Question: 82 Vette -- Oil Leak from under Right Dash

[Bonedriver]

Everytime I perform an oil change, I find oil accumulating in the floor in front of the passenger seat (approximately 1 cup). Definitely motor oil. Without taking the dash off, can anyone tell me what could be causing this so I can get the right parts before I undertake a complete overhaul of all gauges, center console, speakers, etc., including whatever is causing this mess. I am in the process of completing the renovation of my vette.

Thanks.

 

[petes74ttop]

How can that happen?

You have an electronic oil guage so how can oil get into the front of the passenger seat. Post the answer when you figure that one out, never heard of that happening before. PG.

 

[hotshotzny]

:ugh...ughhhhh ive had everything break or screw up on my 82 so far and i cant figure out for the life of me how that could happen, i even went out at 130am and squeezed my big ass self under the dash just wondering what i might find...... i had break fluid pool up under my right foot once in my 84 landcruiser....that was a pretty fun ride! hnoeshnoes.... like he said, lt us know when you find out! im curious to hear this one

 

[82ColEd]

odd one.. :confused

Only way i could imagine this happening (only during/after oil change?) is that oil get's splashed against the firewall. And then drips into the inside

But i am going off on a wild tangent.. Did you check for oil from underneath or cracks ?



-Stefan

 

[bill81vette]

to add what stefan said,look to see if perhaps the oil sending unit has a crack or maybe it is leaking around the distributor.
Is the pvc leaking?

it has to be coming from the engine and getting on the fire wall somehow.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

There's nothing on the 82 that would remotely be transferring oil to the footwell, unless you had oil in the antifreeze coming out the heater core. That would be a foamy brown color anyway. There's no oil line to the gauges, it's electronic.
I would definately pull the passenger seat and carpet to check the floorboards for a hole, but nothing I can think of would cause this to happen, since the oil comes straight down out of the crankcase drain and filter.
Strange thing indeed!

 

[JohnZ]

Must be aliens hnoes ;help, as that's not possible. :eyerole

 

[Bonedriver]

"Would be" gremlins

Honestly, I would love for it to be fake or make believe....but regretably, it is not. I have had the vehicle checked out and there are no holes in the firewall, nor are there any holes in the floor area which would allow oil (or anything else) to come up from under the floor carpet.

I have heard that there is a component on the passenger side of the firewall that utilizes oil for lubrication that resides behind the glove box area. I have searched both Chilton and Haynes manuals and have found it difficult to identify anything that could do this, but since I am not an automotive mechanic, I am definitely not an expert. I want to make sure that I am not being given bad info by "would be" experts just to charge me monies for something that isn't there.

I will keep checking and attempt to find this mysterious "oil producing" problem.

Thanks.

 

[KANE]

Everytime I perform an oil change, I find oil accumulating in the floor in front of the passenger seat (approximately 1 cup). Definitely motor oil. Without taking the dash off, can anyone tell me what could be causing this so I can get the right parts before I undertake a complete overhaul of all gauges, center console, speakers, etc., including whatever is causing this mess. I am in the process of completing the renovation of my vette.

Thanks.

Let's try something else...

Very NASTY antifreeze. If your diverter valve is shot- and the heater core is leaking a very old, nasty, dirty version of antifreeze... it will have the appearance of something oily.

 

[rbryce]

This can't be that difficult -----

I don't have an 82 vette, mine is a 68 and my oil pressure gauge is mechanical with an oil line. I did have oil leaking in the console. It was a leak at the rear of the gauge and the oil was running down the oil line, dripping onto the transmission tunnel and running down into the passenger floor area. By the time I found it, all the insulation under the forward end of the console was saturated and had to be replaced. Again, this was a 68, not an 82. I have already heard enough of what I would call qualified people state the instrument is fully electronic, so it would not be the same as mine unless someone altered it.

But let's get real here. In my case, I had oil all the time and it was in drops per days. In your case, you say it only happens after an oil change, which limits the possibilities radically. Even more important, a cup of oil is one crapload of oil. There has to be something else there after an oil change with oil on it. I believe all you need is more light and a few mirrors to look in the places you cannot easily see. Just keep in mind that the source may be far from the resting location and may or may not be in a straight line of travel, but it has to be leaving a trail somewhere for you to get that much oil right after an isolated event every time you perform that isolated event. My suggestion is not removing anything (as you may remove the item that is in the path of the oil's travel), drain your oil with someone already inside the car to look for the leak (in the event it happens every quickly and is over in only a few moments) and wait to see if the oil starts showing up. If it does, trace it back. If it does not show up after waiting for what you would estimate the appropriate amount of time based upon how long it has taken to accumulate in the past, then put oil in the engine and search again. Also, it would help if you laid newspaper on the floor where the oil is acculumating before you start the procedure. If it is dropping from above, you will see where the oil hits the paper and if it is not dropping, you will see where the paper first gets wet from the oil. If the oil puddle shows up under the paper without any signs of dripping onto the paper, you know it is coming from a path under the paper and not above it. Again, a cup of oil is a very large amount of oil for an on the spot puddle and will be tracable, just look for it when it is happening, not the next day after it event is over.

PS, if it does turn out to be aliens, find out where they are getting all the excess oil, maybe they have cheap gas for sale as well !!!

 

[hotshotzny]

i think it is the same little gremlin in your 82 pouring oil on your floor that makes mine stall on the same friggin turn every time i go around it!!

 

[JohnZ]

I have heard that there is a component on the passenger side of the firewall that utilizes oil for lubrication that resides behind the glove box area.

Nope. There is ZERO oil anywhere on the interior side of the firewall. The only possible fluid inside the car on the passenger floor would be coolant if the heater core was leaking, but that issue is unrelated to changing your oil.

 

[LVMYVT76]

y question is why it only does this after an oil change? You are just replacing the filter an pouring oil back into the engine. This should not pass thru the firewall. Does it show up before you start the motor, or after starting the motor? This still would not make a difference than normal engine running at any time, unless your can if different from most cars that I have changed oil on.

 

[hotshotzny]

when you are taking your waste oil to get rid of it where are you putting it..... ever have any other strange occourances like the car talking to you or having the windows slam on your fingers....hnoes.....i think your car is possesed and you should seek the help of the church asap....:W

 

[Bonedriver]

Hotshotny,

I can tell you are the comedian of the group. LOL!!! I just dump the oil in the kitchen sink. I figure no one will mind my washing the veggies in the same sink.....ROFL!

Based upon the info provided, I will do two things: 1) Conduct a thorough inspection when I change the oil next by placing paper down and determining where the oil is coming from (if able); 2) Check the heater core and see if maybe, just maybe it is defective and leaking. I realize that the heater core doesn't have any oil in it, but it is worth checking. I can't think of anything else it could be.

I appreciate all the inputs provided. After I fix this, I am planning on beginning a upgrade of the motor/increasing horsepower. Will be looking through the threads for options.

Thanks.

 

[hotshotzny]

Hotshotny,

I can tell you are the comedian of the group. LOL!!! I just dump the oil in the kitchen sink. I figure no one will mind my washing the veggies in the same sink.....ROFL!

Based upon the info provided, I will do two things: 1) Conduct a thorough inspection when I change the oil next by placing paper down and determining where the oil is coming from (if able); 2) Check the heater core and see if maybe, just maybe it is defective and leaking. I realize that the heater core doesn't have any oil in it, but it is worth checking. I can't think of anything else it could be.

I appreciate all the inputs provided. After I fix this, I am planning on beginning a upgrade of the motor/increasing horsepower. Will be looking through the threads for options.

Thanks.

i just burn my oil and oil soaked rags in my burning barrell along with the loads of styrofoam and plastic (the styrofoam peanuts are my favorite to watch)

your car is obviously a woman and is just getting its monthly (or yearly) visit... and those of us who are married know that the best thing to do at that certain time is to just ignore it and let nature take its course!

have you ever actually watched it after an oil change to see how it actually happens, could be a long boring ass process im sure but it might give you an idea at least and let you know if you are going nuts or not

 

[Phill]

dont forget to post if you find out what is happening. im sure a few of us are curious to see what is causing this.

 

[Tritium007]

Are you jacking the car up in the front or running it up on ramps to change the oil? This change in angle may be allowing some gravity drain to occur from a leak in the depressurized heater core and what you're seeing isn't oil, but rusty old coolant. I wouldn't turn the heater on until you are sure it isn't the heater core leaking.

 

[Bonedriver]

The car is horizontal when oil is changed. I will ensure that I post the results of my research.

View attachment 16837

 

[minifridge1138]

Must be aliens hnoes ;help, as that's not possible. :eyerole

I agree with JohnZ. The only fluid that gets near the firewall is coolant for the heater core.

The oil temp and oil pressure senders are electronic, and on the driver's side.

You're positive it only happens when you do an oil change?
Do you jack the front of the car up to change the oil? Lifting the front end could cause coolant to spill in IF there was already a leak.

2 ideas: 1) you're leaking coolant that is so dirty it can be mistaken for oil.
2) Your carpets are dirty. Clean coolant gets on the carpet. When you sop it up with a rag, the dirt makes the rag brown and it looks like oil.

How long have you owned the car?