Oil Woes (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Jun 10, 2003
Threads
25
Messages
143
Location
Columbia, SC
Wow, I've got a potentionally expensive problem. Changed out the oil im my 80 recently about 2k miles ago. Used castrol High Milage Oil 10w-30 with a FRAM filter, switching to 20004 on next change so dont flame me. Right now about 11 quarts have gone into the 80. Started with about 9qts to start. Dont know if this is normal but right now the oil dipstick is on Low and the oil light is coming on. Inside the truck the oil meter is at the 2nd hash from the top which is "normal" from the manuel. Here are some pics of the underside, tell me what you think.
 
:'(Do you see any leaking or seepage top side? Valve cover, block, oil filter, pressure switch? From your pics it looks like it might be the pan gasket. You can try to retorque the bolts (carefully and according to specs), replace the pan gasket. The rear main might be shot (can't tell from the pics), that can be expensive +/ $800. Do you have oil all aver the underside? That would help narrow it down. You have to have a puddle on the ground if your losing that much oil. Start by cleaning up the areas to see if you can pinpoint and then post new pics. You'll get an answer from someone shortly. Sorry I can't help anymore (if at all).
 
Well the bottom pan has no oil at all on it, where the drain plug is. Just that area, also a little around the thingy, kinda looks like an ARB pump, underneath the alternator.
 
Jon,

>> the oil dipstick is on Low and the oil light is coming on. <<

Until you get the leak fixed you need to closely monitor the oil level and keep it full. The oil level light comes on at about 2 qts low.

-B-
 
[quote author=Jon916996748 link=board=2;threadid=4388;start=msg32777#msg32777 date=1061161180]
Right now about 11 quarts have gone into the 80. Started with about 9qts to start. Dont know if this is normal.....[/quote]

Normal fill level should be about 7.8 qts. Not sure how much a quart overfill will effect the engine, but it may be something.

How long have you owned the vehicle? How many times have you changed the oil? Have you always used the same oil (brand & viscocity)? Did the problem just show up since the last oil change?

I agree with both Seminole and B: monitor the level closely, and clean up the engine so you can better tell where the oil is coming from.
 
It is either the rear main crank seal or the seal retainer. The oil pans and seal retainer do not use gaskets, they use a liquid sealer called FIPG (form in place gasket). In order to fix it you will need to pull the transmission. The good news is that it will be easy to do the PHH from under the vehicle with the transmission removed ::)

Our shop gets 14 hours labor to do the rear main and re-seal the oil pan x78 bucks per hour= $1,092.00 in labor, plus parts.


NOTE total corrected to read $1,092.00 :banana:
 
[quote author=cruiserdan link=board=2;threadid=4388;start=msg32938#msg32938 date=1061221950]

Our shop gets 14 hours labor to do the rear main and re-seal the oil pan x78 bucks per hour= $1,92.00 in labor, plus parts.
[/quote]

just wondering if it actually takes 14 hours? :D
 
Thor,

It takes one tech a full day plus a bit and he has help from an additional tech during transmission removal and re-installation. So, it's pretty close. One of our guys has done a few and can beat the time, but not by much.
 
Just in case others are having trouble with Dan's commas and decimal points the labour works out to $1092 (as opposed to $1,92.00).

Dan is the main reason this work is being because of the rear main seal OR the pan?

My rear main is leaking ever so slighty but for a grand I think I can live with it for a fairly long time.
 
Benie,

Thanks for catching the Typo ::) I've fixed that post. The majority of the time it is the rear main seal and the transmission has to come out for that. The seal retainer fits against the back of the block and also against the upper oil pan. Often the retainer is leaking as much or more than the seal. It is possible to remove the retainer without removing the oil pan but re-sealing it may not be completely successful.

BTW, mine is leaking there as well, not bad enough for me to jerk the transmission yet. I monitor it for signs of worsening and I check the oil level very often. I'm hoping to postpone it til over-haul time. If my head gasket goes, I'll probably just pull the motor and freshen it up at that time.
 
dude, has this '93 been in much salt??

It had one PO who only had it for about 50k miles, so we got her young. We live in Columbia and have since we've owned it so no, not much salt, SC has very mild winters. It's not rusting that bad, for almost 200k miles I think it looks pretty good.

How long have you owned the vehicle? How many times have you changed the oil? Have you always used the same oil (brand & viscocity)? Did the problem just show up since the last oil change?

The vehicle has been in my hands for about 8 years I think, bought it with 50k miles. Usually every 5k miles. Brands vary, always use 10W-30. And yes, it was getting low close to the oil change but not like this. Not this bad.

Our shop gets 14 hours labor to do the rear main and re-seal the oil pan x78 bucks per hour= $1,092.00 in labor, plus parts

:-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

why is bruce campbell your avatar??

Have you seen Evil Dead series?? That is the best series of B-Movies EVER! :eek:.

Well looks like there goes the ARB :'(. Seeing as how I dont have the equipment to pull the tranny, also wary taking it to the dealership cuz they knew so little about the 80 that they thought it had struts. Wow. Thanks for the bad news. BTW ill get that order for you thursday dan. Thanks guys.
 
Hmm, those pics look just like my 80s. My wife's 80 got a new rear main seal a year ago, Toyota parts at an independent, $500. Mine got it with the PO at the original dealer. Bent the shifter, never fixed it, etc. Wife's uses a couple quarts in 5k, mine maybe a qt, both at 120k
 
Some 80s leak, and others just have the eternal check engine light. Take your pick... :D
 
Man Im gonna need to pulling some mega hours at Chick-Fil-A to pay for this :'( :'( :'(, but at least the 80 will be happy.
 
Dont feel bad dude our 40th with 81K on the odo leaks ~1.5 quarts every 3000 miles...or at least it did the first 3000 we put on it :'( :'(
Scott are you saying that "Princess" with a year old rear main seal still leaks 2qts every 5k miles????
 
[quote author=Rogue link=board=2;threadid=4388;start=msg33059#msg33059 date=1061260555]
Some 80s leak, and others just have the eternal check engine light. Take your pick... :D
[/quote]

Mine was both. :flipoff2: :'(

Now just the oil leak. :-[
 
[quote author=Jon916996748 link=board=2;threadid=4388;start=msg32790#msg32790 date=1061166902]
Well the bottom pan has no oil at all on it, where the drain plug is. Just that area, also a little around the thingy, kinda looks like an ARB pump, underneath the alternator.
[/quote]

Are you talking about the power steering pump?
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom