Oil Leaks Everywhere - Need Advice

[SuperG]

I finally put my car on ramps and took a hard look underneath the engine yesterday before sundown. It looks like oil is leaking from the valve covers, side mount, oil pan, rear main seal, and front seal. And there is a small coolant leak from the radiator.

Today, I will clean the underside and verify the leaks. The oil pan should just be a gasket, the valve covers have a valve cover seal set at Autozone, and there may be a leaking cam seal , oil level sender, and oil pressure swich...but the rest? No way can I do this work to plug all the leaks. Don't you have to remove the transmission (93 ATX) to get to the rear main seal?

Any ideas on labor cost to get all this repaired? Should I just continue adding oil every so often? What engine components need to be protected from the leaks? I know the starter doesn't like taking oil baths...how do I install the 2 liter coke bottle idea...Ahhhh! So much stuff...Send Help!

 

[sdpatt]

The transmission must come off to repalce the rear main seal. You need to talk to Sergio Perfetti at Jerry's Automotive in Houston. He is a SHO owner, mechanic, racer and all-around guru. The leaks can be fixed, but at a cost. Until then, oil is cheap.

 

[SuperG]

Thanks, Scott...I know Sergio quite well. I spent several thousand at Jerry's a few years ago and had Sergio replace all kinds of stuff at 120k miles. He sure knows his stuff!

I'll give him a call and pick his brain a while...until then, oil is cheap!

 

[luigisho]

Why not do all the top stuff yourself and pay less labor for the bottom end? I mean, to get to the rear main the oil pan and all the others come off anyway. So maybe a little half and half is in order. There are several different SHO gasket sets on ebay right now. Maybe you can get the parts below retail.

 

[SuperG]

That's a good idea...I'll definitely want to save as much as I can...and it wouldn't hurt to learn a little about maintenance, either!

 

[Sho-N-Go]

sdpatt:
The transmission must come off to repalce the rear main seal. You need to talk to Sergio Perfetti at Jerry's Automotive in Houston. He is a SHO owner, mechanic, racer and all-around guru. The leaks can be fixed, but at a cost. Until then, oil is cheap.

APPARENTLY guys seem to forget the affects of valve covers leaking. I personally hate seeing guys do their own work only to have this happening. Or "my car dont run right now" Yes I agree with guys trying stuff but if you are not confident I mean completly confident Dont do your own work. As for the oil leaks. It only takes once to start a fire. That is exactly what has happened to Four SHO's I personally know of that started DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. yeah oil is cheap but another car isnt. I posted a link to what I am talking about

http://www.shoforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=30;t=001335

 

[luigisho]

I do agree with the premise that oil leaks can lead to engine fires. However, I will differ with the not doing your own work.
If you end up over your head you can always hand it to a professional at any time along the way. So save a few hundred on the front end with the off chance of paying a mechanic + maybe $60 for the tow. I'll try it myself first.