Oil Leak (1 Viewer)

[Babyruthless]

Apologize if this has been covered. I looked for previous threads but couldn’t find anything. Maybe I was searching wrong.

Anyway. I have a slow oil leak. Spots popping up on my driveway. I crawled under today while doing a routine oil change and this is what I saw. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[shane431]

Rear main seal

 

[sunfic]

try some at-205 to see if it can stop leaking.

 

[Babyruthless]

try some at-205 to see if it can stop leaking.

I just pour that in with the oil?

 

[Bisho]

It’s most likely not your rear crank seal. If you remove that bolt and feel inside it’s probably dry. If not, rear seal. Add AT-205 to your next oil change - read the label for the proper amount.

Oil collects at that spot, often from leaking valve cover gaskets.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Also possible it's coming from up higher, valve covers are more common than rear main.

 

[2001LC]

For sure check your head covers, as others suggested.

Also check your front engine weep hole, oil filter & housing and dip stick 0-ring.

But in your picture of oily area. Dry in yellow circle is clue, this may be rear main.

I'd get picture of all wet/oily areas of engine. Then de-grease all, getting more pictures after cleaning. That show oil free to later compare with. Study those areas after every time engine is run. Look for areas of first sign of leak.

If even before de-greasing/cleaning. Head covers found to be leaking. Re-torque covers bolts, to 54IN-lbf (INCH).

Make sure to clean off all oil from top to bottom, end to end of engine.

If you fine it is a rear main leak. AT-205 would be my first step.

To give AT-205 the very best chance of working. Rubber seals must be clean. Running engine on synthetic oil, helps clean inside on engine. Also I use 2 cans of BGs' engine flush "EPR", just before changing oil. I add AT-205 to the fresh oil, and just leave it in until next scheduled oil change. After 5 hours of run time, do more cleaning. Of any oily area found again. As it takes time for old oil that has leaked, to work it's way out of hidden areas. So clean and watch for next 5K miles repeatedly. Also top oil after minimum of 5 hours run time. You should not see level drop over next ~5K miles.


If LH head cover was leaking bad. I would expect to see yellow circled area wet. RH side we get grease from spider & slide yoke lubing, so more difficult to read clues on RH lower area.

 

[medtro]

I have a slow oil leak. Spots popping up on my driveway.

Factory skid plate is a very good oil catcher. Do you have it installed?