Rear main oil leak when parked on a steep hill.

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340dartley

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I went to move my 1969 Dart Race Car today and I noticed what looked like a pretty severe rear oil leak. I have a very steep driveway that the car was parked on front end high. It didn’t leak when I first started it up but when I moved it up into my level street it started running out of the bell housing with a trail that started as soon as the car crested the top of my driveway. After it sat for a half hour or so it. Stopped dripping and I fired the car up and it didn’t leak. On a similar note I had what I thought was a rear main leak on my 68 Plymouth with a new 383. It was also parked in the same driveway. I am wondering if the rear main seal just isn’t meant to hold back oil with no movement for extended periods of time. I would nose the cars downward but I have had issues with fuel draining from the tank through the carburetor and into the cylinders. Has anyone else had something similar.
 
More likely the rear rubber piece on your oil pan, if it's dripping that much to leave a trail. Could be rear main, but that rubber strip getting wadded up is more common. I made the mistake of using RTV on it before the last time. I thought it was my rear main, too, until I tilted the engine pulling it, and a steady stream ran out. Your bell housing was holding the oil on the hill, then running out on level ground. It stopped because the oil level got below the pan lip.
 
That is kind of what I figured. Is there a normal amount that would seep out at these angles? I guess what I am asking is do you think there is anything to repair or would any car parked at a steep angle like this for extended periods of time eventually leak into the bell housing? The Dart has never been a leaker and I am still not sure that it is now.
 
Pull the inspection cover and spray out the bellhousing, then park it on your hill for an hour, see how much comes out.
 
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