possible oil leaks behind engine bracket

[boosted86]

is it possible to get a oil leak behind the driverside mounting bracket(where the idler pulley is attached to.) i took it off yesterday(changing idler pulley) and there was oil all over the backside of the bracket....?any help is appreciated, thanks.

 

[RoasT BeeF]

There is really nothing back there besides the headgasket that will leak oil. Was there any oil on the timing belt or inside the timing belt cover? If nothing else it could possibly be from a previous leak and oil seeped in between the bracket and the block where it couldnt get cleaned.

 

[silver bullit]

Most likely it is your valve cover gasket, or you spilled some down there on a oil change.

 

[RoasT BeeF]

Most likely it is your valve cover gasket, or you spilled some down there on a oil change.

I dont think spilled oil will get INSIDE the timing belt cover. It is possible the valve cover gasket could be leaking but then there would be oil on everything, cam gears, timing belt, etc. and inside the timing belt cover. But he said its just on this bracket - which isnt close to the VC.

So what we need here is a little more info.

 

[boosted86]

well the motor was recently built about 4000 miles ago. i have a cometic head gasket, and both surfaces where decked(block,head) um ....i used arp studs to bolt down the head, i havent yet retorqued, could that be the culprit? i am getting some oil around thevalve cover, slight.

 

[need2boostpsi]

just wanted to give an update so anyone else reading this will know, you can have an oil leak behind that bracket if all of the bolts are, 1) not tighted to spec, 2) you have something preventing a flush fitment of the bracket to the block. I just got through fixing a leak that was caused by a lose bolt. One of the bolts goes all the way through the block to the oil drain from the the head, if its not tight you will have some oil make its way past the threads.