i have noticed an oil leak in my car (89 camaro rs, tbi w/ 5 speed). when the car is parked, i looked under it and noticed oil is dripping from where the engine connects to the trans....could this be the rear main seal??

 

Possible. I'd try just tightening the pan bolts down to spec before anything drastic though.

 

YES very much so. The old style small block chevys are known big time for that. its the seal (most likely on the side rear of the pan) is leaking. The trick is when/if you put on a new oil pan gasket is get some silicone and give a decent amount on the corners of the front/rear seal.

 

the oil pan was replaced just before i bought the car...is it possible the bolts came loose a lil bit...and if the gaskets bad..is it possible to change it with the engine in the car?

 

!!! well i just got under my car..and my frickin oil filter was barely on there!! im surprised it didnt fall off!! hope this fixes the problem!!

 

damn..its still leaking..looks like its dripping from the bottom of the trans..just behind the oil pan

 

I would do as suggested and try tightening up the rear bolts on the oil pan. Mine was leaking from the back of the oil pan and it was oily clear to the back of the trans pan. The air blowing under there kind of makes it hard to find where its coming from. What I did was got under there and cleaned it all up then let it run in place for a while, shut it off and then cam back a few minutes later and checked where the oil was coming from.

Ben

 

indeed it is, i've took the pan out without completly taking out the engine (i took out the motor mounts and jacked the front of the engine until til cap came close to rubbing against the firewall.)

But i've changed the gasket without messing with the engine placement. Just had to take off the starter (even at that i didn't have to disconnect any wires, just the 2 bolts and moved it onto the exhaust and you'll need to do that to get to 3 oil pan bolts)