Oil leak/rebuild question

[wranglerunner22]

Alright so heres the deal, I rebuilt my motor This spring. After fixing all my leaks and still having an oil leak I decided I needed to pull my motor to check things out. Turns out that The front case has been leaking around the edges pretty bad, which filled the timing cover up with oil.

My question is this, is there flatness tolereances for the front case like there is for the head? Or should I just order up a new gasket set, such as the front seal set available on extremepsi?

Such as this:EXTREME PSI : Your #1 Source for In Stock Performance Parts - Fel-Pro Crankshaft Front Seal Set : 7 Bolt DSM



Suggestions would be helpful,

I would love to drive my Talon!

 

[donniekak]

Oem gaskets are pretty much a must for the front case, and oil filter housing.

 

[wranglerunner22]

Alright I am still fighting this beast..
I have replaced Everything on the timing side...

-Front case /seals
-cam seals
-oem front case gasket
-oem oil filter gasket
-oil dipstick tube o-ring

What on gods green earth am I missing here?

 

[turboglenn]

I feel your pain.. I've just come to accept it on my DSM as many have i think (as well as harlry riders ) Now if you're engine is stock (sorry didn't read your profile) then a new front cover, proper heat shielding and the other little OEM stuff most people take for granted will help keep seals from cooking from heat and the pressures in the crank case should be low enough to not have detremental effects on the gaskets.

But on every DSM i've seen with aftermarket turbo manifolds and DP's, as well as having FMIC's blocking airflow the extra heat always takes its toll on cam seals and other rubber bases seals.

Also, running higher than stock boost even with a fresh rebuild is increasing crank case pressure, which is going to cause gaskets and seals to leak as well. Which at 20 - 30psi is probably WAY more than they were ever expected to have to take on a warranty spec vehicle (meaning you didn't mod it to where they could deny your warranty claim).

And the other thing i've noticed (and i'm a 12 year veteran of the DSM/4g63 camp, in the first hand ownership sense) is that valve cover, oil pan and front cover bolts are constantly coming loose from their specified torque. I can go in once a month usually and find loose valve cover and oil pan bolts, and anytime i do a water pump i fin d few on the front cover a little loose too (not falling out but loose)

these all add to the leakage and building the car up adds to vibrations, pressures and stresses that increase the likelihood of all the above.

Therefor i've just come to say... if your DSM isn't leaking oil, it just isn't making enough power

All that said... yes there's a flatness tolerance on the front cover and this is one of the reasons RRE/EXTREME/Buschur use to all recomend a new cover on every rebuild.. loose bolts and tight bolts and heat cycles will warp it some.

I took EVERY extra step i could on my rebuild a coupl years ago and i've been a wrench a LONG time. and within about 7k miles i noticed my first film of oil on the pan and head (valve cover and oil pan) and since then they've only increased in how much they leak... I never leave puddles, but there's always a film, and when i get on the car and pull a few gears at 30psi there's oil on top the VC from the cooked oil cap gasket (they cook fast withh theheat shield and all the above reasons taking effect on them, i'm sick of buyin new ones at this point)

If some one out there has a way to make these engines not leak a drop for more than a few thousand miles after a complete seal and gasket overhaul while being daily driven, i'd LOVE tohear it. For those worrying about the leaks... My best advise is stay on top of the mess, check bolts and learn to deal with it to an extent.

maybe i'm wrong but i've gone crazy trying to stop them all, and finally gave up and got my sanity back