Oil Leak, Can you tell where from? (picture)

[tifacola]

I'm thinking it's coming from that bolt on the Fuel Rail. It's hard to see but there are two pools of oil under the fuel rail. I just picked up this car last week. Only 120K miles. It's a 94 GS non-turbo. (my 3rd DSM, but first in 10 years)

 

[Ferrarieater]

Valve cover gasket

 

[rubenrule]

replace your valve cover gasket

 

[tifacola]

Valve cover gasket

Any chance I could lose oil pressure from a bad valve cover gasket too? I'm also having varying oil pressure readings on the cluster.

Engine sounds great, oil levels are fine, but my oil gauge is at that last, like as in, cant get anymore left line while idling then goes between mid "normal" when driving or revving. Oil light has never come on and i don't drop oil on the ground.

I cant figure out if this is normal for a Mitsubishi.

 

[boostback]

My tsi awd does that also. At 1000rpm idle it drops to almost nothing but at mid range it jumps to like 55.

 

[sleepertalon]

Mine does the same thing as well

 

[shhh i know]

I agree valve cover gasket would be the place I'd start

My oil pressure does the same thing. Never been a problem though. I think the stock gauge is just not that accurate. You know like the stock boost gauge isn't.

 

[KazooGS-T]

The oil pressure DEFINITELY drops at idle from cruising... Put any gauge you want on there, it'll do the same thing. 15psi idle 75'ish driving. That's from a mechanical gauge.

 

[DSM1G90]

At 1000rpm idle it drops to almost nothing but at mid range it jumps to like 55

That's because your main connecting rod bearings are tired and can't hold the oil pressure when the oil is hot and thin.

New crank bearings hold pressure while lubricating the connecting rod bearings.

But when things get many miles on them and wear from no oil pressure startups (almost metal to metal contact during startups until oil pressure puts the oil film between the to metals), it begins to wear down on the bearings and possibly the crank journals.

With worn bearings/journals, the pressure can't be maintained at a constant level, thus you have high pressure when oil is cold due to it's being thicker which will hold pressure, but when oil gets hot and thins, you're beginning to lose the pressure since the oil is going past the bearings.

There is a test that can be done to check connecting rod bearings: drop the pan, take out the oil pressure unit, find a way to pump oil in that entrance of the oil pressure sending unit to where pressure is being built up.

Look at the connecting rod bearing end and crank journals: If you see oil drip at a decent pace to even a small stream, the connecting rod bearings are weak whereas strong or new bearings will only allow a drop or two.

It's a gasoline engine thing - can't get past this one.

-DSM

 

[WES_393]

Any chance I could lose oil pressure from a bad valve cover gasket too? I'm also having varying oil pressure readings on the cluster.

Engine sounds great, oil levels are fine, but my oil gauge is at that last, like as in, cant get anymore left line while idling then goes between mid "normal" when driving or revving. Oil light has never come on and i don't drop oil on the ground.

I cant figure out if this is normal for a Mitsubishi.

A leaking valve cover gasket will not affect oil pressure. Like Kazoo said, oil pressure should fluctuate depending on engine speed. It's just how an oil pump works. But if the gauge is on the lowest line at idle, it's likely pretty low. Don't rely on the dummy light. It won't light up until oil pressure is dangerously low.

Low oil pressure could be caused by high mileage on the engine and oil pump, and/or too thin of motor oil. You should be running at least 10w30 weight, but something around 15w40 would be a better choice IMO.

Do you still have balance shafts?

 

[DSM1G90]

I know that my bearings and journals are tired for I have that classic issue: On cold starts, my pressure reading is okey, but drops to zero on the gauge when hot at idle.

I run 10w30 Synth all the time and I still have my BS shafts in place.

Pressure build up decently when doing highway speeds.

But figured that if I have oil swirling under the cover and no rod knocking, that I have enough pressure at idle speed when hot even though the dash gauge needle has no response until pressure comes up with the revs. .. and this has been going for since I got the car 5yrs and 29K miles ago and do a quart of oil every 1400 miles on a stock JDM motor.

Not no big hurry to do a motor overhaul until it really needs it.

-DSM

 

[RussianMax]

Mine looks exactly like that, and i found it to be from my oil cap after I replaced my valve cover gasket, for that I just doubled up on the cap.

 

[2000mitsygt]

valve cover gasket its like 30 40 bucks just when you change it oil it a little and make sure you dont ovr tighten and crack the valve cover

 

[AWDtalontsi96]

valve cover gasket and rule of thumb you only need 10lbs of oil pressure for every 1000 rpms.