3100 Oil leak after LIMG not sure where

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Cam2363
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3100 Oil leak after LIMG not sure where

Post by Cam2363 »

I just did the LIMG on my 3100 and am now met with a lovely leak. I do believe it is oil, but might be PS fluid as they are pretty much exactly the same color on my towel, but neither seems to have had a significant drop in the last 2 days, and the leak is quite large, so I would think it would drop more.

It is on the left side of the engine for sure, but not sure where. The only spots that I can see that are wet are right around the part on the left side where you put RTV, but I put plenty of rtv and let it cure for like 2 days before adding oil, so I wouldn't think it is coming from there, but the rest of the side of the engine on that side is also wet, so its hard to tell where it is coming from. My only guess would be there, and if that is the case, is there any way of fixing it without ripping the entire engine apart again?

Has anyone else had the same problem? Does anyone know where to look? I tried the foot power trick but like everywhere under the car was covered in oil so it's hard to find out where.

Thanks!


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ifixalot
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Re: 3100 Oil leak after LIMG not sure where

Post by ifixalot »

When you say left side, do you mean pulley side or trans side? Often left is, as viewed from the driver's seat.
Anywho, there is an o ring on the driver's side of the engine that can fail and leak a lot. Then there is the possibility
that your valve cover gasket got miss aligned upon installation.
I would think if it was the RTV seal, it would only leak at higher RPMs
such as highway speed when oil is splashing around.
It sounds like your leak is when it is just idling.
You may have to clean off all the oil and then have someone look at the engine as you start it up
to see where the oil leak originates.


Cam2363
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Re: 3100 Oil leak after LIMG not sure where

Post by Cam2363 »

ifixalot wrote:When you say left side, do you mean pulley side or trans side? Often left is, as viewed from the driver's seat.
Anywho, there is an o ring on the driver's side of the engine that can fail and leak a lot. Then there is the possibility
that your valve cover gasket got miss aligned upon installation.
I would think if it was the RTV seal, it would only leak at higher RPMs
such as highway speed when oil is splashing around.
It sounds like your leak is when it is just idling.
You may have to clean off all the oil and then have someone look at the engine as you start it up
to see where the oil leak originates.
Belt side. And I thought it might be the valve cover, but I couldn't see it very well. I'm not sure when it happens, but normally after I stop and let the car sit, a nice spot forms underneath. I tried cleaning the leak off, but everything just got covered again. It definitely originates somewhere near the top.

I'm taking it into a shop tomorrow and going to take a look.


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Rettax3
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Re: 3100 Oil leak after LIMG not sure where

Post by Rettax3 »

P/S fluid SMELLS nothing like engine oil, and the reservoir is so small compared to the quarts and quarts of oil in your pan, you would almost certainly know if it was P/S fluid by now.

I think ifixalot is on the right track -valve cover or lifter-valley end RTV seal. Did you apply RTV to the triangular corners of the valve-cover gaskets? Did you chuck the tube of $#!t they pretend is RTV if you used Fel-Pro gaskets and use something decent? (Yes, I know you did :wink: .)

Did you possibly unseat your cam position sensor (CMPS) when working on your LIMG? It is also on that side of the engine, underneath the P/S pump...


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Cam2363
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Re: 3100 Oil leak after LIMG not sure where

Post by Cam2363 »

It's the rtv you put on the flat part. Mechanic confirmed my prediction. So this is gonna be fun ripping it apart

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Cam2363
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Re: 3100 Oil leak after LIMG not sure where

Post by Cam2363 »

Fixed it a while ago. I just didnt put enough RTV on. Im leak free now!


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