Oil Pump Problems...I think

[Talon_92_Matt]

FYI:1G Talon, 6-bolt, FWD Manual, non-turbo

For years I have had an oil leak somewhere on the front of the engine that would leave the bottom of the timing belt cover wet, like a drop of oil was about to fall. But I never have seen it leak when parked, and oil never was on the timing belt. So, I just recently relaced my timing belt due to a small amount of oil getting on it. I tend to freak out when oil touches the timing belt. When I took everything off it seemed to be the oil pump seal was the culprit. Oil was inside the oil pump sprocket and traces of oil being flung outside of the sproket were evident. So I assumed the seal was just bad and I replaced the seal. It was hard to get the old seal out, and difficult to press the new one in. It was not alarmingly hard though. Now, a couple weeks later, I feel good and do not anticipate anymore oil on the bottom of my timing belt cover. Well I was under the car yesterday and noticed the same oil leak that I have seen in years past. I looks as though a drop of oil is about to fall from the bottom of the timing belt cover. So I believe the new oil pump seal is leaking.

I have done a little research and heard that some people have high oil pressure issues when the have a BS eliminator kit in. Well I do have the BS kit, but I don't think I have high oil pressure issues. I'm only going off my stock pressue gauge. I know you all are going to tell me to hook one up and find out what my oil pressure really is. If so, where is a good location to read the oil pressure from? I am using the filter stock filter housing with external oil cooler lines. Anyway, the stock one never goes too far past the tip of the "genie lamp" on the gauge at 3K and above RPMs. I don't assume that oil pressure is too high.

Could it be that there is too much oil getting behind the seal and it is not draining fast enough? If so, whenever I decide to deal with it, how much bigger would the drain hole need to be?

It was such a tedious task to the pump and oil pan off, and now I may have to do it again.

Any insight as to what else may be causing this or possible fixes would be great. Normally I post on carolinadsm, but I figured this would give me more feedback.

 

[hereitcomes]

Front main seal. I had a rip about | | this big in mine, and it pissed about 1 quart every 10 miles, but NOTHING on the timing belt. There are two sprockets helping to keep the belt dry. I bet the side case cover is moist and thats where the drip is comming from right?

 

[Talon_92_Matt]

"When I took everything off it seemed to be the oil pump seal was the culprit. Oil was inside the oil pump sprocket and traces of oil being flung outside of the sproket were evident. So I assumed the seal was just bad and I replaced the seal."


The first time it was not the front main. I'm not confident in the oil pump seal. I remeber when I was repalcing the seal there was not a wear grove on the oil pump sprocket where the seal should be seating.

 

[kahl23]

I know exactly what you mean, except that in our case in addition to the drop hanging from the timing cover there would be oil spots beneath the car after it had been sitting in the same spot for a while. We ported the oil relief passage, but the car hasn't been back on the road since that happened, I'll update when it does get back together, hopefully in the next few weeks.

 

[Talon_92_Matt]

I can't remember if the new pump, when I first installed it years ago, came with a new sprocket or not. If so, maybe the sprockets diameter that goes inside the oil pump seal is not right and that may be causing it not to seal completely.

What's up with people porting the oil pressure relief? Is that in the oil filter housing, if so then where? What is involved with that?