Have my rebuilt engine in, and it ran... for about 5 minutes last night until the oil level buzzer came on - and there was a 5qt puddle under the car.

The leak appears to be coming out of the front. The front cover bolts seem plenty tight. The oil cooler hose was tight, but I was able to get it tighter today.

The idea that the oil level decreased so much makes me believe that it is on the pressurized side of things, not the drain/pickup.

I'm double checking for any more ideas after tightening the oil cooler hose, and would really like to avoid the additional hazard of 5 more quarts on the driveway.

Oil pressure seemed fine. Seemed to drop as the temperature got warmer (or as the oil left.)

Thanks in advance.

 

Possible front cover O ring fell out or got pinched while instill front cover? I assume you did the rebuild? Anyone know how much oil pressure he would even have without that o-ring?

 

you did put the front main seal in right?

Did you use the sealing washer when you put the crank bolt in? Is it tight?

If it were me id put some oil in, pull the egi fuse, and crank it over and see where it comes out.

 

I did the rebuild.

The leak seems to be at the bottom front drivers - which means that it could be the o-ring, but wouldn't the front cover still catch most of that leak? What would other symptoms be?

The main pulley seems dry. I did use the large copper washer and have a front seal.

Oil was all over the steering rack,subframe, power steering cooling hoses.

I did try to locate it while it was running, but it must just be a high speed drip.

Thanks for the ideas everybody!

 

What would the other symptoms of this be? Would the front cover not catch most/all of that if the oring had been crushed?

Also, my oil pressure was high (50ish warmed to 40 before the buzzer came on.) (and partially because I overfilled things a little when I had had the water system grounded but was getting a buzzer)

 

if it was a problem with the front cover oring it would not leak at all, you would just have low oil pressure

 

The oil cooler line isn't f'ed up or isn't cross threaded? If its a turbo motor there is an oil supply line to the turbo that threads into the top right of front iron looking at the front of the car?

See image.

 

his sig says its a 89 GXL. i would personally fill it up with oil again, crank til you see oil pressure then get out and look for the leak, i think its likely a oil cooler line, or the Front cover gasket, was the front cover gasket new?

 

Front cover gasket is new.

Fixing the To the oil cooler line solved some of the leak.

I think the line comments seem on track, there is oil on the front cover right at the oil cooler return extension fitting. Also, a smaller leak at the oil cooler to engine banjo that I will tighten.

 

did you use any Copper crush washers when you installed the oil lines?.
The lines will leak like a Stuffed Pig if you do not use them.

 

I'm almost positive that it is the fitting on the oil cooler return line. When we were putting the engine in, that line got in the way a few times, and the location (and the oil on the line) make it seem very reasonable.

I used a new crush washer on the return to the block (banjo) did not notice one needed for the front one.

Thanks for all of the help.