Oil leak need help Options

[k-weaver]

My 1996 GT is now leaking oil. Leak appears to be coming from the passenger side, about 2 feet from the front tire (maybe a bit less). I took a look in there but its pretty wet. Lots of drip points and I can't really tell where its comming from. Also, after driving on the freeway I can smell the oil burning and smoke starts to appear. I am assuming the oil is dripping on something hot and burning off. The leak doesn't happen while the car is sitting cold. Only seems to happen after a drive while its cooling down. Its not a small drip either, its a pretty big puddle. The more I drive the more it leaks. Any ideas?

[Bitter]

cam or crank oil seals, oil pump seal. look under the timing cover, is it all oil soaked?

[jlive]

+1. Check under the timing belt cover. I had a leak at my oil pump seal, not the rubber gasket but the round seal. The oil would run down the side of the oil pump and then run horizontal across the oil pan where it connects to the block. It would drip in several spots aft of the oil pan, and wasn't that noticable at the oil pump itself until we took off the timing belt cover. Good luck.

[czwalga]

I would say it's probably your oil pump, one of the seals. You can buy a new pump or buy all the seals for like $8, There's 3 of them.

[xrav22]

My 1996 GT is now leaking oil. Leak appears to be coming from the passenger side, about 2 feet from the front tire (maybe a bit less). I took a look in there but its pretty wet. Lots of drip points and I can't really tell where its comming from. Also, after driving on the freeway I can smell the oil burning and smoke starts to appear. I am assuming the oil is dripping on something hot and burning off. The leak doesn't happen while the car is sitting cold. Only seems to happen after a drive while its cooling down. Its not a small drip either, its a pretty big puddle. The more I drive the more it leaks. Any ideas?

I would say you have the same problem I had. If you did here is a look at the cheap seal I had to change. If it would of been a regular gasket it probably would never go out. Mine was cracked and missing pieces and my leak traveled all the back to the rear bumper . Here is a pick of one.

http://squawkr.org/blogs.html

This post has been edited by xrav22: Apr 2, 2011 - 1:12 PM

[Smaay]

ill bet its the power steering. the PS pump is notorious for leaking. what you need to do is clean the back off really good and actually see where the leak is coming from.

[k-weaver]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm going to give her a good wash underneath this weekend to try and find out where its coming from. I've got a feeling its the oil pump seal though. I'll keep you guys updated.

[trdproven]

could be power steering if you can distinguish and confirm whether it is ps fluid or actual oil.

[k-weaver]

could be power steering if you can distinguish and confirm whether it is ps fluid or actual oil.

No its oil. I can tell by the color and smell. Plus my oil levels are constantly going down.

[k-weaver]

I just got under the car today, pulled off the plastic piece under the oil pan and right side tire. After starting the car I can clearly see the oil dripping from the timing cover to the oil pan then onto the floor. My research leads me to believe it is the oil pump seal, anyone ever done this that can let me know how involved it is? Or are there any how toos? I checked my haynes manual which says to go to page 1-35 but the pages stop at 1-32, dunno what happened there as the book isn't physically missing pages.

[xrav22]

I just got under the car today, pulled off the plastic piece under the oil pan and right side tire. After starting the car I can clearly see the oil dripping from the timing cover to the oil pan then onto the floor. My research leads me to believe it is the oil pump seal, anyone ever done this that can let me know how involved it is? Or are there any how toos? I checked my haynes manual which says to go to page 1-35 but the pages stop at 1-32, dunno what happened there as the book isn't physically missing pages.

I will tell you how I did the oil pump cover seal.
1)remove timing covers after you remove the harmonic balancer and belts.
2)now I use white out and mark 3 teeth on all 3 gears(2 on belt one on gear to put it back if it falls off)
3)remove idler pully, the one in the middle because you cant get the belt back on it will be too tight.
4) just remove the timing belt off the bottom gear and try to put it to the side.
5)change the seal and tighten in a crisscross pattern.
6)put the belt on the marks and the idler pully will go in after the belt is on.
7)I never put my covers back on.
notes
You will need a jack for support under the oil pan to raise and lower the engine to get to key bolts, and I use a chain wrench to remove balancer.

[k-weaver]

Thanks for the info....I was able to remove the harmonic balancer and timing belt cover. I marked the belt and pulleys and took the timing belt off of the bottom portion (left it hanging from the cam). I replaced the seal (was cracked/broken) on the cover of the oil pump (not the round one, its one with some bends). I put everything back together and started her up....

Now i've got an oil light on during idle (yes I verified there is oil in the motor), goes away at high RPM. Also, I think my timing is off because my exhaust now pops on decel (didn't before) and after a high RPM rev it acts as if it wants to die (hesitates) but brings itself back. Worst part is i've still got the leak in the same place. Oh yeah...it also through a CEL. I'm waiting for my fiance to get home as I left my OBD2 reader in her car, i'll post up what code its throwing. If anyone has suggestions in the meantime it would be greatly appreciated.

[k-weaver]

weired....car is throwing a P0340 - http://www.obd-codes.com/p0340

[xrav22]

weired....car is throwing a P0340 - http://www.obd-codes.com/p0340

Well I would say you put th t belt on off a tooth. The light may come on because of low idle speed causing low oil pressure. I don't think you can harm the oil system in any way because it is separate from that cover.
I would try again to make sure the belt is on the marks. If your seal was cracked u must have stopped part of the leak. Just to let you know I replaced. My valve cover seal,distributor o ring, and put a clamp on the bottom of my power steering return hose and my leaks have stopped. Good luuck

This post has been edited by xrav22: Apr 2, 2011 - 1:15 PM

[k-weaver]

weired....car is throwing a P0340 - http://www.obd-codes.com/p0340

Well I would say you put th t belt on off a tooth. The light may come on because of low idle speed coming from low oil pressure. I don't think you can harm the oil system in any way because it is separate from that cover.
I would try again to make sure the belt is on the marks. If your seal was cracked u must have stopped part of the leak. Just to let you know I replaced. My valve cover seal,distributor o ring, and put a clamp on the bottom of my power steering return hose and my leaks have stopped. Good luuck

Thanks for all the help. Tore it down again today and found some of the problem....first off the gasket on the oil pump cover moved when I put the cover on. That's why it still leaked. Got that fixed and leak gone.

As far as the hesitation I think you were right about the belt. Doubting myself I pulled it off the belt and set the camshaft and crank in the correct positions. Put a new belt on while.there and now its idling fine. I still need to reset the CEL and see if it comes back. Only more issue now which I think is timing related but ill make a new thread for that. Thanks everyone for all the help. Car is alive one again!