I recently got my newly rebuilt 350 Chevy motor running, and I have a leak that drips out from above the oil pan, hits the front of the flywheel (I have no cover) and sprays onto the ground. I tightened all of the oilpan bolts again, wiped everything down, and ran it. It slowly started to build up a spray of oil on the ground. I have great oil pressure though. I called the engine shop that rebuilt the motor, and they said bring the engine down because it could be a bad rear main seal, or they might not have tightened the 3 plugs in the back of the block. MY CONCERN: I do not want to pull the engine out if I do not have to, and if this is a leak that could be simply fixed. It is just as much work on my car to pull the trans from below, maybe more. I just got the car together, and I am trying everything I can to not have to pull the engine out. Please send me your opinions of what could be causing my leak and if I could fix it with the engine left in the car. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ps- the machine shop is very reputable, so I am hoping that it is not something that they need the engine out to fix. (909)303-1969 ROBBIE chopt50@msn.com
Sounds like a rear main seal to me. Same thing happened to my 400. If that is the case you can fix it with the engine in the car, as long as you can remove the oil pan.
Chopt50 If they didn't get the plugs in the oil galley tight, then you only have 2 options pull the motor or the tranny. In some cases you can slide the tranny back enough to get at it (not normally the case in a rod). But, the leaking rear main seal is as common as Lincoln on a penny. And as was already stated if you can drop the pan you can do that in the car. Here's something that you might try prior to wrenching it. Get it up in the air, and take a flashlight. Look up between the flywheel/flexplate and see if you can see oooooze comming from the plugs. That will help you decide, what to do.
If it is freshly rebuilt with new gaskets, seals, etc, I doubt that it is a BAD rear main seal. It is probably something that the shop did wrong, either the plugs on the back of the block (as they said), or, they put the rear main seal in backwards. My guess is that they put the seal in backwards. Is it under warranty? If so, you might want to bite the bullet and bring the motor back to them. If there is no warranty, you can do the rear main seal with the motor in the car (as long as you can drop the pan). If it is the plugs on the back on the block, you need to pull the motor or drop the transmission.
I hope you didn't overtighten the Oilpan bolts. That mashes the Gasket and can cause it to start leaking. It sounds like Rear Main seal to me too, but one of the rear plugs leaking is a possibility as well. Look up in between the Convertor and the back of the block with a flashlight and see if you can tell where its coming from. If it is leaking above the rear main, you should be able to see shiny oil running down the back of the block.
If you can't see up the back of the block well, find a small mirror on a stick, kind of like what the dentist uses. I usually see'em in the bargin bin at the hardware store. Then use your flashlight and see if you can tell where it's comming from. Be VERY careful around a spinning flexplate. -Bugman Jeff
did you put the oil pan on or did the machine shop, the bolts are a special length at the ends of the oil pan. there was a last minute oil pan change on the engine that went into the BFD. in that change I put in the wrong pan bolts, they bottomed out and did not pull the end seals on the pan up tight and it developed an oil leak like you describe while running, Sam discovered the problem and changed out the bolts
If the leak isn't too bad, I would suggest driving it over to the engine shop- they might be so well versed in this sort of thing that they might just be able to crawl under there with a flashlight and at least tell you what it is. Similar thing happened to me on my trip across the country. There was a burning smell and smoke would come up from around the car whenever I'd stop. I was so freaked out that I bought a fire extinguisher. After a day or so of that, I called the engine shop and he told me to clean off where the distributor mounts with Brakleen and gob some RTV on the are with my finger. He said it was a common problem. It seemed to work for a while anyway. I think the LONG miles had something to do with it because once I got here it was fine.
Nice tip RACEFAB. I bet alot of people are running around with leaks due to what you decribed. Still scratchin their heads! FONZI
Check to see if it's leaking around the oil switch/sending unit next to the distributor first. That will run down there too.
[ QUOTE ] Check to see if it's leaking around the oil switch/sending unit next to the distributor first. That will run down there too. [/ QUOTE ] I already checked around the distributor and oil sending unit- but I will check again with the flashlight and then check my oil pan bolts- THANKS AGAIN FOR THE GREAT ADVICE GUYS!!!!
while lookin up at the galley plugs see if the leak is from the large plug over the rear end of Camshaft.......we had a 454 once that had a porous casting flaw in the rear side of block, between engine block and flywheel- it would seep oil out while running.
CHOPT50, Hey bigmouth why don't you go back to this post and answer up your being called on to the carpet.Re: STRANGE: Art work of my car.
<font color="red">Ya beat me to it SUPERBELL I was just going to say the same thing R E D M E A T </font>
Redmeat, this puppy has his tail between his legs right now, I doubt he has the balls to explain his actions. He's a newbie that just doesn't get what this board is all about.
i have a similar leak, thought it was the main but it looks like the stupid rubber gasket on the intake is leaking. might check that to, it runs down the back of the block
If you can... Get the car on a lift, and pull the coil wire. Then, turn the motor over while you're underneath it. This way, you'll be able to look, feel, smell...whatever...to find the leak without worrying about hot oil spraying all over you or anything. Just turning the engine over with the starter will pressurize the oil system, but since the engine isn't running it'll make finding the leak lots easier. Scotch~!
<font color="red"> Right you are SUPERBELL.....this guy is just a TOOL......hey come up after the roadster show on sat we are going to party with the Cannucks R E D M E A T </font>
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