Hey guys, the other day I was driving my camaro and noticed smoke rising from my hood. The engine temperature was normal, and so I was poking around and noticed the smoke was actually caused by oil burning off of the heat of my exhaust pipes. Engine oil was leaking from the engine and onto my hot exhaust pipes and burning up. Oil only leaks from my engine when the car is running, and not when it's off. The oil leak is also pretty severe. It's a steady flow...But I can't really make out where it's coming from, other than the center-rear of the engine, a little towards the passenger side of the block. I was wondering if you guys knew common problems for engine leaks while the car is running. I recently had the heads re-cut and sandblasted, and both head gaskets replaced. Coolant levels are fine, if that helps.

Just seein' if this was a common problem and if there were common reasons for it so I can get a sense of how much it'll cost to fix, or if I can tackle it myself.

Thanks a lot guys,
-G

 

Considering, it is leaking on your headers I would rule out rear main seal. However it sounds like it is time to change out your intake manifold gasket and valve cover gaskets.

When you get the intake manifold gaskets, sometimes they give you rubber seals for the front and back china walls. Just throw those away and use RTV instead.

 

 

Oil pressure sending unit?

 

Actually, the intake manifold gaskets and valve cover gaskets were all replaced very recently. The leak is deep under the engine, and not visible or touchable from the top of the engine.

 

^^^^^
look

 

Nice pic of a bolt next to the timing chain! (I don't get it). Since your engine only leaks while running, that eliminates a hole in the pan. Right? The order of leak down the back of the engine would be,
1. bad oil pressure sending unit
2. Leaking valve cover gasket

I would think the sending unit is the culprit being it has the most constant pressure on it but if the lower rear corner on the valve cover is bent and not sealing to the head it will pool up there and leak before the intake would being the lifter gally is so much deeper than the depth of the head to valve cover is.
a good rule for a bad sending unit is leaking about 2 qts. of oil for 1 day of driving around town or every 50 mi. If you have 30-40- lbs. of pressure, a small mirror and a flashlight should help find the leaky sending unit with the engine running.

 

Thanks for all the replies guys. Either way, doesn't sound like too severe of a problem. The car goes to the mechanic tomorrow and I'll letcha know what it was as soon as I get the car back.

Thanks again.

 

I know this is an old thread (like a 6yr old) lol .., but any idea what the problem was?

 

Bump ... Any word on the problem?

 

Not sure what happened to the pic I put up there; but here's another.



If you don't have a bolt there, then you can look in that hole and stare RIGHT DIRECTLY AT the fuel pump push rod; and if you don't have one of those, you MIGHT be able to see your crankshaft.

Check it. If there's not a bolt there, put a SHORT 3/8" std thread bolt (like ½") in it, with a drop of sealer on the threads. Then take the car to the $0.25 car wash and clean it up so you can see if it did any good.