Chasing an Oil Leak - opinions please (1 Viewer)

[Gundo]

Calling on the vast reserves of knowledge here on Mud.
Have also “gotten my search on” and based on results I’ve a strong suspicion of what this is but want to be a bit more sure before moving to next step.

Oil leak at rear of block, coming from the little rubber grommet in the clutch inspection cover.

So, clutch inspection cover off, check

Cleaned and dried main bearing support, check.

Tightened all oil pan gasket bolts (some were finger loose), check

Check those saddle bearing bolts, super tight, check

Wait a couple days, check

Definitely less leakage than before, but still happening.

As an Easter Egg, the Clutch was replaced by PO about 6 months ago. No mention of RMS on any of the pretty thorough paperwork from the clutch repair.

So, oil pan gasket? I don’t have any record of it being replaced. 166,000 miles.

 

[3_puppies]

if it was the RMS it would be splaying out all over the engine side of the flywheel

valve cover gasket? push rod cover gasket? both of those can work there way down the rear block and show up in places

 

[EscapeWagon62]

if it was the RMS it would be splaying out all over the engine side of the flywheel

valve cover gasket? push rod cover gasket? both of those can work there way down the rear block and show up in places

I had a leak that looked just like a RMS but turned out to be side cover (push rod inspection plate) gasket.
Also found an oil passage hex screw leak top left where bell housing connects to engine when doing my H55 swap
By far the side cover was the most significant leak

 

[Gundo]

Well, it most certainly looks like the push rod cover gasket that is causing the leak - looks pretty gunky in there and around the firewall end of the cover.
Time to dig in and get this cleaned and fixed.
Good news is that I won’t be the first to tackle this and there’s lots of answers on the process here on Mud and elsewhere guys run 2Fs

Here’s a pic as a bonus. The antifreeze was from tonight’s project of refilling and bleeding the coolant after installing my new thermostat. The PO installed a Prestone Flush-n-Fill connector for a garden hose at the high spot just prior to the heater valve - had it open to let air escape and coolant spilled. I guess this is from the time people flushed their radiators down the sewer drain. Doh. I actually had one of these on my ‘73 Torino.

 

[3_puppies]

hard part is getting all the old rock hard gasket off the block and cover plate

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Calling on the vast reserves of knowledge here on Mud.
Have also “gotten my search on” and based on results I’ve a strong suspicion of what this is but want to be a bit more sure before moving to next step.

Oil leak at rear of block, coming from the little rubber grommet in the clutch inspection cover.

So, clutch inspection cover off, check

Cleaned and dried main bearing support, check.

Tightened all oil pan gasket bolts (some were finger loose), check

Check those saddle bearing bolts, super tight, check

Wait a couple days, check

Definitely less leakage than before, but still happening.

As an Easter Egg, the Clutch was replaced by PO about 6 months ago. No mention of RMS on any of the pretty thorough paperwork from the clutch repair.

View attachment 2597084
View attachment 2597085
So, oil pan gasket? I don’t have any record of it being replaced. 166,000 miles.

That’s so nothing.

 

[OSS]

Oil collecting inside the clutch inspection cover and weeping past that rubber grommet is gear oil being flung out past the transmission input shaft and coating the inside of the bellhousing which then oozes down the inside walls and collects at the bottom of the cover - to drip out past that grommet.

If the insides of the bellhousing are slimy w oil, (gear oil) the input shaft seal is leaking.
All cruisers do it eventually- that's why there's a drain hole in the bottom of the inspection cover. No biggie

 

[Gundo]

Definitely smells like gear oil. May be a combo deal. Gear oil from input shaft and engine oil from rod cover.

 

[DFXR]

Definitely smells like gear oil. May be a combo deal. Gear oil from input shaft and engine oil from rod cover.

The other good news is that the residual leaked oil will continue to drip down long after you’ve replaced the side cover gasket. Just keep that in mind before feeling like you did it wrong.