And this one

 

I'm not sure if my posts are showing up so if there are duplicate posts I apologize.

In this pic you can see where the cam sensor o ring would leak into the bell housing

Don't bash my drawing skills. I'm new to editing pics on my phone

 

Its a good theory, the best yet. I ordered a cheap fiber optic cable scope that i can put in the slot of the bellhousing. 1/2 hour is optimistic. I would need a small asian girl to climb up in there. I cant even get a mechanics mirror in there.

 

Yeah sorry, I was thinking about when I do them on the trucks. For what it's worth every time I stick my scope through that hole in the trans I can't see where the leak is coming from. That's with the 4L60 trans.

I don't know if I would call it theory, I replace these all the time for leaks.

 

Its the best theory yet. I ordered a micro-fiber optic scope that I will be able to go up thru the slot in the bellhousing and look. This has to be it.

 

subscribed for info

 

Well I used the micoscope and it was like making love in a canoe. Upsidedown, flooppin around. I saw some oil moisture on the rear cover but nothing too bad. Here is the real question, just how bad is it to pull the intake and change the cam sensor o-ring. I dont have asian girl hands to get back there. As far as time goes I have a feeling its just as bad as pulling the trans which is mostly mechanical, vs the intake which is wires and hoses. If I pull the trans can I reach up and change the oil and cam sensor?

 

Its easier to just pull the intake and replace the oil pressue sending unit and cam sensor first to see if that stops your oil leak before moving on to removing the tranny and doing the rear seal. It will be even easier if you dont have EGR and the emissions stuff. If you have never done it before...its pretty straight forward...just take your time.

 

Which is easier to remove without removing the intake: Cam position sensor or oil pressure sensor?

 

I've heard of ppl saying they could get to the oil pressure sensor without removing the intake. My hands are too big to get back there. Cam sensor... I dont see how you can get to it without the intake coming out.

Just pull the intake. I've had mine out so many times i can probably do it in about 20 mins.

Step by step:
https://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=5

Also if i remember correctly there is a special deep socket for the oil pressure sensor you will need to get in order to get it out.

 

This is not my engine bay...
but with the Intake out... the red is the Cam Sensor... the blue is the Oil Pressure sensor

 

Several people have told you to try the cam sensor, then I tried to warn you that you can't see enough in there to determine where it's leaking from. But you bought a scope anyway. And you keep saying the info I'm giving you is theory. I've owned an f body camaro and I currently own a 04 sierra with a 5.3. I've been through this with those cars and countless customer cars, I do this for a living. You could save yourself some headache if you took the advice you're asking for.

Now to answer you question about the intake vs trans. It is far easier to pull the intake. If you do have egr and air injection it is more difficult but I would pull that off and leave it off during pulling the intake then have it tuned out.

If you still have a leak after that then you know you have to pull the trans. I recommend going the easier route first. But if you want you can pull the trans and then swap the sensors and go ahead and put a new rear main and rear main plate gasket.

 

I bought the scope to also look at the oil pressure sensor area at the back of the engine. I suppose the advice is to replace both sensors, oil and cam with new, right? OEM untis run about $80 each. Would it be stupid to just replace the o-ring on the cam sensor.

 

Eff the scope, get a pressurized smoke tester, clamp that crankcase vent hose off and find the leak in minutes. Turn on tester, apply pressurized shop air and be done with it, use the correct spectrum light for the smoke tester. (Mechanic here) you're wasting time.

 

Fill that engine with smoke under slight pressure and you find the leak in minutes, not months

 

If the sensor works fine a new o-ring will be fine. I would do the smoke test like 64post recommended. I used smoke to find an intake manifold leak. It took like 5 seconds to find leak.

 

Do they sell the o-ring separate. Cant seem to find it. Other then the intake gaskets, will i need other o-rings, ie the fuel system?

 

Just bring o-ring to a parts store and have them match it up. For some reason no one seems to list that o-ring.

 

One more puzzle piece and clue, when the car is up on ramps, it leaks more oil....even when car is off.

 

Cracked pan??? And/or pan gasket???