nomoneyz

iTrader: (15)

Hey everyone, I've just noticed that my car has no oil on the dipstick when I checked it a few min ago. This is no good as it is my only car and I work monday through friday. Now I'm not sure where it is coming from exactly but it is some where at the back of the motor I believe. I don't want to take it in because everyone charges a **** load of money out here for this car. So my question is, how hard is it to change the rear main seal and could I do it on jackstands. I don't really know where else to look for a oil leak at the rear of the motor. Thank in advance.
Jeremy

Blackbirdws6

iTrader: (7)

Get under the car and remove the inspection plate to check to see for oil coming from the rear main area. I had to remove the starter to get the plate out (piece of black metal).

Sounds like a lot of oil and would be one hell of a leak. Check the oil pan bolts, seals, and even the oil pan bolt. Get some oil in that car stat!

-Brian

nomoneyz

iTrader: (15)

Ya I'm not gonna be driving it. I need to find a car to drive. Are you talking about the torque converter inspection plate thing. It was a bad leak, I saw it yesterday and looked under the car and just saw oil steadily dripping fast from the inspection plate area. I thought it was trans fluid until I checked the oil and trans and the oil was the empty one.

lt1-xjs

Sounds like the dreaded intake manifold leak at the rear everyone talks about. Leaks out of the rear, runs down, looks like a rear main seal.

BOLO

iTrader: (40)

Wow, no oil in dipstick? It's leaking oil that bad, huh. Have that leak checked and fixed and maybe hopefully the car is not burning oil aswell. How many miles ?

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

For a leak that severe I would be looking at the oil filter/cooler adapter.

nomoneyz

iTrader: (15)

Well I'm not able to pin point it yet but I took the inspection cover off and looked and couldn't tell cause the car is not up high enough. I'll get it higher tomorrow. The oil filter is good and tight, no oil leakage from it. The inspection plate had oil in it when I took it off.
About the intake manifold leak. How hard is that to do?

BTW it has 134,xxx miles on it.

94Aquaformula

iTrader: (28)

i had a really bad leak like yours. I would put a quart of oil in it drive it and it would need more. Took off the inspection plate found my rear cam plug in it all twisted up. the plug was 2 dollars and the labor to remove the tranny was 500!!!!

nomoneyz

iTrader: (15)

Well I'm gonna crawl back under it today and see if I can get a better look at things. It sucks not having a lift. The trans is a pain in the *** to get outta there but it can be done on jackstands. Thanks for the help.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

I did not say the filter itself, I said the adapter for it.

nomoneyz

iTrader: (15)

Well, this sucks guys. I cannot see a darn thing there is too much oil all over everything. The only thing I can tell is that most of it is all over the exhaust on the passenger side. And the starter is covered as well. About how much do you think it would cost to fix a rear main seal. I have a good mechanic who doesn't charge a lot and always fixes it up right when needed. I'm going to have to take it in. I don't have the time to take everything apart and find out what this is. Man full time work sucks ***. But ya, what do ya all think.
Sorry, I tried to check the adapter but can't really see much there.

bluebeast

iTrader: (1)

yeah the best thing is to just drop it off man! let him diagnose it and if he does you right dont worry about what anyone says it should cost to do it.... if you have to pulll the motor i woudl recomend just buying a decent SRP/eagle roating assembly while its out even of you dont think you need it..... pulling a motor and putting it back along with inspecting and taking things apart aint gonna be cheap so go back strong atleast and put a nice spec cam in it!

nomoneyz

iTrader: (15)

Thanks, I'm gonna drop it off in the morning before work. Ya, if I screwed anything up I'm deffinately going to drop in some good parts. Thanks for the help guys.

nomoneyz

iTrader: (15)

UPDATE*****
Just got a call from my mechanic and he found out that its the intake manifold gasket. He said that it's totally blown out and spraying oil. I told him go ahead and fix it because I don't have any time to do it working 8-5 everyday and I need my car. It's going to cost more than I would like but he is a good mechanic. Never had any problems with him fixing my sister z28 so I trust him. Thanks for helping out guys, I love this forum.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

There are two things to consider here.....One, with respect to the intake manifold seals, THEY ALL DO IT, SOONER OR LATER!! Two, it will be a LOT cheaper to fix than the rear main seal.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

I have never had the intake manifold seal leak and I have put nearly 190K miles on these motors between the three cars I own. Friend and his wife both daily drive Caprices too, his is cammed, neither of them have these problems either. While the intake manifold leak is a "known issue" it is nowhere near as common as the internet would lead you to believe.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

You must either be really lucky, OR, the Caprice has a different EGR tube that sits further away from the rear of the engine, so the RTV doesn't get baked. Mine cook out regularly in 3 years. In other words, mine have been re-done 3 times...once by the dealer underwarranty, and twice by me.

jasonp31

I think my intake is leaking, but I'm not all that concerned as its not that bad. Maybe a quart of oil between oil changes. I'll eventually rip the top end off and fix it.

lt1-xjs

Bingo !