hey

i have a 97obw 2.5 dohc with 188000 mi. just rebuilt engine due to a failure of tb idler. anyways i have put 8000 miles on car since the rebuild. it runs great. just did a oil change and noticed a lot of oil near the rear bottom of the engine. on the crossmember runing from one side of the car to the other. i did replace the rear main seal. i checked where the tranny and engine meet and don't see any oil coming from there so i am pretty sure the rear main seal is fine. can't think of anything else back there that might leak. any ideas? i have checked the heads as well and don't see any oil out of them either. i have heard something about seperator plate but do not know what that is.

 

thanks jake

hey

i have a 97obw 2.5 dohc with 188000 mi. just rebuilt engine due to a failure of tb idler. anyways i have put 8000 miles on car since the rebuild. it runs great. just did a oil change and noticed a lot of oil near the rear bottom of the engine. on the crossmember runing from one side of the car to the other. i did replace the rear main seal. i checked where the tranny and engine meet and don't see any oil coming from there so i am pretty sure the rear main seal is fine. can't think of anything else back there that might leak. any ideas? i have checked the heads as well and don't see any oil out of them either. i have heard something about seperator plate but do not know what that is.

 

thanks jake

 

did you rebuild it or did somone else? and what exactly got rebuilt

 

nipper

i rebuilt it. i replace clutch and all parts related, rear main seal, had the cylinder heads rebuilt and replace all gaskets and seals related did the crank seal, cam seals, timing belt, idlers and water pump.

 

jake

i rebuilt it. i replace clutch and all parts related, rear main seal, had the cylinder heads rebuilt and replace all gaskets and seals related did the crank seal, cam seals, timing belt, idlers and water pump.

 

jake

 

did you re seal the waterpump

 

nipper

yeah i re sealed the water pump. i worked at a boat mechanic shop kinda as an apprentice. they made sure i used the right kinda sealent and stuff like that. i just can't figure out where the oil leak is. the seperator plate would leak as the same spot as the rear main seal right? and if i don't have a leak out of where the transmission meets the engine it could rule those out.

 

is there an oil cooler or anything back there?

 

thanks again jake

yeah i re sealed the water pump. i worked at a boat mechanic shop kinda as an apprentice. they made sure i used the right kinda sealent and stuff like that. i just can't figure out where the oil leak is. the seperator plate would leak as the same spot as the rear main seal right? and if i don't have a leak out of where the transmission meets the engine it could rule those out.

 

is there an oil cooler or anything back there?

 

thanks again jake

 

im sorry i meant oil pump. ANother good place for a leak is the oil pressure switch. Waterpump just gets replaced.

So you resealed the oil pump?

 

nipper

Oil seperator plate? Maybe rear cam end caps?

 

Also, if you had a bad leak from before, there will be an amazing amount of oil still oozing out of the crossmember and the steering rack.

Oil seperator plate? Maybe rear cam end caps?

 

Also, if you had a bad leak from before, there will be an amazing amount of oil still oozing out of the crossmember and the steering rack.

 

ooo i forgot the steering rack. Is it dripping on the exhaust pipe?

 

nipper

it is dripping on exhaust pipe.

what is the steering rack and where may i find it?

 

you guys are awesome

 

jake

power steering rack. Follow the power stering hoses. How is your PS fluid level. Did you say the oil pan was wet?

 

 

nipper

You personally rebuilt the motor, but don't know where the steering rack is? How is this possible?

ok, i never said I was a mechanic. just a broke kid so i just pulled a few hoses and a few bolts and engine mounts and voilla. engine came out. followed manual and replaced parts. anyways ... power steering fluid hasn't drop a drop. so i am still kinda lost. raised the car up today and still couldn't find oil coming out of space between transmision and engine. but there is oil all over where two exhaust pipes come together and on a little square plate between exhaust and oil pan. didn't look like oil pan was clean though.checked transmission fluid level. it is perfect. i didn't mention i have a cam seal leak. (my fault or bad seal) but you can see oil coming out of tb cover and isn't near where other leak is. sorry if i am being a paine

 

thanks again jake

ok, i never said I was a mechanic. just a broke kid so i just pulled a few hoses and a few bolts and engine mounts and voilla. engine came out. followed manual and replaced parts. anyways ... power steering fluid hasn't drop a drop. so i am still kinda lost. raised the car up today and still couldn't find oil coming out of space between transmision and engine. but there is oil all over where two exhaust pipes come together and on a little square plate between exhaust and oil pan. didn't look like oil pan was clean though.checked transmission fluid level. it is perfect. i didn't mention i have a cam seal leak. (my fault or bad seal) but you can see oil coming out of tb cover and isn't near where other leak is. sorry if i am being a paine

 

thanks again jake

 

ok i am going with a main seal leak or a oil pump seal leak, knowing the Above. Those are the two that can make big leaks. Looks like you get to do it all over again (timing belt wise)

 

nipper

ok i am going with a main seal leak or a oil pump seal leak, knowing the Above. Those are the two that can make big leaks. Looks like you get to do it all over again (timing belt wise)

 

nipper

 

well thanks for the advice. i am planning on going into the tb this week to do the cam seal so i will find out hopefully if it is main seal or oil pump. i just hope it isn't the rear main seal. do not want to go throught that.

well thanks for the advice. i am planning on going into the tb this week to do the cam seal so i will find out hopefully if it is main seal or oil pump. i just hope it isn't the rear main seal. do not want to go throught that.

 

 

well it can be. Seals can wear a groove in the shafts. The trick is not to install the seal as deep as the original seal to avoid that.

 

nipper