C2-Front and Rear Engine Oil Leaks

[Donald M.]

I noticed two oil leaks on my '67 327/300 engine recently. One is from the front of the engine, and leaves a spattered oil trail on the bottom of the hood after driving.Aside from the front crankshaft seal in the timing cover, what could it be? The next leak is at the right rear of the engine in the area of the starter motor. I think it's a leaky valve cover gasket. What other source could the oil be coming from?
Thanx,
Don

[Allan J. Wicklund]

Re: C2-Front and Rear Engine Oil Leaks

Does your car have A/C? AL W.

[Donald M.]

Re: C2-Front and Rear Engine Oil Leaks

No A/C, But has P/S.
Don

[Gerard F.]

Re: C2-Front and Rear Engine Oil Leaks

Don,

Are you sure the front leak is oil and not power steering fluid. If one of the power steering hoses gets a leak, it will spray all over the front of the engine. I just went through this on my 67/300HP.

Just a thought.

Jerry Fuccillo
#42179

[Joe L.]

Re: C2-Front and Rear Engine Oil Leaks

Don-----

The front leak could be from the front crankshaft seal or power steering components as Jerry described. However, it could also be from a a valve cover leak that causes oil to leak down on some rotating component and be "flung" to the hood. Valve cover leaks can cause all sorts of manifestations.

If the amount of oil on the hood is extremely small, it may be silicone fluid leaking from the fan clutch and being "flung" onto the hood. However, there is so little fluid in the clutch to begin with, it can never amount to much on the hood. Usually, this can always be determined by observing the oil film on the fan blades.

As far as the rear goes, it is most likely a valve cover leak, dripping down. This is VERY common. However, it could also be a rear main seal leak.

[Joe R.]

Re: C2-Front and Rear Engine Oil Leaks

The leak in the starter motor area is most likely a valve cover gasket, but another candidate is the rear seal on the intake manifold. Oil can come out of that seal and then run down the block and drip off the starter. That is what turned out to be the cause of a starter motor drip that I had on my 67 SB.

[Donald M.]

Thanks to alI, I'll check them out *NM*

[John H.]

Re: C2-Front and Rear Engine Oil Leaks

Make sure the bolt hole shown below has a bolt in it - it takes a 3/8"-16 x 1/2" bolt, with thread sealer on it; lots of small-blocks are running around out there without the bolt, and they have oil leaking from the fuel pump pushrod channel. Some folks think because those two holes on each side were used for '55-'57 passenger car and truck engine mount brackets, they don't get any bolts on other cars; wrong....THAT through hole ALWAYS gets the bolt noted. The other three holes are blind-tapped. Don't recall where I got the photo, but it's excellent.