Slight oil leak from front of engine - help identify location?

Hey guys,

I'm noticing smoke when I stop at a light or idle after driving for a while.

Found oil in the general area near my oil filter. From the look of it the leak is in front of the bolts and everything pictured. Assuming the oil is blown back by the wind from driving. Seems to be dripping onto my DP.

Anyone had a similar issue? Timing belt and everything was done 20k ago so those gaskets should all be good.

Hoping it's a cheap fix. I'm getting ready to sell this car and really don't want to put a lot of money into it before I do.

not sure why this was in classifieds, but moved to warranty issues/problems where you'll get help

Oops. I don't always post in the wrong section, but when I do I post unrelated crap in classifieds.

Much appreciated C-lo.

Hahaaa well played! I believe I'm having the same issue as you are and I believe it is the valve cover gaskets. Specifically the passenger side on mine. I have 177K and it actually helped to change to the "high mileage" motor oil but if the car sits for a while the smokeshow will indeed commence.

pics?

could it be the oil filter mount itself?

valve cover gasket leaks are usually easily detected. Close visual inspection will do it. Especially if you clean everything off really well, and see where a fresh leak comes from.

As far as the timing stuff, those little gaskets for the plastic covers aren't really meant to hold oil in. Contrary, they should let it out so it doesn't oil down the t-belt, and it tells you that you have a leak from somewhere in there that is of more importance (like a cam seal or the oil pump seal).

Should be a picture up there.

I used rotella for a while and didn't have this leak, just switched to 5-30 castrol and noticed the leak. I could probably switch back and the leak may go away, but that's not really fixing the problem.

I'll try to check valve cover gaskets tonight and clean everything as best I can.

I originally thought it was oil filter mount but when I cleaned off that area no new oil formed, looks like it just ended up blowing onto the oil filter and trickling down.

(no pic shows up)

that sounds more like valve covers or from inside the timing covers.

I hate to say it.. but after doing some research, my guess is you've got a passenger side head gasket leak. More specifically, the bottom front corner appears to be leaking.

That picture looks like the bottom of the oil pump, I'm thinking front main seal on the pump.

Contact m sprank, his shop is close to you. He can take care of you.

www.infamousperformance.net

The pic is now showing up for me too. Does look like the front of the motor, meaning probably the oil pump housing mountaing bolts, or the seal on the front of the crank. If the t-belt was done 20K ago, they could've dorked something up.

You can at least take the drive belts, crank pulley, and then plastic covers off first, and see if that is where the leak is coming from -- either seal or from the mounting bolts. I think you can get to several of the mounting bolts without disturbing the t-belt. Check those torques.

Also, those two plugs right there on the bottom of the oil pump housing, could leak although I don't think I've ever seen it.

I seriously doubt it's the oil pan right in the front side there. But it still could be a cam seal, and just dripping out various places from behind the plastic covers. I've seen buggered cam seals spewing oil all over the place (made it look like oil was coming out of every orifice), albeit that was on a 2.2 SOHC engine.

I cleaned everything last night. Hoping to have a better idea when I look at it again tomorrow.

I know I'm going to end up taking it to Infamous I don't know why I'm putting it off. Just inconvenient getting a ride back from Escondido but it's better than putting this off hoping it fixes itself.

Thanks guys I'll check oil pump housing. If it is that is there an oil pump gasket I can replace or does the whole pump need replacing?