On Oct 6, 6:03 pm, Bill <wtjohns...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> On Sep 30, 5:07 pm, Bill <wtjohns...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > I have an oil leak that finds its way to the passenger side CVJ and
> > then slings out. I cleaned the underside well then got underneath
> > with the engine running and waited for the drops of oil to start.
> > Soon I saw a drop appear on the underside of the PCV breather/
> > separator. Last weekend I removed the breather/separator and
> > reapplied RTV to the surface interface with the timing chain cover.
> > The leak continued. I thought: darn, I should have removed the new
> > PCV valve, put Teflon tape on the threads and put it back but at the
> > time I saw no evidence of oil from the area of the threads. This
> > weekend I again removed the breather/separator but this time
> > completely. I had another from an old engine into which I threaded
> > the PCV valve using Teflon tape. Also I mashed some RTV up against
> > the timing chain cover surface interface with the block at that spot
> > just in case the leak was there. Cleaning the timing chain cover/
> > breather interface well, I used RTV again. After 24 hours for the RTV
> > to cure, I took the car for a drive and the oil leak persists. The
> > leak amounts to a couple of puddles, one the diameter of a golf ball
> > and the other the diameter of a racket ball, appearing after I get to
> > work in the morning. The head had recently been replaced and I had
> > put in a new timing chain, guides and tensioner. When I last removed
> > the breather/separator/PCV there again was no evidence of oil under
> > the PCV valve itself. There's a brace for the power steering just on
> > the outside of the breather which prevents me from getting eyes on the
> > timing chain cover. I don't see how it's possible to remove this
> > brace without lifting out the engine. What I just tried a minute ago
> > was rolling paper towels and tucking them: a) between the power
> > steering brace and the breather, b) on the inside of the breather
> > outer top where there's a half inch opening. I let the engine run for
> > a few minutes but no evidence of oil at those spots.
>
> > I realize it's difficult to get a clean seal between the breather and
> > the timing chain cover so the RTV will bond cleanly but I went over it
> > well with brake cleaner which dries without a residue and I don't
> > believe I could have failed to get a good seal there twice.
>
> > Anyone seen or heard of this kind of oil leak?
>
> > billy.johns...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Heard County, GA (formerly of Long Island)
>
> Well, I was under there today. Turns out it probably isn't damage
> from the local garage prying the engine over as I don't see any clear
> damage to either timing chain cover. First thing I did was to run the
> car and watched closely near the oil pump area of the timing chain
> cover. Oil did appear but its source wasn't clear. Also, there was a
> bit of oil on timing cover bolt near the water pump. Shutting down
> the engine, I unbolted the power steering and wired it to the
> firewall. I removed the metal brace that looks like a British Pound
> symbol near the head and the engine mount. Nothing appeared to have
> been leaking there. I inspected the PCV breather enclosure closely
> and noticed there was a bolt missing. It threads outward and holds
> the breather together. Somehow when I changed breathers I hadn't
> noticed that was missing. Fortunately I could get the bolt from the
> old breather into it without removing the breather. That snugged up I
> was pretty sure that had been the latest leak as it sits directly over
> the plugged access to the oil pump in the timing chain cover where the
> drops of oil had been appearing first. So, back went the power
> steering and the alternator snug and I started it back up, waited a
> minute, and there was soon oil ac***ulating that sealed hole to the
> oil pump in the timing cover and soon dripping from the bottom of the
> CVJ under the power steering brace as well. I go in again, unbolt the
> power steering pump, wire it to the fire wall, and take a number of
> paper towels. I tucked one in between the PCV valve breather
> enclosure and the block, taped one under the breather with duct tape.
> taped one over the timing cover sealed access to the oil pump and this
> paper towel also covered the small bolts above and below the oil pump
> sealed access. Ran the engine and one or a couple of those paper
> towels were effectively interdicting the oil drip. Shut down the
> engine, unbolted the power steering pump, and first checked the paper
> towel between the breather and block, no oil, checked the paper towel
> taped to the bottom of the breather, no oil, checked the paper towel
> taped over the plugged oil pump access and yes, oil in three spots,
> from the top bolt from around the sealed hole and from the bottom
> bolt. I suspect that the mechanic didn't seal those two bolts
> properly nor the bolt near the water pump. Oil seems to well up
> around the threads and through the slit in the lock washer. Like he
> put a thin bead of RTV outside the bolts but not on the inside of the
> bolts. I checked the old block I have here and those are blind bolt
> holes. So, after it dried from cleaning, I got a good bit of RTV into
> those holes and around the base of those bolts and tightened it up.
> Also covered the tin plug in that access hole. Now it's drying and
> hoping for the best tomorrow.
Leak still there. It seems to be RPM/duration dependent. A seven
mile trip to the post office this morning, parking in a fairly clean
spot, left a softball sized oil spill in the time it takes to check
one's mail. So, I'm thinking it's seeing the oil pressure and
therefore probably right near that oil pump output ****t leading to the
oil filter. The PCV breather separator would see oil but not under
pressure. The oil filter aluminum stand seemed fine and a paper towel
under it didn't ac***ulate oil when the towels were around the
breather and timing cover. I have changed the oil pressure sensor,
that more than a month ago. Wish I could run the engine without the
power steering pump in place but without the water pump that would
seem foolish.
It could be a cracked block that I just don't see. When it went into
the transmission shop for a leak at the differential, first they
changed the oil seals but that didn't help. That tranny leak had been
there since before the engine swap out a year ago and those guys said
they replaced the seals. When the transmission place changed the
seals again and it still leaked the mechanic showed me how the
passenger axle seemed to be into the differential at a slight angle
and that was probably causing the leak. We left it at that until a
month or two later I asked it they could put on a rebuilt head and
they said yes to that and fixing the transmission leak. I had gotten
promised multiple time by them that I would get it back without
leaks. Afterwards they denied that agreement and claim the oil leak
must be caused by something broken before they took the engine out and
it's not their responsibility. Anyway, once the engine was out a
thought was that the mounting bracket for the CVJ was bent although
not noticable to the eye. The engine that had been taken out the
previous year had some years before seen a bad front accident. A
thought was that the same CVJ brace had gone onto the replacement
engine at that time when it at least got a short block and again last
year with the used engine and was presently still causing the leak. I
had a brace with the parts from the engine replaced last year and
noticed there is a placement tit on the brace. I suggested that tit
might not have been in place and a side of the CVJ mounting bracket
might not have been sitting flat. No answer on that but I did give
them the other brace to put in as well as a new axle while the engine
and transaxle was out. There's no leak from the transaxle now. That
brace is a hefty piece of steel but this is another block.
Unless the engine put in last October had been in a bad front end as
well there isn't any reasonable way this block can have a crack at the
power steering or CVJ brackets. Besides if it were a crack at the CVJ
mounting bracket bolt holes the oil wouldn't be falling from the
inside power steering bolt (with the sup****t pipe) onto the CVJ when
the engine is run with no paper towels and the wheels not moving and
the CVJ not slinging the oil.
I think I'll go another week sliding a piece of cardboard under the
car at work and take it when I leave and next Saturday do the paper
towel test again but this time after putting it back together taking
it out on the road where oil pressure will be up there. Also, the
stresses of a drive might have an effect on the leak.
Bill
Heard County, Georgia, deep in the Southland, a few short miles from
the setting of the book/movie I WAS A PRISONER ON A GEORGIA CHAIN GANG
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