I was changing the oil in my IROC-Z this weekend and when I was filling the engine with oil, I saw it seeping (almost gushing) out somewhere RIGHT about the oil filter. I thought maybe I didn't have it tight enoug and I checked it and sure enough it was tight and the leak was actually above where the filter screws on.

I have never seen this before. Any ideas? How hard of a fix is it?

 

Probably the valve cover gasket.

 

Its Very definately coming from somewhere right smack above the oil filter, I saw it coming out right about there when adding the oil. Checked the valve covers and they are fine.

 

Oil pressure sending unit?

 

On my 91 395 Formula the oil pressure sender is right above the oil filter. But the oil cooler is between the oil filter and the pressure sender. If you have two small (half inch or so) pipes coming along the side of the oil pan and ending right above the oil filter, then you have a similar oil cooler to mine. The reason I bring this up is the gasket for that cooler went bad on mine and started dripping a lot of oil in a very short time. Hope this helps!



- Vern

 

By chance did the old filter's gasket stick to the block? You may have two gaskets on there.

 

Tighten up the cooler.

 

you might also want to check the two screws that hold on the oil filter assembly. on the part where you screw in the filter, there should be two screws that hold that to the block.

 

i'll go with rb and say the valve cover gasket. about the only place the oil will pool up and then leak out past the seal.

 

There's basically nowhere anywhere near the oil filter for oil to come out of while you're pouring it into the left valve cover, right above the oil filter boss.

On the other hand, when you pour oil into the left valve cover, the left valve cover fills up if you pour it in faster than the drainback hole will allow it to drain; and if the left valve cover gasket is bad, the oil can run to the back corner of the VC and drip directly onto the oil filter boss which is right immediately straight down below the left valve cover where you're pouring the oil in.

"The simplest explanation that fits all the facts is usually the right one."
- Occam, ancient Greek philosopher, probably uttered to someone who didn't want to believe the most logical conclusion

 

I had exactly the same problem, exactly this weekend, when I replaced the oil and oil filter in my wife's Corsica V6.

I used the old oil filter and nothing, then i went to the Gas Station and the "oil man" tested with the engine running and he said me: "look, it's the oil filter assembly".

I went back to my home in the night, put my tool box, my radio and a "Martini drink" in my garage and started.

1.- I pulled off the oil filter.
2.- I pulled off the oil filter assembly from the block (I used a 15 mm. socket - only it has 1 big bolt -).
3.- The gasket between oil assembly & engine block was cracked. It was the oil leak cause.
4.- I put the oil filter directly in the engine block (used the thread inside the assembly). It's exactly the same measurement.
5.- I drunk 3 "Martinis" and ready. No more leaks until the next oil change when I replace the cracked "oil filter assembly gasket".

Denis V.