Trying to trace down an oil leak - Suggestions?

GRGT1994

New Member
Sep 22, 2004
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I am taking a closer look for my oil leak, and unfortunately it's not where I thought/hoped it was. I have posted a couple of related threads recently.

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=579392
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=578192

A brief history of the issue. My balancer went out (outer ring separated). When it did, the outer ring spun back and road against the timing cover. It gouged the water pump just a bit, and gound into the timing cover a bit too. But looking pretty closely it does not look like those gouges caused any cracks or failures.

The way the outer ring was riding, it didn't hit anything else where there is a seal, except it did hit the timing cover to oil pan joint. But it does not look like the oil pan was gouged, nor does the seal at that point appear to be compromised.

Well, I thought the issue was that i forgot to put silicone on the bolt that holds the balancer to the crank. In an earlier post, people here seemed to be split on whether that was necessary. Anyway, I had the car at the shop to get the cat-back welded up. And while they had it, I asked them to silicone the crank bolt. So they got that. And it still leaks.

When I looked under there today, there is oil everywhere. It sprayed around quite a bit. The balancer is wet. And then everything else near it, and plenty behind it (headers are soaked too). So I think it's got to be leaking onto the balancer and that is spraying it all over.

My guess would be that either the oil pan to timing cover seal is messed up, or that the main seal (crank to front of block) is bad.

Any ideas, or any thoughts on the best way to narrow it down and attack this issue?

Thanks.
 
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I would think the front seal also, specially like you said the pan gasket looks good....be careful..if its the original seal, they can be a mofo to get out....
 
No the cover doesn't have to come off...in fact it may help you being on, other than having the room, cause it'll be secure when your trying to remove it...just be mindful it Aluminum and can break if you pry against it...
I would try to get something thin and drive it under the seals edge and just work in a 3-6-9-12 kinda sequence to break it loose...little here, little there kinda deal..

Here's a pic...I have where the seal goes covered as I blasted these...you get the idea...
glass_bead_blasted.jpg


rollmaster_installed.jpg
 
RIO5.0 said:
No the cover doesn't have to come off...in fact it may help you being on, other than having the room, cause it'll be secure when your trying to remove it...just be mindful it Aluminum and can break if you pry against it...
I would try to get something thin and drive it under the seals edge and just work in a 3-6-9-12 kinda sequence to break it loose...little here, little there kinda deal..

Here's a pic...I have where the seal goes covered as I blasted these...you get the idea...
glass_bead_blasted.jpg


rollmaster_installed.jpg


Wow, nice pics......And you have a point. It may not be worth it to take the cover off.

I used a wheel seal puller to get mine out, but that was b/c I had the cover off.

You might be able to use a 2 jaw puller to get it off. That way you get even pressure. Good luck.
Scott