DrXtreme

I hav been trying to track down an oil leak at teh fron of the motor in a 1995 TA. I noticed that when facing the motor, there is an upper left hand top side bolt missing that holds the Optispark to the block.

Does this bolt go through the block, and does its absense allow motor oil to leak out the front of the engine?

It won't leak oil when running with the fron end elevated or with teh car sitting still. When I take it for a short drive, I get oil running down the motor onto the cross member.

91RS383

Your 1995 TA has an LT-1 not an LS-1 motor. Tiny issue but a big difference. The Opti was the downfall of the LT-1 in my oppinion.

It's been a while since I've been under an LT-1 but I believe the Opti has a shaft that goes through the front cover. There is a seal on the front cover that can be replaced. I would start by replacing the missing bolt. Even if it doesn't enter an oil gallery, the vibration that it could allow might be the reason the seal isn't doing it's job. If that doesn't fix the problem, you should pull the Opti and replace the seal, it may be damaged by the vibration.

DrXtreme

Does the water pump have to come off to replace the opti seal?

91RS383

Yes, that's why you should try just replacing the bolt first.

slow96z

iTrader: (12)

Your leak is likely coming from the water pump drive shaft seal, especially if the opti has been replaced recently. This leak is created when people replace the water pump drive shaft or timing cover and tear the top seal. I can all but guarantee that this is your problem and it will take most folks 2-3 hours to fix it. You will need to:

Buy a timing cover seal and water pump gasket kit

Drain radiator

Remove crank bolt

Remove crank pully

Try to cover the optispark with rags plastic bags

Remove water pump (watch out for more coolant)

Remove optispark

Remove timing cover

The seals need to be tapped out of the cover and replaced.

DO NOT install the water pump drive shaft seal yet!
After tapping out all of the seals install the new ones that came in the kit, all except the top one (water pump drive shaft) by tapping them equally on all sides with a hammer to get them lined up and then placing a board wide enough to cover the seal over them and beating it in the center to seat the seal completely and evenly.

Scrape the gasket surface for the timing cover and apply some RTV (just to make it stick) to both sides of the gasket and put the gasket in place

Replace the timimg cover with the top seal still not installed, tighten all bolts.

Slide the remaining seal over the water pump drive shaft from the front. There is some debate on whether the 2 lips on the seal should go opposite directions, I have them both go the same way (overlapped) and have never had a leak. You will see what I mean when you install it, just slide it on from the front and they will go the way I do it.

Now that the seal is on the drive shaft find a deep socket that is wide enough for the drive shaft to go into but narrow enough it still sits on the seal. This is the tool you will use to seat the seal. Place the w.p. drive shaft over the pump drive splined shaft until it seats and start tapping the socket with your hammer until the seal is flush in the cover. It will take some force.

Now you can install everything back. Make sure to follow the proper coolant system bleeding instructions to avoid overheating and enjoy your leak free (that leak anyway) car.