The Oil Gusher

[enaberif]

Valve covers should be internally baffled and then you use grommets like these (http://static.speedwaymotors.com/RS/...L_166fac68.jpg) which allows things like your PCV and Breather to function properly.

If you use closed off grommets your not allowing your system to breathe properly. Grommets with the little flap are for valve covers which do not have internal baffles.

Threaded port behind carb on the intake manifold is a full vacuum port which can be used for anything that requires manifold vacuum like the distributor or shift modulator on a th350.

[gmcnoob]

Originally Posted by enaberif

Valve covers should be internally baffled and then you use grommets like these (http://static.speedwaymotors.com/RS/...L_166fac68.jpg) which allows things like your PCV and Breather to function properly.


If you use closed off grommets your not allowing your system to breathe properly. Grommets with the little flap are for valve covers which do not have internal baffles.

Threaded port behind carb on the intake manifold is a full vacuum port which can be used for anything that requires manifold vacuum like the distributor or shift modulator on a th350.

Even after looking it up I am not sure if my valve covers are internally baffled... Therefore I am a bit baffled.

Do you think in this case in I need a baffled grommet or one of those breathers that looks like a little air filter?

Currently my distributor advance is connected to the carb with the smaller rubber hose in the first pic and the transmission modulator is connected to the rear of the carb with the rubber hose in the second picture. Brake booster is the metal line going into the back of the carb. Am I ok this way or would you recommend I hook them up differently. Sorry for being such a noob.

It's a greasy mess but I gotta fix this leak before giving everything a thorough cleaning.

[enaberif]

Your vac lines are hooked up properly yes.

If you look at this image on the right side you'll see the internal baffle I am talking about (http://www.yourcovers.com/valve_cove..._inside_lg.jpg). If you pull off your covers you should have these and if you don't then you need the grommets with the little flap.

If you do have the baffles then you need the grommets that are straight through.

[gmcnoob]

Ok. I've had enough of this leak. Where can I find the stock valve covers? I have a feeling it's this cheap chrome junk causing my problem.

[franken]

If you have a properly vented engine, the valve covers won't leak due to pressure. If you have cheap, or warped valve covers, that may be a problem, but that's gaskets.
Do you have a chrome timing cover?
Is the seal leaking at the crank?
The seal digs a groove in the crank, wipes the seal and barfs oil out the front. The oil blows back and confuses things.

[gmcnoob]

After crawling under the truck and taking pictures to find this leak I found something that probably should have been noticed sooner. This thing between the oil pan and the transmission fluid pan has a hole that appears to be where a plug should go. First question is what is this? Did I lose a plug of some kind? I never noticed one there before but it is now obvious that oil gushes out of it. The hole was where you see the bolt sticking out in the middle. It's just a temporary plug. Go easy on me.

[enaberif]

That hole is meant to be there. IF you have oil coming out of there you can take it off as its the shield for the flywheel and if oil IS coming from there you have either a) leaky intake manifold on the rear china wall b) rear main seal is leaking.

Both are VERY common to happen and easy to fix if your engine has a 2 piece rear main. If you have a 1 piece rear main then its a bit more difficult.

[Slammed84]

Uhh ohh....

That cover is a dust cover for the flexplate/torque converter. If that is full of oil then most likey the rear main seal is gone.

Take that cover off ( should be 4 bolts ) and it should fall right out as long as you dont have stock exhaust running underneath.

Take a clean rag and wipe up all the oil from the back of the oil pan. Get you a good flashlight and watch the area between the oil pan and flexplate while the engine is running. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL TO NOT GET YOUR HAND CAUGHT IN THERE. Just lok and you will see the oil seeping out of the rear main seal.

Its not inpossible that the oil from above coyld be getting in there but every time ive seen oil leaking from inside thay cover, it has been the rear main

[gmcnoob]

Okay. Thanks you guys. I just temporarily put that bolt in there and let it run for a few minutes and noticed that it stopped the oil from leaking. Hopefully I didn't screw something up by letting it run like that for a few minutes.

Could oil have been pulled up from here enough to have the pooling on the intake bolts from the original post?

[gmcnoob]

Originally Posted by enaberif

That hole is meant to be there. IF you have oil coming out of there you can take it off as its the shield for the flywheel and if oil IS coming from there you have either a) leaky intake manifold on the rear china wall b) rear main seal is leaking.

Both are VERY common to happen and easy to fix if your engine has a 2 piece rear main. If you have a 1 piece rear main then its a bit more difficult.

Thanks. How do I know if I have a one or two piece?

[Slammed84]

Originally Posted by gmcnoob

Thanks. How do I know if I have a one or two piece?

Do you know when then motor was made? 86 wasthe last year for two piece unless its a goodwrench crate motor. The one piece seal has a contraption that protrudes past the back of the block. You would see it if you took that cover off.

[Slammed84]

This is a 1 pc. Seal

[Slammed84]

This is a 2 pc. Rear main seal

[gmcnoob]

Originally Posted by Slammed84

Do you know when then motor was made? 86 wasthe last year for two piece unless its a goodwrench crate motor. The one piece seal has a contraption that protrudes past the back of the block. You would see it if you took that cover off.

I'll pull the cover off and have a look tomorrow. I have no idea when the motor was made but the truck is an 86 K2500.

[gmcnoob]

Is there any chance of this rear main seal being done from under the truck

[enaberif]

Originally Posted by gmcnoob

I'll pull the cover off and have a look tomorrow. I have no idea when the motor was made but the truck is an 86 K2500.

Behind the alternator is a flat pad with a bunch of numbers on it. Post what it says and we can give you a better idea. If the engine is original to the truck you probably have a 2 piece seal.

It stopped leaking because you blocked the hole :P Pull out the bolt and you'll have a shower of oil

[greg64]

I'd agree that it's probably the rear main leaking. I think we all hope that it's leaking at the back of the block between the intake and block, because that's an easier fix. The manifold can leak, but I've never been that "lucky".

There's no chance the leaking fluid is actually ATF, is there? If the front seal on the transmission was gone, atf could also pool in that dust cover.

As for the 1 piece / two piece seal, reach up behind the flex plate while the dust cover is off. If the crank flange is completely circular (you'll have to roll the engine over a bit by hand) it's a one piece. If the crank flange has "notches" in it, it's a two piece.

[rich weyand]

I don't know how you get oil on the intake manifold bolts from the rear main seal leaking.

You may have two problems.

[Titomars]

Originally Posted by rich weyand

I don't know how you get oil on the intake manifold bolts from the rear main seal leaking.

You may have two problems.

Agreed that is just not happening! Are we sure the oil pressure sender/oil line is not leaking? this definitely looks like a pressurized oil leak. even the intake end seal failing would not get oil all over the carb and upper manifold areas. Neither would valve covers.

[Bigstevex4]

Originally Posted by rich weyand

I don't know how you get oil on the intake manifold bolts from the rear main seal leaking.

You may have two problems.

Isn't that the truth! If you have a leak that bad 0n top it will run down the back. ive yet to see were you cleaned it up and looked at it when its running and see were its leaking. But that's just me.

[gmcnoob]

Originally Posted by rich weyand

I don't know how you get oil on the intake manifold bolts from the rear main seal leaking.

You may have two problems.

Oh yeah. No doubt about it. It's not pooling on the intake bolts any more. I don't know if it was coming from the distributor but I redid the gasket and it stopped. I was just wondering if it was even possible for oil to make its way up from the rear main seal somehow. Oil is all over everything else so who knows.

Also I was wondering since I have a gushing oil leak why the oil pressure stays between 50 and 60. Even after just about all of the oil has leaked out. It literally rains oil under the truck after it has been warmed up. Oil pressure goes past 60 when it is just started up.

On another note I don't know if this is even possible (seems that it is) but when I replaced the distributor gasket I noticed that it was never fully seated to begin with. The previous owner had two gaskets and way too much sealant to compensate for the gap. I managed to get it fully seated with one gasket. Thankfully I got it to start and run nicely. I assume the pooling on the intake bolts could have been coming from there?

Thanks for your valuable information.

[gmcnoob]

Originally Posted by enaberif

Behind the alternator is a flat pad with a bunch of numbers on it. Post what it says and we can give you a better idea. If the engine is original to the truck you probably have a 2 piece seal.

It stopped leaking because you blocked the hole :P Pull out the bolt and you'll have a shower of oil

Here is what I found. What do these tell you?

[enaberif]

Originally Posted by gmcnoob

Here is what I found. What do these tell you?

v0109tjm

V = Flint
01 = January
09 = January 9th
TJW=
TJW 1972 307 fwrd cab - 135 2 C-20 & 30
TJW 1973 350 van & bus - 155 4 C-10 to 3500
TJW 1974 350 van & bus - 160 4 C-10 to 3500
TJW 1980 350 conv. cab, a/t M LT9 - 4 C-20 to 3500

The 135/150/160 is the HP rating

The 4 is the carburator style

[gmcnoob]

Originally Posted by enaberif

That hole is meant to be there. IF you have oil coming out of there you can take it off as its the shield for the flywheel and if oil IS coming from there you have either a) leaky intake manifold on the rear china wall b) rear main seal is leaking.

Both are VERY common to happen and easy to fix if your engine has a 2 piece rear main. If you have a 1 piece rear main then its a bit more difficult.

Snapped a bunch of pics tonight and if I'm not mistaken it looks like one of the seals has failed. I'm assuming that is what the goopy looking black thing was. What do you think? Small amounts of oil were coming from there but I'm sure it would have been gushing if I had let it warm up completely.

I'll post a few more pics. Can't seem to post more than one at a time from the phone.

[gmcnoob]

Another picture of the area.