Oil Everywhere...Leak....
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: PA
Oil Everywhere...Leak.... After head/cam swap oil is leaking from somewhere but i don't know where.
It only seems to leak while driving but it is ALL OVER everything on the bottom of the car and all over the rear bumper. I can see what looks like to be a small drip from the crank seal behind the balancer, but i cant see how it could cause such a mess. Also the bottom of the timing cover looks ok too. Could a small leak like that wet down the entire car? There just seems to be too much oil to be from that small leak. Where else can i check? It does seem to be coming from the front of the motor and is all over the entire pan. There is none on my belts.
It is definitely coming from below the headers so it is not the heads or the valve covers. Is there a hose I might have missed somewhere?
It only seems to leak while driving but it is ALL OVER everything on the bottom of the car and all over the rear bumper. I can see what looks like to be a small drip from the crank seal behind the balancer, but i cant see how it could cause such a mess. Also the bottom of the timing cover looks ok too. Could a small leak like that wet down the entire car? There just seems to be too much oil to be from that small leak. Where else can i check? It does seem to be coming from the front of the motor and is all over the entire pan. There is none on my belts.
It is definitely coming from below the headers so it is not the heads or the valve covers. Is there a hose I might have missed somewhere?
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: PA
Originally Posted by pdd
did you replace the cranks snout seal on the timing cover?
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Derby, KS
Originally Posted by Z06-Dave
, but would that throw oil all over the bottom?
It's your front crank seal, should be replaced every time the pulley is removed.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: PA
Originally Posted by Dave Carney
The spinning balancer makes a pretty good throwing device.
It's your front crank seal, should be replaced every time the pulley is removed.
It's your front crank seal, should be replaced every time the pulley is removed.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Derby, KS
No question.
Hopefully you have the timing cover at least reasonablly centered around the pulley hub.
One more thing, did you put a little rtv where the bottom corners of the timing cover seal at? That's called for in the Helms manual.
Hopefully you have the timing cover at least reasonablly centered around the pulley hub.
One more thing, did you put a little rtv where the bottom corners of the timing cover seal at? That's called for in the Helms manual.
Last edited by Dave Carney; Sep 11, 2005 at 10:37 AM.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 252
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From: PA
Well, I though I put it on perfectly centered, I guess I didn't. I'm taking it apart now, I have the rack out. Hopefully I can get the pulley off with the radiator still in there. I'll stop by the dealer tomorrow to get a new seal. I did put RTV on the corners, I bet I put too much on and the cover is riding too high on the crank!
Can you provide the correct way to bolt the cover back on?
Can you provide the correct way to bolt the cover back on?
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TECH Enthusiast
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From: Derby, KS
I used the jmx methodology where you try to make sure the bolt heads are where they were before by looking at the dirt/witness marks on the cover, then you don't tighten them down all the way until the crank pulley is on, that way it helps center the cover. Tighten the bottom timing cover bolts first.
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LS1howto also mentions putting RTV along the bottom edge of the timing cover, did you do that? I am getting ready to start mine, would like to hear what you find out so I don't make the same error.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 252
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From: PA
You definitely need to use RTV sealer on the bottom of the cover.
My timing cover is to clean to see where the bolts were.
I believe that I did not have the balancer on all the way but I'm changing my seal just in case. When I took off the crank bolt the end of the balancer did not meet then end of the crank snout. Can anyone confirm that they should be flush upon install? Mine was about 1/8 inch off. The accessories looked lined up though.
Doing a cam swap is fairly easy, I've just done it so many times, I didn't take my time, details, details, details...If you give yourself plenty of time, you wont have any issues. My first swap went without a hitch, it also took the longest.
My timing cover is to clean to see where the bolts were.
I believe that I did not have the balancer on all the way but I'm changing my seal just in case. When I took off the crank bolt the end of the balancer did not meet then end of the crank snout. Can anyone confirm that they should be flush upon install? Mine was about 1/8 inch off. The accessories looked lined up though.
Doing a cam swap is fairly easy, I've just done it so many times, I didn't take my time, details, details, details...If you give yourself plenty of time, you wont have any issues. My first swap went without a hitch, it also took the longest.
