2G Timing Side Leak

[NotoriousGSX]

Here we go.

I've had this car for about 8 months now. Always had an oil leak near the timing side of the motor. Timing belt drenched in oil, entire driver side covered, and I mean everything.

After taking it out after being garaged for almost 6 months, it ran fine to work but broke down omw home.

I tore into it to change the alternator but decided I'd replace not only the alternator but head gasket, head studs, valve stem seals, cam seals, PCV, entire front case, pulleys, belts, gaskets, whatever in hopes of possibly fixing the leak while I was in there. (Please ignore the dipstick replacement. It's temporary. Waiting on dipstick from STM )

What do you know, problem still isn't fixed. I put some UV dye in there to see if I could get a better idea of where it's coming from, got some full boost pulls in and got a variety of... answers?

1- Oil cap: Must be the valve cover since I've gone through like 3 oil caps and they all "leak".

2- Oil return line: It explains the spot where I find leaks on the ground every morning but nowhere else

3- Alternator??: I've been finding a lot of it on the alternator which is annoying since it's a brand new 90 amp and I'm really proud of how shiny it is That and the old one is completely soiled and I think thats why it went out

4- Oil filter housing: I don't know if it's been dripping down and onto the oil filter somewhere but I've been finding a lot of buildup there. Below the filter and around the base of it.

5- Around oil pan: I imagine it's dripping down and pooling up around the seal of the oil pan. When I put it on, I cleaned the surfaces well and applied a rather beautiful bead of sealant and torqued all the bolts to spec, with the 2 smaller bolts in the proper places on the front case.

6- Motor mount, power steering pump, and PS res

It's all very confusing for me since there's no oil on the timing belt where you WOULD imagine it's coming from somewhere in there, and it's just being flung around everywhere.

I don't have an oil pressure guage besides the one on the cluster and the needle sits just above the little oil can logo on highway. Feel like it's a little high. And that it's just pressing itself out of every little crevas it can.

Thanks for any advice or help I can get. Picking up my wife and she really wants to see the car and I want it to be in the best shape it can be. Small leak is "oh well", this much.. it's getting a bit annoying. Even after everything I did to try fixing it.

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[luv2rallye]

You didn't do a balance shaft delete and forget to put in the stubby shaft or plug? Is it coming out the balance shaft areas or timing belt idler pulleys shafts or ???

Did you do a full front case replacement or just its gasket or ??? I recently did one and you have to use the real Mitsu gasket to properly cover all the oil holes (some aftermarket don't). Also spray the gasket with copper high temp sealant before assembly. It's some work but if you at wits end, suggest you remove lower timing cover and run it while watching the lower front case for oil leaks with dye - that's where mine were.

 

[97egl]

I'd try having someone turn the steering wheel back and forth while you watch the power steering pump and hoses. Easy to do and may find where some of the oil is coming from. Obviously you do have engine oil leaks or the oil wouldn't be glowing under the UV light.

As far as your oil cap leaking if you havent been putting new ones on all the old one pretty much will leak because the flat gasket to seal them is rock hard. I got a sheet of buna-n gasket material (1/16" i think?) and cut out a new seal for my oil cap. Never had a drop come out from it since doing that.

I'd guess the rest of the oil is probably coming from the under the timing cover somewhere. Unless your cap is blowing oil out so bad that it is flinging it all over the engine and going into the timing belt which in turn sprays it all over even more. You may replace the cap gaskets and find that your issue is fixed. Probably a slim chance but would be nice right!

 

[steve]

New oil cap gasket, new rocker cover gasket, new dipstick, followed by a good wash with degreaser and then chase the rest of the leaks.

 

[Dericsh]

I’ve read to double stack the new oil cap gasket onto the old one, so that’s what I did, but my car isn’t running yet to verify that as a fix. Fix one obvious leak at a time until you get them all, there’s great suggestions here before my post already.

Mitsubishi OEM Engine Oil Cap Gasket for Evo DSM 3000GT (MD311638)

If you've got oil leaking onto your valve cover from the cap, this could fix the problem. Genuine OEM Mitsubishi factory replacement engine oil cap gasket fits many Mitsubishi models including the 1G/2G DSM, GVR4, Evo 1-9, 3000GT and Stealth.

stmtuned.com

 

[Justin DuBois]

What steve said - You have multiple leaks.

I'd put a tarp down under the engine on the driveway, dawn soap/water in a spray bottle and soak every surface. Take soft brushes in various sizes to knock loose the mess downward to the tarp. (take some time with it) Once you have touched everything with a soapy brush (rinse often), start with a top down fine spray rinse with a low flow - high pressure nozzle. Mind your electrical. Wipe off as much grime as you can with the sprayer and rags.

You may need some spot work with a can of carb-cleaner (or breakclean) - and then use compressed air to blow dry all the nooks, then let dry. 24hrs.

After dry, check your electrical connectors in the work area - Open and blow out any water, and use contact cleaner to ensure no water is left, and the connections are still clean.

You should have a clean engine at this point - Do your leak tests with the dye again - but do a short engine start and inspection. You don't want to drive around making a big mess again, just run oil up to pressure - then address the leaks you find.

 

[steve]

At least some of it looks like PS fluid leak but you can see there are several oil leaks.

 

[NotoriousGSX]

I'd try having someone turn the steering wheel back and forth while you watch the power steering pump and hoses. Easy to do and may find where some of the oil is coming from. Obviously you do have engine oil leaks or the oil wouldn't be glowing under the UV light.

As far as your oil cap leaking if you havent been putting new ones on all the old one pretty much will leak because the flat gasket to seal them is rock hard. I got a sheet of buna-n gasket material (1/16" i think?) and cut out a new seal for my oil cap. Never had a drop come out from it since doing that.

I'd guess the rest of the oil is probably coming from the under the timing cover somewhere. Unless your cap is blowing oil out so bad that it is flinging it all over the engine and going into the timing belt which in turn sprays it all over even more. You may replace the cap gaskets and find that your issue is fixed. Probably a slim chance but would be nice right!

I pray that none of it's coming from under the timing cover. I did my absolute best making sure everything was to spec, clean, and nice and tidy in there.

But yeah I had been using caps with brand new seals on them, so I may just try double stacking a seal like someone else had said and try that.

We'll see..

What steve said - You have multiple leaks.

I'd put a tarp down under the engine on the driveway, dawn soap/water in a spray bottle and soak every surface. Take soft brushes in various sizes to knock loose the mess downward to the tarp. (take some time with it) Once you have touched everything with a soapy brush (rinse often), start with a top down fine spray rinse with a low flow - high pressure nozzle. Mind your electrical. Wipe off as much grime as you can with the sprayer and rags.

You may need some spot work with a can of carb-cleaner (or breakclean) - and then use compressed air to blow dry all the nooks, then let dry. 24hrs.

After dry, check your electrical connectors in the work area - Open and blow out any water, and use contact cleaner to ensure no water is left, and the connections are still clean.

You should have a clean engine at this point - Do your leak tests with the dye again - but do a short engine start and inspection. You don't want to drive around making a big mess again, just run oil up to pressure - then address the leaks you find.

Yeah I'd like to do this at some point. It's due for a real good cleaning. Super grimey and years worth of buildup on absolutely everything.

P/O hadn't taken the time to fix it nor really cared about it to begin with. It was grandma owned.

I was hoping the dye would pinpoint even with all the stuck on stuff but, it's just everywhere I'll have a buddy turn the steering wheel while it's running and I'll check out everything PS related. If I can't find anything apparent over there I'll do the giga wash and go from there. Thanks for all the advice

 

[dwb]

Is it leaking from the oil pan? What did you use for sealant there? If it is leaking it can drip on the axle and then fling all over making it hard to identify the source. It can drip down the ofh as well.

 

[NotoriousGSX]

Is it leaking from the oil pan? What did you use for sealant there? If it is leaking it can drip on the axle and then fling all over making it hard to identify the source. It can drip down the ofh as well.

It looks like its just gathering around the rim of the oil pan. I used Permatex ultra black

 

[NotoriousGSX]

Found the issue. Turns out it was the oil cap gasket all along. It was just somehow making its way all around the motor. I don't know how since I don't rip on it too hard but after double stacking the gaskets and tightening up a few things here and there, its no longer leaking. Anywhere (For now)