DANG IT! Oil leak dripping inside passenger frame rail at rear of engine.

[PhoenixGTS]

I'm getting a new oil drip at the rear of the passenger side of the engine. It's hitting the ground just inside the frame rail. I'm hoping it is something easy like a bad valve cover gasket but it looks like there is some mess on the oil pan when I look under the car. Any suggestions on what to look for when I put it on jack stands and get under it to look this weekend? Damn I hate leaky cars. Can I make it an entire quarter without some sort of issue on this car?

 

[Ulysses]

Look it over really carefully, up and down the engine. If it isn't apparent where it's coming from, clean it up and drive it for a day then check it again. I hear there is some UV dye you can put in the oil as well. Most likely thing is you have a bad oil pan or valve cover gasket or something hasn't been tightened down correctly/worked loose. You have done a lot of work on that car.

 

[plumcrazy]

Re: DANG IT! Oil leak dripping inside passenger frame rail at rear of engin

look at the oil press. sending unit thats there. mine was leaking.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Follow-up:

1) goods news is once I got under the car I saw an oil drip forming on the passenger rear header flange, looked up, and sure enough the lower corner of the valve cover gasket had cracked. Whew! Easy fix, especially since the dealer a mile from the house had the gaskets in stock and gave me a good-guy price.

2) Took the offending gasket off and not only was it cracked where the leak was, but two other places also. These gaskets are shyte. This is the second one I have had crack. The manual suggest 95 inch pounds of torque on the valve covers, and I have a nice 3/8 drive torque wrench so I think I am getting it right, but the thick plastic part of the gasket cracks at a bolt hole and the silicone does not seal without the support of the plastic. I am going to try backing off to 85 inch pounds to lighten the load on the plastic. Any thoughts on this issue? At $100 each retail you would think these gaskets would hold up better.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Re: DANG IT! Oil leak dripping inside passenger frame rail at rear of engin

look at the oil press. sending unit thats there. mine was leaking.

Where is the sending unit located on the engine?

 

[hemibeep]

Re: DANG IT! Oil leak dripping inside passenger frame rail at rear of engin

I have had pretty good luck with the valve cover gaskets. for them to crack, must take a bunch of force. I have reused several times and never had a problem.

The oil senders are passenger front near oil filter.
Being at the pass rear, I would have guessed the crank trigger sensor, but if it was just the valve cover gasket, that is easy..

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Re: DANG IT! Oil leak dripping inside passenger frame rail at rear of engin

Follow-up #2: went ahead and decided to do the driver's side for insurance (plus it is even easier to do than the passenger side). Glad I did as both bottom corners of the gasket were cracked. The original gaskets that were on the car when I got it are were fine, but then out of four subsequent gaskets I have had three crack (I have painted my valve covers twice is why I have used so many). I backed off the torque to 85 inch pounds, but I am wondering if supplier issues or similar rendered newer versions of the gaskets inferior.