Resolved Is a Bolt supposed to be here?

JBDdsmer610 · Sep 18, 2015

Ok guys I've been messing with this car since I got it 6 months ago fixing things that I come across here and there. Well I've had a mysterious oil leak that I could not find, today I degreased my whole engine bay so I could try and find the leak then drove the car and when I popped the hood I looked in the back of my engine in the firewall area and saw wet oil all over my rear subframe and firewall then I noticed I bolt hole with no bolt in it and it looked wet. It is right above the axel cup on the back of the block right next to the oil pump case. My question is there supposed to be a bolt in this hole so that I can possibly fix my oil leak here is a pic for reference.

Dsmkauai · Sep 18, 2015

You have a a/c compressor? If not that looks like one of the bolt holes for it. Looks like the oil is coming from higher up.

JBDdsmer610 · Sep 18, 2015

It's pretty much dry above the hole...just some splatters from where ever the oil is coming from and no I don't have an A/C compressor. Just seems like it's coming from that hole with how wet it is on the rear subframe right directly behind that hole

Dsmkauai · Sep 18, 2015

There's also a bolt that plugs a hole for balance shaft. But I'm pretty sure it's on the other side of the axle bracket, just to the right of the intake mani bracket. I know on my 6 bolt I don't have that Bolt in and have no oil leaks so that shouldn't be it bro. I would clean it all up and run the car and see where it comes from.

JBDdsmer610 · Sep 18, 2015

Yea like I said I cleaned it all up and degreased it all and that's where it looks like it coming from I'll wipe it down again tomorrow and double check it again.

fatboyjonjon · Sep 18, 2015

Clean it up get it in the air on stands and get under it with a good light

Dsmkauai · Sep 18, 2015

Shouldn't be able to leak from there unless the block has a hole. I guess you could throw a bolt in it with some thread sealer. But that bolt hole shouldn't go thru.

luv2rallye · Sep 18, 2015

Does this help any? http://www.dsmtuners.com/attachments/balance-bolt-jpg.56185/

1990TSIAWDTALON · Sep 18, 2015

Oil dye would be helpful if you can't pin down the exact location then use a UV (black) light to see the dye. Helped me find my elusive leak.

CiscoBite1Time · Sep 18, 2015

I agree with dye. Pick some up to save time and a lot of frustration.

pauleyman · Sep 18, 2015

Luv rallye that pic does go far enough to drivers side. Looks like that hole is an ac bracket which op doesn't have. Since this is awd you can see the axle cup and bracket in the ops pic. Bolt hole is almost at the edge of the block. Either way the bolt hole should not leak. The leak is likely above somewhere

94laserawd · Sep 18, 2015

Yeah I have a/c deleted and nothing in that hole. No leaks here!

JBDdsmer610 · Sep 18, 2015

I'll have to clean it all up again and get it in the air...using the dye seems like a good idea but either way I have to find this mysterious leak.

Lou98GSX · Sep 18, 2015

That hole is for the balance shaft alignment . You should have a bolt there to plug the hole.

rtmx3 · Sep 18, 2015

I'd bet 10 to 1 the oil pump housing is leaking... not wishing a whole bunch of work on you but it can happen if the parts aren't super clean before install.

pauleyman · Sep 18, 2015

Lou98GSX said:
That hole is for the balance shaft alignment . You should have a bolt there to plug the hole.

No. It isnt. Look closer

JBDdsmer610 · Sep 18, 2015

No way in hell is the oil pump case leaking the timing side of my engine and the seam around the front case is bone dry...I also put bolts in the holes that had none in them. I cleaned everything up again drove the car for a while and it's all wet back there again, I'm almost thinking it's the oil pan leaking and the oil that's coming out is getting slingged up on the back of the block and rear subframe. I'm gonna be welding in my wideband bung tomorrow and I'll have it up in the air so I'll see what I can find and I'll let you guys kno the diagnosis.

Dsmkauai · Sep 19, 2015

It probably is the oil pan and it's hitting the axle while your driving and flinging it everywhere.

91 GSX · Sep 19, 2015

Dsmkauai said:
It probably is the oil pan and it's hitting the axle while your driving and flinging it everywhere.

Dsmkauai's oil pan theory is very plausible. I've had a turbo oil return line leak bad enough to completely cover the oil pan from underbody draft/wind which pushed it even further up the firewall than in the op's pic. This was on the stock metal oil return line, the flexible section of it that's accordion shaped tends to crack and can be very very hard to see.

JBDdsmer610 · Sep 19, 2015

I was just talking to my buddy last night about thinking it is the oil pan gasket...and as for the return line....last week the flex section got a split in it when I was putting my o2 housing on. I took the return line off cut the flex section out and used a piece of heater core hose and hose clamps to replace the flex section with, I've fixed a few like this and never had an issue with return lines after that, and I also replaced the return line gaskets and used RTV.. So I'm leaning more towards the pan now...but I'll let everyone kno it's gonna be getting ripped apart to weld my wideband bung in anyways as soon as my buddy answers his phone.

Lou98GSX · Sep 19, 2015

Before putting the bolt in did you check to see if the hole went through to the balance shaft . If it did then you are most likely going to be leaking oil from there . When you put a bolt there was it the original one or just any bolt . If you just put any bolt there it will not seal properly. You have to put sealer around it or a copper washer.

Dsmkauai · Sep 19, 2015

^^ It's not the balance shaft bolt hole!! And he already knows it's not leaking from there. Please read better next time thx.

1990TSIAWDTALON · Sep 19, 2015

Dye is your friend. Only run it a very short time and grab a black light. It will help you out. If you can't see it with dye then run a bit longer or under a different load. Its going to help make it easier. :thumb:

JBDdsmer610 · Sep 21, 2015

Thanks guys still didn't do the dye idea yet but I think that's my next course of action I'll let everyone know what I find

JBDdsmer610 · Sep 23, 2015

I removed my oil pan and swapped it out with another one I had. I think that's gonna solve my issues...thanks for the help guys!!!

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