HUGE OIL LEAk!!! looks like its from the water pump HELP!!!

[BiggT97Gst]

I have just finished a swap on my 97 gst with a 1g 7 bolt, and when i started it up, there was a huge oil leak, coming from the pulley part of the motor. so I looked it the timing cover/ crank cover was cracked. So i replaced it, and put on a new gasket, thought that would solve my problem, but i started it back up, and oil was spewing out again. I looked and now it looks like its coming out of the water pump. Anyone seen this or heard of this before...or better yet know a solution?????

 

[olmytsi]

You must dissassemble to find where the leak is coming from exactly. It could be a gasket/seal, an undertorqued bolt or a wrong bolt (too long) that went through an oil passage.

 

[BiggT97Gst]

So if any of the bolts are too long, It'll leak...I'll be sure to go look at that. I wouldn't have broken anything would I?

 

[project_tsi]

Question, when you swapped in the new engine, did you remove the balance shafts?

Heres a pic of my 6 bolt setup. Not the exact same as yours, but close, you get the idea.

If you have removed the balance shafts, do you notice the small bolt close to the left of the auto tensioner? Thats the balance shaft tensioner pulley hole. You have to make sure there is a bolt or plug there or its a huge oil leak spot. Anything in the pic look like it could be the leak spot?

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[olmytsi]

So if any of the bolts are too long, It'll leak...I'll be sure to go look at that. I wouldn't have broken anything would I?

Not necessarily, it's just a possiblity as i have seen it happen.

 

[BiggT97Gst]

Okay, im gonna go take off the water pump and run the car without it...I'll also check for that bolt to be there. I'll see what kind of results I get, and let you know. But if there are anymore ideas or suggestions, please be sure to let me know. I'll be doing this tonight, just to let you know, so you can check back on this thread later

 

[project_tsi]

Okay, im gonna go take off the water pump and run the car without it...I'll also check for that bolt to be there. I'll see what kind of results I get, and let you know. But if there are anymore ideas or suggestions, please be sure to let me know. I'll be doing this tonight, just to let you know, so you can check back on this thread later

Why the hell are you taking off the water pump to check for an oil leak? I don't see how the water pump could cause an oil leak? Does the engine have balance shafts or not?

 

[jukematt]

Big thread revival but I have an oil leak from the area the title describes.

So I rebuilt my engine (stock) over the summer, keeping the balance shafts, etc. I had a REALLY bad leak at first which I contributed to a backed out bolt on the front case (the one to the left and above the balance shaft sprocket. Well, I still had a leak from that same general area so I just replaced the balance shaft seal with an OEM one since the original one I got was not OEM. That fixed the leak until I rev to about 3500 RPM. Then a trickle starts running down. If I rev higher, it starts pouring out a solid stream.

It starts between the balance shaft sprocket and the part of the front case that sticks out for the auto tensioner bolt. I rechecked the bolt and for some reason, even though I used red loctite the second time around, it came loose rather easily. I loctited again with blue and I still have the leak.

Could it be coming from under the water pump? Like, is it possible to leak oil from there? Note, there is no coolant leak, only an oil leak. Or do I possibly have a cracked front case? Or what?

 

[HIGHPSI4]

Cracked front case or old gasket material on the block not letting the new front case gasket seal.

 

[jukematt]

Cracked front case or old gasket material on the block not letting the new front case gasket seal.

Bummer. After all the work I've put into her over the summer.

 

[b00stAdict]

also check your crank seal, i've seen those get blown out and leak like a beast. make sure you give the bolts time to dry once the thread lock is on. Shouldn't take but a few dabs to get the bolts to hold. Go over all your seals/gaskets especially the one of the oil pump. an im sure you know, but make sure all mating surfaces are clean of junk before putting it all back together. If you take you timing cover off, start the car and then you can pin point where the leak is coming from exactly.

hope this helps

 

[jukematt]

also check your crank seal, i've seen those get blown out and leak like a beast. make sure you give the bolts time to dry once the thread lock is on. Shouldn't take but a few dabs to get the bolts to hold. Go over all your seals/gaskets especially the one of the oil pump. an im sure you know, but make sure all mating surfaces are clean of junk before putting it all back together. If you take you timing cover off, start the car and then you can pin point where the leak is coming from exactly.

hope this helps

I took the covers off which is how I figured out approximately where it is coming from. Earlier, I replaced the crank seal since it was leaking. In another thread I made, there was a slight gap on the side like it didn't quite seat right but I tried it out anyway and it isn't leaking from that area. Couldn't be the oil pump either since the leak is coming from under the water pump area a bit above the timing belt tensioner bolt hole like I said.

 

[Eagle96TalonTSi]

Touch the fluid and smell it. I once thought I had an oil leak, but the liquid was not thick like oil and smelled different.

Turns out my water pump was going out and was leaking from the weep hole.

 

[jukematt]

Touch the fluid and smell it. I once thought I had an oil leak, but the liquid was not thick like oil and smelled different.

Turns out my water pump was going out and was leaking from the weep hole.

I verified it is only oil. I know also that it is oil since when I drive, I have to put in another quart quite often. I go through it really quick. If I am careful not to boost and not let my RPMs go over 3k then it lasts longer but other than that, If I drove at a high RPM and boosted on my way to school (which is about 15 minutes at highway speed), then come home again, I've lost a quart.