emarknot

so I thought my rear main seal was leaking, turns out it is not the case. it seems the oil leak starts AFTER the actual oil pan...the black one....and before the rack. it is right in the middle of the "secondary" pan just above the cross member. the oil leak washes back,gets behind the flex plate cover and then down, APPEARING to be a rear main leak......very happy in the fact I dont have to remove my tranny, distrought over the fact that its going to cost me more money in parts.

my question is this, the section that the black oil pan bolts to, is it a upper oil pan, meaning its just a plate/section, no biggie........or is it a mid case, meaning it is integeral and a part of the block?


if I look at the bottom of the motor and work my way up, rational conclusion says.....oil pan,upper oil pan, mid case, top end.


if this makes sense to anyone, you know what im talking about.
thanks in advance

bornpeace

Upper oil pan is bolt on to the block. To drop it down will mean you have to drop the cross-member and the same time find a engine holder to hold it up. I think the manual recommend to take the engine out of the car. So not an easy job!!! Before you blame the upper oil pan for leak double check on the oil pan especially the side close to the cross-member. Mine leaked in that area and oil spread to the back, there is a plastic wire cover that make it hard to see. If the area is not clean i will get a engine cleaner from walmart, clean the area to see exactly where is a leak

RA40

iTrader: (6)

As well, check the dipstick tube gasket.

emarknot

thanks guys, I did all that. I cleaned the entire bottom of the car with 2 cans of sure shot..brake clean.
the oil dipstick tube is dry,the actual oil pan gasket and area is dry. I did take out the 2 bolts for the lower wiring harness and checked behind there.

if I drive 16 miles to work, get the car on the lift and look, it is wet from the rear main all the way foreward till about 3 inches away from the actual oil pan. there is a single drop of oil just hanging from the upper pan.

I looked and it seems there is the rack to steering shaft nut/bolt, 8 crossmember bolts,loosen the outer tie rods,support the trans with a screw jack, then drop the upper pan..

I just didnt want to pull a thought upper pan, and find it to be a mid case.
guess I will hunt down an upper pan tomarrow and get it done by friday evening.

thanks guys

emarknot

I will try to get a good picture or 2 tomarrow.

bornpeace

take some DIY pictures because i think i may have the same problem. i did put FIPG on the lower oil pan but now i see leaks coming from up, around upper oil pan and/or oil filter bracket assembly.

emarknot

well...i did some more "research" on the leak. as it turns out, the leak IS from the rear main area. but its either the seal or the silicone for the upper oil pan.

it does seem that the oil leaking from behind the flex plate cover DOES IN FACT GET PUSHED FORWARD !!!!!!!! all the way to the lower oil pan......f'ing amazing.
who knew that oil could get pushed forward ?

so I added some engine oil dye and I will check it tomarrow. hopefully its the upper case seal. im not so sure why I dont want to pull my tranny, but I just dont. but I guess ultimately I will. and ill take pics and whatnot.