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5/08/2022 12:35 PM  #1


odd oil leak

Hello all,
Been awhile, but this is the place I always turn to when I'm stumped. 
It's a 408 windsor with a C4 trans. I have an engine oil leak that drips a hand size puddle overnight. The front, top and bottom of the engine is clean and dry. The oil is dripping around the transmission oil pan. I added an ultra violet additive to the engine oil. It makes the oil glow under blacklight. I cannot find the oil path/trail from the engine to the transmission. I assumed intake gasket, but didn't see and evidence when I replaced both valve cover gaskets.  Any ideas would be welcomed and appreciated.
Thanks
John

 

5/08/2022 1:22 PM  #2


Re: odd oil leak

If it's dripping from the transmission pan and is definitely engine oil the china wall/manifold seal may be the culprit.  Use your black lite or some jock itch spray on the high point of the bell housing directly behind the manifold.  Is it possibly coming from the rear of the engine....between the block and block plate and coming out the bottom of the bell housing?  This would indicate rear main seal or....leaky cam-bore plug or oil gallery plug.
Good luck, keep us in the loop.  You ain't the first or last to be chasing oil leaks.

BB1
 


"you get what you pay for, good work isn't cheap, and there are NO free lunches...PERIOD!"
 

5/08/2022 1:38 PM  #3


Re: odd oil leak

Thanks for the input, Bob. The intake manifold gasket is what I'm thinking too. I built the engine and used silicone sealer on the front and rear of the intake instead of the cork seals provided with the gasket kit. I've had my hands all over the back of the engine and bell housing area that can't be seen, feels dry. I removed the trans inspection cover and it's dry inside. The area behind the engine oil pan where rear seals usually seep is dry.



Thanks

     Thread Starter
 

5/08/2022 2:43 PM  #4


Re: odd oil leak

Chased same symptoms on Al’s 408 to bad timing cover gasket. 
Even the jock itch spray failed to see the oil traveling along the top edge of the pan gasket.

Se my LEARNED SOMETHING NEW post


Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
 

5/08/2022 3:12 PM  #5


Re: odd oil leak

Thank you, I'll check that out.

     Thread Starter
 

5/08/2022 4:11 PM  #6


Re: odd oil leak

I had a valve cover leak in the back of the engine.  You could not see it or feel it.   You had to have the engine running before hot oil leaked out.  when the engine stopped, the leak stopped.


Original owner - 351w,T-5, 4whl disks, power R&P
 

5/09/2022 11:07 AM  #7


Re: odd oil leak

As indicated in another post, I finally found an oil leak at the rear intake manifold, passenger side, it was only a few drops.  It would work its way down between into the bellhousing, I thought I had a rear main seal leak until I found a puddle in a small valley behind the manifold.  It was tight, but I was able to get a mirror in there, but couldn't see any 'gap'.  Although I couldn’t see any gap, I cleaning the area with alcohol, and applied RTV in the general area and was able to stop the leak. 


65 Fastback, 351W, 5-speed, 4 wheel discs, 9" rear,  R&C Front End.
 

5/14/2022 11:59 AM  #8


Re: odd oil leak

Just a follow up on the outcome. I put the rear of the car on jack stands in hopes of redirecting the drip. Checked a couple days later and no drip puddle under the car. Put the front of the car on jack stands and couple days later, hand size oil puddle. While the front was still raised, I was able to finally see the oil trail from the back right corner of the intake and down over the bell housing. 
Now I'm trying to doctor the leak without having to R&R the intake. Thanks to all for the input.

     Thread Starter
 

5/14/2022 7:34 PM  #9


Re: odd oil leak

If you clean the heck out of the rear intake seal with brake cleaner and then use RTV on it, it might actually seal it.


Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
 

Board footera


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