Oil leak leak in fuel pump area. Removed fuel pump last weekend and re-installed with new gaskets. Have a phenolic spacer and have seen them leak before. Drove for two days and still leaking. Top rim of fuel pump, bottom of fuel pump and going onto the motor mount and rearward. Cleanest oil is on top of the fuel pump and beneath it.

Is it possible for the fuel pump to fail such that it leaks oil around the rim on top and still function? A Carter replacement is inexpensive anyway and it's a 45 minute job, but has anyone seen this failure mode or should I look elsewhere?

Other than the oil spot on the front of the exhaust manifold (where'd it come from?) there's no evidence of VC leaks, there's a bolt with sealant in the smog pump mount hole (used this boss and a longer bolt to hold up the fuel pump rod). Evidence of only slight seepage at the balancer seal.

 

It is possible for the fuel pump itself to leak.

Do you have a bolt in the upper of the 2 bolt holes on the front of the motor where the smog pump bracket is missing from?

 

the 'sofakingdom bolt'? yep.

this was a white box fuel pump bought a few years ago. I've put 160000 miles on this in 12 years and my biggest complaint is the quality of aftermarket parts...takes some effort to keep it on the road.

 

Best thing to do then is, quarter car wash the scene of the crime, and watch closely to pinpoint the source.

 

quarter car wash? maybe half a shop towel and some spit. this isn't the first time I put on a clown suit and got shot out of a canon.

 

That's cool too, whatever gets you to the point you can pinpoint the source.

And speaking strictly as someone who's been shot out of a cannon, I don't think a clown suit is the best armor.

 

did indeed appear to be seeping up through the rim of the fuel pump. installed a Carter last night.

It's somewhat comforting that I'm not the only one with 'odd' failures.

 

new Carter fuel pump installed last Wednesday evening. fueled up on the way to work in the morning, double checking for leaks at the gas station-all was good.

pull up to the security gate at work 30 miles later and smell gas when I roll down the window. notice the fuel gage at 1/4 tank.

park around the corner of one of our shops in a gravel lot where our environmental people hopefully won't notice.

fuel pouring out of weep holes in fuel pump.

bought a used E90 that afternoon...

 

Geez, that sucks. But you are not the only one that things like this happen to.