Oil leaking towards the front of the motor and to the passenger side.

Does not seem to be leaking while driving (since I don't smell it burning against the hot parts).

When parked, there's always at least a small puddle the next morning. But once in a while, there's a massive puddle. I'm thinking like 1/10th of a quart is on the ground.

Oil pressure gauge looks fine and doesn't bounce so I'm thinking the oil sending unit is not the problem.

Looks like a seal? How much does this usually cost parts/labor? Thanks.

 

Are you certain its oil? Because if you run your ac water will be dripping out when your parked. It seems unlikely that it wouldnt leak while youre driving, is the bottom of the oil pan wet?

 

To go along with what tiresmoke said, try giving the undercarriage a good cleaning with lots of focus on the area around the oil pan. After that, go for a quick little drive at a nice slow pace. Then park it again and check for any oil on the bottom of the pan and surrounding area. This might help to isolate exactly where the oil is leaking from, therefore helping us to give you a better diagnosis of where it might be leaking from.

Stupid question, but have you been checking the oil to in fact see if you have been running a little low on it?

 

Possibly power steering fluid?? I dont see where any oil would be coming from at the frint of the block.

 

im confused as well....r u positive that it is oil?

 

Thanks for the help. It's definitely motor oil b/c everywhere I park, there's a small puddle of it every morning (and sometimes a really big one). And the really big one is still wet and is very noticeable as being motor oil. This much on the ground would just about empty half of what's in the power steering fluid reservoir, but it's full (although the P/S is on its way out too).

I have to add about 1/2 quart every 2 weeks or so and must check the dipstick regularly now.

 

What you need to do is clean the area with degreaser or something to get rid of the oil and go for a drive, and then take a look. Hows your oil pressure? Check all along the oil pan gastket for leaks, as well as the rear main seal and front crank seal. Its also possible your oil pump is leaking but that doesn't seem likely

 

could be many things, timing chain cover, front crank seal, oil pan. could you clean it up and drive it, then post some pics of the front of the motor? that would help

 

Thanks guys.

So I crawled under the car and I was surprised to see how clean and leak free it was for 108k miles and 10 year old car.

However, there's lots of oil hanging on the oil FILTER and right above where it attatches. I sprayed the bottom with a can of degreaser and going back under later for pics and changing the oil & filter.

Is it easy to drop the oil pan to replace the seal? I'm hoping that it's a bad oil filter.

 

It is most likely you oil filter. Good luck i heard is a pain to drop the oil pan but im not a expert.

 

Looks like it's the OIL FILTER. It was too easy to twist off. I'm thinking that the reason it only starts to leak when the car is parked (after driving) was b/c all the oil starts draining down and overflows in the filter and/or that area.

I just have to wait and see if anything leaks tomorrow. Pretty dumb mistake if it was my not tightening it well.

 

Yeah the oil pan gasket is quite a bitch to change, you have to drop the k-member, so lucky you. Check the gasket or big o ring on the top of the filter, that could be your problem, Or better yet just buy a new filter and tighten it with a filter wrench next time.

 

Change the oil filter and clean up the area and see if it stops before dropping the oil pan. I have had oil filters lose their gasket when they are removed and stay stuck to the pan. Leaked like hell when I put the new filter on. You might have a bad gasket or even the oil filter screwed up against the old gasket that should have come off with the old filter.

 

Did you ever find out what the problem was? I have the same leak just appeared after cam install and oil pump change. I thought it was my filter but it wasnt, I also retorqued the oil pan bolts and the 2 bolts above the filter.

 

Sometimes the old oil filter's rubber gasket sticks to the block...that will cause your new filter to leak.