Oil Leak

[TSR6]

My Dad and I put the Viper on the lift last night in search for an elusive oil leak. We planned on a loose oil filter, or possibly a loose fitting, but did not see either.

It's a small leak, which we could not find any cause of, so we cleaned up the bottom side of the car for the time being, and will put it back up on the lift later this week to see if we can trace it back to the source.

Just looking to see if anyone else has ever had a leaky Viper before, and see if it's been a common problem.

It's a '01 RT/10 with just under 1900 miles on it.

 

[Nasty 10]

Check around the oil cooler. Mine had a hole in it from a rock

 

[1TONY1]

Also check the oil pressure/light sending units and the dipstick to block seal/area.

 

[Mighty GTS]

Check that you cooler lines have not rubbed each other
enough to wear thru and cause a pinhole leak in one or
both of the lines. It happened to me.

 

[Steve-Indy]

Get the Mopar Florescent dye, add to oil, check for leak with UV light.

 

[Mike Adams]

Where are you seeing the oil. Is their any on the top of the engine beside the PS pump ?

OR is it on the bottom right or left side

 

[TSR6]

Well, when we got it up, the first thing we looked at was obviously the oil filter. It did have a little oil on the bottom of it, but the rest of it was clean, and showed no signs of actually being the leak. It was tight..

There was a little residue on the front left side of the oil pain, but there wasn't any twards the top of the pan, so it's not the pan thats leaking. Most of the leaked oil ended up finding it's way onto the pan under the trans. There isnt any signs of oil topside.

I'm sure the dye might be a good option if we still can't find it when we check later ( now that the underside is all clean, should be easier to trace it back ).

All the oil lines looked dry.

 

[Ulysses]

I recall that some early model oil pans were porous.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I also am in the middle of an elusive leak, this will be my third trip to the dealer for the same problem (warranty thank god I mean Chuck Tator for that). Anyway the first (old crabby bass-****) viper tech I saw said after his 2 hour lunch. Oh, it was your valve cover gaskets, they were finger tight (which I dismissed as; Well, I don't know where it's coming from and I'm to slow to repair this under contract). So I took my business elsewhere and eventhough I have to drive 25 miles further, I found a hungry dealership with an extremely knowledgable younger (no offense I'm 29) vipertech that I thouroughly enjoyed talking to. Well, after the first visit he immediately saw where about the leak was allegedly coming from (underneath the thermastat housing). The leak you describe sounds similiar to mine. I would clean the under carriage to find a quarter size leak. But after driving a day or two the leak would blow all over the place ie. the trans plate, the oilpan, and all over the frame underneath, giving the effect of a large distributed oil leak. Any-who I also did some reading when I discovered the leak,and Chuck said that the timing chain housing is another known problem area.

-Hope this helps

P.S. - If your getting any work done by the dealership make sure you chit-chat with the viper tech and get an idea of what kind of work he does. The younger guy I saw the second time was noticebly sharper as far as vipers go and well-kept and actually wore latex gloves. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found him.

-Matt

 

[TSR6]

Sounds all too familiar.

After a day of driving, and sitting overnight, there would be a dime to quarter sized spot on the shop floor. Occasionally there would be a couple extra spots, but It's likely that those just dripped off the trans plate, as they weren't under the engine.

What appears to be a small leak sure makes a big mess under the car, and like you said, makes it appear to be a big leak. It's lost about half a quart with quite a bit of driving.

Latex gloves? hehe.. I've never seen a mechanic wear latex gloves in my life. Thats cool!

 

[Snake Eyes]

I don't know exactly where Roscoe is but I'm from Elmhurst,IL which is about 20 miles outside Chicago. That dealership I told you about is Champion Dodge in Barrington, IL.

-Matt

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I had an oil leak at the oil cooler at 30k miles. The fitting wasn't welded on very well.
I had another oil leak from the timing cover gasket. It started at 40K miles. Macedo Motorsports replaced the gasket and now all is well.

 

[TSR6]

Roscoe is just north of Rockford, so about an hour and a half from Elmhurst if I remember correctly.

 

[shftn6]

I just got a 97 GTS a couple months ago with 5k miles on it. The leaks I have with this car are driving me crazy. I have had it in several times to have this gasket and that gasket replaced and I still have leaks. I just noticed 2 nights ago along with the oil leaks I am still having there is now red fluid on the floor.

 

[Steve-Indy]

red fluid ...Dexron III??...look at tranny tail-end gasket... unless, of course, you have red power steering fluid.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

GTS Dean had a very elusive oil leak. I don't recall exactly where it was coming from but it was very hard to find. Check Deans profile for his email, maybe he can help out. He's Texan y'know.