck after your last oil filter change?
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnfin
Check the Bell Housing. If it's wet or shows oil residue it's still a possibility.
So I put everything back together, Filled up the oil, and it leaks without the car running. Out the back near the oil filter. Has to be the pan gasket. I have heard some people jacking up the engine, putting 2x4's under the mounts and fishing the gasket around the crank. Any of you done this? I would think I need to be able to see the back of the block/pan/gasket to insure a decent seal. Really do not want to drop the cradle. The car is up on ramps now, exhaust dropped.
You still need to be able to drill out the rivets, so the pan has to come completely out. Dropping the cradle is not all that difficult. Not sure how much the engine can be raised...
have you done that job? there was a guy who said he just lowered the pan and fished the gasket around. i think thats bs based on the rivits. so to drop the cradle, the car has to be on jack stands, right?
will dropping the top strut mounts f-up my alignment?
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnfin
Yes you'll need to raise it up enough to be able to maneuver around under there.
No. Jeff came up with a method of supporting the engine while dropping the K member. hopefully he can post a picQuote:
Originally Posted by johnfin
Yes. You need it up in the air. The cradle can be dropped and slid out of the way if everything is disconnected. In a nutshell that would be the front wheels, lower ball joints, lower strut mounts, steering coupler, P/S hoses, motor mounts, any wire harness connectors (such as ABS), and the four bolts that attach the K-member to the vehicle. Probably missing several things, but it has been a few years since I dropped mine. The thread linked in Post #7 above has lots of pics.
jeff, is it manditory to remove all that crap. need it quick and easy like my women.factory manual just says disconnect lower shocks to a-arms. does say 2002 cars are different for some reason. question is will the cradle drop far enough in back with bolts removed, front two loose, nothing disconnected.
also, when changing the gasket, are you in front on the car. not too excited crawling under a car on jacks
Will is currently trying to get his K member back in, I asked him to pop in here and give you some pointers.
took a look at the oil pan job. steering linkage looks tough to get at. i hate these jack stands. the ends dont really fit the frame rails and i cant decide if i should leave the rears on ramps.
You'll want all the room you can get and having the car level makes things easier imo. Just be safe.
how and where do you loosen the steering shaft
At the rack & pinon.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnfin
Looks hard to get at. Is it best to loosen the 4 lower motor mount bolts or the single upper bolt. I will put 2x4 in there to keep it from falling.
Also, any change of braking off the oil sending unit or anything back there while jacking it up.
I looked at it tonight. Not sure out the rear of the pan will drop far enough to clear the bellhousing.
THE OPSU and MAP Sensor might be best to remove.
There is room to remove the oil pan without removing the BH. Make sure when you torque down the pan pay attention the the torque settings. Those long rear bolts are a different setting the short bolts for the reset of the pan.
so pull the intake...AGAIN??? no thanks
It will give you a few more inches of lifting. If you don't pull them just be mindful of how much you lift the block up.
iam thinking of using the 2 forward bolts in the head for lifting the engine up. anyone know the size of those bolts?
I can't help you there. I had it in short block reinstalling mine so I used the head bolts.
Now I know why not very many people have done this job: Its a bear. Was going good until time for the motor mounts. The manual says remove the 4 bolts on each side. Good luck getting at those. And the upper bolts.....they wont come out unless you remove the a/c and alternator. uggg.
It is a bit of a chore.
Used the 10 ton jacks (only way to go, 5" flat saddle, dont use curved top Chinese junk) . Interesting that the front frame rails are near the CG. When put on jacks, rear end came up and car is level but still on rear ramps. Now its safe to remove the oil pan.
Weight distribution front to rear on our cars is not terrible. Probably why you do not normally see F-bodies taking out bystanders on the intrawebs. :rolleyes:
I am so close. The engine is up all the way. k-member bolts are loose on last few threads. Can I remove the back 2 bolts on either side and leave the front bolt on either side. I have a jack under the kmember but not sure I want to unbolt the whole thing.Attachment 26980
try to do it without dropping it all the way 1st. You just need a couple of inches
4 rear k-member bolts off and pan fell out.Attachment 26981
Does not look too bad. How many miles?
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnfin
While it's down go ahead and replace the gasket that the filter hangs off it too. Easier to do now then later.
Dry as a bone!!Attachment 26982
Good to hear. Nice work!
You remembered to put oil in right? :D