Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
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Joined: Mar 2010
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From: charlotte
Car: 1986 Camaro
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 411
Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
I've Been Finding Oil All Over & Underneath My Distributor & Plenum On My 5.7 TPI And There's Oil All Under The Hood Around That Area Too So I'm Guessing It's An Oil Leak Under Pressure? I've Wiped Everything Down Then Checked To See Where It Might Be Coming From After Driving It Around A Little Bit But I Still Can't Determine Where It Is, Does This Problem Sound Familiar To Anyone?
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 5,364
Likes: 51
From: Enschede, Netherlands
Car: 82 TA 87 IZ L98 88 IZ LB9 88 IZ L98
Engine: 5.7TBI 5,7TPI 5.0TPI, 5,7TPI
Transmission: T5, 700R4, T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.08, 3.27, 3.45, 3.27
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
oil pressure switch, dr side next to the dizzy. Either the switch is leaking or the plastic elbow broke.
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 284
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From: charlotte
Car: 1986 Camaro
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 411
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
The pressure switch by the oil filter? i just replaced it a few months ago so i never checked but maybe it broke again. That would be crazy how the oil got underneath the distributor and all in that area though, i'll go check that right now & reply, thanks!
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 284
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From: charlotte
Car: 1986 Camaro
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 411
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
There's a little bit of oil on the switch but it looks like it's been there awhile, i wiped it down and i'll keep checking it after i drive it every time to see what happens, thanks for the info. Is there anywhere else i can Also check to start troubleshooting?
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Not in Kansas anymore
Car: 82 Z28
Engine: 383 SP EFI/ 4150 TB
Transmission: T400
Axle/Gears: QP 9" 3.73
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
Member



Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 402
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From: Yorktown, VA
Car: 1989 IROC-Z
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 4th gen rear with 3.42
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
There is a circle gasket under the Distributor, if it went bad it would allow oil to shoot out while running. Mine went bad and covered the firewall with oil.
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 284
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From: charlotte
Car: 1986 Camaro
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 411
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
Yeah the distributor was replaced 3 years ago along with the ring but i'm thinking it could be that. I will probably change it anyway just in case and if it isn't that at least it wont be a problem in the near future.
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Joined: Mar 2010
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From: charlotte
Car: 1986 Camaro
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 411
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
The Oil Leak Just Got A Lot Worse I Wiped My Engine Down Clean & I Drove 20 Miles To Fullerton & There Was A Mess Of Oil All Around The Back Of The Intake, Under The Runners And Around The Distributor. I Added Another Quart At The Gas Station And All The Way Home My Oil Pressure Was Dropping & Going Up, It Dropped Into The Red A Few Times. I Got Home & Popped The Hood While The Car Was Still Running & It Was A Big Mess, I Pulled The Throttle Lightly & There Appeared To Be Oil Sprinkling Straight Up Somewhere Next To The Distributor On The Right Hand/Drivers Side. Any Ideas? I'm Hoping To Get This Problem Fixed Today Since This Is My Daily So If Anyone Has Anymore Ideas I Would Really Appreciate It, Thanks.
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 5,364
Likes: 51
From: Enschede, Netherlands
Car: 82 TA 87 IZ L98 88 IZ LB9 88 IZ L98
Engine: 5.7TBI 5,7TPI 5.0TPI, 5,7TPI
Transmission: T5, 700R4, T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.08, 3.27, 3.45, 3.27
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
See the pic above, the sensors there are the most likely culprit, the crimps on the pressure senders fail often and will result in oil shooting out under pressure
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 284
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From: charlotte
Car: 1986 Camaro
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 411
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 5,364
Likes: 51
From: Enschede, Netherlands
Car: 82 TA 87 IZ L98 88 IZ LB9 88 IZ L98
Engine: 5.7TBI 5,7TPI 5.0TPI, 5,7TPI
Transmission: T5, 700R4, T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.08, 3.27, 3.45, 3.27
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
Yes, what you see is next to distributor. Although the pic is a vette setup with 2 sensors (one is a pressure switch, the other is for the gauges) yours will have a single elbow and 1 sending unit. I've had the narrow ones like in the pic aove fail on 2 cars and the oil would come ouf of the electrical connector. The larger early ones tend to leak at the crimp.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 284
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From: charlotte
Car: 1986 Camaro
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 411
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
Yes, what you see is next to distributor. Although the pic is a vette setup with 2 sensors (one is a pressure switch, the other is for the gauges) yours will have a single elbow and 1 sending unit. I've had the narrow ones like in the pic aove fail on 2 cars and the oil would come ouf of the electrical connector. The larger early ones tend to leak at the crimp.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 284
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From: charlotte
Car: 1986 Camaro
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 411
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
This Is A Picture Underneath The Plenum Looking In From The Driver's Side, Does That Have Anything To Do With Oil??
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 5,364
Likes: 51
From: Enschede, Netherlands
Car: 82 TA 87 IZ L98 88 IZ LB9 88 IZ L98
Engine: 5.7TBI 5,7TPI 5.0TPI, 5,7TPI
Transmission: T5, 700R4, T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.08, 3.27, 3.45, 3.27
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
no, that's the intake air temp sensor, no oil there or under the plenum. ONly the oil press switch in the rear china wall of the block.
Last edited by Twin_Turbo; Feb 18, 2012 at 01:25 PM.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 284
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From: charlotte
Car: 1986 Camaro
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 411
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
Alright So That Has Nothing To Do With My Problem Then. So Where Would That Oil Pressure Switch Be On The Passenger Or Driver's Side Of The Distributor?
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 5,364
Likes: 51
From: Enschede, Netherlands
Car: 82 TA 87 IZ L98 88 IZ LB9 88 IZ L98
Engine: 5.7TBI 5,7TPI 5.0TPI, 5,7TPI
Transmission: T5, 700R4, T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.08, 3.27, 3.45, 3.27
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
drivers side
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 14
From: Not in Kansas anymore
Car: 82 Z28
Engine: 383 SP EFI/ 4150 TB
Transmission: T400
Axle/Gears: QP 9" 3.73
Re: Oil All Over Distributor & Hood
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