simple, possible dumb oil leak question

[91 GSX]

I just got under my 91gsx again today to try and locate my oil leak. I wiped it down and started it up to try and locate it last time with no luck. I think it only leaks (BAD) when not just at idle. But it leaks on my downpipe, and flexpipe near back of engine bay. It isn't smoking OUT of exhaust, just off of it. So I don't believe it is a head gasket leak. Anyways, just looked again and there is oil on my bolts that mount the intake manifold to the head or whatever it mounts to. My question is, can oil leak from where the intake manifold mounts to the motor?

 

[theSicKness]

Leaking on your downpipe i would check your oil return line and also your feed line. And no, no oil will not come out of there.. its just and intake manifold stay.

 

[Rex2342]

It's probably either the valve cover gasket, the dipstick tube, front cover, or main seal. Those are the normal culprits of oil leakage. It may also be the oil filter housing since it's a 91. Check all of the above and let us know.

 

[91 GSX]

Thanks so far, and I will let everyone know when I figure this out. theSickness wrote "It's just and intake manifold stay". This confused me, were you possibly referring to the intake manifold stay bolts can leak oil? Can they? Because I did remove it briefly to get rid of my air conditioning system. I also did away with the a/c bracket. Can those holes leak? My oil return line is new, still wiped it down and inspected it though, not it. not feed line either, turbo clean. I went through the headaches of the infamous oil filter housing, and dip stick tube already (fixed). Don't know what front cover is, but I'll try to search. Valve cover gasket 10 months old, and not leaking from front, back hard to see. Barely any oil on top of intake man. If head gasket leaks, wouln't it leak antifreeze too? And I'm auto tranny (for now), so I'm really hoping it's not rear main seal. Would rear m get all over exhaust? Think rear main is between block and tranny. Where should I look to watch for leak from rear main?

 

[Rex2342]

The front cover is basically the oil pump. It located behind the timing stuff on the drivers side. There is also a seal behind the front case that is know for leaking too. The manifold stud should not leak oil. They don't go the whole way through the head so there is no chance of them leaking oil. One other option could be a bolt on the backside of the engine. This bolt has something to do with the balance shafts. I'm not 100% what it's for but it goes through the block and could have come loose.

 

[theSicKness]

Thanks so far, and I will let everyone know when I figure this out. theSickness wrote "It's just and intake manifold stay". This confused me, were you possibly referring to the intake manifold stay bolts can leak oil? Can they? Because I did remove it briefly to get rid of my air conditioning system. I also did away with the a/c bracket. Can those holes leak? My oil return line is new, still wiped it down and inspected it though, not it. not feed line either, turbo clean. I went through the headaches of the infamous oil filter housing, and dip stick tube already (fixed). Don't know what front cover is, but I'll try to search. Valve cover gasket 10 months old, and not leaking from front, back hard to see. Barely any oil on top of intake man. If head gasket leaks, wouln't it leak antifreeze too? And I'm auto tranny (for now), so I'm really hoping it's not rear main seal. Would rear m get all over exhaust? Think rear main is between block and tranny. Where should I look to watch for leak from rear main?

What i said they are were the intake manifold stay bolts would go if you had removed them. and no they can not leak oil...The next thing i would do is wipe down your block and look for warped spots in the head.. i had the same thing happen when my head warped had perfect compresion and no coolant in my oil. mine was on the front left corner....

Good luck

Jesse

 

[theSicKness]

The front cover is basically the oil pump. It located behind the timing stuff on the drivers side. There is also a seal behind the front case that is know for leaking too. The manifold stud should not leak oil. They don't go the whole way through the head so there is no chance of them leaking oil. One other option could be a bolt on the backside of the engine. This bolt has something to do with the balance shafts. I'm not 100% what it's for but it goes through the block and could have come loose.

The bolt he is talking about is right below the starter and is removed when timing your vehicle to make sure the balance shafts are in time, if the bolt was out you would be leaking a couple a quarts every time you took the car out.

Jesse

 

[91 GSX]

Sorry for the delayed response, don't have internet anymore. Turns out the oil leak WAS from the turbo oil return line. The accordion flexible part of the metal tube had a small crack that wasn't visible. I noticed it by letting the car idle while I got under it again, tried this once before. Noticed tiny oil beads shooting out of it. Barely leaked at idle, but poured out while in gear, and or boosting. Then the oil got caught by wind and coated everything to the rear of it all the way back past the flex part of exhaust downpipe. The oil even got carried up between the rear of motor and fire wall coating the bottom of intake plenum, which I think is what threw me off with finding the problem. I fixed it by taking the oil return line off, cutting the entire flex section off and replacing it with silicone tubing, clamping each end with hose clamps. Thanks again peeps.