Oil leak NOBODY can find!
03-09-02, 01:21 PM
#1
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Oil leak NOBODY can find!
This is getting rediculous. When we moved from Houston, our mechanic said that after 3 years of looking and not finding the leak, it must be on the engine block. Well, we I took it in to a mechanic here and he has been working on RX-7's since 1979. Well, HE CANT FIND IT EITHER! He said it was a bad hose leaking, replaced it. Well, ITS STILL LEAKING! THis isnt a little leak either. Its not a little drip. After 1 day outside on the driveway, there is a puddle the size of like 1.5 CD's. Grrrrrrrrrrrr, how can i find this bitch? Its ruining my garage, pissing off my mom, and costing me $$$ on oil!
03-09-02, 01:52 PM
#3
Do it the old fashioned way.
Clean the engine and compartment real well with Gunk and degreaser. (don't wet the electrical)
Wipe down any oily areas. - Leave it all looking good.
Park the car outside with the hood up. The front preferably on ramps or jack stands
Place a large piece of cardboard on the ground under the engine compartment.
Go have lunch, watch a movie, whatever.
Come back and find the oil drip on the cardboard.
The real leak should be in the general vicinity directly overhead.
Use a flashlight/mirrors to look behind crevices you can't normally see.
You should find it. By the way, most common oil leaks are:
1)At the Oil Filter (Need New O-Rings)
2)At the Oil Cooler lines (Need to tighten, reseal, or replace)
3) The engine block itself, usually the near the rear rotor (live with it until it blows)
Good luck and let us know.
Clean the engine and compartment real well with Gunk and degreaser. (don't wet the electrical)
Wipe down any oily areas. - Leave it all looking good.
Park the car outside with the hood up. The front preferably on ramps or jack stands
Place a large piece of cardboard on the ground under the engine compartment.
Go have lunch, watch a movie, whatever.
Come back and find the oil drip on the cardboard.
The real leak should be in the general vicinity directly overhead.
Use a flashlight/mirrors to look behind crevices you can't normally see.
You should find it. By the way, most common oil leaks are:
1)At the Oil Filter (Need New O-Rings)
2)At the Oil Cooler lines (Need to tighten, reseal, or replace)
3) The engine block itself, usually the near the rear rotor (live with it until it blows)
Good luck and let us know.
03-09-02, 02:10 PM
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The AUTO DOCTOR
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well id look at the o rinds on the watercooler (b.s.)/oil cooler, the metal line from the front cover to the cooler. and all the fittings, id look at the dowel pin o rings also. and you can sael up a dowel pin leak ... i did for 90k 
then pulled the motor
then pulled the motor
03-09-02, 03:25 PM
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Ok, weve got this chalk line they use for fences and ****. I laid down 4 lines roughly outlining the engine block. Ill let it leak then see where it is realitive to my marks. Hopefully that will give me some ideas. Also, whats best to clean the engine compartment with? Ive got some Purple Power stuff, but aint that too stong and wont it ruin the paint?
Last edited by TheAMAZINGNorad; 03-09-02 at 03:27 PM.
03-09-02, 04:27 PM
#7
It wont hurt the paint as long as you get all of it off. I wouldnt leave it on there longer than it says to. I used it on my very very dirty 13b in my vert and it KICKED ***!
Pull that cap off the bottom of the trans bellhousing and look I bet you got a bad rear seal.
Pull that cap off the bottom of the trans bellhousing and look I bet you got a bad rear seal.
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03-09-02, 09:42 PM
#10
Old [Sch|F]ool
Don't worry about the electricals. They'll be fine. I did this all the time and never had a problem.
Warm up the engine first. Remove all of the plug wires and wrap the distributor cap in a plastic bag so water doesn't get in there. Spray a can of degreaser over the whole engine - anywhere there is crud, spray it down! Might take two cans. Let it soak for a while, 5-10 minutes, and then use the ol' garden hose to thoroughly hose it all off. It's best to use hot water, and if you have a garden hose rated to handle hot water, most water heaters have a spigot at the bottom, or you could get the hot water from a stationary tub's faucet, or temporarily borrow the connection for the clothes washer. (assuming you have a house, and not an apartment )
Now that it's all sparkly clean again, you can look for leaks.
Warm up the engine first. Remove all of the plug wires and wrap the distributor cap in a plastic bag so water doesn't get in there. Spray a can of degreaser over the whole engine - anywhere there is crud, spray it down! Might take two cans. Let it soak for a while, 5-10 minutes, and then use the ol' garden hose to thoroughly hose it all off. It's best to use hot water, and if you have a garden hose rated to handle hot water, most water heaters have a spigot at the bottom, or you could get the hot water from a stationary tub's faucet, or temporarily borrow the connection for the clothes washer. (assuming you have a house, and not an apartment
)Now that it's all sparkly clean again, you can look for leaks.
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