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I don't know allot about engines but had 57 total bebuilt 1 yr. ago and now I notice small amount of oil pooling around bottom of flywhell cover not allot but enough to drip on flr. what things should consider as to the source thank you
paul
Usually, this condition is indicative of a rear main oil seal leak. Other things can cause it, though. These include leaking valve covers (oil drips, mostly unseen, down the side of the engine and ends up at the lowest point), an oil pan gasket rear seal leak, or a tranmission fluid leak. Usually, a transmission fluid leak can be differentiated due to the heavier oil used in the transmission.
1957 Corvettes used a "rope type" rear main seal. If this type seal was used in your engine at rebuild, I recommend changing to the neoprene seal type. Conversion seals are available from Paragon.
thanks everyone, sounds like the rear main seal may be the problem,
is that a large job cost wise for a mech. and is there any thing else that should be replaced or observed while there? thanks
paul
Actually, even though the rear main seal is the most likely culprit, I think I'd look at the other possibilities first. Most of the other things are much easier to fix. The very first thing to do is to make sure that it's engine oil and not transmission fluid. If you need to educate yourself on the difference, take some known 90 wt gear oil and some known engine oil and rub it between your fingers. This will give you a "feel" for each. Once you are comfortable with the "feel" of each, take some of the leakage and do the same.
As far as a rear main seal replacement goes, I don't consider it to be too difficult. However, it all depends upon how much mechanical experience you have and how comfortable you are doing something like this. To perform it, you have to remove the oil pan, the oil pump, and the rear bearing cap.
They all have oil there to some extent. Bet if you looked, most C1s would have oil at the bottom of that clutch inspection cover. Usually dry inside, though. How much oil is leaking? How often do you need to add a quart? If it's not much, leave the oil pan and rear main alone. If you screw them up in the course of your repair, your engine will leak like a sieve. First Generation small blocks leak oil.
I'm with you. If it's a small amount I'd leave it alone.
Replacing a rear main seal is not a job you'd want to tackle with little experience and Internet advice guiding you. An extreme example of a rear main seal leak would be the result of another issue, like the rear main bearing going out. To drop the pan and then the rear main cap to stop a cc per week oil leak is not worth it. You might end up with a 2 quart per week leak.
Sometimes you have to use the ol' Harley Davidson theory when considering minor leaks. You don't need a dipstick because if it isn't leaking somewhere, there must not be any oil in it!
A place small block Chevy's love to leak oil includes the intake manifold corners like Roy said. It's amazing how a very small oil leak makes it's way around the outside of an engine.
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