Oil leak

**Jonarin** · 09-03-2015, 03:01 AM

***SMWS6TA*** · 09-03-2015, 06:45 AM

Wow that's a serious leak. How is oil consumption?

Depending on your skills you can do it in your garage. I've gotten so much practice I can pull my T56 in about an hr now.

Shops vary in labor charges from place to place but it's about 4 hrs for dropping/installing the transmission, add another 1 to 1.5hr to install the rear main sell and align it properly. This takes longer then you think because you need to loosen and drop the oil pan some to loosen the rear cover. Avg shop rate is $60-$90/hr.

TWO key important details that are often overlooked, forgotten or the shop is just to plan lazy to do. All 4 corners where the oil pan gasket meets the block and front/rear covers needs a dab of rtv. If not done you'll be having another leak(s). Also the 2 long rear oil pan bolts are torqued in inch lbs not ft lbs.

Rear main gasket is about $10.
Oil & Oil Filter

Items the shop might suggest that gets down:
New rear cover gasket - depends on how bad it is.
pilot bearing - this one I would do.

**Jonarin** · 09-03-2015, 07:34 AM

I got a quote of 395 plus tax to change the Rear main seal. I don't think that's bad at all...

***SMWS6TA*** · 09-03-2015, 08:07 AM

That's not bad, falls right about what I said labor per hour. $65-$70.

**Jonarin** · 09-03-2015, 10:10 AM

I asked if the rear main wasn't the problem, if he can fix whatever else it could be. He said he doesn't get into the engine part. The place is called continental transmission. So I really hope it is the main seal

**pajeff02** · 09-03-2015, 04:18 PM

It is that, the OPSU or the oil pan gasket. About your only choices for that area of the engine.

**Jonarin** · 09-03-2015, 07:27 PM

Hey guys. I am going to be doing this job with a mechanic I know. He has his own shop etc... I'm 18, and never really done tranny work and stuff. He is going to guide me through this. Anything I should be cautious of? And how long should this rear main seal take?

***SMWS6TA*** · 09-03-2015, 08:22 PM

see post 22 above

**Jonarin** · 09-04-2015, 07:25 AM

I'm at work, and the mechanic looked at it and thinks the intake manifold is leaking the oil. . Is that possible

**pajeff02** · 09-04-2015, 08:12 AM

Nope. There is no oil (or coolant) that flows through the intake.

**Jonarin** · 09-04-2015, 09:34 AM

I thought there were passages

**Jonarin** · 09-04-2015, 09:40 AM

There is definitely coolant flowing through the intske

**pajeff02** · 09-05-2015, 05:07 AM

There are two (2) tubes that originate at the front of each head and coolant flows from there to the throttle body and then back to the radiator. It is possible that this is the source of your leak. The LS1 does not have a coolant crossover in the intake like the old school SBC.

**Jonarin** · 09-05-2015, 08:11 AM

I really just want to figure out what the exact is. And I'm getting steamed... lol. I would replace the intake if I knew for sure

***SMWS6TA*** · 09-05-2015, 10:27 AM

no oil or coolant flows thru the intake like Jeff said.

It couldn't hurt to take the intake off to see if it is leaking from the opsu.

2 more areas it could be.

1 If you still have the stock pcv it crosses over the back of the intake. They do crack from heat cycles. if it's bad enough it could be dripping oil.

2- Valve cover gaskets are shot.

3 The gasket that the pcv tube plugs into the valve covers are bad.

That is about all you can check without dropping the transmission.

**Jonarin** · 09-05-2015, 11:19 AM

This really sucks. I think I may try putting dye in the oil to see

**pajeff02** · 09-05-2015, 02:23 PM

If you were a bit closer, I'd take the ride up to diagnose this issue as I am curious.

**Jonarin** · 09-05-2015, 03:57 PM

That would have been awesome. About 160 miles!

**Jonarin** · 09-09-2015, 07:27 AM

I took it to my other mechanic, got it on a lift today and cleaned everything up, and put dye in it. He said it was the rear main. He also said that me and him are going to do it next wednesday.