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2G Opinions on delivering pizza in a turbo w/oil leak

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baws

Proven Member
45
3
Jan 20, 2015
harrisburg, Pennsylvania
What is your guys opinions I live in the northeast and I have been sick and its been snowing like crazy so I have an oil leak I can see it on the alternator. My mechanic friend says it doesnt look like the head gasket more likely valve cover or maybe oil pan gasket. I had him put some dye in it to find leaks. I have to deliver pizza for about 5 hrs should I be worried. I plan to monitor oil level and temp when I am working. I figure it will definitely be able to see the dye the next day. I like this 95 turbo awd automatic Talon I dont want to mess it up. Also in general what do you guys think about me using it to deliver like 10 hours a week.
 
I know I want to make sure that the dye will be visible and I love driving it I will try and get a picture tomorrow. I was going to replace the valve cover come spring anyway.
 
The dye will be visible long after you even change your oil, it'll leave a UV sensitive dye anywhere oil is leaking until the exterior surface is cleaned with something like brake cleaner, had cars come in months after dye and, granted normal people aren't gonna even open the hood, could still see the trails, and depending if he's a friend or a mechanic your friendly with who tries to upsell stuff cause he knows you love your car. Check the level it'll be fine in sure, if it was that bad of a leak you would not be asking the forum
 
I just replaced my shortblock and had an oil leak that managed to get pretty large which got,on my timing belt and made it jump a fee teeth and bend valves. I wouldn't do it.
 
no oil in your coolant means no head gasket problem and i am with everyone else, don't drive it with a valve cover leak there is to many things that could go wrong and at the worst a car fire if the oil makes it into your alternator.
 
ok well I will probably be driving my roommates car then. So what do you guys think in general as far as hurting the car using it for hours straight while delivering pizza?
 
My daily has a few oil leaks first one and the biggest was the valve cover it self replaced and re sealed if ur head is leaking oil you got real problems my oil pan leaks oil return someone once decided silicon was a great gasket maker... Not it leaks and so does the OPS long story short I have to put oil in now and then as long as the oil is in their and LEVEL you would be okay but do not let it get low you will blow that turbo or worse! I agree with a lot of ppl when saying shouldnt drive it but if its not blowing out at a major rate you would be fine... No disrespect to anyone saying this and trust me if it was my toy I wouldn't drive it but honestly my daily takes a beating leaks oil and trans fluid SLOW LEAKS not major but the guys who are gonna say don't drive it are the guys who do everything by the book and theirs nothing wrong with that but you gotta make a living and some of these guys including me have big money in their motors my daily I bought for under 500 my toy has 500 in just the ecu... Get the idea? Leaking oil won't blow ur motor being low on it will which is a double edges sword. If your concerned DONT drive it but we all gotta make money and use ur head I had a Honda once that had a leaking valve cover gasket left it side after a drive 10 min later I could a roasted marshmallows
 
i would say it depends on the how bad the leak is and also you really need to watch that oil level because the last thing you wanna do is kill the motor, and are the belts covered in oil or are they still dry and good? i had to drive my 3kgt with a bad rear main seal and was poring oil like no other and still drove it and it was a heavy cost that i paid for royal purple oil and i went threw 8 quarts in 2 hours but didn't hurt the motor just keep the oil level up. i understand that you have to put the job first and if it calls for driving the car like this just take the precautions and make sure you are prepared for the out come and consequences if something goes wrong.
 
I found out I had 2 leaks one was the oil filter housing I just paid for an oil change and he fixed it. The other the valve cover. I am going to get the valve cover from the store tomorrow. I dont have a service manual and I read conflicting torque #s. Is there any little secrets about doing it I think it shouldnt take to long but its frigid out.
 
Make sure you dont get a cheap valve cover gasket for one, apart from the OEM one, all the aftermarket ones I've tried, leaked shortly after.

Don't tighten them very tight as our valve covers are notorious for cracking when tightening the bolts just a bit too tight.
 
I found out I had 2 leaks one was the oil filter housing I just paid for an oil change and he fixed it. The other the valve cover. I am going to get the valve cover from the store tomorrow. I dont have a service manual and I read conflicting torque #s. Is there any little secrets about doing it I think it shouldnt take to long but its frigid out.



Valve cover gaskets are very easy just pay attention u don't need torque specs coz it will be inch pounds not ftlbs and unless u have a inch pound torque wrench u won't get it right p!us the valev cover is not that important to have torqued as it is to evenly tighten it and don't over do it.. I just replaced mine a fee months back on my daily and no disregard to off brand gaskets but it was a Napa special used a little silicone (called the right stuff and it comes highly recommended ) put a thin layer around the surface and make sure its clean and dry put a dab on all four corners to keep in place and the sparkplug hole gaskets as well place Dow. Firmly start all bolts and start in center snug all bolts up and use circle out ward pattern and go in steps go around 7-10 times and do not just crank it use ur jugement I used a 1/4 rachet to make sure I didn't use too much force... Along of guys are by the book only on here nothing wrong with that its how its soposto be but doesn't mean other ways won't work... I'm mechanlly incline and z machinest so trust me precision is important and all but if its a daily so what we hand tighent valve covers on race motors that make 1500 HP that thing isn't gonna mean much just be smart about it... Also a heads up I'd replace or at least reseal the half moon behind the exhaust cam
 
Surprised it hasn't been mentioned but are you positive it's oil? The P/S pump is a much more common source of a oiled up alternator. The high pressure line o-rings are known to leak as they brittle with age. If there's any fluid pooled on the top of the pump, that would be your likely culprit.
 
Is fel pro gaskets ok and do they come with half moons? What rtv for moons and the corners and how long till it cures?

Joe Its oil and I had the dye but thanks for the heads up knowledge is power.
 
Felpro will do fine and if its a kit it should come with valve cover gasket spark plug hole gaskets and a new half moon and the silicone u want is the right stuff I'd give a good few he's to set the longer the better best results in 24 he's but I have used the right stuff on major leaks when u can't clean it all and it stops it every time
 
So after this gasket is installed no more leaks what do you guys think about me using my awd car about 2 days a week 5 hour shifts of delivering pizza. It has a 16g turbo with straight exhaust to muffler. it will have upgraded fuel pump and injectors then tuned to hopefully around 300 hp.
 
So after this gasket is installed no more leaks what do you guys think about me using my awd car about 2 days a week 5 hour shifts of delivering pizza. It has a 16g turbo with straight exhaust to muffler. it will have upgraded fuel pump and injectors then tuned to hopefully around 300 hp.


Cars are meant to be driven. I don't understand why you would be so worried about driving your car, pizza delivery job or otherwise, drive your car man. Drive it driver. Keep on truckin'. All those other quips.
 
Good I was just worried maybe turbo's would get to hot possibly.
 
Good I was just worried maybe turbo's would get to hot possibly.
why would the turbo be hot... unless you are dumping the clutch at every stoplight, brake torquing it [if auto trans], and hitting the nitrous switch, you should be alright, in all actuality you shouldn't even really see that much boost if your just driving around city streets somewhat tamely... well I guess it all really depends on how you drive/maintain the car.

On a side note, your post just made this memory came back into my mind, a local near where I live used to deliver pizza in a blue 2g for mountain mikes, I'm not sure if it was running the 4g63t or the 420a wonder if he's on the forums.
 
I dont know at 3k it starts producing boost I am just new to turbo cars. I am heavy footed but I will take it easy at first. around 2k I read zero boost.
 
If you really care about reducing heat, I suppose you could add an external oil cooler [if your car does not already have one] the ones fitted on the evo 8-9 are pretty nice upgrades, they keep oil temps pretty consistent, if you get the chance might want to watch best motoring, enduro episode shows what it is capable of.
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Just check your oil literally constantly or put an external sensor on it to monitor oil pressure.
 
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