Oil Leak

[saleenboy87146]

I've had my 1994 SHO ATX since Oct. of '97. It's been a great car, just needing routine maintenance. I run mobil 1 and really only chagne oil twice a year. The car has always been virtually leak free( knock on wood ). The last few times I have changed oil I noticed the rear of the oil pan( drivers side ) has been getting a little more damp, never enough to drip though, until now. In the last month or so, all you can smell when driving is oil, and it leaves puddles every where. I crawled under it to investigate a little, the whole top of the tranny is soaked with oil and the rear portion of the oil pan. When I look from the top I can't really see anything. I was gonna pull the passenger side fender well liner and see if I could see more as I can't really where it is coming from, from underneath. Just been way to cold to really work on it ( like less then 20 degrees the last few weeks )

My question what would be leaking higher up on the engine towards the rear of the engine.

Thanks

Scott

 

[zblackbeast]

Sounds like your rear main seal is leaking!! Also, how may miles do you have now? It might be time for a 60k!

 

[frosho]

I think it's more likely the valve cover gasket(s). A leaky rear main isn't going to get oil to the top of the trans. That's not to say the rear main isn't leaking too, though.

 

[91PDXmocha]

I agree on rear valve cover leaking . Id do vc gaskets plug seals and do your intake while your at it, and prob new set of plugs and wires while your there.

 

[SHObill]

stop using synthetic oil! go with 10W30 dino oil!

 

[frosho]

stop using synthetic oil! go with 10W30 dino oil!

QFT! I didn't notice that. Add a quart of ATF to the oil ~500 miles before the next change, and switch to dino after that.

 

[zblackbeast]

I was thnking valve cover too till i thought, well, when the rear seal went out on my friends jeep its threw oil all over teh bell housing soo it could be that.. But after re-reading and noticing the burning oil that sounds more like a valve cover to me!

 

[saleenboy87146]

Thanks for the replies. I'll have to investigate more.

 

[jmpSHO]

Thanks for the replies. I'll have to investigate more.

Also check the oil pressure switch it's a good possibilty that could be leaking as well. If you're not seeing oil on the rear valve cover then then that might be your leak.

 

[rubydist]

stop using synthetic oil! go with 10W30 dino oil!

Gonna have to call BS on that one - I've used Mobil1 5W30 in my red 94 since 94, and it has no more issues with leaks than any other SHO engine. Its got 140k now, and I need to pull the valve covers off and change the gaskets (and check valve clearances...), but it will be the first time they have been off, and up until recently there was no oil in the plugwells and there still isn't any significant leak from the outer gasket.

 

[SHObill]

I don't have a problem with synthetic oil. But, if you have an oil leak, it will leak more & faster with synthetic oil. There is no sense wasting synthetic oil! My 89 has a frt main leak & when I ran synthetic oil, I noticed it leaked more @ high RPM's. Thou in MI a slight oil leak is a 'Good Thing!" LOL

 

[saleenboy87146]

Also check the oil pressure switch it's a good possibilty that could be leaking as well. If you're not seeing oil on the rear valve cover then then that might be your leak.

This was my initial thought on wherer it was coming from, and I think this is where it is coming from. I can kinda see it from the drivers side with a flashlight, it is soaking wet with oil, ....any suggestions on the easiest way to get to it and change it out?

 

[jmpSHO]

This was my initial thought on wherer it was coming from, and I think this is where it is coming from. I can kinda see it from the drivers side with a flashlight, it is soaking wet with oil, ....any suggestions on the easiest way to get to it and change it out?

On an ATX it has to be romoved from the top. Remove the EGR bracket so you can get your arm down there. Also go buy an oil pressure switch socket it will make removal and installation much easier. I have tried it without the tool and it took me a long time and with the tool it took me about 20 min. I bought the socket at NAPA for about $10.

 

[itwonder]

I don't have a problem with synthetic oil. But, if you have an oil leak, it will leak more & faster with synthetic oil. There is no sense wasting synthetic oil! My 89 has a frt main leak & when I ran synthetic oil, I noticed it leaked more @ high RPM's. Thou in MI a slight oil leak is a 'Good Thing!" LOL

My experience concurs with SHOBill on this one. Disagree if you want to. The best choice to minimize leakage in the SHO is to run a quality conventional oil like Castrol GTX, or a synthetic that is really just a highly refined dino oil like Castrol Syntec.

However, if your SHO is making puddles the only fix is disassembly and replacement of the offending seal.