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Oil leak after taking car to a shop

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Just as a side note, my Dad really loves this car. It is the first time he had a car with such a nice looking new engine compartment, so almost every time he stops and parks the car, he opens the hood for everyone to see the engine. There was never any oil leaking from the car, even the day before he took it to this shop. So whatever happened, happened at the shop.
 
When breaking in an engine there will be alot more ring blowby. Be sure your PCV system is up to par (e.g. working) as the extra blowby will surely pressurize your crankcase and look for places to escape (seals, gasket, dipstick).

All that oil on the top of your valve cover is either a cracked valvecover or a bad gasket on the oilcap. It is definitely not from a popped dipstick or leaky exhaust manifold bolt (note that the middle lower ex-man bolt does seat in an oil passage so should be treated with sealant).
 
I'll definitely look for a crack in the valve cover. The oil cap has a new rubber seal on it, so I don't think that is leaking. This might actually be two different things, the leaking exhaust manifold bolt and a cracked valve cover. That would explain the oil in those two places. I know the oil pressure on this engine has been on the high side (I know the factory gauge is not that accurate, but it would read within the acceptable range, but still way by the second to right marker on the gauge) ever since it has been rebuilt. Maybe it just took a high rev or drag run to push the oil out the weak places. Actually, it is sounding more and more like the engine will be ok, and it just might need some oil leaks fixed.
 
Pretty much a first hand point of view. I can imagine a mechanic at my shop doing the same thing.. :nono:

Cool, but it's not your shop, nor your mechanics. All you've pretty much confirmed here, is not to go to your shop.
 
We understand you're upset that your new motor leaks. However, the pissy attitude from posters won't be allowed.

You have no idea why it's leaking, what caused it, nor if anyone is responsible. The thread title has been changed to clear this up.

Let us know when you find where the leak was from.
 
Just updating this thread. My Dad took the car to a dealer and had them look at the oil leak. They said the valve cover was not cracked, but it appeared the oil was coming out around the inner valve cover bolts near the cam gears. That seems strange to me. Anyway, they replaced the valve cover gasket, and that one exhaust manifold bolt that goes into an oil passageway, and 300 miles later there don't seem to be any more leaks.

To sum it up, the car never leaked a drop until it was driven hard, illegally, by the owner of a shop that was only supposed to set the idle. There is no question about that. He admitted it to my Dad, so between him and us we know it happened. After that hard run, the oil started to leak from those two places. Do I know exactly what happened? No. But I do know WHEN it happened, and that is too much of a coincidence to ignore. I do know that I didn't have the manual boost controller set to the correct level (can't do this until after the engine is broken in), and I also know the engine has oil pressure on the high side. Maybe the combination of those two things caused the oil leak to show up during a hard run. But those things are irrelevant to whether or not a shop can take a customer's car out and drag race it down the street (which is illegal for ANYONE to do, even the owner of the car). It is reasonable for a customer to assume that the shop they take their car to will not abuse it.

At least there doesn't seem to be more serious damage, such as a blown head gasket or other damage from running lean during too high boost on a stock fuel system.
 
Just updating this thread. My Dad took the car to a dealer and had them look at the oil leak. They said the valve cover was not cracked, but it appeared the oil was coming out around the inner valve cover bolts near the cam gears. That seems strange to me. Anyway, they replaced the valve cover gasket, and that one exhaust manifold bolt that goes into an oil passageway, and 300 miles later there don't seem to be any more leaks.

To sum it up, the car never leaked a drop until it was driven hard, illegally, by the owner of a shop that was only supposed to set the idle. There is no question about that. He admitted it to my Dad, so between him and us we know it happened. After that hard run, the oil started to leak from those two places. Do I know exactly what happened? No. But I do know WHEN it happened, and that is too much of a coincidence to ignore. I do know that I didn't have the manual boost controller set to the correct level (can't do this until after the engine is broken in), and I also know the engine has oil pressure on the high side. Maybe the combination of those two things caused the oil leak to show up during a hard run. But those things are irrelevant to whether or not a shop can take a customer's car out and drag race it down the street (which is illegal for ANYONE to do, even the owner of the car). It is reasonable for a customer to assume that the shop they take their car to will not abuse it.

At least there doesn't seem to be more serious damage, such as a blown head gasket or other damage from running lean during too high boost on a stock fuel system.

I didn't notice this reply. Thats a noob mistake. It's fixed, nothin more needs to be said.

I deleted mine.
 
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