Hi guys, I’ve been trying to find out why my car kind of “explodes” oil under the hood when I step on it. It usually only happens at high RPM’s. I changed the main seal gaskets, and valve cover gaskets too see if that would solved the problem but it keeps doing the same thing… any ideas on what it could be? Thanks.!

 

Dump some of that UV dye on the engine oil and check it with a black light.

 

Could be excessive blow-by. A compression test should be able to tell you more. How many miles on the engine?

 

Car has 140xxx miles… and i checked the compression like 500 miles ago..

 

I 2nd the dye check. Clean it all up real nice. Add the dye, take it for a quick hard drive. You'll find the sources and more guaranteed.

You didn't mention where you suspect the leak is. Is the black on the hood oil spray? The dispstick is a common source and will spray everywhere underneath from the engine back. The front timing seals are notorious fo leaks ( WP, crank, opti, and CPS). Power steering is also a leak monster and will go everywhere from wind. Leaks suck.

 

What was it?

 

It’s leaking between the alternator and the TB, usually the alternator is oily when that happens as you can see in the picture… it’s kind of weird but that’s where I think the leak is.. also I tried to smell the oil and it doesn’t really have a strong smell like the engine oil or transmission oil does.. plus it feels thicker and looks darker since I just changed the engine oil. Also the power steering container is cover in that oil.. basically most of the front left part of the engine bay gets all soak in oil. Idk if that makes sense 😅 thanks for your help.!

 

It was around 180

 

Whatever it is, it is being carried by the accy belt or causing the belt to deteriorate. That is probably why it is in the location it is and why so black.

 

Alex, I will take front manifold leak for $200

Op, as noted, clean everything including the hood. Add so oil dye and with the black light and glasses that come in the dye kit look, in the dark, for the source of neon green the oil looks like under the black light

If not from front intake manifold than one of the timing cover seals is likely

I assume you have the right, working, PCV valve installed

 

Is the breather hose from the VC to the TB cracked? Can air flow freely into the TB? I found the factory crank venting to be woefully inadequate. I fitted a Vortec truck valve cover to the driver's side, added a 3/4" breather hose to it into a catch can, and the car picked up around 15whp and dramatically reduced oil consumption.

 

Yeah the hose is cracked, I ordered a valve cover breather just to replace that hose and see if that’s the problem.. since I change the main sealed gasket. But I’m looking forward to do the catch Can too. I just bought the breather in the meantime.

 

Even if it isn't you're risking an oily film all over the engine bay. Best way to thwart oil vapors getting into the plenum is to put a catch can between the valve cover port and TB port.

 

15hp? I'm not arguing, just curious how you quantify that?

 

On the chassis Dyno. I'm class limited to 260whp and found myself straight motoring the other cars after the VC swap at the track, ended up dropping my restrictor size that day and and hitting the Dyno after the race weekend to make sure I was back down to 260.

 

I believe it. One of the reasons the later Ls1s were more powerful was because the ls6 blocks had much better crank case reliefs drilled into them. So you just ran a hose from the added valve cover to a catch can, which vacuum line did you tee off of? I'm going to do this as well.

OP, did you find anything?