Oil Leak...A BIG one.

[ryanjayx]

So I am new to the DSM scene. I traded my Civic for a 95 Eclipse RS with a newer 420a in it. I got it, everything looked good, drove it home 300+ miles, and half way, I stopped at a gas station, and noticed I was smoking underneath the car. I popped the hood and couldn't see anything. But I was VERY low on oil.

When I got home, I parked it in the driveway, and the next morning when I came out, there was oil drip from the front, to the rear of my car. Even the gas tank was covered in oil, and it was dripping off pretty steady.

I pressure washed the bottom with some degreaser and drove it around all day. Last night when I got underneath it, it was still very covered in oil. Not as bad, but oil pan, axles, suspension, transmission, etc, are all covered in oil again.

My question is, is there anything with these motors that usually goes out, that would cause this? I can't tell the source of the leak cause there is SOO much oil everywhere.

 

[sax_man]

Hose it down again and then run it at idle and see if you can pinpoint the leak.

 

[Alan11]

Valve cover.
Head gasket.
Oil pressure sensor.
There are lots of possible places for an oil leak.
Try at least to tell us where the oil leak is from. The back of the engine?

 

[dsmtnr]

You said it's a new motor? Did somebody rebuild it? The 420a is a two piece block and there is a small rubber o-ring right around the oil filter area that needs to be in there when building the block. If that is a rebuilt motor find out if that o ring is there or else it will dump oil everywhere.

 

[ryanjayx]

The motor has 83,xxx miles on it. Not rebuilt though.

And the leak is coming from the rear of the motor. I'm gonna get some brake cleaner and clean everything off underneath, and then I'll lift it and see if I can find the leak.

Thanks again guys, I really appreciated. I'll do that tonight and let you know.

 

[Alan11]

If it is from the rear it is very common in 420a engines.

Check the Crank sensor. Ir right in top of the oil filter.
Oil pressure sensor.. ill find a pic if you need it.
Valve cover.
Or worst case the head gasket.

 

[tron2119]

Does your 420a have a turbo on it?

 

[ryanjayx]

No turbo..

I found where the leak is coming from though. Rear Main Seal. Blah, haha. I got quoted $650 to change it. How hard would it be to do myself?

 

[mazda-man]

The rear main seal is not on the back of the engine. You have to pull the transmission out to fix the rear main. If its coming from the back and that bad it is most likely the head gasket. Seen it a hundred times at the shop.

 

[ryanjayx]

The back of my motor was because of my valve cover gasket. So there was oil in the back, but I replaced that and it's clean now. Then I took it to Sears Auto (only place open on Saturday) and they said it's definitely the rear main seal. So that's where I'm at now.