another oil leak question

[jim cear]

After researching the archieves and checking the usual , valve covers, dist., oil pressure line,fel pro one piece gasket, etc. I have a leak that drips from the bottom of the bellhousing, not much, just a few drops after a couple of days. Thats the the part that I thought may help someone point me in the right direction. This leak won't show up until the car has sat for a day or more.Is that any help? Any ideas? (327/340hp).

[Chuck R.]

Re: another oil leak question

Hi Jim,

If your guaranteed that the items listed above in your post are bone dry, then I'd look to rule out the following as well.

Rear main seal
Oil pan gasketing especially the rear pan to bearing cap seal
Oil gallery plugs

Good luck on your search,

Chuck

[Rob Dame]

Re: another oil leak question

Could be coming out the trans input shaft. If that is all the leaks you have you ought to consider yourself lucky. Rob

[Joe C.]

Re: another oil leak question

Jim,

How long has it been leaking? Has the engine been taken apart recently?
It sounds like the rear main seal to me, most likely. There are oil gallery plugs in the back of the block (forward of the flywheel), but is not likely for them to leak.

If you have not already done so, thoroughly wash the rear half of the engine and make sure that the leak is not from the top.

Smell the fluid to determine whether it's not gear oil. Another possibility could be a leak in the trans idler shaft where it's presed thru the front of the case. This is a common problem with Muncie gearboxes. Less likely could be a leaky trans front seal.

Good luck.

Joe

[Barry Chappell]

Re: another oil leak question

I had a very similar leak. Appeared to be the rear main seal, however, after replacing the seal I still had the leak.

Eventually I found the leak. It was coming from the rear seal on the intake manifold.

Barry

[Clem Z.]

if the rear main bearing cap was replaced

without proper sealing to the block all the changing of the rear crank seal will not help as the oil is coming out between the rear cap and block surface

[Jack W.]

same as Barry

for me what appeared to be a main seal leak turned out to be leak from a rear corner of the intake manifold where it mates with the block (I hestitte to us the term "gasket" because it is a seal created with permatex, unless you actually use the little strip of gasket supplied by the maker.

This on a 65 L76, aluminum intake - not an unusual leak from what I have read and been told.

[Mike R.]

Re: another oil leak question

Jim

Don’t forget that it is an old, used, Chevrolet and is just marking its territory. Another Politically Incorrect thought, it probably leaked somewhere the day it came of the factory floor. Ya, I know, no one wants to admit that.
Take a wiping rage with you to the judging field, it helps make some of the leaks “go away.”

Mike

[Duke W.]

Re: another oil leak question

Rear main seals get blamed a lot, but they are often not the culprit. If the rear main seal leaks there should be a film of oil on the front of the flywheel, and you can inspect by removing the sheet metal inspection cover on the front/bottom of the bell housing. If the front of the flywheel is dry, the rear main is probably not the bad guy.

Any minor leak or seepage can end up at the back of the engine. Oil from front leaks can migrate along the pan rail and not drip until they reach the lowest point of the engine at the very rear.

Oil leaks can be real tricky to find and the first "obvious" choice is often not the culprit.

Duke

[Roy B.]

Re: another oil leak question

Leaks!! my 55 is like a Harley , they know where you park, I drive it to much to worry about a little leak and never worry about a rusted frame.