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oil leak due to cold weather

14u2nV

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Last night it was like -10, and I had to keep my car outside. Around noon, I got in, warmed it up and took off. Within a 1/4 mile, it was smoking and I could smell burnt oil. By the time I got home (20mins later) it had 0 oil pressure thanks to 0 oil. I put oil in, it leaks out just as quick. Looks to me like it's behind the timing cover as my pulley is dripping and my belt has oil on it. Any ideas what happened or what is leaking before I can tear into it? No issue before, something about being that cold brought it on.
 

Maybe the crank oil seal was damaged by the frost?

6dnqbpw

images


The front seal runs 3-8$ on rockauto.

Edit: if this is the cause, this is really bad news as it is behind the timing belt sprocket. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif
 
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14u2nV

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I have a set of seals already,, I'm NOT ready to pull the engine apart. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif I'm almost more tempted to swap the engine first. How hard is it to swap the seals? can you do it in car? This sux.
 

Brunoboy

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Remove all the belts driver wheel and all driverside motor mount, then remove front case through te driver side wheel well.
 

Jack up the car, remove the driver side wheel, remove plastic shields, remove driver side engine mount, ziptigh power steering and A/C lines out of the way, remove belts, remove water pump pulley, remove harmonic balance, remove top and lower plastic timing belt cover, put the engine in TDC (follow the timing belt installation instructions) remove crank bolt, remove the timing belt (see the timing belt instructions) remove crank sprocket. Take note to how the current oil seal is positioned. how far it is tapped in etc.

Use a seal puller, DON'T SCRATCH THE CRANK or oil case.

91089620_L.jpg


Clean up the area, lube the new seal with clean oil. You can use a oil seal installation kit or a pipe. make sure you tap in the seal using the middle to outer edges, farther out the better without damaging the oil front case. do not install the oil seal by hitting the center / inner most edge. Also tap it in evenly.

reinstall / replace your timing belt by the book. the rest is in reverse.

edit: this job, wont be easy with the motor in the car. But it does save you the cost of other fluid that would be lost if you removed the whole engine.

edit2: If you remove your transmission mount. Keep a 2x4 cut of wood between your jack and your oil pan. This will allow you to move your engine up and down while working on the hard to reach parts.
 
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turbowop

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I've never had an issue replacing any of the front seals on the motor while in the car. Time consuming, yes. But difficult, no. IMO
 

14u2nV

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Thanks for the input, guess I'll spend the day doing it. Hope that's all that's wrong.
 

jepherz

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You should pressure wash the b ottom of the car off first, and put some oil in to see where it drains, IMO. I once did all of the timing belt crap cause of a bad oil leak. There was even oil INSIDE the timing belt cover. After putting it together I found it still to be leaking and found that the pressure relief bolt was loose on the OFH...
 

14u2nV

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can't wash it in this weather. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif where is that bolt?
 

jepherz

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It's the huge brass one that holds the pressure spring in on the OFH. Did you have any of that stuff apart?
 

14u2nV

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nope. I'm gonna just pull it all apart and see what looks like the culprit.
 

Adorsey

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mass

Did you check your coolent strength before you left your car outside?



But the seals do sound less hurtful on the ears, I would try and compile a list of possibilities. good luck sir
 

14u2nV

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I just put 50/50 in about a week ago, it's good. Whatever this is, it pours out about as fast as I can put it in when running.
 

Adorsey

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mass
Did you do a BSE? It may have failed some how, where the plug needs jb weld to cover it? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
 

jepherz

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If you take the top timing belt cover off is it wet? If dry, I don't think the oil is coming from inside the cover.
 

14u2nV

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Found the leak.
img.php


Haven't taken it completely apart yet, but that's where it's coming out. Can I just remove the bs belt and not even use that shaft now? I've got the seal for it, but the idler for that belt is wobbling like crazy too, so I don't wanna put it back.
 

iceman69510

Turn Right Racing
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If it is coming out that fast, it has to be a pressurized area leaking. I can't see a seal that is not under pressure leaking that fast.
 

14u2nV

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dunno, but I started the car and watched through the wheel well, it's def coming from behind the bs pulley.
 

Terry Posten

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Dec 16, 2003
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Davenport, Iowa USA
You can't just run one BS. And the "dead" one would still flop around.

You either have to fix it or remove both the shafts and do a BSE job.
 
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