[FC] Oil Pan Leak Woes

[Ken Hand]

 ??? First off you need to see where the oil is coming from. Clean the are very well so it is dry using some kind of cleaner. Brake clean comes to mind. Once the area is clean and dry start the engine and see where the oil starts to come from. You will need a light and be under the FC while it is running so you can see the start of the oil rather than the aftermath.

??? If the oil seems to come from farther up that you can determine then you know where you are headed.

??? Now, that being said, I have seen the bell housing gasket leak and come down the side of the engine, and the reason the gasket was leaking was the bell housing bolts were loose.

??? If the crank seal was leaking you would be seeing oil come out of the bell housing hole on the bottom.


 


Ken Hand
248-613-8586
www.corvairmechanic.com 

 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Scott & Cyndi Wilson <scwilson8126 at wowway.com>
To: corvanatics at corvair.org
Sent: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 8:41 pm
Subject: [FC] Oil Pan Leak Woes










Hey everybody;

I'm chasing elusive oil leak(s) on my Corvair and am becoming very frustrated at 
not being able to stop them.
Specifically, I'm trying to stop an oil  pan leak (front) and possibly a front 
bellhousing seal leak.  
I can't seem to stop the oil-pan from leaking near the front of the engine.   I 
leaks bad enough that I don't have enough time to get out of the car and place a 
piece of cardboard under the engine before it stains the cement.  

Here's what I have done up to this point:
  a.. Stock oil pan gasket: Installed new cork/rubber pan gasket (2X) including 
flattening bolt holes.  Used non-hardening permatex both times.  Tourqued bolts 
to specs.  Did not stop leaking at front of oil pan (around front 3 and second 
row of 4 bolts).  Second time I tightened bolts to just tight, let dry overnight 
and tightened to torque specs.  Same leaks.   
  b.. Purchased vendor aluminum oil pan (very nice piece of cast aluminum) and 
thin paper gasket.  Used permatex and torqued to 7-8 ft. lbs. per vendor.  Still 
leaks in the same spot.  Then purchased and used a thinner cork/rubber for 
aluminum pans and have the same area leaking.  The main part of the oil pan does 
not leak.  
I may also have a bellhousing seal leak, but I can see the oil leaking from the 
front of the gasket and it looks like it could also be leaking from the bolts 
themselves (I did have to helicoil some of the bolt holes).  I have previously 
replaced pushrod tube and oil-cooler seals.  In both cases, I have continued to 
tighten the front bolts, but this does not stop the leaking.    I know  most 
Corvairs leak some oil, but my car is leaking worse than it ever has.  

I am planning on changing the top cover gasket but want to eliminate all 
possibilities before changing the bellhousing gasket.

Am I doing anything wrong or missing anything?

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Scott Wilson

'63 Rampside
'63 Monza Convertible


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