Found my last oil leak!!!!!!!!!!!

[69MyWay]

Okay, after the nightmare of oil leak problems I had just before Sharkfest (and solved), another one popped up.

This one was/is very strange. It would cause oil to puddle up on the driver valve cover on the intake side, then eventually drip off the back and get on the header once every 30 miles or so.

Well, many of my friends and family looking at it felt I should install a pcv and air cleaner/valve cover breather to help keep it circulating instead of the twin upper cover breathers.

So, I picked up the goods and went to work on it this morning. Everything went great on the newest mods.

Took off for a PERFECT day with my wife by cruising to St. Augustine, through the historic district, then up to a fantastic restraunt called The Columbia.....mmmmmm, gooood!!!!!!!!

Well, I pop the hood and low and behold, it has leaked again anyway!!!!

Then on the way home the gears were turning in my head. It all made sense! I had trouble getting my freaky Crane Gold Series roller rockers to clear all the way around. I had dimpled the covers, but missed a spot on the driver side near the front of the engine. I knew the rocker had rubbed it a tad, but since it makes no noise and all is smooth, I forgot about it.

I went back and took a careful look....BINGO! The cover is cracked through the chrome, and it is blowing oil out the crack in the valve cover!

So, I don't know yet how I plan to repair/replace it, but at least it is found!!!!!!!!

 

[sscam69]

OOOOOOOO

Now you have an excuse to get some REALLY NICE valve covers!!:L

 

[69MyWay]

OOOOOOOO

Now you have an excuse to get some REALLY NICE valve covers!!:L

Ah, you may be right....except on a big block C3 with power brakes, there are serious clearance issues on the driver side rear. Couple that with having the heavy duty full roller rockers, and there is a need for a taller cover, but not too tall. Batta bing, badda boom, you are right back to this exact cheap stamped steel cover with chrome plating.

I will see if I can get a pic posted up of exactly what I am talking about here so you can see how wild this is. The actual rub spot is in the roll/dip, in the cover that allows for the bolt holt to screw the cover down to the head.

 

[Hijinx]

Well, Chris, since you have that last oil leak found, I have about 400 I could use some help tracking down. I know I am good on top of the engine. My leaks are somewhere between the heads and the bottom of the oil pan, on both sides, and the back and the front. Basically the lower half of my engine is coated. I'll fly you up for a weekend whenever you would like to come. Just let me know.

While we are at it you can help me figure out how to tame the 750 Demon on top. Its giving me fits now. Choke wont open (my lack of adjustment skills), cant get the idle speed down, runs on. Could be that I am running WAAAAAY to much carb? Naaaaa

 

[vette-dude]

I am not a big block guru but it seems in my racing days the guys that ran the big blocks were using a spacer between the block and the vavle cover to raise the covers up enough to use the roller rockers. the spacer was only about .250 thick and I think it came with a rubber seal already on both sides that was used as the gasket. Maybe someone at Summit racing can help you find these spacers or maybe another CAC member might know where you can get them.
Randy

 

[Stallion]

I would like to ask you Vette masters about this, is it hard to find leaks? I mean, sometimes I know othat it's not even a drip, just a little run. I can't even imagine the patience and presiceness (sp?) you would need to find a leak!

Is it pretty hard?

TR

 

[qwall]

first thing to determine is to what kind of fluid is leaking,i.e. engine oil, transmission fluid ,break fluid, ps fluid, once you determine that then you get a general idea as to where to look for the leaks ( what part of the car, behind or in front of the engine , left or right side), and most important is to never rule anything out, dont say " oh this can't leak cuz it's only got so and so miles".

q

 

[sscam69]

It can be. It really just depends.

Chris had another leak going that baffeled him for awhile. I believe he was searching towards the rear of the engine for it when it was actually coming from the front. He can tell you more about it.

I had a funky leak for a while to. I could see smoke coming up from the under the hood. So I pop the hood and I could see liquid on the headers. I take a peek under the car and the whole bottom end of the car was full of liquid. From the header, onto the firewall out towards the tranny and some if it even made its way to the rear halfshafts:eek.

I was stumped. At the time it was my daily driver. Sure enough the powersteering pump starts to make a funny whinning noise. I check the level and added fluid. After a short trip home it started whining again. So I start to check for leaks. I bent one of the rubber hoses and sure enough there was a large crack in it. Replaced the hose.

Took the car to a car wash and cleaned the WHOLE bottom end with a high pressure rinse.

Some of them you can catch and others aren't so obvious.

 

[qwall]

SScam,
i should've mentioned that in my previous post, not all leaks are easy to find and some do take lots of patience to find them and fix them.

q

 

[Stallion]

It's funny, finding leaks sounds a lot lot debugging a program I've just written. You have to be meticulous, and it takes you about 100 times to look over it until you realize that that's the problem!!!

Thanks for the input, fellas!

TR

 

[sscam69]

It's funny, finding leaks sounds a lot lot debugging a program I've just written. You have to be meticulous, and it takes you about 100 times to look over it until you realize that that's the problem!!!

Ya know one of the benefits I have seen from my education (mechanical engineering) is the ability to troubleshoot problems efficiently, meticously, logically and systematically. I am suprised sometimes how fast I can pin point a problem. I love being an engineer!!

 

[Bullitt]

This might help in the future

Eastwood's Leak Detection Kit.

--Bullitt

 

[Stallion]

Re: This might help in the future

Eastwood's Leak Detection Kit.

--Bullitt

I was just over looking at that that you pointed us to and that looks pretty good and useful. With time, I might have to purchase that.

TR

 

[69MyWay]

This pic may be hard to see, but this is what I did.

I fashioned a quick piece of sheet aluminum near the contour of the roll in the valve cover. I then took the high speed mini grinder and roughed up the chrome on the cover and "v"ed out the crack. I then roughed up the back of my aluminum sheet plate and JB welded (epoxy compound) it to the cover.

I have not tested it yet, but this should do the trick.

The leak dector kit would have not done me any good because the oil was getting out then going all over the inside lip of the valve cover and dripping off the back of the block.

If you looked at if from the underside it looked like a rear main leak. From the top side it looked like a valve cover gasket leak.

 

[MaineShark]

If you looked at if from the underside it looked like a rear main leak. From the top side it looked like a valve cover gasket leak.

I had something similar. But there was oil high up, so I paid very close attention to the back and top of my engine. After a little more driving, and inspecting it each time I stopped, I noticed that the intake manifold gasket was working its way out. Pop the manifold, and sure enough, the gasket was shot. Tracked that down, although she still drips a little bit of oil - I haven't had time to find all the leaks.

Joe

 

[69MyWay]

Doh!!!!!!!!!!!! The patch blew right away. I took the car to a local cruise in tonight, and got the revs up on the way there. Popped the hood and found it was still leaking, but cut down 75%. I plan on driving it to Orlando the end of this month, so I have to replace it. I am on hold with Summit Racing as I type this to order a new set. I will have to be very careful to "dimple" the new set out to clear the rocker arm.

 

[andrewmckernon]

Best time to Check for leaks?

When is the best to check to find where the leaks are? When the car is off/on, or hot and off?? I need help finding a leak. It's on the right side of my 69 350, and it leaks on my spark plugs. I think it's my valve cover gasket, but im not sure...

Andrew

 

[69MyWay]

Andrew,

I don't think there is any one best way or time.

Usually though with what you have going on it is a valve cover.

It could be a s simple as the bolts are loose on the cover, or the gasket is bad, or if it is a sheet metal/stamped steel cover it could be bent or warped where it bolts down and that is causing the leak.