I'm a newbie to cars and I have a oil leak coming from the intake near the front of the block closest to the timing cover. My oil pressure is lower than normal like a few notches above the red mark when warmed at idle but shakingly get to the 60 mark at part-throttle even the dipstick is at the full mark. Is this leak bad and what is the problems that will arrive from the leak?

[This message has been edited by scott92RS (edited March 16, 2001).]

 

If it's just the valve covers (probably) then you're fairly ok. The only prob you may run into there is if it leaks down on the plugs/wires and they start arcing or "tracking". You may just need to tweak down the valvecover bolts, or the gaskets may be worn out and need to be replaced. Did it just start or has it always done this. Maybe someone cranked down on the bolts to hard and warped the valve covers.

Wipe off all the old gunk (use gumout, or brake cleaner, or something) and try to pin down where the leak is coming from.

I suppose it could be indicitive of a bad PCV too, so the pressure is building some and forcing oil out.

-Rich

[This message has been edited by rhawki (edited March 17, 2001).]

 

Sounds more like the intake manifold front valley seal. This is the gap between the block and the intake manifold. It ususally requires pulling the intake, then use an intake manifold gasket set that will come with 2 intake to head gaskets, and to valley seals (front and rear).

Many engine builders discard the cork or rubber valley seals in the kit and just use a 1/4 diameter bead (or more with some head/manifold combos like my Trick Flow heads, gap was wider than stock setup) of RTV. I used the Ultra Black RRTV sealer.

But first as mentioned in teh previous post, by all means, clean the front of the block and find exactly where the leak is coming from. Be careful with some solvents, some brake cleaners will remove paint, then you end up with additional rust forming on parts like block, heads, timing cover etc. Also be carefull with solvents and water spray around sensors. Some can be damaged.

------------------
KevinP92Z
92 Z28 383 SLP cam,SLP headers,SLP 2ontheLeft,Trick Flow TW heads & pistons,Edelbrock base,Accel SuperRam,52mmTB,Scat Crank & forged ConnRods,MSD 6AL,SLP convertor,Baer 13/12" Track,Moser axles,Hotchkis,Genuine GM 3.42s,SLP HD Torsen,17x9" chrome SS rims
96T/A w/SLP Ram Air,SLP 2ontheLeft, Bilsteins, Baer, Hotchkis, Genuine GM, Torsen
76 4X4 Blazer 400TPI project

[This message has been edited by KevinP92Z (edited March 16, 2001).]

 

I agree with Kevin. I just put on a Performer intake, and the rubber seal in the back has come 1/2 the way out and I have an oil leak. This intake swap has been nothing but trouble, from a rounded bolt, to a crack (thank you jb weld) to this now. Sorry, any way this is probaly what it is.

------------------
Livin the hot rod dream, one day at a time.
lg4
slp muffler
pro flow air cleaner
performer intake
more to come

 

Oh yea, left all that out about the front intake seal Good point!

I ended up doing the same thing with the full bead of UltraBlack (great stuff!) and the front/rear seal. If the intake doesn't tighten down because of whatever mods (i.e. diff heads/intake), just scrap the cork and fill'er up with UltraBlack. Works great (clean the surfaces with break cleaner first). At one time i had some black rubber seals with little nipples that matched holes in the block, those were actually pretty good. I don't ever use just the regular cork, because of issues like 85berlinetta is having, where it shifts or starts to squish out.

Also, if the joints where the "side" gasket and the front seal were never siliconed correctly, they'll definately leak.

-Rich

[This message has been edited by rhawki (edited March 17, 2001).]