Mysterious oil leak

[jetjock]

I have an oil leak that I can seem to pinpoint. After a washdown I can see it's coming from the right rear side of the block and running down past the coolant block drain. It seems to be coming from that area or back near the EGR cooler or at the right rear corner of the head. It is not a valve cover leak. I can't see back there enough to pinpoint it even using an inspection mirror.

Any ideas? Other than the valve covers what is at the rear of the engine up high (at the head) to leak? The engine has a MHG and 30K miles since rebuild. If it helps this leak is recent and there are no other probems. The car runs great.

Thanx...

 

[catch2nd]

if it was the egr, your would prob hear an exhaust leak... I would guess that it is the valve covers, they are a pain and always seem to leak!!! Best bet is the get some new gaskests and use some gray or black RTV on the the entire surface along with upgrading the fasteners to actual bolts (well anything but screw head)

 

[GrimJack]

There is nothing back there to leak oil except the valve cover gaskets. Even the block / head interface has the oil passage on the other side of the block.

The nearest thing is the oil lines to the turbo, and it would be quite a stretch to get a hole in the high pressure line that would spray that far over without smoking all over the exhaust manifold at the same time.

 

[jetjock]

While I appreciate the input perhaps I wasn't clear. This is not a valve cover leak. The head is dry. The leak is originating behind and below the exhaust manifold at the rear. It seems to be up behind the gold colored coolant tubes where the head joins the block.

Fwiw, in 19 years of owning the car, thru one engine overhaul, and of all the times I've removed the valve covers I've never had one leak anywhere. The only thing I've done is replace the screws with bolts. Silicone is not needed other than a small amount at the front as per the manual. Proper gaskets and the correct torque has always resulted in zero leaks.

 

[boost fiend]

i say try to post some pics and then we might have a better idea of a fix.

 

[GrimJack]

Pics might help.

IMO, if the head gasket were leaking oil at that point, you would have far worse problems to worry about than a leak.

I agree on the valve cover gaskets though, mine have never leaked.

 

[jetjock]

I'm still chasing it. Seems to have stopped for the moment but it's obviously migrating from somewhere in the rear of the engine to that point. Hard to see back there but for sure it's not the valve covers. I've put UV dye in and will trace it in a few days. I'll let you know what it was.

Btw, regarding another post, the heater valve on the firewall is closed whenever the temp is set to minimum, whether the AC is on or not. One reason not to leave your temp set to 65 all the time in warm weather with the AC off. Trust me, you don't want to change a heater core on this car if you can avoid it.