Oil leak mystery question....

[spartan]

So I've been through all the old threads and can't find anything that points to my " leak ".

There's oil all around and about the lower rear main seal and caking on the front sway bar; but no leaks on the driveway. Not a drop.

I've removed the inspection plate and there's no oil on the flex plate of the torque converter. No leaks from the oil pan. There's oil and gunk all over the inspection plate and that genereal area.

I don't get it. Any thoughts appreciated.

[Ebag333]

Originally Posted by spartan

There's oil all around and about the lower rear main seal and caking on the front sway bar; but no leaks on the driveway. Not a drop.

Looks like you already know your culprit.

I wouldn't bother with it. Unless it's leaking (and more than a few drops) onto your driveway, it's usually not worth fixing.

[hj60]

There are 5 states of fluid passing a seal or gasket.
1) Dry. Nothing is passing. This is ideal.
2) Seeping. Very little fluid or grime is noticable. The metal around it just has a moist look to it. This is normal for high mileage/age.
3) Weeping. Some fluid or grime is visible near the seal/gasket, but nothing is left on the ground. (This sounds like your description.) This just needs to be watched to make sure it doesn't worsen.
4) Leaking. There are a few drops to a small puddle on the driveway when you're parked for a couple of hours or more. You should schedule a time to repair this at your earliest convenience.
5) Failure. Any fluid you put into the system make its way onto the ground. The seal/gasket can no longer hold fluid. This can be catastrophic and should be repaired immediately.

I hope this helps someone not worry needlessly about a little fluid around a seal/gasket.

[rmcmanus8a]

Same leak, replaced rear main seal, 10k later leak is back.

After a good off-road trip it dries up for awhile.

Not worried about it.

[slamd58]

Double check the Distributor O-Ring and the front Oil pump cover. I know I have an oil leak from the front oil pump cover and it gets on the sway bar....

[spartan]

Thanks all. I replaced the oil pump gasket some time back. No leak there. Very slight leak at distributor o-ring - basically next to nothing.

As for the point of the question, HJ60 pretty much sums it all up and very well. Until it starts dripping on the driveway, I'm not messin' with it. Been like this for at least three years. No worse. No better.