Does this happen to anybody else?

[BDog13]

I have a 94 RT/10. Bought it in December of 03 with 5000 miles on it. Now have 7500 miles on and have been noticing something strange, although only during the winter months ( I'm in Wisconsin, so it doesn't get driven from December through March ). When it sits for long periods of time without being started ( more than 3 weeks or so ), there will be a couple of drops of oil on tne garage floor under the engine. No big deal, and it never occurred during the 9 months that it was driven. However, this year when I went to start it in early January ( it had been sitting for about 5 weeks ) I noticed the typical oil spots on the floor, but also a small puddle of coolant. I started it up, pulled it out of the garage, ran it for about 10 minutes ( coolant level is still ok and temp gauge ran up to normal and no higher ) , and then pulled it back in and covered it. Over the next couple of days I checked under the car and there was no oil or coolant. My assumption is that when the car sits for more than a couple of weeks, gaskets or seals dry out and it will drip a little oil, although, it makes me nervous that the same thing seems to be happening with coolant. The head gaskets replacement was never done on this car, and I know that is something that will need to be done at some point. Does anybody else have this happen. In the spring, I'm taking it in for a coolant flush and some other maintenance stuff, and I'll have the head gaskets looked at but I was curious if anybody else had any experience or thoughts about this.

Thanks....

 

[99 R/T 10]

Do a search for the dreaded head gasket problem of the Gen I cars(92-96). Affects some cars, some people will say not if, but when it will affect all. It does seem that the cars that sit more are the more likely candidate. My old 96 had 53K miles when I sold it, but had no leaks.
Head gasket thread
and another

 

[PDCjonny]

Slightly off topic, but when was the poor quality head gasket problem fixed? What year were "improved" ones used?

 

[STUGOTS]

yeah I agree the head gasket was a major problem on 92 - 96

 

[BDog13]

Yeah, I had done pretty extensive research on the head gasket issue even before i purchased my 94. In most of what i had read, the coolant leaks were mostly discovered by examining the engine block and looking for the coolant streaks. I guess I was asking more about what i've been noticing which is the leaking occurring when the car has been sitting for long periods of time.

 

[REDSLED]

Doesn't this happen due to the car not being driven and the seals drying out and shrinking thus causing the drops of oil to escape?

 

[Ulysses]

possibly porous oil pan.