Newbie needs help with Oil Leak
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Goose Creek, SC
Newbie needs help with Oil Leak Hey guys, I'm new to working on cars and bought an old one for the sole purpose of learning. I've got a really terrible oil leak on my 1996 Corvette LT1. Leak appears to be either the oil pan gasket or (from what I've read the notorious) front seal. I think I can do the oil pan gasket first and see if that solves the problem, if not then on to the front seal..
Anybody in the Charleston, SC area willing to help me with the front seal if it comes to that? Just from reading the Haynes manual(working i'm getting the GM manual soon) it seems to be involved and there's a lot of room for a newbie like me to make things even worse.
I'm in the military and have a shop on base I can use, otherwise I'm willing to drive 100 miles or so. Willing to buy you a case of your favorite beer for your help!(or pay if that is necessary)
Any advice is also welcome!
Anybody in the Charleston, SC area willing to help me with the front seal if it comes to that? Just from reading the Haynes manual(working i'm getting the GM manual soon) it seems to be involved and there's a lot of room for a newbie like me to make things even worse.
I'm in the military and have a shop on base I can use, otherwise I'm willing to drive 100 miles or so. Willing to buy you a case of your favorite beer for your help!(or pay if that is necessary)
Any advice is also welcome!
Last edited by Ben3339; Dec 17, 2014 at 05:29 PM.
TECH Veteran
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4,985
Likes: 112
leaking pan gasket is rare. I would first confirm source of leak.
your post says "front seal" and the most likely seal leaking is the WP drive seal. You need to pull the Opti, WP and whatever else you have to on a Vette to get those 2 things off. a "tool" be it the right marker pen top or one you buy on ebay for around $20 or deep socket the right size is needed to put the WP drive seal on. Basically a "sleeve" type tool that fits on the spline end so seal will slide on without folding inner lip over. There are several write ups on how to, just install that seal dry, no oil
clean motor and drive some to see if you can see where leak is coming from. Leaks migrate down so oil pan may look to be source but typically the leak is above that.
It could also be valve covers or front intake gasket.
If it was me I would really confirm source before swapping a pan gasket
your post says "front seal" and the most likely seal leaking is the WP drive seal. You need to pull the Opti, WP and whatever else you have to on a Vette to get those 2 things off. a "tool" be it the right marker pen top or one you buy on ebay for around $20 or deep socket the right size is needed to put the WP drive seal on. Basically a "sleeve" type tool that fits on the spline end so seal will slide on without folding inner lip over. There are several write ups on how to, just install that seal dry, no oil
clean motor and drive some to see if you can see where leak is coming from. Leaks migrate down so oil pan may look to be source but typically the leak is above that.
It could also be valve covers or front intake gasket.
If it was me I would really confirm source before swapping a pan gasket
