13 replies to this topic

[rockstarbass1]

Well today I noticed I am leaking oil. Paying better attention to the drive there are a bunch of little spots on the drive. I usually leave in a hurry in the morning and don't get home until its dark at night. I climbed under and see just about everything coated in some sort of oil. Now im slightly color blind but not retard bad to not be able to tell tyranny fluid from motor oil. I have motor oil covering the entire tranny pan, bottom half of the bell housing, on the y pipe on the shifter linkage near the starter, covering the skid plate and more. Idk wth the issue is. Iv now in the past month have put a new trans in fixed the 4x4 lifted the truck did a whole truck flush on all fluids intake gaskets,put a shift kit in, and today replaced the ball joints for the 3rd time in a year. And did the sway bar end links. The oil is very clean looking where its everywhere but that makes sense seeing the oil doesn't even have 300 miles on it. Iv been driving this truck less and less with the Shit gas it gets and it seams to be one thing after another to fix. I can't see any gaskets leaking from uptop around the intake ones that I just replaced and my valve cover gaskets didn't leak. Normally its common sense find the highest spot with the oil and there's your source. But issue is I can't find my highest spot. It seriously looks like its just leaking from half way up the bell housing all around. That doesn't make sense esp all the sudden. Any help? Also one of my pulls started swueeking today so I thought heyyy ill spray some belt dressing in there.. yeah well now the ac pump sounds gawd awful! Not going to lie I love my z and a huge chevy guy but I bought this truck dirt cheap from some guy at my dads work and doing all this work myself I can still sell the truck and make 4 grand on it. Im half tempted to sell it if this kinda stuff keeps going on.

[gsmobile2007]

If it is on the tranny end it's most likely the rear main seal, if it's in the front it's most likely the remote oil filter lines.

[ducksface]

Cracked timing covers on both of mine. Ghost went from super tidy to leaking like a race horse almost over night.

[rockstarbass1]

Yes its on the back of the motor tranny side.... this damn thing didn't leak a drop when I did the trans... are you saying that the whole trans has to come out or the motor does to do this???? Never did a rear main seal before. The timing cover is in the front not the back right?

[rustyg]

Yes, the trans would have to come out to do the rear main seal, probly the only thing I 'll have a shop do when it gets too bad on my 00. One job i'm not interested in doing myself.

[67Truckin]

Before you pull out the tranny, spend $15 and replace the oil sending unit at the back of the engine block. Its located on the passenger side of the distributor area screwing straight down into the engine. Check the rear intake manifold gaskets while your back there looking. A leaking rear main seal will not leave the upper part of an engine oily since it drips down and blows backward.

[rockstarbass1]

I don't think the top has oil on it. I just did my intake gaskets2 weeks ago. Pissed thought I did my trans a month ago. I GUESS LET IT LEAK RIGHT?! How bad is stop leak im not dropping the trans again ill sell the truck before I do that

[GeorgeZboy]

Mine supposedly started leaking at the intake two years ago. Last year it was the main seal with 60k miles on the thing. Both times the shop wouldn't pass my inspection without the repair because the leak landed on the exhaust crossover pipe. They also cited the timing cover last year but let it slide due to the location. I'm convinced the valve covers are leaking as well but just haven't had the motivation to replace the gaskets. I think synthetic oil is a contributing factor but it's probably too late to switch back. In the end, I keep deciding an annual repair bill is better than a monthly new truck payment...

[rustyg]

In the end, I keep deciding an annual repair bill is better than a monthly new truck payment...

This.

[rockstarbass1]

I wouldn't get a truck payment.. I have another vehicle that I DD the truck is just to play with and use in the winter. And my car is about to be paid off. I just can't justify dropping a trans again that was a 2 week project last time. With all the work iv done to this truck if I had a shop do it. It would be around 3k plus. I just don't get it how did they leak not at all before and then boom. Mines dripping on the y pipe also. Though we don't have crazy inspections like that here in Ohio they just test emissions or in obd2 case plug it in and make sure there's no codes lol I just got it last week actually and im good for 2 years now. I don't mind adding oil and the bottom of my truck having oil on it honestly. Hey free rust prevention its the dang oil on my driveway. That and when I did the intake I know the valve covers weren't leaking. I also read on here its not common for it to be the rear main seal? Is that true?

[redzr232s]

Mine supposedly started leaking at the intake two years ago. Last year it was the main seal with 60k miles on the thing. Both times the shop wouldn't pass my inspection without the repair because the leak landed on the exhaust crossover pipe. They also cited the timing cover last year but let it slide due to the location. I'm convinced the valve covers are leaking as well but just haven't had the motivation to replace the gaskets. I think synthetic oil is a contributing factor but it's probably too late to switch back. In the end, I keep deciding an annual repair bill is better than a monthly new truck payment...

Can switching over to synthetic oil cause gaskets and seals to leak? two oil changes ago i switched to full synthetic high milage oil and now it looks like either my oil pan or the rear main seal is leaking oil and ive cleaned eveything up and have been watching it like a hawk and i cant tell which is leaking if not both!

[jwwaldschmidt]

I've read several places that switching to synthetic at higher mileage can cause gaskets to leak. Synthetic will get through places that conventional oil will not - a good thing internally, not so great externally.

For most higher-mileage vehicles on the road, I see no reason to switch to synthetic, unless you're really after the extended change interval. That being said, after break-in, my new LS will see nothing but Synthetics. It's also a fresh motor with all new gaskets.

I started putting synthetic in my mom's Impala at 85k miles, no issues with leaks as of yet. 100k seems to be a good cut-off in my eyes.

[Skitch]

Make sure you check the remote oil filter and cooler hoses.

Mine have been repalced twice in 6 yrs....last time they leaked. oil showed up at the trans area
my guess is that the wind pushed it back and all over except where it was actually leaking from.

I cleaned up the mess when I replaced the lines last time....no more oil.

Hope it's that simple for you.

[Cwalsh]

Put some dye in your oil and drive it for a bit - then hit it with a black light, you will find your leak. Also - if you decide to put dye in, on the bottom of the trans bell housing there is a little circle plate you can pop out and shine your blacklight up in and you will be able to see your rear main and if its the one leaking.

Best of luck to you!