1G New DSM, Suspension and oil leak.

[Anmasher]

Greetings,
I recently purchased my first DSM, a 1992 Laser RS Turbo, and am trying to get caught up on all of the major maintenance that it needs. Most of the little things are taken care of and I'm in the middle of replacing the timing belt and associated components right now. The big problems I have left are the suspension and a big oil leak. Wherever oil is leaking it is not hitting the ground and it only happens when running. If you get on it pretty hard and then stop you can see smoke rolling out from under the hood. It comes up mostly from right around the O2 sensor where there is a hole in the heat shield for it. At idle there is only a faint wisp of smoke in the same area. I'm thinking maybe the oil return line from the turbo is leaking onto the exhaust pipe and the smoke is just following the heat shields back up into the engine bay? The other problem is the suspension. Steering is loose and sloppy and it pulls hard to the right. Under hard acceleration the steering stiffens up nicely and the car tracks straight. Long term I'd like to replace just about everything on the suspension, but are there any components that will likely provide a big improvement short term?
Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[DSM1G90]

oil leaks are not that all hard to find where they come from. Tighten up a bolt or nut here and there can be the short term fix if that's all there is to it.

Suspension: Take it to a front end shop and let them do the fix or overhaul - no playing around with short term "band-aid" fixes when it comes to this area.

For if you do, just a bump or miss a hole in the road an you pull the wheel, can cause damage to the vehicle, or even take your life with it when you steer to miss a rut or hole in the road, something gives in the suspension and you crash into a tree, telephone pole or flip over on the road.

Shops do the work for the endurance. Plus, you have a guarantee of work completed.

Have to "man" up and realize you can't do everything - let someone help you.

Good luck-DSM

 

[95talongirl]

A few of the exhaust studs need sealant on them, or they will leak oil. (Or maybe they loosened up on you, if you've never had them out). So I'd check there, it sounds like the right area from the description.

Suspension is hard to really pinpoint without actually seeing/feeling the problem. Kinda sounds like an alignment issue; maybe a bad tie-rod? Does it make any noises?