Oil leak, Weird oil leak - 5SFE stock Options

[valerit1]

Weird - cannot pinpoint the source. Pretty serious. Oil gets on the tulip behind the inner passenger side drive axle boot, but not on the boot itself.
Then thrown on the cross member behind.

BUT - if it were the crankshaft seal, oil pump seal - it would get on the boot first, since it is directly on the way. But the boot is dry - and the cylinder it is attached to is wet.
And the pump area is dry...
If it were the camshaft seal - I do not see how is could avoid the power steering pump or other areas for the same reason. But the pump is dry too.

Valve cover gasket is ruled out! - just replaced it, no difference. My distrubutor ring is leaking - but it is very far away, and has been leaking for years - minor.

Which leaves? Oil pan gasket? But there is no pressure there to throw oil that far and that much.

I do not believe head gasket could leak in such a narrow fashion, and 5SFE is not known for it.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[Special_Edy]

Oil pan gasket, the wind will throw it up the backside of the engine. The crankshaft is spinning right next to the gasket so plenty of oil gets slung on it. And between the blow-by of the piston rings and the action of the pistons flying up and down, there is a slightly oscillating vacuum/pressurization that will blow oil out.

Oil pump gasket leak will gush large amounts of oil out every time the engine is running. Like quarts every time you drive it.