Intake manifold oil leak.....any advice?
07-03-2012, 08:04 PM
#41
So my new official GM oil pressure sensor fittings came and with plenty of pipe dope and tightening the **** out of them fixed my oil leak! They were a bitch to line up perfectly working behind the motor without OPS clearance issues. 
Finally ready for the dyno! 
07-06-2012, 08:26 AM
#42
I spoke too soon...it was not leaking the first time after warming it up to operating temp, but now has developed a tiny leak (1 or 2 dime size drops) after shutting it off after a drive This car has always had a very small oil leak since I bought it in 1997 with 43K on it and now it's on a completely new motor. Does every LT1 leak oil like a sieve or was mine just forged in hell? My LS with 160K is bone dry.The good news is the leak has been reduced 95% and the oil pressure sensor fittings are dry and clean.....this leak is driving me crazy though after pulling the intake twice and re-sealing the fittings and pressure washing and cleaning the entire under-body of the car to clean up the oily mess. I don't know what else it could be except for the rear main seal which leaked on the old motor...that or the intake has another tiny leak
I decided to work smarter, not harder and bought a Tracer fluorescent leak detector kit to hunt down the leak CSI style; should be interesting. 
07-09-2012, 06:04 PM
#44
So my Tracer fluorescent dye kit came, all I could see upon inspection was a glowing coating of oil on the starter, so I wiped down the back of the motor around the intake and what do you know the oil on the rag is glowing...it's the ******* intake leaking AGAIN It's a very small leak but enough to annoy the **** out of me. Hopefully, third time is the charm with pulling/resetting the intake. The second time pulling it we did not wait overnight to start it using the Right stuff RTV because directions said "vehicle can be put in service immediately" and were antsy to finish the bastard that day
If it leaks again after this 3rd attempt; LS conversion 
It's a very small leak but enough to annoy the **** out of me. Hopefully, third time is the charm with pulling/resetting the intake. The second time pulling it we did not wait overnight to start it using the Right stuff RTV because directions said "vehicle can be put in service immediately" and were antsy to finish the bastard that day If it leaks again after this 3rd attempt; LS conversion
07-10-2012, 09:02 AM
#45
Nonsense, just arc weld the intake to the block. Please post vids upon completion. 
Seriously, Right Stuff will fix it and you will never, EVER use any other gasket maker again. That stuff is bad *** and I use it on many other things other than car parts.
Seriously, Right Stuff will fix it and you will never, EVER use any other gasket maker again. That stuff is bad *** and I use it on many other things other than car parts.
08-13-2012, 10:33 PM
#47
To update thread, after 3rd time pulling the intake, the TOP of the motor is now dry....however the bitch was STILL leaking, turns out what I suspected, (same issue with my old LT1) the rear main seal is leaking like crazy. So it's at the dealership getting the tranny pulled, luckily for me, while it was out, they discovered my RAM clutch is shot....and highly recommend it's replaced while the trans is out. I can't blame the clutch, but I can blame myself for letting dumbass friend for driving it and starting off in 2nd gear for some stupid *** reason smoking the damn clutch So, a new ZOOM kevlar clutch good for 700hp is on the way 
That still leaves the questions of why the rear main seal is coming out on a newly rebuilt motor...is it just a shitty design being 1 piece
or was the guy that built the motor incompetent or is it my Ohio forged crankshaft causing this sort of problems? All of the above?
, while it was out, they discovered my RAM clutch is shot....and highly recommend it's replaced while the trans is out. I can't blame the clutch, but I can blame myself for letting dumbass friend for driving it and starting off in 2nd gear for some stupid *** reason smoking the damn clutch So, a new ZOOM kevlar clutch good for 700hp is on the way That still leaves the questions of why the rear main seal is coming out on a newly rebuilt motor...is it just a shitty design being 1 piece
or was the guy that built the motor incompetent or is it my Ohio forged crankshaft causing this sort of problems? All of the above? 
08-14-2012, 02:52 PM
#50
Not what I wanted to hear...but needed one FAST...lol like 48 hours fast (my service manager buddy is bitching about my car tying up the lift at the dealership); was going to get a much cheaper Competition clutches stage 4, but they are in Cali and I don't trust anybody but JEGS or Summit for fast shipping. Guess I'll find out for myself shortly how good it holds.
08-14-2012, 04:52 PM
#53
It's definitely the RMS....they already have my trans on the ground and can see the RMS is pulling out 
There is oil all over the trans...it's gotten much worse recently. The rest of the motor up top is dry as a bone now...just the oil pan, trans, starter covered in oil. It's going back together tomorrow....
Oh yea, mine has a Lokar dipstick tube....but no leaks.
There is oil all over the trans...it's gotten much worse recently. The rest of the motor up top is dry as a bone now...just the oil pan, trans, starter covered in oil. It's going back together tomorrow....Oh yea, mine has a Lokar dipstick tube....but no leaks.
08-15-2012, 08:44 AM
#54
Turns out the root of the RMS failure was a warped aluminum housing on that holds the RMS in.....I ALWAYS get the freaking oddball LT1 problems
I'm starting to suspect all that damn oil all over the trans may have had something to do with my premature clutch wear What a cluster ****, a feedback loop of fuckedupness. This $60 part is going to cost me close to $1000 now when it's all said and done with new cluch, RMS, RMS housing, and that's with cheap discounted labor wtf!
http://www.nookandtranny.com/mm5/mer...ry_Code=GSKLT1
I'm starting to suspect all that damn oil all over the trans may have had something to do with my premature clutch wear What a cluster ****, a feedback loop of fuckedupness. This $60 part is going to cost me close to $1000 now when it's all said and done with new cluch, RMS, RMS housing, and that's with cheap discounted labor wtf! http://www.nookandtranny.com/mm5/mer...ry_Code=GSKLT1
08-15-2012, 02:04 PM
#56
So they put in a new RMS and new RMS housing; started it up with the trans still on the ground, and what do you know....no more oil leak! 
Also, they confirmed my clutch assembly was completely coated in oil....which more than likely caused all the premature wear; this has been a very expensive ordeal; I only wish it was just a leaky intake lmao. But at least I can finally say my car is leak free (knock on wood).
$450 new zoom clutch
$100 new RMS/RMS housing
$300 labor (paying cash under the table...dealership book would be $500+ job)
In conclusion, if you *think* your dealing with the dreaded intake leak, don't forget to also look at your oil pressure fittings, and RMS too.....as all 3 of mine were leaking at one point making diagnosis more difficult than it should
08-21-2012, 01:38 PM
#57
Q 
) and that's with 405 RWTQ...it's definitely stronger/grippier than the RAM clutch it had. Did you re-surface your flywheel? (I had to due to heat spots from the freaking RMS oil leak issues ) It's not as street friendly though being dual sided kevlar....it does chatter if you try to slip it while the RAM didn't (organic clutch material) FWIW. 