Oil leak? Where!?!?

[flyboy346205]

Ok here's the gist. I just got done rebuilding my motor. It's a seven-bolt 4G63T out of my 1997 Eclipse GS-T...so, it runs beautifully. I just have one minor problem. A mysterious oil leak that I can't seem to track down and fix. It seems to be coming from behind that nice big bracket to the right of the header that the power steering pump bolts to. I've taken all three bolts out of this bracket and put sealant on them. I've put sealant on one more bolt and threaded it into an open bolt hole that I found. This didn't fix it. If anyone else has had this problem or knows what it might be, PLEASE HELP ME. And no, it's not coming from the head or anywhere else above that bracket. I can see and feel the oil up to that bracket, but not above.

 

[missouri_dsm]

sounds like your oil pump cover. Also did you put a new oil pump cover on it with your build? If not then it could be your oil pump pulley gear leaking and the timing belt slinging the oil upwards.

 

[98GSt_4life]

i had that problem when i first got my car...

what i did:
degrease the entire engine
then start it and look to see if you can see anything leaking, if not take a quick drive just run it up to a higher RPM(to get the oil pressure up) then bring it back and cheach it again.

it could be a number of things:
-the valve cover by the timing gears, it can leak from the corners were it goes over the humps.
-the front main seal
-did you remove the BS, if so did you plug the hole correctly?
-or any of the other seals for the gears..

 

[missouri_dsm]

i had that problem when i first got my car...

what i did:
degrease the entire engine
then start it and look to see if you can see anything leaking, if not take a quick drive just run it up to a higher RPM(to get the oil pressure up) then bring it back and cheach it again.

it could be a number of things:
-the valve cover by the timing gears, it can leak from the corners were it goes over the humps.
-the front main seal
-did you remove the BS, if so did you plug the hole correctly?
-or any of the other seals for the gears..

That is the correct way to find an oil leak but instead of driving down the road just reach over and hold the throttle open to about 3000rpm or so until you see the oil leaking.

 

[flyboy346205]

That's a bit wierd cause I did take my oil pump gear off and found that it was loose. I tightened it thinking that I had just forgotten to torque it down before. I guess I'll pull the timing cover off and check it again. One question though: Why, if that were the case, would the oil be running down the side of the block? The front main seal was replaced and it's in great shape. I did do the BS elimination and I did plug it with a bolt and ample amounts of sealant. It's not leaking high enough to be the valve cover.

 

[flyboy346205]

Ok, I broke down and am just pulling the whole timing assembly back apart. I have a question though. Is it safe for me to start and run the motor without that driver side motor mount in place and also without the timing cover installed. Keep in mind that I'm not going to be driving it. It'll just be sitting there, but I wanted to make sure. Thanks

Jason

 

[pedrick1]

Yea it is safe to start your car with all that off but keep in mind your water pump pulley will be off so your water pump will not be working so the engine can only be left running for a minute or two, I am actually in the middle of finding an oil leak on my eclipse as well, I just got done doing a time belt water pump balance shaft removal etc, and now i am leaking tons of oil and i can not find where, it is extremely frustrating thats what i want to do to this car