Magical oil leak

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Toluene56

Toluene56

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I have an oil leak I have been battling.
Magnum block 5.9
408 blueprint short block.

At first it was a leak from the rear main. I have replaced the rear main seal twice. This last time I even installed a new oil pan and new gaskets since the other one didn't look to healthy. I have nipped all other oil leaks. Filter is dry, valve covers dry, distributor and oil gauge fittings are dry, intake manifold is dry. Only other problem I can figure is oil plugs in back of block leaking... is there anything I may have missed?
Thanks
 
You say you've checked the pressure sender fittings, but have you checked the pressure sender itself for a leak that happens only while under running pressure?
I have an 86 Laser XT. There'd be a drop or 2 of oil under the car. I'd look for leaks, wipe & find nothing. When the leak finally got worse, I found it was spitting oil from the sender itself, but only after a spirited drive. Under pressure it leaked. New sender, problem gone.

HEY, just noticed I passed 1000 posts.
 
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Looks like you covered all. Oil plugs may be the problem.

IMG_0102.JPG
 
IfItsGotWheels said:
You say you've checked the pressure sender fittings, but have you checked the pressure sender itself for a leak that happens only while under running pressure?
I have an 86 Laser XT. There'd be a drop or 2 of oil under the car. I'd look for leaks, wipe & find nothing. When the leak finally got worse, I found it was spitting oil from the sender itself, but only after a spirited drive. Under pressure it leaked. New sender, problem gone.

HEY, just noticed I passed 1000 posts.
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yeah even after a nice hard tire burning thrash.. everything is dry as a bone except for the oil coming out the bell housing.. Even the oil pan itself is relatively clean now. This last rear main seal cut the oil puddle down quite a bit. I guess after this heavy week of car shows i'll tear the engine out and upgrade a couple things while I check the oil plugs.
 
I don't see any mention of the dipstick hole , mine is a sumabitch , then of course the fan blows it back across the pan and makes it look like it's coming fro the back .
 
cannucky said:
I don't see any mention of the dipstick hole , mine is a sumabitch , then of course the fan blows it back across the pan and makes it look like it's coming fro the back .
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it is dry... as of now anyways.I figure if it were anywhre else the pan and the front K member would be soaked.
 
yeah I run full synthetic and that stuff seeps through the tiniest places , I had one valve cover that seeped when running a tiny bit but it would run down the back of the motor and under like a rear seal as well , I guess thats what keeps the hobby interesting eh !
 
Good. Do you have a computer based camera that you could mount and have a passenger observe while you are driving ? Might be a way to see what's going on.

Ken
 
ken5124 said:
Good. Do you have a computer based camera that you could mount and have a passenger observe while you are driving ? Might be a way to see what's going on.

Ken
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Funny enough I just purchased a small action cam. I'm also ordering a small borescope that will connect to my tablet so I can run it up behind the flex plate and hopefully get a visual of the plugs to see if they're wet with oil. Might be a few days before I get to see the real leak. But I do plan on putting in a new cam, so if I have to pull the engine to fix oil plugs I won't be too butthurt haha.

Edit I also did a real stupid thing and lifted the car securely and then let it idle while I shimmied underneath to see if I could see an active leak.... and nothing it was dry as a bone, up until it sat back down and oil dripped from inside the trans housing.
 
Toluene56 said:
Funny enough I just purchased a small action cam. I'm also ordering a small borescope that will connect to my tablet so I can run it up behind the flex plate and hopefully get a visual of the plugs to see if they're wet with oil. Might be a few days before I get to see the real leak. But I do plan on putting in a new cam, so if I have to pull the engine to fix oil plugs I won't be too butthurt haha.

Edit I also did a real stupid thing and lifted the car securely and then let it idle while I shimmied underneath to see if I could see an active leak.... and nothing it was dry as a bone, up until it sat back down and oil dripped from inside the trans housing.
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Not dumb if it was secure. I do that when I need to see what's going on.
 
Have you tried the UV dye that you can put into the oil? I've used that stuff a couple of times on leaks and it really takes away the guesswork.
 
I fought a " magical" oil leak a few years back.
Brand new small block stroker motor from a high end Mopar shop.
Thought it was the rear main. Swapped it out twice on my back in the garage without a lift.
Didnt fix it.
Finally took the car and put it on a lift and yanked the tranny out.
Oil was leaking from the cam plug............
 
Sorry to hear. Fighting the same thing.
Leaks just enough to piss me off.
I can lay up under it running for half an hour, and not a drop, but park it and it drips a quarter size spot from the bottom of the bellhousing.
Hoping mine is the oil line to the guage. Finally got the valve covers sealed up good ( I think ) ,but the starter is getting wet.
Don't know where else to suspect coming from that high. Head bollt, or gasket?
Should ARP head bolts be re-torqued with aluminium heads after installation?
 
have you taken a spray bottle of whatever to the inside of the bellhousing?
it is possible there is oil puddled in there from the last leak and still dripping down
 
diymirage said:
have you taken a spray bottle of whatever to the inside of the bellhousing?
it is possible there is oil puddled in there from the last leak and still dripping down
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Yea I have cleaned it out every time to check for new leaks. I'm pretty sure it's gonna be one of the plugs in the back of the motor.:BangHead:
 
The UV dye is the best way to locate at this point, IMO.
 
This is a real bummer. Just glad to read that I am not the only one with these problems.

Still trying to determine if my leaks are the rear or front seals or the oil pan.
 
Mopar Tim said:
The UV dye is the best way to locate at this point, IMO.
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I'll grab some dye and try it out as well.. I did buy a cheap little borescope for my tablet.. So i'll test it out and see how well it works when I get it.
 
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