Oil leak

[cstrat]

Have a small oil leak on 95 MTX i've looked around under the car and can't see the source anywhere on the engine. The oil seems to be collecting on the transmission and dripping off from there-i'm pretty sure it's engine oil and not gear ****. It has that sort of yellow color like mobil 1 does mobil 1 is the engine oil i use. Anyone else had a leak like this?

 

[TYSHO]

Possibly your rear main seal, though you have the carrier gasket and oil pan end gasket that's in the same area. Where specifically is it at and coming off the tranny from? Is it where the engine and trans mate together? Not for sure, but sounds like the rear main seal.

 

[cstrat]

Well it really doesn't collect in a specific area on the tranny, just kind of coats the bottom of the housing and then starts to drip off. Wondering if I go to a heavier cold viscosity like 5w-30 or 10w-30 instead of the 0w-30 I'm using if it would help.

 

[autobahnsho]

Wondering if I go to a heavier cold viscosity like 5w-30 or 10w-30 instead of the 0w-30 I'm using if it would help.

Usually doesn't help.

The rear main is right up inside the bell housing where the tranny and motor meet. (They call it a bell because the housing goes around the clutch like a bell, the clutch would be where the **** thing is.)

There is also a carrier gasket that would be checked and/or changed at the same time, it sits right next to the rear main and can also leak eventually.

Best way with oil leaks is to spray the underside w/ hot water, let it dry, then drive it some. Get under it w/ a flashlight (and lift if available). Remember oil will get smeared from front to rear of the car as you drive and the wind whips it...

 

[NoFlipping]

I just went thru this on my 95 MTX too. I'd hoped for a leaking rear oil pan seal - no luck. Moved on to real main seal (threw in a new clutch since the labor was just about free, doing the rear main) - no luck. Turned out to be the carrier seal. Improperly installed during manufacture - part of gasket not even applied to part of sealing surface. Maybe too much sake on that shift.

 

[autobahnsho]

If it's not leaking TOO bad, and you figure it's coming from the rear main area, I'd wait a while, and save up some $$. Then I'd do like NoFlipping and change the clutch out at the same time.

It's a lot of work to take everything apart, but once you're there, a new clutch will add only around 30 minutes of work to changing the rear main. And DON'T forget the carrier gasket.

Shonutperformance.com has a great video that will show you all the parts in question and the work involved. I'd even let the mechanic watch this video if you don't want to do it yourself.

 

[TYSHO]

Try using Castrol High Milage 5W-30 or the Valoline High Milage type oil. I believe they have additives to help swell the seals a little. If it has a minor leak, this should cure it until you have the time and money to fix the problem. If it doesn't stop it completely, it'll slow the leak. Do not add any additives to the motor, as it's not specifically made to blend and **** correctly with all oils, or any in that matter. That's why there's high milage oils.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Honestly in MO this time of year I'd be running 10W-30, which may abate the leak somewhat. I'd never run 0W-30. Even as cold as it gets up here in New England during the winter, 5W-30 is more than sufficient, and is what the factory specifies as the preferred viscosity, with 10W-30 as an option (which is what I'm runnning now).

 

[Shoaz]

Are you using Synchromesh tranny fluid by any chance? It's yellowish, too.

I'm having the exact same problem, and I strongly suspect that it is the selector shaft seal in the transmission. In other words, in my case I think it's the tranny that's leaking. If it is tranny fluid then it is also possibly the axle seal on the passenger side. Both are much easier to deal with than the carrier seal at the rear of the engine, but you should be able to isolate the two by carefully determining whether it is engine oil or transmission fluid that is leaking.

BTW, I am so done with this synchromesh crap. Moving back to plain-jane ATF for a while.

 

[NoFlipping]

My oil leak sometimes have a rather "yellow" cast to it as well, particularly after a rain for some reason. I'm pretty sure that's clutch dust mixing with the leaking oil. Someone in an earlier post referred to this as a "clutch milkshake."