Oil leak Issue, need help identifying, have pics.

[robs90tsi]

Ok, Ive had this oil leak since I bought my car, and I just got it back an hour ago from it being out of sevice due to my clutch for three weeks, the guy who helped me do the work replaced the rear main seal (which we found was leaking, even though the motor had just recently been rebuilt, thus already having a new rear main seal.), both tranny axle seals, and both transfer case shaft seals. He said he saw no leaks, but when I started it, let it warm up, took it 2 miles down the road to the gas station, pulled over and saw the same damn leak AGAIN. Anyway, I need help determining where this is coming from, Im getting pics as we speak, give me 5 minutes, thanks guys. I believe it is a pressurized leak, will not leak if I leave it running at idle for an hour, which I did, but only under pressure (when driving). Now, my oil pressure gauge is off, reading lower pressure than normal, am I right by assuming that it is my oil pressure sending unit???? I pray its not my HG.



EDIT: This is the best I can do for now, where the oil spots are is where it is dripping down from, and you can see it on the downpipe.

 

[robs90tsi]

Anyone have any advice as to what it could be???

 

[Raynehr]

well i can tell you its probally not your headgasket. tell you what, my 1991 is up in the air, ill take a look to see what oil carrying passages are in that area in the mourning, thats a good distance back on the motor. it shouldnt be much back there.. if it was a rear main, then you wouldnt tell, the transfer case would keep the leak contained unfortunantly, so its either oil bieng blown back there or leaking down from the top. more like an oilpan bieng blown back there as you go down the road or valve cover .. thats a very unusual spot.. when a hg goes, the oil resembles a color of a cappuccino. not black ..

 

[Raynehr]

you also have 2 oil lines going to the turbo.. id pull the heat shields off and see if they are wet..

 

[robs90tsi]

No, its in the front of the motor, like right below the turbo return line, that oil all down the downpipe is from being blown back when I was driving, Im thinking it could be the oil pressure seding unit, because my gauge reads lower pressure than it should, but my pressure is normal, and only under pressure does the car leak oil, and I dont have heat shields, its not the valve cover, the oil pan gasket is a day old, or I think it could be either something on the oil filter housing, and possibly a bad turbo return line gasket, but Im 60% sure its the OPSU. It could too be a head gasket, the oil pressure could be forcing oil out of the head gasket, a bad head gasket doesnt always mean that the coolant and oil will mix.

 

[BaddAssGst]

No, its in the front of the motor, like right below the turbo return line, that oil all down the downpipe is from being blown back when I was driving, Im thinking it could be the oil pressure seding unit, because my gauge reads lower pressure than it should, but my pressure is normal, and only under pressure does the car leak oil, and I dont have heat shields, its not the valve cover, the oil pan gasket is a day old, or I think it could be either something on the oil filter housing, and possibly a bad turbo return line gasket, but Im 60% sure its the OPSU. It could too be a head gasket, the oil pressure could be forcing oil out of the head gasket, a bad head gasket doesnt always mean that the coolant and oil will mix.

Run a compression check. That will usually either say yes or no on the headgasket. Can you see the leak from the top, or can you follow it from the bottom to the top? That might make it a little bit easier.

 

[megadeth0]

Here is something to check. I had an oil leak a little while ago that was leaking down on the exact same spot. Do you have the bracket that bolts to the back of the block and the bottom of the intake taken off? It is the bracket that has all the vacuum hoses through it. The bottom bolt that bolts to the block, goes all the way into the crank case. When mine was leaking, it had the same symptoms as yours. It only leaked after a drive around the block or something. I just put a little teflon on a bolt and threaded it in. This was after I pulled the oilpan thinking that was my only other option. Good Luck!

 

[route664]

you could be right about the oil pressure sending sensor.. i had the same problem. i just rebuilt my engine.. my mechanic said that the everything from the block to the head was perfect.. but i had the same leak spots as in your pic. so i didn't believe him and made him check 3 times.

in the end, we found it was the oil pressure sending sensor. since it was leaking, the oil was blowing to the middle and back part of the engine. which could lead you to believe that the oil is coming from somewhere else.

try changing the oil pressure sending sensor. it's simple and pretty cheap.

 

[route664]

oh.. i forgot to mention it was two things for me.. it was the oil pressure sensor and i had to replace the oil pan...

good luck

 

[terminaltsi]

Here is something to check. I had an oil leak a little while ago that was leaking down on the exact same spot. Do you have the bracket that bolts to the back of the block and the bottom of the intake taken off? It is the bracket that has all the vacuum hoses through it. The bottom bolt that bolts to the block, goes all the way into the crank case. When mine was leaking, it had the same symptoms as yours. It only leaked after a drive around the block or something. I just put a little teflon on a bolt and threaded it in. This was after I pulled the oilpan thinking that was my only other option. Good Luck!

very interesting, had no idea that bolt also went into the crankcase.

 

[cmptrphreak]

2 points for megadeth I have the same problem hopefully thats it, poeple ate me cause I leak all over their driveway.

 

[robs90tsi]

I did not know that, yes it is taken off, Ill find that hole and see if theres a bolt in it or not, but my oil pan has been cleaned and put back in with a fresh new gasket, and isnt leaking, and I do not see any oil from under my hood, only down under, Im gonna replace that oil pressure sensor, I just have a strong hunch thats what it is, but thanks for letting me know about that bracket, points for you, thanks for the help guys, Ill let you know what I find.

 

[robs90tsi]

Found my leak, I have a cracked oil pan, Ill post pics of it, the moron who "rebuilt" my motor put a damn cracked oil pan on my car.

 

[megadeth0]

Found my leak, I have a cracked oil pan, Ill post pics of it, the moron who "rebuilt" my motor put a damn cracked oil pan on my car.

That's what I thought as well, double check that bolt as you have the oil pan off.

 

[robs90tsi]

Ya, well, I didnt see it until I put the oil pan BACK on the car and had the thing all put back together. I thought it was that turbo return line, but put a fresh new gasket on it, hosed everything off, gave my car a little gas, then quickly put it back up in the air, and saw a nice 4 inch crack just above my turbo return line, so now I have to get a new oil pan, or weld the one I have, which I dont think Im gonna do, Im just gonna do it right the clean way and buy a damn new oil pan. I tell you man, I learned my lesson in buying a used DSM with promises, this thing was supposed to have good parts on it, and Ive found out that was not true, since Ive been fixing part after part, and it keeps on going, next on my list, the tranny.