HJ60 oil leak problems, urgent advice needed

[Jan-78FJ40]

Need some advice here please:

The truck is a HJ60 with a turbo glide turbo. It has been dry underneath for a long time, but now I have a serious oil leak. Certainly a drop every 10 seconds or so.
First I thought it came from the intake manifold, via the turbo and PCV pipe. I put in new gaskets and an oil trap last weekend, but nothing changed.
The oil is dripping from the bellhousing, so is this the rear main seal? Do these go so quickly at some point? Any other possibility?
How bad can this get-I wanted to take the truck to new Mexico for a week, starting next weekend. I really did not want to change the rear main before that...
Please let me know your thoughts,
Thanks,
Jan

 

[1tontoy]

Sounds like the rear main seal. When was the clutch last replaced? Or, maybe valve cover gasket...and the oil is running down the back of the engine..?

 

[Tapage]

drop per 10 segs .. dude that much oil don't allow you even drive the cruiser around town .. !

that's a bunch oil been loosed there .. and if it's droping from the bellhousing good % chance it's the rear main ..

Did you check the oil return line and turbo feed oil line ..?

 

[canucksafari]

Sounds like a rear main but I have never seen them pass oil so quickly. Mine's been slowly leaking for at least the last 3years (about 100,000 kms) and I have just been waiting until it is clutch time.

Like the others said, there are a bunch of other possible leak sources if you haven't confirmed that it is only coming out from the bell-housing. I suggest you take a closer look and fix it if it is leaking like you say.

 

[Tapage]

Sounds like a rear main but I have never seen them pass oil so quickly

X2 .. and I thought It only could happen ( by the rear main ) when you are running .. otherwise all oil it's in the pan ..

 

[87 HJ60]

How about getting a can of engine degreaser and a pressure washer (or coin car wash) and clean your engine. A clean engine is easier to see where the leak is coming from.
I had the same type of leak happen to me and like 1tontoy mentioned earlier, turned out to be a leaky valve cover gasket.

 

[rchalmers3]

I recommend a bright flash light and a mirror to inspect the back of the head, above the bell housing.

Shine the flashlight at the mirror and position the mirror so that the reflected light shines on the area you are inspecting. It helps to have a clean mirror so the view is not too scattered.

If the motor has no leaks above, but you are certain it's coming from the clutch housing, it's time for a clutch job with new seals. You may consider replacing the tranny front seal as well. It's easy when it's all apart.

Rick