Help tracking down oil leak - front of engine

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

zak

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
May 15, 2002
Messages
1,770
Reaction score
497
Location
east of Hartford
Here's an unusual one -

My car (95 MTX, 115 K, garage kept original owner/engine) has had an oil burning smell on startup. I originally thought it was valve seal time (er, 3.2 upgrade time) but I noticed that the front of the oilpan was wet, right below the AC compressor, and way too high to be the front main seal (front main replaced w/Ford IIRC). It is obviously dripping onto the front of the Y-pipe ahead of the catalytic converter Tracing it up further, there is some dryed/gummy oil right where the front head meets the block.

Obvious suspects are the cam seals (original) or valve cover gaskets (replaced with Felpro at 90 K), any way to narrow down which?
 

itwonder

SHO Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2005
Messages
1,909
Reaction score
556
Location
VA
Take off the upper timing cover and it's pretty easy to see if the forward-most cam seal is leaking. Another leak point is the oil pump outlet, which leaks at the block just below the AC compressor; you leak sounds further up though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: zak

Forum statistics

Threads
107,087
Messages
1,181,310
Members
16,153
Latest member
lapochkarr

Members online

Back
Top