jkicak

so, i've had my ws6 for about a month and i'm wishing i never got it..... there is oil EVERYWHERE under the car... i am having a hard time finding a dry spot and now i see that the transmission gasket is leaking also..... <sigh> i don't think it is valve covers or intake but there is oil all over the opti and the CPS sensor. all over the kmember and wires up higher. all down the sides of the block on both sides.

i'm just not experienced enough to fix this and i don't have a mechanic that i trust..... getting bummed....

Jcl_96TA

iTrader: (1)

My car was like that two. I spent every waking second i wasn't working for two solid months changing gaskets and tracking down oil leaks. It sucked but now it is dry under there. Rear main was the worst one.

rufrntn

Can you replace the rear main seal with only taking the transmission out?

SexyTransAm

iTrader: (6)

yes u can

jkicak

yeah, this is what i'm afraid of.. i don't have the skill, time or the money for this.... <cry>

97LT1

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like your going to have to budge on learning, or be stuck with oil leaking.

Check from the highest point up first for leaks. (oil does not climb) Feel the back of the intake, and see if leaking from there. Also check the oil pressure sensor on back of block/intake area if located there.

Then check valve covers for to make sure they are on and seated properly.

Check front of timing cover and seals. (Water pump shaft seal leaks often due to installation error)

Work your way down until at bottom of oil pan gasket. (just check every seal)

Clean up everything as much as possible, with brake cleaner soaked rags. Repeat process and see if you can catch fresh oil leaking.

Any way you look at it, you need to learn for yourself instead of paying for shitty work from anybody else. This is not the type of vehicle that is going to be "drive and change oil".

I know it sounds depressing, but this is the reality of a performance car.

LVZ2881

iTrader: (4)

I understand your frustration. I just picked up a 95 T/A that has a few oil leaks as well. Luckily I have some skills to tackle this myself.
My best advice is pick up a Haynes or Chiltons manual, and follow the instructions. The best way to learn is to do it.

jkicak

thanks but the more i think of it the more i want to just put it on craigs list and let it be some other person's problem.....

trilkb

iTrader: (4)

Man the **** up and do the work , you will look at the car completly different after you have put blood and sweat into it. Youll get to know the difference in feeling pure disapointment and pure pride. Doing these things is exactly the reason people get attached to a car, youll look at it and see every bolt you had to tighten and loosen, every sharp edge you hit your knuckles on. Other people will look at it and just see a car. A good reason to do the work yourself is to learn first hand not only how to do the work and save tons of money, but youll know the exact mechanical condition that the car is in.

Think about this, just cuz you buy one that doesnt leak, doesnt mean its not going to, nor does it mean its been treated the same way as yours. You car could be absolutly fine except for a few leaks.

First, start checking how much oil its going through, if the car is coated, but your not loosing much oil, its not nessecarily something that is a terrible thing. You can just let it be, and change them later down the road when your doing mods. the hardest seals in my mind are probably rear main and oil pan. Rear main youll have to drop the transmission. I dropped my first trans mission a couple weeks ago and installed my first stall converter. Its not hard work, its time consuming and energy consuming if you dont have a lift or the proper tools. but its pretty straight forward to get the trans off the engine!

Is this your only car?

jkicak

i can do simple **** like brakes and such.. i have never had to start taking stuff apart though and i HARDLY know what i'm looking at in there much less have all the tools i need for the job... i'm not about to tear in to the car... i know myself too well... I will hate every single minute i'm working on it cause i'll be so scared i will F it up... i'm just not cut out for projects like this which is why i'm an idiot for buying a 14 year old car. i thought with only 32k miles it would be ok... heh, i should have known better.. live and learn i guess.

speed_demon24

iTrader: (6)

It should be exactly that type of vehicle. A high 13-14 second car isn't exactly considered fast these days.

trilkb

iTrader: (4)

^not a 13 second optispark vehicle haha.

and dude....have some faith. You cant mess it up more then it already is. If you F it up, its nothing major that cant be fixed.

97LT1

iTrader: (3)

Yeah right, I have been working on mine since I got it in 1997. Its bound to spring a leak eventually which is what this guy is dealing with. People that cant deal with these type problems need to A. have enough money to pay mechanics
b. not by a performance oriented car. (they are driven hard)

13-14 second car was fast when it was built, and "these days" really doesn't apply.

LVZ2881

iTrader: (4)

if the car only has 32k on it. its leaking from age, and not abuse...
its your car so i cant tell you what to do, but i'd trade very special body parts for a 32k WS6!!!
I bought my 95 T/A w/ 120k, and a few problems, because I knew how to fix them.
I knew how to fix them, because I dove it, got greasy, made some mistakes, fixed the mistakes and fixed the car.
Do you not have any friends who know what they are doing, or a local F-Body or domestic club??

BTC

A lot of the potential oil leaks are pretty easy to fix. You'll feel better about things if you fix them yourself. I'm with the person that said to man the f*** up. Personally, I would get some factory service manuals before manning the f*** up, but I would still man the f*** up. I might also get some tools. Sears usually has some pretty decent deals on Craftsman tool kits. There are also places to get OEM parts at fairly reasonable prices. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

TheTransporter69

iTrader: (5)

+1 on the craftsman tool kit, i got the 204 piece for my bday 2 years ago, and i have used that for so much stuff on my car its not even funny. I was in the same boat when i got my car, didn't know a whole lot or have tools, but that's part of the fun. yes it costs money but over all you'll learn more about your car, and acquire more tools which i think is a good route to spend money. no tool is a waste of money.

mrchyzy16

iTrader: (1)

Im surprised no one has said the power steering pump. Mine was leaking from the hose and was throwing fluid everywhere making me think the motor had a leak when in fact it didnt. I would check that while your in there.

jaycenk

iTrader: (1)

How much you want for it? I'm always looking for another car to make me broke as hell.
lol I'll trade you my 83 T/A for it. I guaranty you it wont leak a single drop of oil. You will have to use Flintstone power though (NO ENGINE,TRANS OR REAR END). And it will rust like hell if it even sees a drop of rain. (NO PAINT) and the milk crate isn't the most comffy but it will do the job. And I promiss there are no rats, bugs, flees, mice, birds, cats, dogs, or anything living in it. And the storage is fenominal. I have tons of **** I don't want in it that I will throw in for free. Whatdia think?

jkicak

i was born at night but not last night.

jkicak

PS fluid is full.. def not that but thanks for the ideas.